Battersea Power Station
Iconic London landmark opens its doors. Well, sort of.
(Photos © urban75, 12th July 2008)
Battersea Power Station was the first in a series of large coal-fired electricity generating stations constructed as part of the National Grid.
The largest brick building in Europe and styled in the Art Deco fashion, the structure was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (who also designed the red telephone box, Liverpool Anglican Cathedral and the Bankside power station, which now houses the Tate Modern art gallery).
The steel-framed building was started in 1929 and completed by 1939.
The original power station had a single long hall with a chimney at either end, but this was doubled between 1953 to 1955 to give the familiar four-chimney layout, famously seem on the cover of Pink Floyd's 1977 album 'Animals'.
Closed since 1983, the site has seen numerous development plans come and go, and the open day we attended was put on by
owners Treasury Holdings and Real Estate Opportunities who have ambitious plans to create a mixed use regeneration offering shopping, dining, museums and hotels.
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-01.jpg) A model of the proposed development, showing the distinctive 'eco-tower' behind the old power station.
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-02.jpg)
Overall view of the model in the visitor centre.
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-03.jpg) Old instruments from the power station.
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-04.jpg)
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-05.jpg)
![top](../images/topbx.gif)
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-06.jpg)
The walk around the power station begins!
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-07.jpg)
The striking building in the distance.
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-08.jpg)
Battersea gasometer with the famous dogs home to the left.
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-10.jpg)
Dramatic sky behind the power station.
![top](../images/topbx.gif)
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-12.jpg)
Getting closer.
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-13.jpg)
Battersea gasometers.
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-14.jpg)
Scaffolding surrounding an open viewpoint into one of the turbine halls.
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-15.jpg)
Original tiles still intact inside.
![top](../images/topbx.gif)
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-16.jpg)
Chimney reflections.
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-17.jpg)
Large hole in the power station wall.
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-18.jpg)
Passing train running along the tracks that flank the site.
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-19.jpg)
Grabbing a shot. The surrounding fences were annoyingly high for photography unless you were 7 foot tall.
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-20.jpg)
Surviving window glass.
![top](../images/topbx.gif)
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-21.jpg)
Looking up.
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-22.jpg)
Brick and windows.
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-23.jpg)
Detail of window frames.
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-24.jpg)
![top](../images/topbx.gif)
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-27.jpg)
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-28.jpg)
Looking up at the extant roof of a turbine hall.
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-29.jpg)
Interior pillars.
![Battersea Power Station, London, photos and feature, July 2008](images/battersea-power-station-30.jpg)
Looking along an empty turbine hall.
« London homepage Battersea Power Station (part two) »
|