Who knew sewage could be so stylish! Inside the beautiful Victorian Pumping Station that has opened its doors to the public as London's newest tourist attraction
By Caroline Mcguire for MailOnline
08:32 21 Jul 2016, updated 10:53 21 Jul 2016
Crossness pumping station in London's Abbey Wood has had a multi-million pound makeover
The station first opened in 1865 and is now a Grade I Listed building thanks to its beautiful decor
Much of the original structure remains intact today, including the old pumping engines and cast iron detailing
The Victorians might not be known for their sartorial style, but they certainly knew how to make sewage look sexy.
A pumping station in South East London's Abbey Wood that was built in 1865 has had a multi-million pound makeover and is now opening its doors to the public.
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The Crossness Pumping Station was built by Sir Joseph Bazalgette as part of the capital's new sewage system, and as well as providing an important function, the design also included incredibly intricate cast iron detailing.
The Beam Engine House is now Grade I listed and as a result, much of the original structure remains intact today, with the four original pumping engines, which are possibly the largest remaining rotative beam engines in the world, with 52 ton flywheels and 47 ton beams.
The Crossness Engines Trust, a registered charity, was set up in 1987 to restore the installation, with the help of £2.7million in funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund as well as help from a large unpaid volunteer workforce.
The Station has now opened it doors to visitors but the public open days are still quite rare as staff are made up of volunteers, although they are working to increase this number, with visitors encouraged to check the website for details.
A pumping station in south-east London that was built in 1865 has had a multi-million pound makeoverThe Crossness Pumping Station in Abbey Wood is now opening its doors to the public
The pumping station in Abbey Wood is now opening its doors to the public after a huge makeover As well as providing an important function, the design also included incredibly intricate cast iron detailing of the era The Beam Engine House is now Grade I listed and as a result, much of the original structure remains intact todayA picture of the Crossness pumping Station before renovations on the property had been completed Handrails were of tubular brass highly polished, and the ironwork was painted in natural colours following those of the leaves, branches and fruit representedHandrails were of tubular brass highly polished, and the ironwork was painted in natural colours following those of the leaves, branches and fruit representedThe interior of the Engine House was provided with wrought and cast iron work of the most ornate design The openwork upper iron floors were painted in French grey and vermilion, whilst the shafts of the main columns were in Indian redThe four original pumping engines are possibly the largest remaining rotative beam engines in the world, with 52 ton flywheels and 47 ton beamsMen and women gather for a photograph outside the entrance to the pumping station during its opening in 1865 Detail of the wrought ironwork at CrossnessIntricate stone work on the exterior of the buildingThe four engines are placed in the corners of the building, the centre of which is occupied by an octagonal structure of iron columns with richly ornamented capitals, supporting iron arched screens and the open octagonal well on the main beam floor Visitors in their finery pose outside the building to celebrate its opening in 1865 A restored steam engine named Prince Consort at Crossness - on the station's next open day on July 24 they will be running the machine on steam
Share or comment on this article: Victorian Pumping Station has become London's newest tourist attraction
A pumping station in south-east London that was built in 1865 has had a multi-million pound makeover
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The Crossness Pumping Station in Abbey Wood is now opening its doors to the public
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The pumping station in Abbey Wood is now opening its doors to the public after a huge makeover
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As well as providing an important function, the design also included incredibly intricate cast iron detailing of the era
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The Beam Engine House is now Grade I listed and as a result, much of the original structure remains intact today
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A picture of the Crossness pumping Station before renovations on the property had been completed
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Handrails were of tubular brass highly polished, and the ironwork was painted in natural colours following those of the leaves, branches and fruit represented
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Handrails were of tubular brass highly polished, and the ironwork was painted in natural colours following those of the leaves, branches and fruit represented
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The interior of the Engine House was provided with wrought and cast iron work of the most ornate design
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The openwork upper iron floors were painted in French grey and vermilion, whilst the shafts of the main columns were in Indian red
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The four original pumping engines are possibly the largest remaining rotative beam engines in the world, with 52 ton flywheels and 47 ton beams
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Men and women gather for a photograph outside the entrance to the pumping station during its opening in 1865
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Detail of the wrought ironwork at Crossness
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Intricate stone work on the exterior of the building
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The four engines are placed in the corners of the building, the centre of which is occupied by an octagonal structure of iron columns with richly ornamented capitals, supporting iron arched screens and the open octagonal well on the main beam floor
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Visitors in their finery pose outside the building to celebrate its opening in 1865
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A restored steam engine named Prince Consort at Crossness - on the station's next open day on July 24 they will be running the machine on steam
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