Report - The Pump house, Lots road power station, Chelsea, London - June 2015

[slayaaaa]

Intro

I saw this back when i did the main power station building and thought it would be full of something nice to look at, but it wasn't really quite what I expected... Gantry crane was fun though!
Literally zero information about this online anywhere, no history, no pictures, no signage nothing at all.
If anyone can help with the history or even what this housed, then please do!
No one's explored it as far as i know.

History

All I can find, or even assume, that this place was an extension when they converted the Lots road power station to 50 Hz generation. I can only assume it's some kind of water pump as the thing has a ridiculous pit dug out of the main hall inside it.
Obviously you can see from the concrete that this place held some big machinery, My hoping was that it was still there!
Either way, the gantry was there and that's not too bad, the place is still worth a report I think.

My visit

When I first saw the place I already spotted access and to be honest it wasn't rocket science, it was just a matter of climbing some stupid fence in front of the local school kids walking home from school then falling into the building in the most graceful way possible.
Had a quick run around and re-traced our steps.
Done, something interesting, enjoy.

Pictures

60's industrial window and a 7.5 tonne crane

The hall

Fancy a swim?

Probably too many pics for what it is, what you gonna do?

Hope you enjoyed!​

 

[Ojay]

From when you first described it, I thought it was the Lot's Rd sewage P.S, however it's not

 

[FreshFingers]

Probably too many pics for what it is, what you gonna do?​

Nothing...I likey Grab some scuba gear and finish off please ​

 

[slayaaaa]

Funny you say that, I just seen this:

http://www.ltmcollection.org/photos...ower stations&IXrefine=Lots Road&_IXFIRST_=13

 

[Punk]

I like this a lot There's some good paint peel there

 

[Lancashire lad]

aye decent explore that pal nice one

 

[slayaaaa]

Cheers,

 

[Speed]

I think people have been in there before in search of the tunnel but come up with the same conclusions. As you would expect, its flooded. What i want to know is where did the cables go into the tube grid? Anyone know?

 

[pigdog]

nice

 

[Goldie87]

Looks nice in there!

 

[Distra]

Nice one. I was wondering what this building was, usually fencing + barb/razor wire means something fun is on the other side

 

[Oxygen Thief]

http://www.hampsteadscience.ac.uk/article_Lots_Rd.htm

...the pump house ...superstructure is a steel-framed building with sheet metal cladding over brick walls. The top floor houses the main 22,000 volt switch gear, 3,300 volt switchgear for the station auxiliary supplies and the Electrical Control Room. Cable shafts from the floor below lead to the turbine house for the main cables from the generators and to the boiler house for the cables to 3,300 volt switchgear for each unit. ...New 22,000 volt cables were installed from Lots Road to new switchgear at Cromwell Curve and onwards to Coburg Street (near Euston)...

 

[drhowser]

I think the coal handling was at the other end - http://www.formationarchitects.co.uk/LotsRoad.php

This bit sounds more like something to do with the cooling systems. Loads of info here - http://www.hampsteadscience.ac.uk/article_Lots_Rd.htm

*balls. Spent too long reading..*

 

[slayaaaa]

Well done for finding that, i spent a good hour or 2 looking for something like that to no avail!

 

[Oxygen Thief]

*balls. Spent too long reading..*

yeah, it was quite a read, interesting though.