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The Metropolitan Main-drainage works at Crossness, 1864. Creator: Unknown
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The Metropolitan Main-drainage works at Crossness, 1864. Creator: Unknown
The Metropolitan Main-drainage works at Crossness, [Bexley], 1864. View of '...the works at this important outlet for the whole of the sewage drained from the area on the south side of the Thames. The large building in the centre...will have a good appearance from the river. It has considerable architectural pretensions...The block of buildings...contains the engines, boilers, and other machinery connected with the great pumping establishment...The numerous lines of walls, some arched over, in the foreground...are the works of the great reservoir, in which the sewage is accumulated during the flow of the tide...The reservoir into which the sewage is lifted extends over 6½ acres, and is capable of holding 1,000,000 cubic feet in each of its four compartments...The sewage will be stored therein between the tidal periods of high water, near which time only a discharge into the river is intended...the works are very extensive, covering...an area of about fifteen acres. They embrace, in addition to the above, a complicated network of sewers and three outlets, furnished with a number of very large cast-iron sluices, with all requisite machinery for regulating and distributing the sewage into the several channels, as circumstances may demand'. From "Illustrated London News", 1864
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Media ID 38686065
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Building Site Chimney Chimneys Civil Engineering Construction Site Drainage Engineering Industrial Revolution Joseph Bazalgette Joseph William Bazalgette Pumping Station Reservoir Sanitation Scaffold Scaffolding Sewage Treatment Works Sewage Works Sewer Sewer System Sewers Sir Joseph Bazalgette Water Supply Working Man Workman Workmen Metropolitan Board Of Works
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EDITORS COMMENTS
**The Pulse of Progress: A Glimpse into Metropolitan Main-Drainage Works at Crossness, 1864**
As we gaze upon this vintage photograph print, we are transported to a pivotal moment in the history of urban development. The Metropolitan Main-drainage works at Crossness, situated on the south side of the Thames, was an engineering marvel that revolutionized sanitation and public health in Victorian London.
At its heart lies a grand pumping establishment, with imposing architecture and intricate machinery whirring away to manage the flow of sewage from across the city. The sprawling complex stretches over 15 acres, comprising four reservoirs capable of holding 1 million cubic feet each - an astonishing feat that underscores human ingenuity in tackling urban challenges.
In this photograph, we see a glimpse into the inner workings of Crossness's main- drainage works. Towering walls and arched structures crisscross the foreground, forming part of the massive reservoir where sewage is stored during high tide before being released back into the river at low tide. The sheer scale and complexity of these operations are awe-inspiring, a testament to human innovation in solving some of society's most pressing problems.
This photograph serves as a fascinating window into London's industrial heritage, offering us a glimpse into the era when engineering prowess was transforming urban landscapes forever.
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