Brentford Rewind: The Standpipe tower that is not a chimney
It stands as the dominant structure as people enter Brentford coming from Chiswick or over Kew Bridge.
The Museum of Water & Steam Victorian standpipe tower is 200ft high.
It might be confused with being a chimney stack but in fact it houses two systems of vertical pipes.
Water was pumped through the pipes before it entered the mains water supply.
The brick tower is of Italianate design and was constructed in 1867 to replace an earlier open metal lattice structure.
The current standpipe is the third and the only one to have been enclosed with brick to protect the massive cast iron pipes from frost damage.
The slits in the brickwork are believed to have been included to allow small fires to be lit at the base to gently warm the pipes in severe weather.
The structure is a Grade I listed building.
New brentford Jobs Section Launched!!
Vacancies updated hourly!!
Click here: brentford jobs
Share:
