The Hydraulic Accumulator Tower From The DLR
I took these pictures of the Hydraulic Accumulator Tower yesterday to compliment those I took from the ground at Open House.
I was on the eastbound platform at Limehouse station, except for the close-up, where I was in the front of a train.
One of the problems with the DLR these days, is that it is too popular with site-seers and sometimes getting the front seats to take pictures can be almost impossible.
Open House – Crossness
I’ve been to Crossness before, but a guy named Rodney, kindly gave me a lift to one of London”s two cathedrals of sewage, I decided to accept it. The other cathedral is Abbey Mills.
It was heaving with people and the only low point was waiting for the mini-bus in the heavy rain, to get the train home.
Open House – SELCHP
SELCHP or the South East London Combined Heat and Power energy recovery facility, is a refuse incinerator, that generates up to 35 MW of electricity. I went for a look round during the Open House weekend.
It’s a long time since, I’ve been given free rein in an industrial plant. The last one that generated power was probably Cliff Quay or Sizewell A. Or it certainly was in the UK, although I have visited two others in the US; AEP Cook and Beaver Valley.
The site was impressive and I think they do a good job, getting rid of London’s rubbish. For those who object to incinerators on principle, it can’t be that bad, as they have now got resident peregrine falcons to keep down the number of pigeons. All I can find is this in a forum.
There’s also a bird of prey of some sort that nests at SELCHP, the incinerator opposite Millwall football ground. They provide it with special nesting boxes. Apparently, the high, bare walls look like the cliffs that are its natural habitat!
But the building probably looks no different to peregrines as does Tate Modern.
Open House – The Thames Tunnel Revealed
Because it was Open House, the floodlights were left on in the Thames Tunnel today. I took these two pictures.
I did intend to take some more on my way back, but I was rather delayed.
Perhaps it would be a good idea, if Transport for London, lit up some of the disused stations on the Underground, so they could be seen from passing trains on the Open House weekend.
Open House – Crossrail’s Bond Street Station Presentation
This was a presentation, that I wanted to see yesterday. But as you can see it was very popular. At least from the numbers who turned up.
Crossrail’s Bond Street Station Presentation
At least it probably shows, that CrossRail is going to be a success.
Around The Limehouse Basin
From Ilford station, the one for TUCA, I took the train to Stratford from where I took the DLR to Limehouse station, where I walked around the Limehouse Basin.
My goal was to find another building open today in Open House; the Limehouse Hydraulic Accumulator.
Open House – TUCA
I went to the Tunnelling and Underground Construction Academy at Ilford.
It is an impressive place, that trains workers and prospective ones in the skills needed to work underground.
It is actually the first legacy of CrossRail, as they will be needing substantial numbers of workers over the next few years.
The Anonymous Widower 