Once a Power House

Last fall we were part of a group that traveled abroad on a Shades of Ireland tour, focused on that country. However, extras included a 3-day pre-extension to London and/or a 3-day post-extension to Edinburgh. We booked London, Ireland, and Edinburgh and saw as much as possible. This post focuses on one of the most visited sights in London.

Battersea Power Station today 

Battersea Power Station is a decommissioned coal-fired power station located on the south bank of the River Thames in Nine Elms, Battersea in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It was built by the London Power Company (LPC) to the design of Leonard Pearce, Engineer in Chief to the LPC and CS Allott & Son Engineers. The station was one of the world's largest brick buildings notable for its original, Art Deco interior fittings and decor.

Andrew & Kath, Us at Battersea Power Station 

During our London visit, we were treated to a visit to Battersea Power Station by long-time UK friends, Andrew and Kath. 

We took a glass lift to a viewing platform atop the power station’s landmark white chimneys to see sweeping views across the river from a height of over 330 feet.

Views from Battersea Power Station viewing platform

The Start

For nearly six decades from the 1930s to 1980s, Battersea Power Station was a working power station. At its peak, it produced a fifth of London’s power, supplying electricity to some of London’s most recognizable landmarks, such as the Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace. The station was one of the world's largest brick buildings, notable for its original Art Deco interior fittings and decor. 

Until the late 1930s, electricity was supplied by municipal undertakings, small power companies that built power stations dedicated to a single industry or group of factories, selling any excess electricity to the public. These companies used widely differing standards of voltage and frequency. In 1925 Parliament decided that the power grid should be a single system with uniform standards and under public ownership. Several private power companies reacted to the proposal by forming the London Power Company (LPC) to heed the recommendations and build a small number of very large stations.

The LPC's first super power stations was planned for the Battersea area, on the south bank of the River Thames, London. In 1927, a proposal was made for a station built in two stages capable of generating 400 MWs of electricity. The site was a 15-acre plot of land which had been the site of reservoirs for the former Southwark and Vauxhall Waterworks Company. It was chosen for its proximity to the River Thames for cooling water and coal delivery; it was in the heart of London, the station's immediate supply area.

Sir Giles Gilbert Scott 

The proposal sparked protests from those who felt that the building would be a large eyesore as well as concern that pollution could damage local buildings and parks. The pollution issue was resolved by granting permission to build the station on condition that its emissions be treated to ensure they were clean and smokeless.

The company hired Sir Giles Gilbert Scott to design the building's exterior. An industrial designer, Scott was a well-known architect, referred to in the press as architect of the exterior. He is famously remembered for his design of the iconic British red telephone box, which is still in use today. 

The station was designed in the brick-cathedral style of power station design popular at the time. Battersea is one of a small number of examples of this style of design still in existence in the UK today. The station's popular design was described as a temple of power, which ranked it equal with St Paul's Cathedral as a London landmark. 

Battersea Power Station A, 1934

The first stage, Battersea Power Station A, was built between 1929 and 1935. The second, Station B was built between 1937 and 1941. Construction was halted during WW II. RAF pilots used the plumes of white vapor from the chimneys to guide them home in fog. The German Luftwaffe also used the plumes for navigation, which many believe is why the power station avoided extensive bombing.

Station A's control room had many Art Deco fittings. Italian marble was used in the turbine hall, and polished parquet floors and wrought-iron staircases were throughout. After WW II ended, construction resumed on Station B, which was nearly identical to Station A on the outside. Due to a lack of funds after WW II, Station B's interior wasn't done the same, fittings were made from stainless steel. It was constructed directly to its east as a mirror, giving the station its familiar four-chimney layout. The space within the main Boiler House was vast enough to fit St Paul's Cathedral inside. There were nine boilers in Station A station, six in Station B, which were the largest ever built in the UK at that time. 

Battersea Power Station, Stations A and B

The construction of Station B brought the site's generating capacity to 509 MW peak capacity, making it the third largest generating site in the UK then. It was also the most thermally efficient power station in the world when it opened.

The End

In March 1975, Station A closed after 40 years in operation. Three years later, rumors began that Station B would follow. A campaign was launched to save the building as part of the national heritage; it was declared a heritage site in 1980. In October 1983, production of electricity at Station B ended, after nearly 30 years of operation. The station's generating capacity had fallen to 146 MW. 

Battersea's demise was caused by output falling with age, outdated generating equipment, preferred choice of fuel for electricity generation shifting from coal toward oil, gas and nuclear power and increased operating costs.

The power station's roof was removed in a plan to convert it into a theme park

Former turbine room in ruins after station was decommissioned

After being decommissioned, the power station fell into serious ruin. It condition was described as very bad by English Heritage, which cares for over 400 historic buildings, monuments and sites, and which included it in the Heritage at Risk Register. Various proposals to renovate the building included a theme park, shopping mall, football stadium all fell apart. In 2012, a Malaysian consortium bought the 42-acre site to develop it with residences, restaurants, office space, shops and entertainment spaces. 

Plans were approved and redevelopment started in a few years. Most of the building's interior scaffolding was removed with work done to refurbish the original 1930s features. Original chimneys were replaced with replicas, two have steam emitted from a new gas-powered energy center.

Station B Controls at Battersea Power Station 

The Redo

In October 2020, after 4 years of construction, nearly 40 years after the lights went out, Battersea Power Station opened its doors for the public to explore the iconic building and its first shops, bars, restaurants and leisure venues, including Electric Boulevard, a pedestrian street. 

Apartments around Battersea Power Station today

Today, Battersea Power Station has been featured in or used as a shooting location for films, TV programs, music videos, video games as well as for sporting, cultural and political events. One of its earliest film appearances was in the 1936 Alfred Hitchcock film, Sabotage, made before construction of Station B. Scenes from the 2008 Batman film, The Dark Knight, were filmed at Battersea. 

Photo by Dawn O'Connor

One of the station's most memorable uses was for the cover photograph of Pink Floyd's 1977 album, Animals. It sold millions of copies worldwide and was officially launched at an event at the power station. A December 1976 photo shows the power station with an inflatable pink pig floating above it. The inflatable tethered to one of the power station's chimneys broke loose from its moorings and drifted into the flight path of Heathrow Airport.

Touring this iconic power station was definitely a highlight of our brief visit to London. We are thankful that our friends suggested this outing, which might have been one we would have overlooked.

If you have a London visit planned in your future, Battersea Power Station might be a site to include for the views alone. There's a cost to access the tower viewing platform, but the 360-degree views were wonderful on the thankfully clear day of our visit..

Towering in London

Last fall we were part of a group that traveled abroad on a Shades of Ireland tour, focused on that country. However, extras included a 3-day pre-extension to London and/or a 3-day post-extension to Edinburgh. We booked London, Ireland, and Edinburgh and saw as much as possible. This post focuses on one of the most visited sights in London. 

As anyone who has visited London knows, 3-days here is not enough. We were a small group (7) and attempted to see a few highlights, including the formidable Tower of London, a royal fortress and London landmark, that's an imposing structure even when seen from a distance. This complex of several buildings is set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a former moat. It's situated on the North bank of the River Thames on the border with the central City of London. 

Touring the Tower of London was included as a self-guided tour on our London pre-extension option. Upon submitting our entry voucher, we received the above map. This large complex of buildings is spread over 18 acres. We explored as much as possible on a rain-free morning learning that the buildings and grounds historically served as a royal palace, political prison, place of execution, arsenal, royal mint, exotic animal menagerie and a public records office. 

William the Conqueror
National Portrait Gallery

Following his 1066 coronation as the first Norman king of England, William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, built the White Tower as a demonstration of power after invading England and defeating Harold, the last Saxon king of England, at the Battle of Hastings. 

The tower was sited strategically on the River Thames as a fortress and gateway to the capital. It was quite unlike anything before in England. It was built to awe, subdue and terrify Londoners and to deter foreign invaders. Over 1,000 years later, the Tower still amazes those who visit, including ourselves. (Entry to the tower is by a steep set of steps along an outer wall. We did not go in; it was late in the day, we were tired from walking the grounds.)

The central keep, better known as the White Tower was begun around 1078 and built of white limestone from Caen, France, from which it derives its name, and a local building material, Kentish ragstone. 

A keep was built by European nobility within castles as a fortified tower during the Middle Ages. It was used as a refuge or last resort if the castle was overtaken.

The White Tower is the most famous castle keep in the world

It was designed by Gundulf of Rochester, a Norman bishop. Masons from Normandy brought stone, most of the actual labor was done by local Englishmen. It took 20 years to build. William I didn't live to see it completed; it was first used by his son, William II.

Structures within the Tower of London complex

The Tower of London encompasses more than the White Tower, which is the core of this fortress. The walls of the White Tower are up to 14-feet thick in places. It has three floors, each connected by a spiral staircase located in one of the four corner turrets. During the 12th and 13th centuries, when fortifications were extended beyond the city wall, the White Tower became the core of a series of concentric defenses enclosing an inner and an outer curtain. 

The inner curtain at the Tower of London has 13 towers surrounding the White Tower. Best known are Bloody Tower, Beauchamp Tower and Wakefield Tower. The outer curtain was surrounded by a moat, originally fed by the River Thames but drained since 1843. The wall outside the moat has openings for cannons; next to them, modern artillery pieces are fired ceremonially on state occasions. 

The curtain, a feature common to most medieval castles, was a set of walls that surrounded and protected the interior. Walls were often connected by a series of towers adding strength and providing better defense of the ground outside the castle.

As the most secure castle in England, the Tower guarded royal possessions and even the royal family in times of war and rebellion. For 500 years, monarchs used the Tower as a luxurious palace. Kings and queens imprisoned rivals and enemies within its walls. Stories of prisoners are still said to haunt the Tower.

Entry to Traitors gate from River Thames

The whole complex of buildings covers 18 acres. The only entrance from the land is at the Southwest corner, from the City. When the River Thames was still a major highway of London, a 13th-century watergate, Traitors’ Gate was in use. Prisoners were brought through it to the Tower, which was used as a state prison. A political prisoner conveyed through the gate awaited either a long period of incarceration or a usually public spectacle of execution.

The site became notorious as a site of torture, but records show that few people were tortured there; executions, however, were different and more common at the Tower of London. Prisoners were executed on Tower Green or, outside the castle, in public on Tower Hill, by means of beheading, firing squad or hanging. Initially not intended as a prison, the Tower of London housed those accused of treason or religious infractions. It witnessed 22 executions, the last in 1941. 

Princes Edward & Richard by John Everett Millais, 1878

In 1483, Princes Edward and Richard, 12 and 10, sons of the late Edward IV, were last seen in the tower before their disappearance and suspected murder by their uncle, Richard III, who claimed the throne. In 1674, two skeletons were unearthed. The bones were re-examined in 1933 and proved to be those of boys the same ages as the princes when they disappeared.

Thomas More, Guy Fawkes, Catherine Howard, Ann Bolyen were all executed

In 1535, writer and statesman Sir Thomas More was beheaded after refusing to recognize King Henry VIII as the head of the Church of England. A year later, Henry VIII ordered the beheading of his wife, Anne Boleyn and in 1542, he had his fifth wife, Catherine Howard, executed at the Tower of London. In 1554, Lady Jane Grey and her husband, Lord Guildford Dudley were beheaded on Tower Hill. Political prisoner Guy Fawkes was executed in 1606 after found guilty of guarding explosives and gunpowder in a 1605 plot to blow up Parliament,

German spies (11) were executed at the Tower of London during WW I when London underwent numerous attacks, only one bomb was dropped on the Tower and landed in the moat. The facility didn't fare as well during WW II suffering significant damage during multiple bombings, including the destruction of several buildings. It was later restored for public access.

Yeoman Warder who provided us with much historical background

Since 1485, security at the Tower of London complex has been maintained by a special order of guards called Yeomen Warders, originally part of Yeomen of the Guard, the monarch’s personal bodyguard. They are informally known as Beefeaters, a name allegedly based after a 17th century Italian nobleman commented they were given a large daily ration of beef. Recognized worldwide as symbols of the Tower of London, the Yeoman Warders were originally part of the Yeomen of the Guard, the monarch’s personal bodyguards who travelled with him. Henry VIII (1507-47) decreed that some would stay and guard the Tower permanently. Today, the group of over 30 men and women are all drawn from the British military and each must have at least 22 years of active service. 

Yeomen Warders provide free guided tours within the Tower of London and carry out ceremonial duties, which include the oldest military ritual, Ceremony of the Keys, the nightly gate locking at the Tower for over 700 years. Red state dress uniforms are worn for special occasions and special events, such as Gun Salutes and the firing of the huge cannon on the Wharf.

Fusiliers Museum was originally used to house officers

The armories that now occupy the White Tower, as well as a later 17th-century brick building alongside, house arms and armor from the early Middle Ages to modern times. Arms and armor were made, tested and stored here until the 1800s. The Fusiliers Museum is housed in a building originally built as officers' quarters. The building still houses the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers' Regimental Headquarters and the Officers' Mess, used for formal dinners and ceremonial occasions.

The Tower once controlled the supply of the nation’s money and produced England's coins for five centuries. All coins of the realm were made at the Tower Mint from the reign of Edward I until 1810. Initially handcrafted, the mint introduced modern coin-making techniques and eventually relocated to a purpose-built facility in the 1800s.

Top: Imperial State Crown (1937, Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross (1661), 

Bottom: St Edward's Crown (1661) Queen Elizabeth's Crown & Koh-i-Noor diamond (1937)

Kings and queens used the Tower to safeguard themselves, their valuables and their jewels. Today, the crown jewels comprising more than 100 objects and over 23,000 gemstones worth over $30 billion are among the most popular attractions. 

Line-up of people waiting to see the Crown Jewels

Housed in the Waterloo Barracks they include the platinum crown of the late Queen Mother (Elizabeth) set with the 106-carat Koh-i-Noor diamond in 1937, and the Imperial State Crown, worn by the monarch at the State Opening of Parliament. These jewels are kept under armed guard; no photographs are permitted. (The photos above are from the Historic Royal Palaces website.)

A flock of ravens are permanent Tower residents and are cared for by the Yeoman Warder or Ravenmaster. The highly intelligent birds have a flight feather trimmed to deter them from flying off. Free to roam within during daytime hours (as shown in the photo) and are caged overnight. 

According to legend, the tower and the monarchy will fall if ravens ever leave the fortress. The raven-keeping tradition dates to King Charles II (1660-1685), the first monarch to insist that the birds be protected. When the royal astronomer complained that ravens were leaving droppings on his telescope, King Charles moved the Royal Observatory to Greenwich.

Statues of animals once in the Tower of London complex and remains of the moat

For over 600 years, the Tower of London was home to an exotic collection of wild animals that had been received as royal gifts. In 1230, King Henry III had lions, elephants and a polar bear in his collection. In the mid-1830’s, the animals were relocated to a new home, now known as London Zoo, by the Duke of Wellington.

As protector of the Crown Jewels, home of the Yeomen Warders and its legendary guardians, the ravens, the Tower of London attracts over 3 million visitors annually. Designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988, it is an exceptional example of a medieval structure, remarkably intact that retains its historical significance. When gates are locked and visitors have left, it embraces a thriving community within as home to the Yeomen Warders and their families, the Resident Governor and a garrison of soldiers. There is also a doctor, chaplain and, of course, a pub (after all this is the UK).

The Tower of London is owned by The Crown Estate, which belongs to His Majesty The King in ‘the right of the Crown’ by virtue of being the reigning monarch. It is not the private property of the crown, and therefore cannot be sold.

This is not a final post about our UK travels from late 2023. We experienced so many new-to-us adventures. I hope you will travel along as more highlights are shared in future posts. 

Exploring London

As anyone who has ever visited well knows is not remotely possible in a 3-day timeframe. 

Regretfully, that's all the time we had on our recent trip abroad with Collette Tours called Shades of Ireland. This was a 9-day motor coach tour that made stops at many well-known Irish cities and sights (details in future posts) and there were two add-ons.

We added these before and after Ireland. First, came the London Pre-Extension tour and, after touring Ireland, an Edinburgh Post-Extension tour; both consisted of 3 days in each major city. Out of 42 people in the Ireland travel group, seven opted for the London add-on, all from NH — ourselves, friends Randy and Judy, and new friends, Jan, Bob, and Jack. 

The weather wasn't the most cooperative as shown in the photos below. As expected, it rained part of every day. Luckily, we were prepared with brolleys (umbrellas) and/or rain jackets, some days both were required.

London sights: The Globe Theater, Westminster & Big Ben, St Paul's, London Eye

Not only is London the capital of England, but it's the largest and most populated city in the UK. Our stay included a half-day walking tour in which we saw some of the city's landmark sites —including St Paul's Cathedral, The Globe Theater, the Tate Museum, London Eye, Westminster Abbey — which we didn't have time to visit. We received entry tickets to the iconic Tower of London which was explored on our own. 

London's Borough Market is a foodie's paradise

Walking through Borough market was a food lovers delight. This London wholesale and retail market hall is one of the largest and oldest food markets in the city. It has been in continuous operation since 1014 near London Bridge. The present buildings were built in the 1850s. The market mainly sells speciality foods to the general public. Stalls, shops and restaurants are unique in the food that's sold. We met up with our UK friends, Kath and Andrew here. 

One of the most useful things inclusions in our tour package was an Oyster card, pre-loaded with £15 (about $18 USD). This credit-card sized smart card used a payment method for public transport in London. 

Map of London Underground

Traveling the London Underground was our main way of transport

Using the card was easy, just touch-in at the yellow card reader on entry and then touch-out when exiting a station. We learned how to add to it using a credit card at touch-screen ticket machines within the Underground stations. Touching the card when entering or exiting was crucial to ensure that the correct fare was paid. One phrase we fast became very familiar with was Mind the Gap, a caution repeatedly issued to warning passengers to watch when leaving the train, there's usually a distance between the train and the platform.

Our NH friends in the Blackfriar Pub

Campaign for Real Ale logo

Of course, no visit to London would be complete without dining in an English pub. One of our choices was The Blackfriar on Queen Victoria Street built in 1875 on the site of a former medieval Dominican friary and remodeled around 1905. The building was almost demolished during a 1960s redevelopment phase. It's now on the Campaign for Real Ale's National Inventory of Historic Pub Interiors. This register lists public houses in the UK with interiors of significant historic interest and largely unchanged for at least 30 years, but usually since at least WW II. (The National Inventory was begun by, and is maintained by, the Campaign for Real Ale as part of that organization's mission to protect Britain's pub heritage as well as good beer.) Cheers to that 🍺

Fish and chips with mushy peas and a pint of Guinness and Smithwicks Ale

Of course, a staple menu item in most pubs is fish and chips served with mushy peas, a traditional accompaniment, which we really enjoyed. Mushy peas are surviving remnants of medieval and early British diets and have been called Yorkshire caviar and have been a menu item or over 60 years. This simple and colorful side dish was delicious with the fried cod and more like a condiment, similar to how tartar sauce is included in the U.S. 

Red colors in London included Grenville's jacket 

While there wasn't time to see everything London has to offer visitors. There were some iconic sights we didn't miss seeing like red post boxes, red telephone booths, double decker buses (no photo) and the Royal Guard. (Those familiar bearskin caps were introduced by the British Army following the Battle of Waterloo, June 1815, to make the soldiers appear taller and more intimidating when in combat.)

Despite the weather, crowds attended the Changing of the Guard, Buckingham Palace

It was an overcast, but thankfully rain-free morning when our group made an early morning trek to Buckingham Palace to see the Changing of the Guard (also called Guard Mounting) which would occur at 11 a.m on our only Friday in London. The formal ceremony in which sentries performing ceremonial guard duties are relieved by a new batch of sentries takes place on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday, weather permitting. The ceremonies are elaborate and precisely choreographed.

Our London travel friends (L-R): Jan, Bob, Randy, Jack, Patrick, Dorothy, Judy

We arrived about 9:30 a.m. hoping that the ceremony would not be cancelled. The area directly across The Mall from Buckingham Palace, at the Queen Victoria Memorial, a prime viewing location was already overflowing with spectators.

Old Guards leaving (top) and New Guards arriving (bottom)

During this nearly 2-hour event, The Old Guard (soldiers currently on duty) formed up in front of the palace to be relieved by the New Guard which had arrived from nearby Wellington Barracks. The New Guard was accompanied by a band which played music entertaining the spectators who had come from around the world to watch this event. The band consists of 35 musicians, usually members of the King's Guard regiments, who perform a variety of music ranging from traditional military marches to songs from shows and even familiar pop songs.

Music played during the guard changing ceremony has always been a mixture of traditional and popular music of the day. The band occasionally will branch out with an unexpected tune. It's said that on one occasion in 1920, the band was playing a piece from a popular operetta when a footman arrived with a message from King George V, addressed to the Director of Music, who excitedly read the note to find that it said: “His Majesty does not know what the Band has just played but it is never to be played again.”

Here's a sampling of some of the differing styles of architecture seen throughout London. Most of the modernistic buildings have a nicknames assigned, more on these in a future post.  

Tower Bridge viewed from the Tower of London

This post was a brief overview of how we spent part of our 72 hours inEngland's capital city. Several of those hours were spent touring the Tower of London and Battersea Power Station, both of which will be the subject of future posts.

Fellow Bloggers, while I have not commented on many of your recent blog posts due to various reasons: catching up at home, dealing with a lingering cold and more, most have been read. Time is always at a premium as we all know.