Geograph - photograph every grid square

London Hydraulic Power Company, Wapping Pumping Station

One of several steam pumping stations providing hydraulic power using water at 750 psi. This was in the days before grid electricity and obviated the need for each user to have their own steam or gas engine to provide power. Amazingly, the system survived in use until 1976 and this was one of the last stations to run. The engineer's house is right foreground, the tall tower held the accumulators and the tall gable was on the reciprocating steam engine house and the lower gable on the later steam turbine extension. After the war it was all electrified. Now a cafe and gallery.