My first post on here...many more to come..
I was in Coventry on a work trip and while waiting for the job to kick off I had a few hours to kill. I got on Google and 20 mins later was here at Whitley. As many of you are probably aware it's a simple walk on, so no heroics or tomb raider entry's to brag about..
Anyway....history -
There has been a pump station on the site since 1846, there remains no trace of this original building today.
The main building we see today was designed by the famous public waterworks architect Thomas Hawksley and built in 1893. Hawksley died in 1893 just before the pump station at Coventry was built, however the building is an almost identical copy of the Dalton Pumping Station in Sunderland 1873-79. There were a few differences: the boiler house, external render and the interior design. The building is characteristic of the gothic revival design, Hawksley being a big fan of John Ruskin.
The pumping station was built to house two beam engines and pump water from the river Sowe to a reservoir in order to supply the city of Coventry with clean water.
The pumping station was commissioned by the City of Coventry Corporation in 1893, and the coat-of-arms of the city can be seen above the main entrance.
The site also consisted of a lodge house, built at the same time, also in the redbrick and stone style of the gothic revival.
-Today's visit
The Lodge
Walked on to the site through an open gate in the bushes and through the garden of the lodge. It's sealed up good and proper with access only through a whole that my 9 year old would struggle through so no internals I'm afraid.
Through the hole...
:
Pump House
I came across what basically is derp heaven... There are points of interest in the architecture that remains but overall a sorry state. I liked it though and I guess that's what it's about??
The internal from the gate
Left side and rear
Internal shots from within...
Leaving the site
Well there you go..thanks for looking and any criticism will be taken on board! Haha
Cheers
Dangle
I was in Coventry on a work trip and while waiting for the job to kick off I had a few hours to kill. I got on Google and 20 mins later was here at Whitley. As many of you are probably aware it's a simple walk on, so no heroics or tomb raider entry's to brag about..
Anyway....history -
There has been a pump station on the site since 1846, there remains no trace of this original building today.
The main building we see today was designed by the famous public waterworks architect Thomas Hawksley and built in 1893. Hawksley died in 1893 just before the pump station at Coventry was built, however the building is an almost identical copy of the Dalton Pumping Station in Sunderland 1873-79. There were a few differences: the boiler house, external render and the interior design. The building is characteristic of the gothic revival design, Hawksley being a big fan of John Ruskin.
The pumping station was built to house two beam engines and pump water from the river Sowe to a reservoir in order to supply the city of Coventry with clean water.
The pumping station was commissioned by the City of Coventry Corporation in 1893, and the coat-of-arms of the city can be seen above the main entrance.
The site also consisted of a lodge house, built at the same time, also in the redbrick and stone style of the gothic revival.
-Today's visit
The Lodge
Walked on to the site through an open gate in the bushes and through the garden of the lodge. It's sealed up good and proper with access only through a whole that my 9 year old would struggle through so no internals I'm afraid.
Through the hole...
:
Pump House
I came across what basically is derp heaven... There are points of interest in the architecture that remains but overall a sorry state. I liked it though and I guess that's what it's about??
The internal from the gate
Left side and rear
Internal shots from within...
Leaving the site
Well there you go..thanks for looking and any criticism will be taken on board! Haha
Cheers
Dangle
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