Jane recently spent the day visiting some of her old haunts from the days (many years ago) when she worked in London’s West End - a stroll through beautiful St. James Park was a reminder of many a summer lunchtime spent enjoying the Park's wildlife with views of Buckingham Palace to the west and Horseguards Parade and Whitehall to the east.
The day also represented an opportunity to take in a fabulous new landmark - the iconic, Grade II Listed Battersea Power Station. This legendary London location and surrounding area has been brought back to life as an exciting and innovative mixed use neighbourhood – a place for locals, tourists and residents to enjoy a unique blend of over 140 shops, bars, restaurants, leisure and entertainment venues, parks and historical spaces.
Art Deco fans will love Turbine Hall A, which has been lovingly restored to its former splendour with the roof and end windows reglazed, having been covered up during World War II. The old gantry cranes and travelling rail have been left as raw reminders of the past, whilst footprints of the old turbine machinery have been laid in brick on the floor and the ghost of the original Greek key pattern, still visible on the balconies either side of Control Room A, can be seen on the new balustrades surrounding the hall.
In contrast, the austere Turbine Hall B reflects 1950s modernism. Control Room B, overlooking the cavernous space, has been opened as a cocktail bar, set in amongst the original dials and controls including two wonderful octagonal synchroscopes which echo the octagonal columns. The old brick walls in both the north and south atriums have been left exposed all the way up to the roof - and in the north the remnants of the old staircases and even bits of tiling from old washrooms are left exposed telling the story of the Power Station’s industrial past. Likewise, the steel beams, instead of being hidden have also been left exposed, with the new sleek steel next to the heavily riveted originals.
There are plenty of places to eat and we strongly recommend that you experience Lift 109, where through a carefully curated exhibition of original records and multimedia displays you’ll discover more about the building’s rich heritage, its architectural significance and enduring presence in popular culture. You'll then continue onwards and upwards, via an elevator that will take you all the way to the top of one of the iconic chimneys. From a height of 109 metres at the top you'll have a spectacular panoramic view across London - Jane thought it was a better view then the London Eye! Visit our Facebook page for Jane's pics.
PS. Jane and her friend were amused by the long queues of tourists waiting to have their photograph taken beside the red telephone boxes that have been left for just that purpose by Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. Did you know that the red telephone box was designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, the renowned architect whose other works included Liverpool Cathedral, Oxford's Bodleian Library, Cambridge University Library - and Battersea Power Station!
If you’ve enjoyed reading about this exciting new development then you might also enjoy Cambridge Architectural Treasures on Fri 18 Oct from £65 inc. guide & cream tea or Highgate Cemetery on Mon 23 Sep @ £72.50 inc. guide and lunch. Our senior special fare only trip to London departs on Thur 19 Sep at just £33.30, Battersea is a brisk 30 minute walk from our drop point but we're also planning to feature it as a destination in 2025 - let us know you're interested.
