wanted someone to talk about Abbey Mills Pumping Station

[Rayna]

Hi
I'm looking for a Newham resident to talk passionately about the majestic Abbey Mills Pumping Station for my audio arts and photography project called 'It' s a Newham Thing'. I would like to document this historic masterpiece and need someone who is willing to do a recorded interview on site about why they like the pumping station.... and have some photographs taken of themselves.
Please contact me if your'e interested and I can tell you more about the project an its outcomes on. Email me on  rayna@tropic.fsnet.co.uk

[Robert Rogers]

Have you tried talking to Thames Water, they own the Place and I know they have a guy there who is in charge of the old historic photos, drawing etc becasue I met the him when there was an open day there a few years ago and he did a presention on the History.

[Davep]

I also attended an open day at the pumping station. Thames Water did a great job, even included a visit down a London sewer!! A really interesting day but I think they only do this once a year. Worth getting in touch with them though.

[Byard]

Don't know much of it's history, but I am part of it's 60s history!!!!!

As a lad working for Chas Brand & Son a construction contractor repairing the northern outfall section of bridge and sewers that crossed rail and roads near West Ham Underground station. each of the five tunnels/pipelines were flushed through from Abbey Mills PS and the pumps locked off. It was my job to pick up the padlock key and safely lock it away in the CBS safe. The bridge had been bombed in the war and repaired with tunnel cast iron segments, these had bolts on the inside and of course debri caught on them.The bridge section of the pipe was constructed of cast iron segments with bolts on the outside. On completion of each pipe section the next pipe was flushed, keys handed over for safe keeping and the process repeated. New bridge beams installed using a British Railways steam crane, all this during the terrible winter of 62/63.

Byard