Camden Cyclist's Healthy Ride to Crossness Pumping Station

Crossness Pumping Station was built by Sir Joseph Bazalgette in 1865 as part of Victorian London’s urgently needed main sewerage system. It includes a Beam Engine House, which is a Grade 1 Listed Industrial Building constructed in the Romanesque style and features some of the most spectacular ornamental Victorian cast ironwork to be found today. It also contains the four original pumping engines (although the cylinders were upgraded in 1901), which are possibly the largest remaining rotative beam engines in the world. We have cycled there before several times, but on this occasion will be using a new route to get there. We start by cycling up through Greenwich Park to Woolwich and then Charlton. We will be able to take a look at Charlton House and the 16th Century Summer House in its grounds. We then go through East Wickham Open Space, the grounds of Lesnes Abbey and past Southmere Lake. We will then stop off for 1 1/2 hours at the Crossness pumping station, which will be holding an open day. Entrance to the pumping station costs £8.00. There is a cafe in the main hall of the building where we can have lunch. We then return via the Thames Path to Cutty Sark Gardens. Ride leader: Nigel Bee (tel. 07415 315 690, email: [email protected]) For more details, and the route, see https://www.cyclinguk.org/event/ride/crossness-ride-charlton-house-west-wickham-open-space