I spent last Saturday exploring two different industrial sites in south London. The first was the big hot ticket, a tour of the Brunel tunnels, open to pedestrians for the first time in almost 150 years. This was a great opportunity to see what was once known as the Eighth Wonder of the World, especially as tickets were like gold dust. I didn't think I was going to get to see them, due to the extreme borkedness of the booking site rendering any ticket purchasing nigh impossible. Saturday turned out to be my lucky day, though, as a spare ticket became available via Curro.
The tunnels have a fascinating history, and were once a prime example of one of my favourite kinds of architecture: the folly. Originally intended for horse-drawn carriages, this proved too expensive and instead it found a new purpose as one of the greatest tourist attractions of Victorian London. There were all kinds of excitements on show in those days, from market stalls selling souvenirs, to circus performers and dancing monkeys. It was only much later that it returned to its original purpose of providing a means of transport underneath the Thames.
Walking through the tunnel was simultaneously interesting and disappointing. It couldn't help but be a fascinating place: the very first of its kind, with stories of all sorts of hi-jinks concerning its construction, and it was hard not to be impressed by the sheer elegance of its design. However, our tour guide was a bit of a grumpy bugger and not always forthcoming. As we were walking along between the different points where he'd stop and regale us with the next bit of his spiel, I commented that it must have been very smokey and smelly down in the tunnel when there were lots of Victorian tourists visiting, as there was no electric light or concrete on the floor. Instead of continuing this conversation, he cut me off, dismissively saying that he would be talking about that at the next stop. And yes, he did mention that it was smokey back then, but he didn't have to be rude about it. He also had a really annoying way of constantly moving around when we were taking photos; just as I'd lined up my camera to get a shot without him in it, he'd move again and cover half my photo with his arse. Grumble.
Curro and I both noted the elegance of the tunnels' curves, which provide a beautiful vaulted roof, and he commented to the tour guide that it looked much more aesthetically pleasing than the grimy brickwork on the small extension at the Rotherhithe end of the tunnel. Our guide didn't mention that the smooth surface was a relatively new addition, only dating back to the mid-90s — I didn't discover this fact until later, @langrabbie, but it seems as though other bloggers who took the tour did learn of it. Most of them seem to have managed to get better photos than me, too.
See more blog posts and photos from:
853blog | The Great Wen | Diamond Geezer | Caroline's Miscellany | IanVisits | Londonist | One Flame In The Fire
After that, we looped around the Isle of Dogs to the Blackwall Tunnel, or rather to the industrial silos next to the river there (thanks to Owen for the tip).
These silos are pretty much the last remaining connection with Greenwich's industrial heritage, and are being demolished this week. I think it's shame that they will probably be replaced with yet another boring boxy private housing scheme or office block, especially as they had a brutalist industrial elegance of their own.
It's also disappointing that the nearby Alcatel Jetty, which was planted with rare mosses and sedums to encourage insect and bird life, will probably be demolished in the regeneration as well. The plants are very attractive and, according to a conversation I had with member of the British Ecological Society, have been successful in encouraging insects and birds to visit the area.
But who cares about plants and heritage when you can maximise profits on your real estate, eh? More pics here.
