Victorian Pumping Stations

Victorian pumping stations are colourful cathedrals of utility. Their imposing and striking exteriors enclose highly decorative cast-iron frames, built to encage powerful steam engines. They are glorious buildings which display the Victorians’ architectural confidence and engineering skills. More than that, they represent a key part of the story of urban development and how our towns and cities were shaped in this period of ground-breaking invention and civic pride. In this illustrated guide, Trevor Yorke tells the story of Victorian pumping stations and explains why they were built in such a flamboyant manner, describing their architectural features and showing how their mighty steam engines worked. He includes examples of their glorious interior decoration from pumping stations across the country and provides a detailed list of those which are open to visitors.

Author Biography

Trevor Yorke is a professional author and artist who has studied and written about all aspects of England’s architectural heritage. He has produced over 30 illustrated books which introduce the reader to these fascinating historic gems and writes articles and reviews for various magazines. He lives in Staffordshire, UK.