London’s Power Stations

The history of London's power supply system prior to the inauguration of the National Grid is one of inefficiency and diversity of systems. At one time London (not even the area of today's Greater London) had over seventy separate power stations. Not very much is known about them, in many cases it is not really even known where they were. In Greater London we would find at least another forty or so power stations. Virtually all of them have now gone, although a few of the original building survive.

The links below are either to photographs taken by myself or to other sites with London power station photos.

This will be subject to frequent updating.

Pity more people didn't photograph London's historic power stations. Full marks to those that did. Links to other websites are fairly obvious and photographs are credited on their sites. Photos on THIS site are my copyright [unless they are (1) accredited to someone else, or (2) emerge from a link].

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Links

Barking Power History

Battersea

Battersea (a lot more from Google Images)

Barking new power station - Website apparently unavailable as this 20-year old station plans to close

Brunswick Wharf (Poplar)

Brunswick Wharf (Poplar) (exterior 1)

Brunswick Wharf (Poplar) (exterior 2)

Deptford and Canning Town

Deptford (2)

Deptford (3)

Hackney, remains

Holborn Viaduct (article and photos)

Littlebrook - history and details, some photos

Stoke Newington Substation

Shoreditch (Coronet Street) disused power house (link to current user)

Shoreditch and its municipal power system (link to good blog item)

Twickenham - English heritage picture

Woolwich

Photographs

Click below for a selection of photographs or links to other sites with photographs or information

Aberdeen Place 2004

Alpha Place (Flood Street) 2004

Adelaide Restaurant Site (436 Strand) 2004 [One of the earliest electrical establishments]

Cadogan Gardens Offices

Carnaby Street (site of) 2004

Carnaby Street rear [Marshall Street] 2004

Carnaby Street power station building c. 1960

Chelsea Manor Street 2004

Davies Street power station building

Davies Street (site of) 2004

Ergon House (Horseferry Rd) 2004

Grosvenor Gallery Chimney behind Bloomfield Flats (Bloomfield Place)

Harrow in 2004 (long disused)

57 Holborn Viaduct (site) 2004

Kingston shortly before demolition (2008)

Littlebrook Photos

West Ham 'B' (Peter Land)

Shorts Gardens (Holborn) 2004

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Aerofilms Photographs

Click below for a selection of aerial photographs of power station sites.

St Johns Wood and Aberdeen Place
This 1921 shot is looking south and shows at top left the massive St Johns Wood power station of the Central Electric Supply co, and at top right the Aberdeen Place station of St Marylebone Borough.

Stanhope Street (sometimes called Regents Park)
This 1926 shot is looking south and shows at centre, towards the left, the tall chimney of the Stanhope Street station of St Pancras Borough Council. Regents Park is on the right.

East Ham
This 1926 shot is looking south east and shows at centre the large area owned by East Ham Borough Council upon which was situated (amongst other things) the town hall, power station and tramway depot..

Hammersmith
This 1928 shot is looking north west. The power station is located from its smoking chimney towards the right of the shot, a little higher than centre, and set back slightly from Fulham Palace Road and just to the south of the District Railway as it enters Hammersmith station..