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Hidden beneath the city streets of London lie 2,000 kilometres of brick tunnels that take raw sewage from our homes, along with 130 kilometres of interconnecting main sewers the size of railway tunnels. Much was engineered in the middle of the nineteenth century and included magnificent cathedral-like sewage pumping stations. The Grade I listed Crossness Pumping Station is a sight to behold. Built in 1865 by Sir Joseph Bazalgette, the station is a masterpiece of Victorian engineering, with ornamental ironwork worthy of a cathedral. The site was constructed as part of Bazalgette’s ground-breaking London sewerage system, which heavily contributed to the eradication of cholera in the city. Crossness is now being restored and cared for by a passionate workforce, mostly volunteers. In 2021, the Crossness Engines Trust received vital funding from the Culture Recovery Fund, administered in partnership with National Lottery Heritage Fund. Read the story of London’s Sewer System ➡️
