The Power of London
I went to art college in Kent and one of the greatest pleasures of taking the train back to London at the weekend was the moment right before the train crossed the Thames on its way into Victoria Station and on the right would appear the imposing edifice of Battersea Power Station looming over you like some giant machine. Once I saw it I knew it would be only a few minutes before I would be back among the sights, sounds, crowds, and buzz of London. As a result I came to think of it as a symbol of “home”, a signpost that marked the line between the backward small-town atmosphere I was leaving behind and the cosmopolitan energy of the greatest city in the world — it was as if the building itself was saying “welcome back”.
Which is why it’s so depressing to see the state it’s in today. It hasn’t been used as a power station since the early 80s when the last of it’s generators were shut down, leaving it a silent relic of the dirty energy past, and sadly these new photographs by Peter Dazeley are a dismal reminder of how it’s been slowly falling apart since then. Several redevelopment schemes have been tried and failed to make new use of the building, including a theme park plan that died through lack of money after they had already taken the roof off, leaving it an open shell exposed to the elements, it’s walls crumbling and it’s magnificent machines rusting. As a result it’s been named one of the world’s 100 most endangered sites which is a bit bloody embarrassing for a country that’s supposed to love its heritage so much.
When you consider what was done with Bankside Power Station and the fact that London has been a buzzing hive of expensive new construction for the past couple of decades, it’s skyline constantly shifting and changing, it’s even more monumentally depressing and farcical that so far no one has been able to save a building which is just as much an icon of the city as St. Paul’s or Big Ben. There’s yet another plan in the works but I wouldn’t be surprised if the whole thing falls down first.
Time was, whenever I was in south London, I’d make a detour just to photograph BPS. UFO used the interior in 1977 to shoot their Lights Out cover.
It’s ridiculous, how many schemes have come and gone over the years. I’ve even worked for architects that have put in bids for them. Theme parks, hotels, cinema / entertainment complexes. I think that the main problem is transport links, with only one small station nearby and no tube. With the o2 wiping up all the big business, it must be a struggle for other places like Wembley Arena, as it is. I live fairly near Alexandra Palace, and although that hasn’t been neglected like BPS, various schemes have been proposed but never happen, also probably due to transport access. At least they put on a few gigs there.
We were sightseeing in Chelsea and Pimlico, and on the way to Westmoreland Terrace (to see the Small Faces house), when we turned a corner and the BPS came into view. Stunning stuff.
On the OMD tune, the riff always umade me think of a mouse running up a downward escalator
And, of course ..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rAXeUKPwBj4
[...] Crying All the Way to the Chip Shop is depressed by the state of Battersea Power Station. [...]
It is a great shame, but I guess that this is what they call evolution. Still, look at what happened to the ex-Millenium Dome. It’s now flourishing. The people who own the power station just need to promote its facilities to the right people, and hopefully; hopefully it will be saved.
On a completely unrelated note (sorry), I’m a huge pedant, and couldn’t help noticing you need to revise some instances of your usage of its/it’s (still very sorry). Otherwise, lovely words.
No need to apologize, I get that wrong a lot. And me with A-Level English.
It always reminds me of Pink Floyd and I don’t need to be reminded of Pink Floyd. I lived in Battersea when it was run down and shabby ( but it was just across the river from Chelsea ) Like Brooklyn used to be. Anyway, I always saw the edifice as slightly threatening- it looked like a set from “Modern Times”- a monument to the nascent totalitanarianism of the early twentieth century.
I remember during the 80s property boom when the Yuppies and Sloanes were colonizing the city Battersea being called South Chelsea or Batt-er-see-ah
I was going to point out the UFO – Battersea Power Station but John Medd beat me to it. Kudos.
By the way, UFO were an absolutely top band who had a lot more melody, range and depth than the heavy metal bands they were unfairly lumped in with. And with “Lights Out” they even flirted with “social comment”. Yikes!
And, yes, its a scandal about BPS. With all the money that was sloshing around London its criminal that it has been so neglected.
We need to protect these treasures,my childhood is bein allowed to fall apart before my eyes.It is ours and we should have more than repeat shows of The Sweeny to confirm to our minds that it was ever real…the soul is leaving town for the uptown uptempo folk…but we’re downtown downbeat guys…it cuts my wrists with the winds of change,so sharp,and so cold…empty halls where kids once kicked balls…and fed pidgeons.I cry for London