Chelsea: Former Lots Road power station

Image: © Nigel Cox Taken: 28 May 2008

Lots Road power station was completed in 1905 to provide electricity to the Metropolitan District Railway, later London Underground's District Line. When it was built it was claimed to be the largest power station in the world. It originally had four chimney stacks, but two were demolished when it was converted to run on fuel oil instead of coal in the 1960s. It has been completely re-equipped on several occasions, as technology has moved on, but a decision was made by London Underground in the 1990s not to maintain it any more and let the equipment become time-expired. It eventually ceased operations in 2002, and has been decommissioned. It is now the subject of a major refurbishment scheme to see it converted into new offices, housing and shops. This view was taken from across the River Thames in Battersea. From a Geograph point of view the 177000 Northing grid line runs diagonally through the middle of the main building between the chimneys, but the smaller grey building is entirely in this grid square, hence the allocation. Some other images of it from different vantage points may correctly be found in Image

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