The Worshipful Company of Engineers The Swordsman Newsletter ...

The Swordsman Issue 29
competition between the many providers of power.
The niche for high-pressure water distribution was
quite clearly where the demand was intermittent.
The Accumulator was opened specially for our visit.
Charles Norrie from the Greater London Industrial
Archeological Society, who had given additional
information during the walk around, introduced the
Accumulator and its role in the LHPC network.
A section of the cast iron pipes used to transmit the
power, which is viewable through a glass panel, led to
a highly technical discussion and mental arithmetic to
estimate the likely wall thickness, amply
demonstrating that Liverymen were not just attending
for the supper.
Keith Foster, The Master and Jeremy Batch with their
Clothes Pegs for Entry
After the pause for debate, the intrepid were invited to
brave the entry into the accumulator to climb the
internal stairs. A practical restriction allowed only ten
people to be inside at any one time. The clothes peg
being worn by the Master is not for the purpose of
hanging out washing at the top, but the ‘token’ to be
handed in on return. He still has a few months to go,
so particular care was taken not to leave him behind!
Jeremy greeted the climbers on the top platform, by
which time the blustery wind had subsided and the sun
appeared. The 360 O view of a London skyline was full
of interest. It is a view that combines a sight of
marvelous historical engineering achievements, with a
sense of the energy of modern architecture and modern
engineering developments, viz the railway viaduct and
the Docklands Light Railway trains, the Dome and the
terminal for the cable car from Greenwich.
The visit finished with informal dining at The Narrow,
where the party split into convivial table-groups. The
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fine weather, where sun set on the sweep of the
Thames illuminated by the countless lights and
reflections, was a wonderful end to the evening.
The Docklands Light Railway
The Former Dockmaster’s House, now The Narrow
Contributions at the end enabled cheques to be given
to Jeremy Batch for the local Pirate Castle Charity and
to Charles Norrie for GLIAS for the Canal Museum.
Keith Foster
VISIT TO RNLI
HEADQUARTERS POOLE
1st September 2012
Thirty two of us paid a memorable visit to the RNLI
Headquarters, staying at the College with its splendid
facilities and fine views over Upton Lake. We were
impressed by the new Bridge at the entrance to the
lake, designed as twin sails, which when partially open
formed an elegant cross before becoming vertical
allowing boats to pass.