Battersea Power Station’s four chimneys are iconic structures that are instantly recognisable and a much-loved feature of London’s skyline and are being fully reconstructed with work near completion and painting underway.
Building Battersea says:
‘All four of Battersea Power Station’s Chimneys will be painstakingly dismantled and rebuilt to ensure that they remain a London landmark for generations to come. Each new chimney will be visually identical to the original, the only difference being that the new chimneys will use a more modern pattern of steel reinforcement within the concrete. Dismantling and restoration work began in August 2014 and is the main focus of the repair package for the Power Station alongside repairs to the brickwork, wash towers, steel frame and windows’.
‘Reconstruction of all four chimneys will shortly complete, with all but the NW chimney having reached full height. Painting has begun with the application of a base coat to the SE chimney. All four chimneys will have their top coat painted together this autumn so they will age simultaneously. After half a century in service, the years had taken their toll on the chimneys. The combination of sulphurous emissions and exposure to the weather has meant the steel reinforcements in the chimneys had corroded, and the concrete had cracked and disintegrated.’
‘Following exhaustive surveys and testing by leading experts it was found that any refurbishment of the existing chimneys would only ever be a short-term fix. Therefore, with the agreement of Historic England and London Borough of Wandsworth, the chimneys have been dismantled and rebuilt, using the same techniques and materials, as per the original design, thereby ensuring they will continue to dominate the skyline for generations to come.’
