Former Hydraulic Power Station In Grounds Of City College

MANCHESTER

SJ8398 WATER STREET 698-1/16/426 (West side) 23/07/92 Former Hydraulic Power Station in grounds of City College

II

Hydraulic power generating station, now part of college workshops. 1907-9, altered. Red brick with sandstone dressings, iron reservoirs, slate roof. Built on east bank of River Irwell. Irregular rectangular plan at right-angles to river. Baroque style. Two and 3 storeys, in form resembling nave with aisles, the aisles flat-roofed and surmounted by large rectangular reservoirs at the end close to the river, with tower on south side. Asymmetrical 4-bay east gable end, with stone plinth, banded pilasters, moulded cornice with parapet ramped up to open-pedimented gable over 3rd bay; tall segmental-headed windows in 2nd, 3rd and 4th bays, that in the 3rd bay with a doorway beneath, all mullion-and-transomed with arched lights and small-pane glazing in the heads; pairs of smaller but similar windows on 2 levels in the 1st bay, and all these windows with triple keystones; narrow triple-light window in gable with banded surround and arched lights. Glazed clerestory; rectangular tower set back behind 1st bay, with pilasters. West end (overlooking river) has 4 oblong 4-light windows with glazing like that at the east end, gabled end of nave over the 2 centre bays and panelled iron reservoirs on the aisles. One of 3 built as part of system for supplying hydraulic power to lifts and hoists of commercial warehouses in city centre; continued in use until 1972. Very unusual survival.

Listing NGR: SJ8328598315