The Engine House

GAS WORKS ROAD 1. 5128 Blakes Lock Sewage Pumping Station The Engine House SU 7273 7/600 II G.V. 2. Engine House. C.1870. Red brick walls with grey brick patterning; stone and grey brick dressings; cast iron small-pane windows; red tile roof. T-plan, the west block originally housing the boilers, the east block the steam engines. Later C19 addition in north east angle; further extended C20 chimney (to north west) demolished. Free gothic style. Main (south) elevation to River Kennet has, in gable to left, arcade of 3 bays, defined by plain brick piers carrying segmental arches. Centre bay has double-leaf doors, outer bays originally single doors, now timber casements, between brick panels, under full width cast iron overlights. Large sexfoil window to gable. Block to right has 3 pairs of pilaster buttresses with lancets between, above a tall plinth (pierced by two C20 windows). Intervening bays are to left, large gothic doorway with solid, shouldered head bearing arms of Borough of Reading and fitted with pair of three quarter glazed doors, all set in gabled brick panel; to centre bay, a cinquefoil window; to right, a round-headed doorway now blocked. Corbel-table in brick to eaves and verges, elaborately detailed. Gothic iron ventilators to ridge.

Listing NGR: SU7248273500