If you've been anywhere in the vicinity of Brentford, you'll be familiar with the London Museum of Water & Steam's Victorian stand-pipe tower — you can even see it from the stands of the Gtech Community Stadium.
Standing at 210-feet-tall, the Italianate tower was built in 1867; installed with five large vertical cast-iron pipes, its job was to smooth out the water pressure before this was pumped into the mains that served swathes of London. Until 2019, museum visitors could climb to the crest of this impressive structure and enjoy the views from up top, but internal decay and contamination put an end to that.
Now the London Museum of Water & Steam intends to make the tower publicly accessible once more, courtesy of a Crowdfunder campaign. Having already secured a £30,000 grant, the museum just needs to hit an extra £15,000 — and the first £5,000 raised will be match funded by a private donor, making the target all the more achievable.
Says Cherry Irvine from the museum: "Our goal is simple: to restore the tower to its former glory and reopen it to the public. The tower is a vital piece of the Museum's story. Reopening it to the public will also provide a new revenue stream, ensuring the financial stability of the museum."
Check out the Crowdfunder page to learn more about the proposed project, and to see what tower-themed rewards you can receive for your donation. The deadline is 27 August 2025.
