London’s former Lots Road Power Station is now part of the Chelsea Waterfront development of shops and flats. The Chelsea Harbour complex is located in Fulham, by the former railway yards in what became Chelsea Harbour, like so many other things named Chelsea (including the football club).
Lots Road was built in 1904, making it older than its more famous peers, Battersea and Bankside Cathedrals of Power, built-in 1933 and 1952, respectively. There are now expensive flats and shops in Battersea. Tate Modern is located on Bankside.
Besides featuring in many London Transport posters, the power station’s towers were festooned with broadcasters’ aerials, contributing to the development of the British radio industry. Since oil prices rocketed in the 1970s, the original four 275-foot tall chimney stacks above the boiler house were reduced to three and two. Since 1905, the station has been generating electricity for London’s Tube network but kept in reserve until closing in 2002 when the National Grid took over. Besides supplying power for London United Tramways, Lots Road provided electricity for the London General Omnibus Company’s Chiswick bus works.
