Reply to: Chapmanslade Water Tower

[shaunbhoy]

Is it taboo to post pics of anything but water towers here? Took this great pic of the underside of a viaduct. Things that looks a bit like a fanny are much better than things that look a bit like a knob.

Wow Xog. You must have met some ropey women!

[pacharan]

Is it taboo to post pics of anything but water towers here? Took this great pic of the underside of a viaduct. Things that looks a bit like a fanny are much better than things that look a bit like a knob.

well , slightly offtopic but seeing as it's so artistic we'll let you off.

How about a pic of an aquaduct? That would be slightly more on topic.

[xoggoth]

Is it taboo to post pics of anything but water towers here? Took this great pic of the underside of a viaduct. Things that looks a bit like a fanny are much better than things that look a bit like a knob.

[Doggy Styles]

Very quaint little tower.

Did you get a window seat? How did you manage to spend the evening whispering sweet nothings into the missuses ear when you had a vista like that to distract you?

Definitely art, I'd say. But no sweet nothings - there were six of us, so it was all hands above the waist I'm afraid!

Unfortunately we were guided to a table away from the windows, and as the establishment was fully booked there was no chance of a relocation. However, the six of us made a point of going out to the garden for a few minutes from where we could admire the tower and surrounds.

Incidentally the food was glorious. Nick said it was the best steak he'd ever had and Max said similar about his sea bass, and I think I'd agree. The staff were charming and good looking to boot. It is only a small place with seven or eight tables, but well worth a visit if you are at a loose end in that neck of the woods.

[Doggy Styles]

I've done a fair bit of driving in the states. One thing that struck me on the great plains was the water towers, you knew that you were approaching a town when you saw one of those fellows, just like church spires in England.
The water towers have the name of the town, which is useful in such a big country, and most of the names are water related.

clear water
spring water
bitter creek
great falls

etc

Like a signpost that can be seen for miles around. Very useful on the great plains I'd imagine, not to say comforting for the traveller who, after many hours on the road, might start harbouring suspicions that they have taken 'The Wrong Turn'!

[EternalOptimist]

I've done a fair bit of driving in the states. One thing that struck me on the great plains was the water towers, you knew that you were approaching a town when you saw one of those fellows, just like church spires in England.
The water towers have the name of the town, which is useful in such a big country, and most of the names are water related.

clear water
spring water
bitter creek
great falls

etc

[pacharan]

water tower demolition

Here's one of the spherical towers to which I alluded earlier:

PS wonder if Fred Dibnah did any water tower related stuff in his programmes?

[pacharan]

Ah, the famous smiley! It reminds me of someone but I can't place who.

Here's an interesting one below, a small water tower built into the ironworks on the Grand Union Canal at Bulbourne. It's another I pass every day on my commute to the railway station.

Quite by coincidence, we are off to the Grand Junction Arms on the opposite bank for dinner tonight. We've never eaten at this hostelry before so we are quite excited. I hope we can get a window seat where we can look out at the tower whilst chewing our vittals!

Very quaint little tower.

Did you get a window seat? How did you manage to spend the evening whispering sweet nothings into the missuses ear when you had a vista like that to distract you?

[Doggy Styles]

Ah, the famous smiley! It reminds me of someone but I can't place who.

Here's an interesting one below, a small water tower built into the ironworks on the Grand Union Canal at Bulbourne. It's another I pass every day on my commute to the railway station.

Quite by coincidence, we are off to the Grand Junction Arms on the opposite bank for dinner tonight. We've never eaten at this hostelry before so we are quite excited. I hope we can get a window seat where we can look out at the tower whilst chewing our vittals!

[pacharan]

Hmm. It would appear that my logic is flawed since I've just noticed that the water tower in Riyadh, possibly the hottest city in the world, is of an open top mushroom construction.

But here's a spherical one anyway; the famous Smiley Water Tower in Adair County, Iowa

Edit: sorry to disappoint but I can't find a pic on a site that allows deep linking :-(

[pacharan]

That's a good analogy, art versus functionality.

And as if on cue, here is the other water tower I mentioned at the top of the thread, the one at Gaddesden Row. Not quite a metal tank on stilts but perhaps a gentle lean toward the functional end of the water tower spectrum, don't you think?

Lovely DS, it's almost Art Deco isn't it?

An interesting thing I've noticed when travelling in hot countries is that their water towers are enclosed spheres on stilts. Presumably to minimise evaporation whereas ours are open to the elements. An example to follow.

[Doggy Styles]

Oh yes, a lovely example.

I note with interest that we seem to have 2 schools of thought here.

Thise, like yourself, who go for the gothic masonry towers and those who go for the more functional concrete mushroom or metal tank on stilts.

I suppose it's just like steam v diesel in the rail enthusiast world.

That's a good analogy, art versus functionality.

And as if on cue, here is the other water tower I mentioned at the top of the thread, the one at Gaddesden Row. Not quite a metal tank on stilts but perhaps a gentle lean toward the functional end of the water tower spectrum, don't you think?

[wurzel]

Indeed

I like the bits in the sidebar: "Merchandise All BWTAS merchandise has now sold out! All our calendars, mugs, T-shirts all gone. We've nada, zip, zilch in stock. Next Event Nothing planned for the moment, got any ideas?" etc.

Plan B opportunity?

[NickFitz]

I'd be worried if there were more than one....

Indeed

I like the bits in the sidebar: "Merchandise All BWTAS merchandise has now sold out! All our calendars, mugs, T-shirts all gone. We've nada, zip, zilch in stock. Next Event Nothing planned for the moment, got any ideas?" etc.

[wurzel]

British Water Tower Appreciation Society

The only British society dedicated to water tower culture and history

I'd be worried if there were more than one....