Ruislip Lido
Encyclopedia
Ruislip Lido is a reservoir and artificial beach in Ruislip
, within the London Borough of Hillingdon
, situated between Ruislip Common, Ruislip Woods
(a Site of Special Scientific Interest
), and Poors Field.
Originally opened as a feeder reservoir for the Grand Junction Canal in 1811, the reservoir was reopened in 1933 as a lido, with facilities for swimming and boating. A narrow gauge railway, the Ruislip Lido Railway
was opened in 1945, and now runs about two thirds of the distance around the reservoir.
Having fallen into a state of disrepair during the 1970s and 80s, the lido has since undergone renewal works, and was the subject of an enhancement project unveiled by the London Borough of Hillingdon in January 2010. The project would involve the return of boating and swimming in the reservoir, which had previously not been possible due to pollution and an artificially low water level.
The reservoir was opened on 5 December 1811 as one of the feeder reservoirs for the Grand Junction Canal
by engineer John Rennie and constructor Hugh Mackintosh. The link to the canal did not fulfil its intended purpose, since the water became polluted by the land and was eventually stopped as a feeder in 1851.
The canal (now renamed the Grand Union Canal
) is located some distance to the west and a culvert
was built to lead water to the canal at Hayes Bridge which is seven miles from the Lido. Some of the route was underground and parts have been built over. Part of the route includes a little known aqueduct
which carries the canal feeder over the River Pinn
near Woodville Gardens.
The reservoir was developed as a lido in 1933, with an Art Deco
style main building designed by George W. Smith
, together with an area reserved for swimming. The formal opening was by the Earl of Howe
in 1936. The building included a cafe and changing rooms, and featured a terrace with steps leading into the enclosed swimming pool. The pool was built with a concrete base, and jetties on either side, but was open into the lido.
Rowing boats were available for hire, with boathouses on the western side of the reservoir. An enclosed boating area for children was later constructed. The reservoir became a popular location for water-skiing, and televised championships were often held there. One of the Ruislip Water Ski Club's founding members was the former Doctor Who
actor Jon Pertwee
.
The Ruislip Yacht Club became based at the lido, using the Graduate
and Solo
dinghy types. In the 1970s, the reservoir water level was artificially lowered to prevent the flooding of nearby housing, making it unsuitable for yachting.
In addition several films were made there, including The Young Ones
with Cliff Richard
and A Night to Remember, where the large model of the RMS Titanic "sank on film".
The Ruislip Lido Railway
(miniature railway) is still running today, manned by volunteers, and has been lengthened considerably, a second station and platform having been added near the Water's Edge pub.
The lido remains a popular location for sunbathing and beach games, and although swimming is officially not allowed owing to pollution and lack of lifeguards, people do swim there. A splash pad water play area for children was built in 2009. Throughout the summer of 2011, the splash pad was closed after the electrics were damaged during construction of a new toilet block and unable to be repaired.
In January 2010 Hillingdon Council unveiled an enhancement project for the lido, including reinstating the outdoor swimming area and establishing special boating areas. During recent testing, the water proved to be at the acceptable standard for inland bathing set down by EC directive 76/160/EEC. It is proposed that the new swimming areas will be buoyed off.
The establishment of boating areas would require the water level to be raised, which the Environment Agency
raised concerns over due to the potential for the flooding of nearby homes. The water level had been kept artificially low since 1992 when floods caused damaged to newly built houses close by. The engineering consultancy firm Halcrow Group presented a report to Hillingdon Council in April 2010 recommending a £250,000 flood mitigation scheme.
Ruislip
Ruislip is a suburban area, centred on an old village in Greater London, and is part of the London Borough of Hillingdon.It was formerly also a parish covering the neighbouring areas of Eastcote, Northwood, Ruislip Manor and South Ruislip in the area. The parish appears in the Domesday Book, and...
, within the London Borough of Hillingdon
London Borough of Hillingdon
The London Borough of Hillingdon is the westernmost borough in Greater London, England. The borough's population was recorded as 243,006 in the 2001 Census. The borough incorporates the former districts of Ruislip-Northwood, Uxbridge, Hayes and Harlington and Yiewsley and West Drayton in the...
, situated between Ruislip Common, Ruislip Woods
Ruislip Woods
Ruislip Woods is a wooded area and National Nature Reserve covering in the London Borough of Hillingdon. The woods became the first National Nature Reserve in an urban area of England in May 1997, receiving the Green Flag Award in 2006....
(a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
), and Poors Field.
Originally opened as a feeder reservoir for the Grand Junction Canal in 1811, the reservoir was reopened in 1933 as a lido, with facilities for swimming and boating. A narrow gauge railway, the Ruislip Lido Railway
Ruislip Lido Railway
The Ruislip Lido Railway is a gauge miniature railway around Ruislip Lido in Ruislip, west of central London. Running from the main station at Woody Bay by the lido's beach, on a track around the reservoir, the railway passes through Ruislip Woods to Ruislip Lido station near the Water's Edge...
was opened in 1945, and now runs about two thirds of the distance around the reservoir.
Having fallen into a state of disrepair during the 1970s and 80s, the lido has since undergone renewal works, and was the subject of an enhancement project unveiled by the London Borough of Hillingdon in January 2010. The project would involve the return of boating and swimming in the reservoir, which had previously not been possible due to pollution and an artificially low water level.
Construction
The Grand Junction Canal Company purchased 61.5 acres (24.9 ha) of Park Wood from Kings College, Cambridge, 56 acres (22.7 ha) of land from the commissioners and 35 acres (14.2 ha) of the cottages and gardens of the hamlet of Park Hearne. The valley that the land covered was then dammed and flooded.The reservoir was opened on 5 December 1811 as one of the feeder reservoirs for the Grand Junction Canal
Grand Junction Canal
The Grand Junction Canal is a canal in England from Braunston in Northamptonshire to the River Thames at Brentford, with a number of branches. The mainline was built between 1793 and 1805, to improve the route from the Midlands to London, by-passing the upper reaches of the River Thames near Oxford...
by engineer John Rennie and constructor Hugh Mackintosh. The link to the canal did not fulfil its intended purpose, since the water became polluted by the land and was eventually stopped as a feeder in 1851.
The canal (now renamed the Grand Union Canal
Grand Union Canal
The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system. Its main line connects London and Birmingham, stretching for 137 miles with 166 locks...
) is located some distance to the west and a culvert
Culvert
A culvert is a device used to channel water. It may be used to allow water to pass underneath a road, railway, or embankment. Culverts can be made of many different materials; steel, polyvinyl chloride and concrete are the most common...
was built to lead water to the canal at Hayes Bridge which is seven miles from the Lido. Some of the route was underground and parts have been built over. Part of the route includes a little known aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
which carries the canal feeder over the River Pinn
River Pinn
The River Pinn is a river in West London which originates around Pinner and flows into the Frays River, which is a branch of the River Colne.-Route:...
near Woodville Gardens.
Lido opening
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
style main building designed by George W. Smith
George W. Smith
George W. Smith may refer to:*George Washington Smith , US Representative from Illinois*George Washington Smith , American architect and painter*George Weissinger Smith, mayor of Louisville, Kentucky, 1917–1921...
, together with an area reserved for swimming. The formal opening was by the Earl of Howe
Francis Curzon, 5th Earl Howe
Francis Richard Henry Penn Curzon, 5th Earl Howe, CBE, PC, VD was a British naval officer, Member of Parliament, motor racing driver and promotor. In the 1918 UK General Election he won the Battersea South seat as the candidate of the Conservative Party, which he held until 1929...
in 1936. The building included a cafe and changing rooms, and featured a terrace with steps leading into the enclosed swimming pool. The pool was built with a concrete base, and jetties on either side, but was open into the lido.
Rowing boats were available for hire, with boathouses on the western side of the reservoir. An enclosed boating area for children was later constructed. The reservoir became a popular location for water-skiing, and televised championships were often held there. One of the Ruislip Water Ski Club's founding members was the former Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
actor Jon Pertwee
Jon Pertwee
John Devon Roland Pertwee , was an English actor. Pertwee is best known for his role in the BBC science fiction television series Doctor Who, in which he played the third incarnation of the Doctor from 1970 to 1974, and as the title character in the series Worzel Gummidge...
.
The Ruislip Yacht Club became based at the lido, using the Graduate
Graduate (dinghy)
The Graduate is a 12.5-foot sailing dinghy. Rules for the class allow for customization the boat with rigs of various sophistication.- References:...
and Solo
Solo (dinghy)
The National Solo class is a racing dinghy designed by Jack Holt in 1956. The Solo is sailed in the United Kingdom, Holland and Australia.Originally designed in wood, competitive boats are now widely available in Fibre Reinforced Plastic or composite construction as well as wood.2006 was the 50th...
dinghy types. In the 1970s, the reservoir water level was artificially lowered to prevent the flooding of nearby housing, making it unsuitable for yachting.
In addition several films were made there, including The Young Ones
The Young Ones (film)
The Young Ones is a British musical released in 1961, featuring singer Cliff Richard. The musical was directed by Sidney J. Furie and was produced by Kenneth Harper and Andrew Mitchell for the Associated British Studios at Elstree. The original screenplay was written by Peter Myers and Ronald...
with Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
and A Night to Remember, where the large model of the RMS Titanic "sank on film".
Ruislip Lido Railway
The railway was opened in 1945 with short trains being hauled by Prince Edward, an Atlantic-type steam locomotive. The line was less than a third of what it is today, as it was just a dog bone circuit on the south-east shore of the lido, running around the woods. It was built by the Grand Union Canal Company as part of the Lido along with a beach on the south-east shore.The Ruislip Lido Railway
Ruislip Lido Railway
The Ruislip Lido Railway is a gauge miniature railway around Ruislip Lido in Ruislip, west of central London. Running from the main station at Woody Bay by the lido's beach, on a track around the reservoir, the railway passes through Ruislip Woods to Ruislip Lido station near the Water's Edge...
(miniature railway) is still running today, manned by volunteers, and has been lengthened considerably, a second station and platform having been added near the Water's Edge pub.
Decline and future development
It is said that the local council ran the lido into financial ruin in the 1970s by raising the admission fee beyond the level the market would stand. Additionally, the main Art Deco building was closed and became subject to vandalism. In June 1993 it was damaged beyond repair in an arson attack and was demolished in 1994. The building was replaced in 1996 by a restaurant named The Water's Edge, built in a similar style.The lido remains a popular location for sunbathing and beach games, and although swimming is officially not allowed owing to pollution and lack of lifeguards, people do swim there. A splash pad water play area for children was built in 2009. Throughout the summer of 2011, the splash pad was closed after the electrics were damaged during construction of a new toilet block and unable to be repaired.
In January 2010 Hillingdon Council unveiled an enhancement project for the lido, including reinstating the outdoor swimming area and establishing special boating areas. During recent testing, the water proved to be at the acceptable standard for inland bathing set down by EC directive 76/160/EEC. It is proposed that the new swimming areas will be buoyed off.
The establishment of boating areas would require the water level to be raised, which the Environment Agency
Environment Agency
The Environment Agency is a British non-departmental public body of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and an Assembly Government Sponsored Body of the Welsh Assembly Government that serves England and Wales.-Purpose:...
raised concerns over due to the potential for the flooding of nearby homes. The water level had been kept artificially low since 1992 when floods caused damaged to newly built houses close by. The engineering consultancy firm Halcrow Group presented a report to Hillingdon Council in April 2010 recommending a £250,000 flood mitigation scheme.