A Health Hydro Visit.
A few weeks ago I’d booked myself on a tour of the Health Hydro – AKA – Milton Road Baths. In the event, I couldn’t make it – family ties etc. So I asked a chum, Helen George, and fellow Swindon Heritage Preservation Trust, trustee to fling together a few words on the topic. And here they are below – edited a little for SEO purposes.
I joined a tour of the Health Hydro this week. We donned boots with steel toe caps, high vis jackets, gloves and hard hats. Whilst Health and Safety is high on list of requirements from the contractors, Fourth Street, I thought it was a bit ott. But then they explained that we’d align with the workers. They had to wear the same gear in the building. So it was, in part, out of respect for them.
There’s been a lot of work done since the last time I saw the building before covid. But much of it, the nuts and bolts of the building, aren’t on display. New pipes, boilers and a myriad of working parts have – all now renewed.
The new filtration system is one of only eight of their kind in the country. It’s the latest technology, resulting in eco-friendly and economic future proofing.
Original features
One original feature, impossible to ignore, is the use of windows in the roof. These bring in fantastic natural lighting around the building and in many of the rooms. Even though it was a sunny day when I visited, I could imagine it being equally joyful on a dull day.
There’s been a lot of care taken, maximising space and access. But all whilst attempting to keep as many original features as possible. Swimmers, wet and towelled, used to have to cross a large expanse of the foyer to get to and from changing rooms. That situation is now remedied.
And what a renovation it is. The new women’s changing room is resplendent in rippling and glossy pale grey tiles bouncing off the sunlight from the roof.
I’m very impressed by what I saw and heard. And I’m confident that the building, with more funding along the way, will be a magnificent addition to Swindon’s heritage once again.
I can visualise it being an important community asset fit for modern use.’
So doesn’t that all sound great?
Fourth Street
From the Fourth Street website:
Project background:
Swindon has a remarkable history and unique collection of heritage assets, fuelled largely by the development of Brunel’s Swindon Railway Works in the 1840s. After years of declining demand and changes in the railway industry, the works closed in 1986. Since then, many of these historic buildings have been neglected, becoming a visual impediment to inward investment and frustrating regeneration.
See also:
People lead such busy lives in this high tech modern age, the age of steam and the industrial revolution has quickly disappeared and replaced by the digital age of computers, digital phones, which are really hand held computers. They probably never give these old building a second glance, preferring instead to keep their eyes glued to their digital phone screens. But, eventually their gaze will rise as they get older and begin to wonder about the environment that surrounds them, they will question the purpose of our old buildings and ask what kind of society built them, their restless spirit will start them digging, to root about for memories of the past. The work being done now with the refurbishment of these iconic building will not only benefit todays generation but also of those to come, and will give them a sense of belonging to a Town with a historic past, a time when Swindon was recognised as a world centre of Engineering excellence.
Hi Jack
Thanks for your comment.
You’re absolutely right about looking up!
Best
A
I think it’s excellent that our historic and useful buildings are coming back to life. Maybe it will help to stop Swindon being the butt of jokes, when actually it’s a good place to live.
Hello Mary
Oh – I dunno – there’ll always be the haters. But yes, it’s great to see this slowly coming back to life.