Earls Court Exhibition Centre housed the largest indoor pool ever built in Britain. It opened in 1937 but was used for only 34 days, in 1948. A hydraulic mechanism in a 20-foot-deep basement or pit in the floor of the exhibition hall moved three sections of the floor, either to create a pool or to raise the sections to form a stage. When filled, both the pool and the underground pit housing the hydraulic mechanism were flooded with water. After emptying the pool, the remaining water was pumped out of the pit and all moving parts were cleaned, oiled and re-greased. This photograph was published on page 215 of 'Great Lengths: The historic indoor swimming pools of Britain' by Dr Ian Gordon and Simon Inglis.
This is part of the Series: PLA01/09 Great Lengths; within the Collection: PLA01 Played in Britain Collection
© Historic England Archive
Photographer: Inglis, Simon
Architect: Crane, Charles Howard
Engineer: Siddall, R J: L G Mouchel And Partners
Mid 20th Century Exhibition Hall, Mid 20th Century Indoor Swimming Pool, Mid 20th Century Basement, Engineering
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