Tilehurst Water Tower
Water tower in Reading, Berkshire
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Tilehurst Water Tower is a distinctive water tower in Tilehurst, a suburb of the English town and borough of Reading. It lies on a ridgeline at the highest point of both the borough and the town, with its base at 100 metres (330 ft) AMSL. Together with its own intrinsic height, this makes it a prominent landmark that can be seen from a considerable distance, especially when approaching Reading from the west along the M4 motorway.[1][2]
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| Tilehurst Water Tower | |
|---|---|
 Tilehurst Water Tower | |
  Location within Reading, Berkshire | |
Alternative names | Park Lane Water Tower |
General information | |
| Type | Water tower |
| Location | Tilehurst, Reading, Berkshire |
| Coordinates | 51°27′5.76″N 1°2′49.56″W |
Completed | 1932 |
The tower itself is approximately 36 metres (118 ft) tall. It has a total water capacity of 900,000 litres (200,000 imp gal; 240,000 US gal) and provides around 10 per cent of all the water used in Reading. It also houses the transmitter for Greatest Hits Radio Berkshire & North Hampshire, a local radio station.[3][4]
The tower was erected by Reading Borough Council in 1932, in order to supplement the existing Bath Road Reservoir and supply water to properties at a higher level than the earlier water tower there. Today the tower belongs to Thames Water, and is still in use for its original purpose.[1][3][5][6]
In November 2018 the tower was illuminated in poppy red to mark 100 years since the end of the First World War. The tower remained illuminated, and visible at night from a wide area, until Remembrance Day on 11 November.[7]
The tower has given its name to a nearby public house, the Water Tower, and to the adjoining terminus of route 17 of Reading Buses.
