Broom Hill Pool

A very well documented pool thanks to the 20-year campaign by locals to have the pool refurbished and re-opened. I don’t think we are adding any new information here but the recent (January 2024) announcement that the work is about to start means that adding this pool to the database was timely.

Claims the joint record for the deepest lido at 15′ with Hilsea Lido in Portsmouth.

Baths and Bath Engineering, July 1938

Broom Hill Bathing Pool, Ipswich.

COUNTY BOROUGH COUNCIL’S MODERN SCHEME

“The new pool at Broom Hill is among the finest in the country, both in design and for the facilities offered to the public; indeed, much time and thought have been expended by those responsible for its construction and maintenance to ensure that all classes are catered for.”

We endorse these words by the Mayor of Ipswich, Coun. George Underwood, who opened the pool in April last. The necessity for the provision of a bathing pool at the west side of the town was due to the fact that the existing West End bathing place had to be closed down on account of the very unsatisfactory condition of the water supplying the pool from the River Gipping.

Consideration was given to installing a purification plant, but, in view of the leaky condition of the bottom of the bath and the somewhat unfavourable position of the site, situated as it was in the industrial area, the Public Health Committee deemed that it would be advisable to find a more suitable site, and on it construct a modern pool.

A happy choice was made in the selection of Broom Hill, which, in addition to being already corporate property, was delightfully sited for the construction of a first-class pool, the levels lending themselves to economic construction, the sloping sides facing south being suitable for the sun bathing beaches, while on the lower level the grand stand, with the changing cubicles below, called for very little excavation. The pool now stands in the hollow surrounded on all sides and sheltered from everything but the rays of the sun.

Design of Scheme.

The entrance to the pool is provided with a car park giving accommodation for 70 cars and 150 cycles. A short flight of steps leads up to the entrance block, which consists of ticket office, superintendent’s office, and two storerooms surmounted by a clock tower visible from all parts of the pool. The entrance block is constructed in reinforced concrete externally treated with “Silexine,” this being the type of construction throughout. The swimming pool is 165 ft. long by 60 ft. wide and varies in depth from 3 ft. to 7 ft. 6 in., with a 15 ft. diving pit. The pool is designed to comply in all respects with the requirements of the Amateur Swimming Association and Amateur Diving Association for championship events. The playing area for water-polo gives a minimum depth of 6 ft. for the 90 ft. length.

A children’s swimming pool, 60 ft. wide by 37 ft. 6 in. long. is also provided, having a uniform depth of 2 ft. 9 in. The total capacity of both pools is 464,000 gal. The walls of both pools are designed as cantilevers to resist both earth and water pressure and vary in thickness from 6 in. to 81/2 in. exclusive of facing. The pool is lined with 2 in. pre-cast concrete slabs, 2 ft. square, which were used as shuttering for the wall behind. The slabs were cast face downwards on glass, the composition being as under:

Backing 11/2 in. thick: 1-part 11/4 in. pea shingle. 1 sharp sand to 1 cement.

Face, 1/2 in. thick: 1 part granite sand to 1 White Atlas cement.

To the mixing water for the face was added one eighth of its volume of ” Sealocrete.” Galvanised wire ties were built into the back of these slabs to give a key.

The pool floors are of 6 in. reinforced concrete having a 12 in. mesh of 7/16 in. steel reinforcement at the centre of the slab depth. The floor thickness is increased to 131/2 in. at the deepest part of the diving pit, where a considerable upward water pressure occurs. The floors of both pools are finished with a 3/4 in. rendering of Atlas White cement, and seven 4 in. red cement racing lines are laid down in the main pool.

A 10 in. by 7 in. red pre-cast concrete scum channel is provided round the edges of the pool, the edge of this being 2 in. above water level. At the deep end, the scum channel level is lowered by 5 in., forming a weir so that water may be drawn off the surface of the pool by means of twelve 3 in. suction pipes connected to the filtration plant. A 12 in. by 2 in. ribbed pre-cast concrete coping slab is bedded directly on the scum channel.

Access to the main pool is by two 6 ft. wide flights of steps at the shallow end, and six sets of recessed steps spaced out along the sides. These are provided with handrails fitted to specially cast brass sleeves in the scum channel blocks. Provision for under-water floodlighting is made with 24–250-watt units. The ‘Armourplate’ glass portholes are 1 ft. 8 1/2 in. by 1 ft. 2 1/2 in. by ½ in. thick. The pool surround, having a general width of 8 ft., is paved with 2 in. ” Foothold ” red and grey paving slabs arranged in draughtboard pattern. At the deep end of the pool this surround is increased to 20 ft. in width, and a steel framed diving stage having 5, 4, 3 and 2 m. boards is provided, together with a separate 1m. springboard.

From the turnstile a separate footpath on the right leads to the grandstand, with no access to the pool surrounds. The grandstand, constructed in reinforced concrete, gives accommodation for approximately 700 spectators in five tiers of seats. A reinforced concrete building adjacent to the rear of the grandstand contains conveniences for the use of spectators on the first floor and bathers on the ground floor.

The space beneath this stand houses the ladies’ dressing accommodation, consisting of 70 cubicles ranged on either side of a central gangway. The boxes are arranged in groups of four between the reinforced concrete frames supporting the grandstand, being separated from each other by wood framed partitions. A room for the storage of bathers’ clothes, having a capacity of 619 galvanised wirework baskets, is also provided. The baskets, which are 20 in. by 12 in. by 8 in. deep and have a partition 5 in. from the end to hold shoes, are numbered. Sturdy wire ensures that the baskets will be durable, and they are galvanised after manufacture to guard against rust. Washing is easily and effectively accomplished by spraying the baskets with water from a hosepipe. This case of cleansing helps to make this system one of the most hygienic as well as efficient means of storing clothes. Thomas Locker and Co., Ltd., of Warrington, Lanes, who supplied the baskets, also manufacture them with a lid.

For men, 108 cubicles are provided on the opposite side of the pool to the grandstand. These are of light construction, having wooden partitions and red asbestos cement roots with concrete walls. The boxes are arranged on each side of an open gangway, and a communal dressing room is provided at each end of the block Conveniences and a basket store are provided at the centre adjacent to the access to the pool surround The area between the men’s dressing boxes and the pool is laid out in three-coloured concrete sun bathing terraces, facing south.

Footbaths are placed adjacent to both ladies’ and men’s dressing boxes in such a manner that bathers must pass through them in order to reach the pool; showers also are available, if desired. Both footbaths and sprays are connected to the main circulating plant by means of an auxiliary pump.

A buffet is provided for the use of bathers and spectators, adjacent to the deep end of the pool, having a large canopy shelter on each side. The buffet is fronted by a paved open terrace on which tables are set out. This is accessible by separate entrances from the grandstand and pool surround, and there is also a hatch through which refreshments may be served to those in the adjoining park.

Filtration Plant.

The filtration plant that has been installed by the Pulsometer Engineering Co., Ltd. of Reading, has a total capacity of 155,000 gal. per hour, giving a three-hour turnover period, which is believed to be one of the shortest of any open-air bath in Great Britain. The water is drawn through a 15 in. suction main with an auxiliary draw-off from the scum channel across the deep end. After passing the strainer box, the water is picked up by the two circulating pumps and passed on to the purifying plant.

The circulating pumps are of the makers’ own design and manufacture. They are of the split casing type, with double- entry impellers in hydraulic balance, and they are, therefore free from any axial or end thrust. The impellers give the special characteristic to harmonise with the purification cycle, and control both the quantity of water and power absorbed when the head is low after the filter has first been cleaned. By this means damaging over-speeds through the filter bed and overloads on the motors are obviated.

The pumps are driven by 20 h.p. ” Bull ” slip ring induction motors, manufactured by E. R. and F. Turner, Ltd. of Ipswich. The motors are of the continuous rated screen protected type, built with totally enclosed external slipring gear. Stator frames are rigid castings of close-grained iron with no opening in the periphery or the frame in which dirt and dust can accumulate. Rigid cast iron end rackets are provided with heavy type ball and roller bearings, the housings of which reserve sufficient grease for satisfactory running for at least 12 months. The vacuum impregnation renders the machines suitable for site conditions where there is any likelihood of dampness.

After leaving the pumps, the water passes through a venturi tube which operates both a dial type flow meter (manufactured by George Kent, Ltd, Luton) and the coagulating apparatus. The coagulating apparatus is of the makers’ Pulsometer standard parallel feed type.

The saturating chambers, which are of a new design, are both contained in a common casting which considerably reduces the space occupied, and also, it is claimed, obviates the tendency of the container to move while the lid is being released or re-fixed. The chamber for the alum is lined with stone ware cemented into the container casting. The filters, four in number, are 8 ft. 6 in. diameter and 19 ft. 3 in. long. measured along the barrel, giving a filter speed of 251 gal. per sq. ft. per hour, and tested to 50 lb. per sq. in. They are of the air scoured type and fitted with the makers’ hydraulic air pump for delivering the air to agitate the sand. This air pump is fitted in a bypass from the raw water main and takes advantage of the surplus head available when washing. and thus, not only provides the compressed air without any additional power, but also controls the rate of washing, removing any risk of ejecting the sand from the filters or of overloads to the motors.

Before passing on to the aerator, a proportion of the flow is by-passed through two Vesta gas boilers having a combined output of 2,000,000 B.th.u. per hour, and thermostatically controlled to maintain the temperature of the pool water at 70 deg. Fahr. The heating equipment was installed by Edward Dean and Beal, Ltd.

Aeration is carried out in a closed vessel fitted with baffles, allowing the water to fall in fine droplets, while the air passes upwards in a contra flow direction to the vent pipe. The air pumping apparatus for this equipment is a development of the ” Hydrair pump on the filters already mentioned and is operated by two small boosters carried at the tail end of the main circulating pumps. It is stated that this device provides washed air entirely free any trace of oil or grease and eliminates the mechanical compressor.

It is interesting to note that the only moving plant in the filter room is the pumping equipment.

Before returning to the pool the water receives chlorine treatment by an M.S.V.M. type chlorinator. made by Wallace and Tiernan, Ltd. London. The water is then returned to the pool through a series of inlets spaced round the sides and ends of the two pools. A suction sweeping main passes up the side of the main pool, and a suction sweeper is provided. Finally, a small cascade pump is provided at the far end of the children’s pool, and entirely independent from the remainder of the plant.

General.

The entire area of both pools, sun-bathing terraces, grandstand and cafe can be floodlit by means of 16 floodlights carried on reinforced concrete standards, giving some 27.000 c.p.

Public address equipment is provided, and the amplifier is situated in the entrance block, and alternative microphone positions are provided in the office and at the diving stage end of the pool. Two hygienic drinking fountains of the wall type are furnished. Each fountain is fitted with the patent self-closing non-concussive tap incorporating an automatic regulator which compensates for varying inlet pressure and ensures that a suitably proportioned jet is available under any conditions. On releasing the push, the tap automatically closes; waste being thereby prevented. The fountains are of cast iron white porcelain, enamelled inside, and have inclined white metal nozzles to allow wastewater to fall clear of the issuing supply. The waste connections are of brass with white metal grating in the basin. The fountains are capable of withstanding abnormally rough treatment.

The entire scheme, with the exception of the installation or the heating and filtration plants and other specialised work, was carried out by direct labour. The estimated cost of the entire scheme, exclusive of land, is approximately £17,000.

Mr. E. M. Lauchlan, M.Inst.C.E., is the Borough Engineer and Surveyor of Ipswich and Mr. W T. Geary, MN.A.B.S.. the Baths Superintendent. We have no doubt that this modern bathing pool will do well under the guidance of the enterprising superintendent, who is in charge of the new bathing pool at Piper’s Vale and also has in his custody two public baths establishments There is no doubt that the new pool is a remarkable example of good value for the money expended.

Apart from those already mentioned, the following were amongst the other contractors for the Broom Hill scheme: -Sanitary fittings Adamsez. Ltd., Scotswood, Newcastle-on-Tyne; surrounds to pool, scum channel, cascade, etc. Atlas Stone Co. Ltd. Cambridge; balustrading Bayliss. Jones and Bayliss. Ltd. Wolverhampton: under-water floodlighting units public address equipment, etc.–The General Electric Co. Ltd London: hygienic self-closing drinking fountains – Glenfield and Kennedy, Ltd. Kilmarnock: slower fittings-Gummers. Ltd., Rotherham, turnstiles and collapsible gates-Lockerbie and Wilkinson (Birmingham), Ltd., Tipton. Staffs; ticket issuing machine-The National Cash Register Co. Ltd. London: spray cubicles H Warner and Son. Ltd. Ipswich; diving stage Charles Wicksteed and Co. (1920). Ltd Kettering.