Mark your diaries, folks.
London Zoo 1904
- Thread starter ralphthestick
- Start date
Do you think our computers will be able to handle it without crashing or is it a very piece-heavy zoo?
It is very piece-heavy...
It tends to behave itself once it's loaded, and will load in at quite a low camera position so there isn't too much to render right off the bat, but if that is an issue you struggle with, it might be a bit of a pain. I'll be sending it off to a lot of people to tour though (and I'm planning a tour myself, though no promises on when), so anyone who can't load it will be able to enjoy it vicariously!
Just over a week out from release, let's get the tour of the south garden wrapped up at least.
Carrying on along the edge of Three Island Pond and the Main Lawn, we get to the Diving Birds' House. This was originally the 'Fish House' - the world's first public aquarium, built in 1853 (London Zoo coined the word 'aquarium', being a portmanteau of 'aquatic vivarium'). In 1882, a large tank was added to display diving birds, and the focus seems to have gradually shifted away from the fish and towards the birds. In 1903, the tank was moved to the centre and the building renamed. Small penguins, guillemots, cormorants etc would be fed fish in the diving tank at 12:00 and 5:00pm. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to actually move the penguins to their holding cages, so they're just having a little waddle around the house itself.
Next, we come to the Refreshment Rooms. The main dining room was built in 1868, though additional blocks were added in 1873 and 1878 as separate second-class and fellows dining rooms. After the Regent Building was constructed in 1929, the Refreshment Rooms were converted into a parrot house, which it remained until its demolition in 2011 to make way for Penguin Beach. The basement of the building was used as part of the footprint for the new penguin pool, and the archway of the main entrance was preserved near to the spot it originally stood.
Nearby is the Eagles' Aviary. Built in 1866, this structure incorporated metalwork from the outdoor cages of the zoo's first monkey house (built in 1839), and was built on the same site, replacing a very similar aviary which had been nearby. It was demolished in 1910, and the birds moved to the extended range of aviaries on the zoo's eastern border.
We now pass a few kiosks selling light refreshments, postcards, and tickets for elephant and camel rides. These would have been available every afternoon, weather permitting, along with llama (and occasionally ostrich)-drawn carts, pony rides and other similar activities. The elephant ride would take guests alongside the Great Lawn down to the Lion House before doubling back. As the Elephant House was located in the middle garden, the elephants would have been lead through the tunnel to get to the mounting steps, and were saddled there, so saddles were kept suspended from nearby trees. On one occasion, the famous elephant Jumbo bolted back through the tunnel while wearing his saddle, and carved a gouge in the ceiling (luckily, no one was mounted at the time). In 1920, an additional larger tunnel was built, meaning the elephants could be saddled at the house.
Elephant rides stopped around 1960, though camel and donkey rides, as well as llama and pony carts continued into the 1980s.
Finally, we approach what is now the East Tunnel (but in 1904 was simply the tunnel, being the only one) from the south. This tunnel was built in the 1830s to link the south and middle gardens. In World War Two, it was used as an air raid shelter - after the 'all clear' was given, a warden would scout ahead to make sure no dangerous animals had been set free by the bombs before letting people out.
As for what's on the other side? Well, you can find out for yourselves in a week, but this series will be continuing for those who want more of the history!
Carrying on along the edge of Three Island Pond and the Main Lawn, we get to the Diving Birds' House. This was originally the 'Fish House' - the world's first public aquarium, built in 1853 (London Zoo coined the word 'aquarium', being a portmanteau of 'aquatic vivarium'). In 1882, a large tank was added to display diving birds, and the focus seems to have gradually shifted away from the fish and towards the birds. In 1903, the tank was moved to the centre and the building renamed. Small penguins, guillemots, cormorants etc would be fed fish in the diving tank at 12:00 and 5:00pm. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to actually move the penguins to their holding cages, so they're just having a little waddle around the house itself.
Next, we come to the Refreshment Rooms. The main dining room was built in 1868, though additional blocks were added in 1873 and 1878 as separate second-class and fellows dining rooms. After the Regent Building was constructed in 1929, the Refreshment Rooms were converted into a parrot house, which it remained until its demolition in 2011 to make way for Penguin Beach. The basement of the building was used as part of the footprint for the new penguin pool, and the archway of the main entrance was preserved near to the spot it originally stood.
Nearby is the Eagles' Aviary. Built in 1866, this structure incorporated metalwork from the outdoor cages of the zoo's first monkey house (built in 1839), and was built on the same site, replacing a very similar aviary which had been nearby. It was demolished in 1910, and the birds moved to the extended range of aviaries on the zoo's eastern border.
We now pass a few kiosks selling light refreshments, postcards, and tickets for elephant and camel rides. These would have been available every afternoon, weather permitting, along with llama (and occasionally ostrich)-drawn carts, pony rides and other similar activities. The elephant ride would take guests alongside the Great Lawn down to the Lion House before doubling back. As the Elephant House was located in the middle garden, the elephants would have been lead through the tunnel to get to the mounting steps, and were saddled there, so saddles were kept suspended from nearby trees. On one occasion, the famous elephant Jumbo bolted back through the tunnel while wearing his saddle, and carved a gouge in the ceiling (luckily, no one was mounted at the time). In 1920, an additional larger tunnel was built, meaning the elephants could be saddled at the house.
Elephant rides stopped around 1960, though camel and donkey rides, as well as llama and pony carts continued into the 1980s.
Finally, we approach what is now the East Tunnel (but in 1904 was simply the tunnel, being the only one) from the south. This tunnel was built in the 1830s to link the south and middle gardens. In World War Two, it was used as an air raid shelter - after the 'all clear' was given, a warden would scout ahead to make sure no dangerous animals had been set free by the bombs before letting people out.
As for what's on the other side? Well, you can find out for yourselves in a week, but this series will be continuing for those who want more of the history!
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Just the reaction we're here for!Silly me waiting to see the planet zoo images to compare with the real photos you were posting first... Just to realise that those were not real photos but made in PZ
Managed to get another tour video together just before the zoo hits the Steam Workshop tomorrow - check out the elephant and rhino house before you check out the whole zoo yourself tomorrow!
London Zoo 1904 is now available on the Steam Workshop - download today! https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3464591299
ZSH Plays has been kind enough to tour the zoo on his channel. You can see his video here:
Thanks so much! As you might be able to tell, I’m a big fan of old maps and pictures, so I’m glad they enhance things!