A TOUR of the Health Hydro offered visitors a rare glimpse behind the scenes of Swindon's historic leisure and wellness facility.
The upstairs section of the Health Hydro's large pool
Dozens of people went on the tours over the weekend, with a few in one group recalling how they learned to swim there or went for a medical appointment decades ago.
The nostalgic look around left the guest with happy smiles while also expressing dismay at the state of disrepair seen in some parts of the facility.
The Milton Road building was constructed in 1891 with trusses made in the GWR Works used to construct the structure of the space which houses the Large Pool. Remarkably, this roofing has remained sturdy more than a century later, despite the pool being in almost constant use since then.
The upstairs section of the Health Hydro's large pool
The upstairs section of the Health Hydro's large pool
The upstairs section of the Health Hydro's large pool
The Small Pool proved to be similarly popular but had to close five years ago after a major leak made it unusable and unsafe.
The Health Hydro's small pool closed five years ago
A stained glass window in this room was filled in and replaced with an illustration. The Small Pool room itself has not been publicly accessible since the draining of the pool.
The Health Hydro's small pool closed five years ago
The Health Hydro's small pool closed five years ago
Though the Hydro has received millions of pounds in funding for a major restoration project - phase one focusing on the main entrance and large pool, phase two tidying up the Turkish baths - plans to restore the small pool are not thought to be part of it.
Part of the Turkish baths area in the Health Hydro
The Health Hydro Turkish baths
Part of the Turkish baths area in the Health Hydro
The entrance to the Health Hydro's Turkish baths
The upstairs floor once housed an opticians and dentist, along with conference rooms where those in charge used to meet to discuss important matters about the building's upkeep and future.
A stained glass window in an upstairs Health Hydro room
The first floor of the Health Hydro
The first floor of the Health Hydro
The first floor of the Health Hydro
The first floor of the Health Hydro
A corridor between the pool facilities and the part of the Health Hydro housing conference rooms and the old dentist
Parts of the first floor were once used as a dentist and opticians
Parts of the first floor were once used as a dentist and opticians
Parts of the first floor were once used as a dentist and opticians
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