This unassuming water tower stands silently. Yet its story is one of immense pressure and tireless service. The Château d’eau de la gare de Schaerbeek-Formation is more than just a structure. It’s a relic of a bygone era. An era when steam locomotives ruled the railways.
This Château d’eau once supplied water to the steam locomotives of the SNCB. It cleverly used the natural slope of the land. The tank sits atop a hill. This provided the necessary pressure to fill the locomotives’ water tanks rapidly. This was impossible using the Brussels water distribution network established in 1855. The capital’s railway network was dotted with these water towers. Most were fed by local wells or springs. The Schaerbeek-Formations water tower and the one at Tour et Taxis are the only ones left. All others were dismantled starting in the 1960s. This was due to the arrival of diesel and later electric locomotives.
The Château d’eau de la gare de Schaerbeek-Formation is remarkable technically. It’s the only surviving example in Belgium with an Intze II type tank. This tank design by the German engineer of the same name was ingenious. It allowed storing large quantities of water in a metal tank. The weight was concentrated on a reinforced ring at the tank’s base. This saved material in both the tank and the base. Forces were channeled to a precise point.
Dating the Château d’eau’s construction is tricky. Based on the Intze system’s invention date and the Schaerbeek-Formations site’s history. It was likely built between 1885 and 1904. It probably remained in service until 1971. That’s when the site connected to the CIBE (Compagnie Intercommunale Bruxelloise des Eaux) distribution network.
Today the CEBE association manages the Moeraske nature reserve. They’re campaigning to save and renovate this monument. It suffers from vandalism and damage from the surrounding nature. A cherry tree even grows in the tank itself. A purple-leaved cherry tree along the path marks the water tower’s position. Hidden among the leaves the Château d’eau de la gare de Schaerbeek-Formation stands as a testament to ingenuity. A silent guardian of a bustling past. A silent observer of the vibrant present.