Utilities Orpington has a natural source of water but the first ‘mains’ water did not come from the River Cray, it was pumped from a massive water reserve in the West Wickham are. The pumping station at Tower Road still pumps that water to this day. The gas works at St Mary Cray were the first in the area and supplied ‘towns gas’ to the entire Cray Valley population Electricity came later. As with all leading edge modern services only those that could afford it were supplied.