Macclesfield group power stations

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The Macclesfield group power stations are three relatively small electric power stations at Alderley Edge, Buxton, and Macclesfield, England. They supplied electricity to their respective towns from 1890s to the 1960s. The oil-engine stations were operated by a succession of private and public owners prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity industry in 1948. The power stations were redeveloped as a group in the 1950s as demand for electricity grew and old plant was replaced.

Contents

History

Alderley Edge

In 1895 Alderley Edge District Council applied for a Provisional Order under the Electric Lighting Acts to generate and supply electricity to the town. This was granted by the Board of Trade and was confirmed by Parliament through the Electric Lighting Orders Confirmation (No. 2) Act 1895 (58 & 59 Vict. c. lxvii). [1] The following year the Provisional Order was transferred to the Alderley and Wilmslow Electric Supply Company Limited. The company, which was registered 23 April 1896, built power stations at Heyes Lane, Alderley Edge and at Wilmslow, Cheshire. [2] (*There is no record of there ever having been a power station in Wilmslow, it's likely the entry in the Manual of Electricity Supply is erroneous, and should have stated that the Hayes Lane power station supplied electricity for Alderley Edge and Wilmslow) The Company supplied electricity to the area prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity industry in 1948. [3]  As a consequence of nationalisation the company was abolished and ownership of its power stations was vested in the British Electricity Authority, and subsequently the Central Electricity Authority and the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB). [4] At the same time the electricity distribution and sales responsibilities of the company's electricity undertaking were transferred to the Merseyside & North Wales Electricity Board (MANWEB). In the 1950s the old plant at Alderley Edge was decommissioned and new plant installed. [2] The station was decommissioned in the late 1960s.

Buxton

Buxton Corporation was granted a Provisional Order to generate and supply electricity in Buxton Derbyshire in 1894. This was put on a statutory basis by the Electric Lighting Orders Confirmation (No. 1) Act 1894 (57 & 58 Vict. c. xlix). [5]   An oil driven plant was built at Ashwood Dale, Buxton and continued to operate until the 1950s when it was replaced. [2] Buxton Corporation's electricity undertaking was abolished by electricity nationalisation in 1948, the power station was vested in the British Electricity Authority, and the distribution and sales functions transferred to MANWEB. [4] The station was decommissioned in the late 1960s.

Macclesfield  

Macclesfield Corporation was granted a Provisional Order to generate and supply electricity in 1901. This was put on a statutory basis by the Electric Lighting Orders Confirmation (No. 5) Act 1901 (1 & 2 Edw. 7 c. cxxxviii). [6] An oil-engine driven plant was built at George Street, Macclesfield, Cheshire. [2] The Provisional Order was transferred to the Electricity Company of Macclesfield Limited [7] which operated the undertaking until it was abolished by nationalisation of the electricity industry in 1948. The power station was vested in the British Electricity Authority, and the distribution and sales functions of the company were transferred to MANWEB. The plant at the station was scrapped and replaced in the 1950s. [2] The station was decommissioned in the late 1960s.

Following nationalisation the area supplied by the Macclesfield Group became an electricity supply district, covering 148 square miles (380 km2) with an estimated population of 103,700. It included the Boroughs of Macclesfield and Buxton, and the Districts of Bollington, Wilmslow, Alderley Edge, Hazel Grove, Marple, Whaley Bridge and New Mills. [2]

Equipment specification

Alderley Edge

By 1923 the generating plant comprised: [7]

These machines gave a total generating capacity of 640 kW of direct current. [7]

Electricity supplies to consumers were at 420 & 210 Volt DC.

The steam plant was decommissioned in the 1930s. [2] The original oil fired station was closed on 1 April 1953 and the oil plant removed. It was re-commissioned in December 1954 and comprised: [2]

Buxton

By 1923 the generating plant comprised: [7]

These machines gave a total generating capacity of 580 kW of direct current. [7]

Electricity supplies to consumers were at 460 & 230 Volt DC.

The old 570 kW plant was scrapped on 1 April 1953. [2] New plant was commissioned in December 1954. This comprised:

Macclesfield

By 1923 the generating plant comprised: [7]

These machines gave a total generating capacity of 1,345 kW of direct current.

Electricity supplies to consumers were at 460 & 230 Volt DC. [7]

New plant was commissioned in March 1955. [2] This comprised:

Operations

Alderley Edge

The operating data for the period 1921–23 is given in the table and shows the amount of electricity sold to each type of consumer, the maximum loads and some financial data. [7]

Alderley Edge power station operating data 1921–23
Electricity UseUnitsYear
192119221923
Lighting and domesticMWh192217249
Public lightingMWh151316
TractionMWh000
PowerMWh776561
Total useMWh283296325
Load and connected load
Maximum loadkW231253264
Total connectionskW146715391630
Load factorPer cent17.917.418.7
Financial
Revenue from sales of currentAlderley Edge–£4577£4965
Wilmslow–£5536£6241

Alderley Edge power station had a maximum load of 461 MW and supplied 32.24 MWh of electricity in 1946. [8]

Operating data for the period 1954–58 was: [2]

Alderley Edge power station operating data, 1956–58
YearRunning hoursMax output capacity  MWElectricity supplied MWh Thermal efficiency per cent
1956299457450.3
1957225472280.2
1958243492695.3

The combined performance of the Macclesfield Group power stations for 1961–63 is given below under Macclesfield.

Buxton

The operating data for the period 1921–23 was: [7]

Buxton power station operating data 1921–23
Electricity UseUnitsYear
192119221923
Lighting and domesticMWh346309414
Public lightingMWh222226
TractionMWh000
PowerMWh72105103
Total useMWh489468484
Load and connected load
Maximum loadkW344360413
Total connectionskW152717661766
Load factorPer cent19.718.920.2
Financial
Revenue from sales of current£–£13,003£16,073
Surplus of revenue over expenses£–£2,866£8,957

Buxton power station had a maximum load of 819 MW and supplied 228.57 MWh of electricity in 1946. [8]

Operating data for the period 1955–58 was: [2]

Buxton power station operating data, 1955–58
YearRunning hoursMax output capacity  MWElectricity supplied MWhThermal efficiency per cent
19552844136.6
1956303472559.8
1957139437968.2
1958182453172.9

The combined performance of the Macclesfield Group power stations for 1961–63 is given below under Macclesfield.

Macclesfield

The operating data for the period 1921–23 was: [7]

Macclesfield power station operating data 1921–23
Electricity UseUnitsYear
192119221923
Lighting and domesticMWh193212247
Public lightingMWh000
TractionMWh000
PowerMWh839623896
Total useMWh10328351143
Load and connected load
Maximum loadkW551648761
Total connectionskW160016081823
Load factorPer cent25.317.619.1
Financial
Revenue from sales of current£–£6,134£20,007
Surplus of revenue over expenses£–£11,375£14,376

Macclesfield power station had a maximum load of 1583 MW and supplied 692.45 MWh of electricity in 1946.#eleccomm

Operating data for the period 1954–58 was: [2]

Macclesfield power station operating data, 1954–58
YearRunning hoursMax output capacity  MWElectricity supplied MWhThermal efficiency per cent
195413611609057.0
1955190303013758.0
1956254303045258.7
1957112246019972.2
1958251220046785.0

The combined aggregate performance of the Macclesfield Group power stations (Alderley Edge, Buxton and Macclesfield) for 1961–63 was as follows: [9]

Macclesfield Group operations, 1961–67
YearLoad factor per centElectricity supplied MWhThermal efficiency per cent
196110.79,38734.21
196217.415,22534.62
196320.7018,13334.40
196723.220,31634.02

Macclesfield Electricity District

Macclesfield was an electricity supply district, covering 148 square miles (380 km2) with an estimated population of 103,700. The number of consumers and electricity sold was: [2]

Year195619571958
Number of consumers36,60338,10839,464
Electricity sold MWh146,118157,479175,575

In 1958 the number of units sold to categories of consumers was: [2]

Type of consumer and consumption 1958
Type of consumerNo. of consumersElectricity sold MWh
Domestic34,48889,757
Commercial2,71522,004
Combined premises8143,222
Industrial39051,816
Farms10447,617
Public lighting131,159
Total39,464175,575

There were 774 miles (1,246 km) of high voltage mains in the district comprising 465 miles (748 km) of underground mains and 308 miles (496 km) of overhead cables.

The maximum demand on the district system was 61,350 kW, and the load factor was 32.7%. [2]

Closure

The Macclesfield group power stations were decommissioned in about 1970. [10]

See also

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Wolverhampton power station, also known as Commercial Road power station, supplied electricity to the Borough of Wolverhampton, England and the surrounding area from 1895 to 1976. It was redeveloped in several stages to meet growing demand for electricity: including the addition of new plant in 1902 to 1908, 1925 and 1942. The power station was initially owned and operated by Wolverhampton Corporation, but was transferred to the West Midlands Joint Electricity Authority in 1928. The British Electricity Authority assumed ownership at nationalisation in 1948. Wolverhampton power station was decommissioned in 1976.

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Lymington power station supplied electricity to the town of Lymington, Hampshire and the surrounding area from 1899 to 1959. The electricity generating station was owned and operated by a succession of electricity companies prior to nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The station was initially coal-fired but later oil engines were installed. Lymington power station was closed on 31 March 1959.

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Southport power station supplied electricity to the town of Southport and the surrounding area from 1894 to the late 1960s. The power station was built by the Southport Corporation which operated it up to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. Birkdale power station was operated by the Birkdale District Electric Supply Company Limited and originally supplied Birkdale Urban District until the district was incorporated into the Borough of Southport in 1911.

Luton power station supplied electricity to the Borough of Luton and the surrounding area from 1901 to 1969. The power station was operated by the Luton Corporation until the nationalisation of the British electricity industry in 1948. It was redeveloped after the First World War to meet the increased demand for electricity.

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References

  1. ↑ "Local Acts1895". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Garrett, Frederick C. (1959). Garcke's Manual of Electricity Supply vol. 56. London: Electrical Press. pp. A-41, A-8, A-74, A-140–42, B-196–97.
  3. ↑ "Electricity Act 1947". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  4. 1 2 Electricity Council (1987). Electricity supply in the United Kingdom: a Chronology. London: Electricity Council. pp. 45, 60, 69, 73. ISBN   085188105X.
  5. ↑ "Local Acts 1894". legislation.gov.uk. 1894. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  6. ↑ "Local Acts 1901". legislation.gov.uk. 1901. Retrieved 30 October 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Electricity Commissioners (1925). Electricity Supply – 1920–23. London: HMSO. pp. 18–21, 136–39, 160–3, 266–71, 364–69, 418–23.
  8. 1 2 Electricity Commissioners (1947). Generation of Electricity in Great Britain year ended 31 December 1946. London: HMSO.
  9. ↑ CEGB Annual report and Accounts, 1961, 1962 & 1963
  10. ↑ The stations are mentioned in the CEGB Statistical Yearbook 1967 but not in the 1972 edition
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