Lincoln power stations

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Lincoln power stations
Lincoln power stations
CountryUnited Kingdom
LocationLincoln
Coordinates 53°13′40.4″N00°31′25.5″W / 53.227889°N 0.523750°W / 53.227889; -0.523750 Coordinates: 53°13′40.4″N00°31′25.5″W / 53.227889°N 0.523750°W / 53.227889; -0.523750
StatusDecommissioned and demolished
Construction began1898
Commission date 1898, 1917, 1920, 1947
Decommission date1917, 1953, 1977
Owner(s)Lincoln Corporation
(1898–1948)
British Electricity Authority
(1948–1955)
Central Electricity Authority
(1955–1957)
Central Electricity Generating Board
(1958–1977)
Operator(s)As owner
Thermal power station
Primary fuelCoal
Chimneys2
Cooling towers6
Cooling sourceRiver water plus cooling towers
Power generation
Units operational4 × Brush-Ljungstrom 20 MW
Nameplate capacity 80 MW
Annual net output 230.309 GWh (1962)
[ edit on Wikidata]

Lincoln power stations were a sequence of electricity generating stations that provided electric power to the City of Lincoln and the wider area between 1898 and 1977. The first station was built by Lincoln Corporation in 1898 on Brayford Wharf. During the First World War the engineering company Clayton and Shuttleworth built a power station in Spa Road to meet its own electricity needs. This private station was bought by Lincoln Corporation in 1918 and was expanded to meet rising demand and supplied electricity until it was demolished in 1953. A final power station was built on the Spa Road site over the period 1947–57 and operated until it was decommissioned in 1977.

Contents

Background

The Corporation of Lincoln applied for, and was granted by the Board of Trade, a Provisional Electric Lighting Order to generate and supply electricity to the City of Lincoln in 1897. This was ratified by Parliament in the Electric Lighting Order Confirmation (No. 2) Act 1897 (60 & 61 Vict. c. lxii). [1]

Brayford power station, 1898–1917

The first electricity generating station was built in 1898 by the Lincoln Corporation. It was located on Brayford Wharf North; this provided access to local waterways for the delivery of coal and the disposal of ash by barge, and also provided a source of water for the station's condensing plant. Brayford Pool is connected to the River Trent via the Fossdyke Navigation to the west and to the River Witham to the south. The station had a boiler house and an engine house. The boiler house contained the following plant: [2]

The engine house comprised the following equipment: [2]

Lincoln's tram system was taken over by Lincoln Corporation in 1905 [2] and was electrified taking DC traction power from the Brayford power station. [3]

During the First World War the engineering company Clayton and Shuttleworth required a 3.3 kV electricity supply from the municipal power station. However, as demand increased the corporation's station was unable to meet this demand. [2]

Clayton and Shuttleworth / Corporation power station, 1917–53

To meet its requirements for electricity for the war effort Clayton and Shuttleworth built a private supply power station (53°13'39"N 0°31'26"W) in Spa Road on the opposite side of the River Witham to its Titanic Works. The station contained: [2]

Coal was delivered via a railway siding off of the adjacent railway line. [2]

Spa Road power station, 1920–53

Lincoln Corporation took over the operation of the Clayton and Shuttleworth station in 1918/19. New plant was ordered and commissioned in 1921 and comprised: [2]

To allow for further expansion the Corporation purchased five acres (2.0 hectares) of land to allow for a projected total generating capacity of 40,000 to 50,000 kW to be built. [2]

The flow of the River Witham in summer was limited and was unable to meet the cooling water demand of the power station. [2] Therefore, the new station was provided with a cooling pond east of the station building. The pond was 173 feet (53 m) square. [4]

By 1923 the generating plant comprised: [5]

In 1923 the power station generated a total of 14.548 GWh; the total load on the system was 6,300 kW; and there was a connected load of 10,728 kW. [5] The amount of electricity sold and the amount of revenue generated by the power station was as follows: [5]

Lincoln power station 1923
Supply for:Electricity sold, MWhRevenue
Lighting and Domestic729.790£20,973
Public lighting25.353£646
Traction178.956£1,613
Power10,580.653£46,582
Bulk supply––
Total11,512.752£69,814

The surplus of revenue over expenses was £41,367 for the Corporation of Lincoln. [5]

The Central Electricity Board (CEB) was established in 1926 to purchase electricity from the most efficient ‘selected’ power station across the country and to sell it to electricity undertakings. [6] The CEB was also responsible for the construction of the National Grid, built in 1928–33. [6] Lincoln was connected to the National Grid via a 132 kV substation east of the Spa Road site. [7] In the early 1930s the engineering firm Ruston & Hornsby threatened to install its own electricity power plant. The CEB reduced its prices to the Lincoln electricity undertaking to prevent this loss of demand which would have been about half of the Lincoln undertaking's load. [7]

The electricity plant continued in operation until it was shutdown in October 1953, when the new St. Swithins power station was able to support the required load.

St. Swithins power station, 1947–77

A new Lincoln power station, also called St. Swithins power station, was constructed on the Spa Road site in the post-war period. [2] This was commissioned by Lincoln City Council, but was a controversial addition to the city. There were objections to the four reinforced concrete cooling towers which were as high as the hill on which the cathedral stands and which would spoil the view of the cathedral from the south. [8] Following a public inquiry the developers, Lincoln City Council, agreed to reduce the height of towers to less than 90 feet (27 m) – and the chimneys from 279 to 225 feet (85 to 69 metres). Consent to build the power station was granted in October 1944. [9] Even after approval alternative schemes were proposed: one suggested pumping water from the River Trent at Torksey into the Fossdyke Navigation from where it would flow to the River Witham at Lincoln. It was claimed this would provide sufficient water for cooling without the need for cooling towers. [10]

The first 20 MW generating set of the new station was commissioned in December 1947. [11] Following nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948 the ownership of Lincoln's power station were transferred to the British Electricity Authority (BEA) (1948–55) then to the Central Electricity Authority (1955–57), and finally the Central Electricity Generating Board (1958–77). [6] Responsibility for the distribution and sales of electricity was transferred to the East Midlands Electricity Board.

Under the BEA a further 20 MW set were commissioned in April 1949. [11] At this stage only half of the new station was built, including a single chimney. [12] The rest of the station and the second chimney and further cooling towers were built in the mid-1950s. The third and fourth generating sets were commissioned in March 1957 and November 1957. [11]

The plant at the completed station in 1958 comprised: [11]

Cooling water was abstracted from the River Witham, this was supplemented with concrete cooling towers (initially four later six) each with a capacity of 0.670 million gallons per hour (0.846 m3/s). [11] Operating data for Lincoln power stations is shown in the table. [5] [11] [13] [14]

Lincoln power station operating data
YearCapacity, MWElectricity output, GWhHours run or (load factor %)Thermal efficiency %
18980.156
192316.314.548(26.3%)
194616.826(19.3%)12.89
19553880.946507820.97
19563878.517592919.92
19575782.634547319.86
19587667.365391419.76
196180202.738(30.5%)20.97
196280230.309(34.6%)20.09
196380164.978(24.78%)19.70
196776202.538(32.7%)20.22
197280148.933(22.3%)19.42

In 1958 the Lincoln electricity district supplied an area of 318 square miles and a population of 119,000. The amount of electricity sold and the number and types of consumers was as follows: [11]

Type of ConsumerNo. of consumersElectricity sold, MWh
Domestic34,57553,426
Commercial3,5413,541
Farms1,0639,862
Industrial36676,470
Public lighting321,042
Total39,577163,734

Lincoln power station was shut-down on 21 March 1977. [15] It was derelict for over 25 years and finally demolished in 2007. [16]  The site is currently (2020) derelict; although there is an operational 132 kV electricity substation east of the site.

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The Thornhill power station generated and supplied electricity to the town of Dewsbury and the wider regional area from 1902 to 1982, and again from 1998. The first generating station on the site was owned and operated by the Yorkshire Electric Power Company. Following nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948 Thornhill power station was operated by a succession of state owned bodies. The power station was redeveloped with new plant in 1915, 1925, 1932–37 and 1950–54. The coal-fired steam station was decommissioned in 1982, and was subsequently demolished. A gas turbine power station on the site was commissioned in 1998.

Burton upon Trent power station supplied electricity to the town of Burton upon Trent and the wider area from 1894 to 1976. It was owned and operated by Burton upon Trent Corporation until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped several times: including the incorporation of new plant in the 1910s, in 1924–28 and 1941–43. The station was decommissioned in October 1976.

Lister Drive power station was a series of generating stations that supplied electricity to the City of Liverpool and the wider area from 1900 until 1980. They were owned and collaboratively operated by Liverpool Corporation and Marcus Kemp Coal Limited until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was developed in several phases: designated No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 stations. A gas turbine station was commissioned in March 1965.

Gravesend power station was built by the Gravesend Corporation in 1902–03 to supply the local demand for electricity for lighting. It was built to the west of the municipal gas works, south east of the basin on the Thames and Medway canal. The power station operated until 1970 the buildings were reused but were demolished in 1995.

Halifax power station supplied electricity to the town of Halifax and the wider area from 1894 to the 1960s. It was owned and operated by Halifax Corporation until the nationalisation of the electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped several times and at its peak had a generating capacity of 48 MW.

Reading power station, Berkshire, England supplied electricity to the town of Reading and the surrounding area from 1895 to the 1960s. It was initially owned and operated by the Reading Electric Supply Company Limited, then from 1933 by the Reading Corporation until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped several times with new equipment replacing retired plant. The station was decommissioned in the late 1960s.

Wallasey power station supplied electricity to the town of Wallasey and the surrounding area from 1897. It was owned and operated by Wallasey Corporation until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was redeveloped several times: including the incorporation of new plant in the 1920s and 1950. The station was decommissioned in the late 1960s.

Greenhill power station supplied electricity to the town of Oldham, England and the surrounding area from 1921 to 1960. It replaced the older Rhodes Bank generating station and was superseded by Chadderton B power station. Greenhill power station was owned and operated by Oldham Corporation until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The power station was built over the period 1921–24 and was decommissioned in 1960.

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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The Newport power stations supplied electricity to the town of Newport and the surrounding area from 1895 to the late 1970s. The original power station was in Llanarth Street which supplied electric lighting; a larger station, known as the East power station, was built in Corporation Road from 1903. They were owned and operated by Newport Corporation prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The East power station was redeveloped in the 1920s and 1940s to meet the increased demand for electricity.

Trafford power station supplied electricity to the Trafford and Stretford areas of Greater Manchester, and to the national grid, from 1929 to 1976. The generating station was built by the Stretford and District Electricity Board which it operated until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. The 60 megawatt coal-fired station was supplemented in 1952 with an experimental 15 megawatt gas turbine generating set.

Nelson power station supplied electricity to the town of Nelson, Lancashire and the surrounding area from 1892 to 1960. The power station was owned and operated by Nelson Corporation prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. It was redeveloped in 1922 to 1925 to meet the increased demand for electricity.

Stockport power station supplied electricity to the town of Stockport, Cheshire and the surrounding area from 1899 to 1976. The power station was owned and operated by Stockport Corporation prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. It was redeveloped several times to meet the increased demand for electricity.

St Helens power station supplied electricity to the Borough of St Helens and the surrounding area from 1896 to the late 1960s. The power station was developed by the St Helens Corporation which operated it up to the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948. It was redeveloped several times to meet the increased demand for electricity.

Tunbridge Wells power station supplied electricity to the town of Royal Tunbridge Wells and the surrounding area from 1895 to 1968. The power station was built by the Tunbridge Wells Corporation which operated it until the nationalisation of the British electricity supply industry in 1948.

References

  1. ↑ "Local Acts of Parliament 1897". legislation.gov.uk. 1897. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Grace's Guide to British Industrial History - Lincoln Power Station". Grace's Guide to British Industrial History. 1920. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  3. ↑ "When Lincoln had a tram system". The Lincolnite. 8 August 2013. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  4. ↑ Ordnance Survey 25-inch scale map of Lincolnshire LXX.7. Revised 1938, Published 1946
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Electricity Commissioners (1925). Electricity Supply - 1920-1923. London: HMSO. pp. 122–25, 296–301.
  6. 1 2 3 Electricity Council (1987). Electricity Supply in the United Kingdom: a chronology. London: Electricity Council. pp. 45, 69, 73, 76. ISBN   085188105X.
  7. 1 2 Hannah, Leslie (1979). Electricity before Nationalisation. London: Macmillan. pp. 119, 176. ISBN   0333220862.
  8. ↑ "View of Lincoln Cathedral". The Times. 20 July 1944. p. 2.
  9. ↑ Sheail, John (1991). Power in Trust: The Environmental History of the Central Electricity Board. Oxford: Clarendon Press. pp. 31–33. ISBN   0198546734.
  10. ↑ "View of Lincoln Cathedral". The Times. 2 November 1944. p. 2.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Garrett, Frederick C., ed. (1959). Garcke's Manual of Electricity Supply vol. 56. London: Electrical Press. pp. A-70, A-126, B-186.
  12. ↑ "Spa Road power station Lincoln". Britain from above. 1949. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  13. ↑ CEGB (1972). CEGB Statistical Handbook 1972. London: CEGB. p. 13.
  14. ↑ Electricity Commission, Generation of Electricity in Great Britain year ended 31st December 1946. London: HMSO, 1947.
  15. ↑ "Coal-fired power stations". Hansard Parliament written. 16 January 1984. Retrieved 3 July 2020.
  16. ↑ "Power station demolition follows Echo campaign". Hold the front page. July 2007. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
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