# Ironbridge Cooling Towers Spring '17



## prettyvacant71 (Jul 24, 2017)

*Some Ironbridge history…*

The Ironbridge power stations (also known as the Buildwas power stations) refers to a series of two power stations which have occupied a site on the banks of the River Severn at Buildwas in Shropshire. The Ironbridge B Power Station was operated by E.ON UK but the site is now owned by Uniper. The station stands near the Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage Site, where the Industrial Revolution began...ooOooh yeah proper machinery with greasy parts, clanging wheels, spinning cogs, rotating cam shafts and pistons f00k somebody stop me. Originally powered by coal, they were converted to use 100% biomass fuel. Ironbridge B Power Station stopped generating electricity on 20 November 2015, with the decommissioning process expected to continue into 2017. 


Construction of the first Ironbridge Power Station (later to become known as Ironbridge A Power Station) began in 1929, and the first phase was completed in 1932. The station officially opened on 13 October 1932. As a result of the increasing demand for electricity after World War II, it was decided by the Central Electricity Generating Board that a new, larger, 1000 MW power station called Ironbridge B, was to be constructed alongside the A Station. The A station was partially closed on 27 October 1980, with the decommissioning of 100 MW of the station's generating capacity. The remainder of the station's capacity ceased generating electricity in 1981 and significant portions of the station were demolished in 1983 prior to being granted listed building status, that’s very naughty indeed!

Construction began in 1963 of Ironbridge B, with the aim to begin generating electricity in the station in 1967. Due to construction delays, some limited industrial action and the implementation of improvements that had been pioneered during the construction of similar stations using the new 500 MW generating units, Ironbridge B didn't begin feeding power into the National Grid until the 11 June 1969 and ceased generating electricity on 20 November 2015 when it reached its 20,000 hours limit of generation under an EU directive, the decommissioning process is expected to continue into 2017. 


Project architect Alan Clark worked closely with landscape architect Kenneth Booth, to ensure that the station merged as seamlessly as possible into its natural surroundings. In this respect, the power station is unique amongst British coal-fired stations. When viewed from Ironbridge, the surroundings of the station are hidden by wooded hills. The extremely sexy cooling towers were deliberately constructed using concrete, to which a red pigment had been added, to blend with the colour of the local soil, oh now I do like that, a proper mash up, lap it up. The towers cannot be seen at all from the world-famous landmark, The Iron Bridge. The station's single 205 m (673 ft) high chimney is fifth tallest chimney in the UK. It is the tallest structure in Shropshire. 


So impressive were the measures taken to ensure that the power station was an asset to the gorge and not an eyesore, that it was short listed for a Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors/The Times conservation award in 1973. [wiki and a bit of me]


After all this thought and consideration has gone into the design and appearance of the Ironbridge site it seems such a cruel fate awaits these gorgeous cooling towers, as demolition is due to start after the completion of the decommissioning phase this year.



*So on with a butchers at some lush cooling towers…*



ironbridge 002 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

As I tried to play hide and seek with security (which was like having a gang of Sev’s Michael’s on pharmaceuticals dashing about in pickup’s with the aid of IR cctv I had no chance of getting the shots I wanted) one particular cooling tower decided to play hide and seek with me…I can see you




ironbridge 017 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

Awww…there you are It was quite a foggy morning and being in a gorge with the river only a few feet away it made the atmosphere rather damp and heavy, hmmm I like it.




ironbridge 023 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

You’re just too big to hide…




ironbridge 216 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

Nice try




ironbridge 244 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

BOOO!




ironbridge 258 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

Do you like my hat?




ironbridge 285 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




ironbridge 008 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




ironbridge 419 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




ironbridge 033 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




ironbridge 050 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




ironbridge 056 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




ironbridge 060 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




ironbridge 070 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




ironbridge 080 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

Pylons feeding from the mothership I’ve never seen this before, I doubt I will ever again. It was so quiet I could hear them purring, well it was more of a humming type buzzing sound, like when Frankenstein gets proper charged up A little bit spooky and surreal, yet I felt like I wanted to go over and hug one Then you would of probably heard a deafening crack followed by a massive zap, untold sparks, the roar of hissing and buzzing, shed loads of steam and the stench of pork. Probably a good idea I ignored that thought then.




ironbridge 087 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




ironbridge 090 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr



ironbridge 127 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

I want to play hide and seek too




ironbridge 132 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr



ironbridge 148 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

I don’t know what I’m lookin at…




ironbridge 151 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

Udders 




ironbridge 210 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

You can never have enough pipes…and labeled too





ironbridge 227 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




ironbridge 241 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




ironbridge 247 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




ironbridge 250 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

Hello again!




ironbridge 269 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




ironbridge 019 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




ironbridge 297 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

ok you’re creeping me out now…only jokin




ironbridge 047 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr



ironbridge 060 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr



ironbridge 307 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

I was in a rush when I took this shot, well trying to hide, so I didn’t have the chance to read any of the various signs by this machine. I liked it but I didn’t know what the hell it was, I do now, hehehe hahaha I’m getting far too excited over this, ok have a guess, go on, don’t be scared…what do you think it is??? It’s not a big deal its just that I’ve never seen one before, it’s shiny and has some pipes so I like it. Don’t tell ‘em DS if you know…




ironbridge 310 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

Oh yes so finally back to these magnificent four guys




ironbridge 320 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

The light was constantly changing as the harsh morning sun burnt through the mist, it made it rather tricky trying to set up a half decent shot and with the added pressure from hearing and seeing sec continuously driving about really didn’t help!




ironbridge 347 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr



ironbridge 357 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

Showing some leg



ironbridge 363 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr




ironbridge 391 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

Only one of the four cooling towers had these extra pink legs




ironbridge 413 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr



ironbridge 434 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

They come alive in the sunlight Unique to Europe and with the red dye added to complement the local soil, it’s such a shame not even one will be saved




ironbridge 438 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr

Goodbye my four friends. It was such a sweet but short-lived meeting of your wonderful hyperboloid structures with a negative Gaussian curves

I feel really quite sad now! 

OK pull meself together…thanks for lookin people…

Be lucky, be safe


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## Rubex (Jul 24, 2017)

Ooo so cool! I love the reflection shot! Nice one prettyvacant.


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## krela (Jul 24, 2017)

Great photos as always!


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## smiler (Jul 24, 2017)

You cracked that PV, loved it, Thanks


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## Lavino (Jul 24, 2017)

Any chance of getting inside this is one I fancy for the control room.


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## krela (Jul 24, 2017)

Lavino said:


> Any chance of getting inside this is one I fancy for the control room.



Tut tut, use PM!!


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## Brewtal (Jul 24, 2017)

Aw you got some sweet shots there! Nicely done, sounds like a great game of cat and mouse too. Lovely pics as always, thanks!


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## RedX_unleashed (Jul 24, 2017)

The Ascot royal enclosure would be proud. You wear it so very well


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## mockney reject (Jul 25, 2017)

Nice that, cracking set of pictures.

Did you make it inside ?


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## Scattergun (Jul 25, 2017)

Nicely done, wouldn't mind a mooch at those myself.


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## odeon master (Jul 25, 2017)

great photos, thanks for posting this. Reminds me a lot of our Drakelow powerstation, sadly demolished about 2006, that had pink cooling towers too, i have a chunk of one at home, its pink concrete. Your stainless steel un known machine is a Balkan FSL lamp crusher for safely crushing fluorescent tubes and soduim lamps, you put your lamps in the tall enclosure, turn on the water and lift the crushing handle up and down till your tubes are crushed lol. years since i last used one, but thats what it is


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## prettyvacant71 (Jul 26, 2017)

odeon master said:


> great photos, thanks for posting this. Reminds me a lot of our Drakelow powerstation, sadly demolished about 2006, that had pink cooling towers too, i have a chunk of one at home, its pink concrete. Your stainless steel un known machine is a Balkan FSL lamp crusher for safely crushing fluorescent tubes and soduim lamps, you put your lamps in the tall enclosure, turn on the water and lift the crushing handle up and down till your tubes are crushed lol. years since i last used one, but thats what it is



WINNER!!! hahaha yes your right!!! A bulb crushing machine I thought someone somewhere would know lol! You have a piece of pink concrete too from Drakelow


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## odeon master (Jul 26, 2017)

sort of thought i'd win that one lol, electrician you see.


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## krela (Jul 26, 2017)

I had no idea such a thing even existed! Learn something new every day.


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## smiler (Jul 26, 2017)

Me neither, but I was fairly certain someone would,


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## Conrad (Jul 26, 2017)

Awesome getting those shots off with the security patrols. Nice work. Never seen a lamp crushed before!


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## Mikeymutt (Jul 26, 2017)

That's a great report p.v..i enjoy your reports more than most you make them interesting and funny,and worth reading with your write ups.love hearing your mishaps.funny how we laugh at others mishaps as long as no harm done..i remember driving past this year's ago whilst on a weekend break thinking that's huge and the setting is lovely there and the famous iron bridge up the road is beautiful


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## rejiik (Jul 27, 2017)

Wow that's quite impressive !!!


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## prettyvacant71 (Aug 2, 2017)

odeon master said:


> sort of thought i'd win that one lol, electrician you see.



Ahh a sparky, very good! It would have been almost impossible to guess its function as it looks rather odd, that must of made you smile to see one lol


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## prettyvacant71 (Aug 2, 2017)

krela said:


> I had no idea such a thing even existed! Learn something new every day.



Nope either did I, thats the first one I've ever seen...love obscure stuff thats only familiar with those in the know lol


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## prettyvacant71 (Aug 2, 2017)

Mikeymutt said:


> That's a great report p.v..i enjoy your reports more than most you make them interesting and funny,and worth reading with your write ups.love hearing your mishaps.funny how we laugh at others mishaps as long as no harm done..i remember driving past this year's ago whilst on a weekend break thinking that's huge and the setting is lovely there and the famous iron bridge up the road is beautiful



Thanks Mikey that's very kind of you! I often have little mishaps on my adventures, its all good like you say if no one gets hurt. Your rite its a lovely gorge Ironbridge and where it all began


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## Lizzym (Aug 3, 2017)

Amazing, always fascinated me as a kid.


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## jsp77 (Aug 5, 2017)

You have sure nailed this one, cracking pics.love those towers


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