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View Full Version : Skelton Grange Power Station (August 08)



boxfrenzy
10-08-2008, 10:02 PM
This was a bit of a surprise. My journey had been to discover whether any ruins remained of Thorpe Hall, already ruined before the war. However, no computer access for research meant that identifying the original location was impossible. However, it did give me access to a site of a former coal powered Power Station.
Designed by the late Reginald Ridgeway, Skelton Grange Power Station was built in two sections, the "A" station which operated between the 1940s and the mid 1980s, and the "B" station, built between 1955 and 1962. My visit is to what remains of the site, I guess the A station.
This place is big, and empty. Nothing remains, except a few foundations of what once provided East Leeds with most of it's electricity. Part of the site is used for landfill by Biffa, another part for a pretty cool education centre. The rest remains, vast, deserted and strangely silent.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/Picture020-1.jpg

Crossing the site, are empty, overgrown roads
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/Picture018-2.jpg

Thiry years ago, this car park would have been full of some of the best/worst cars ever produced. Morris Itals, the Maxi, the Princess, the Dolomite, the Allegro. All would have parked here. Today, the carpark lies empty...
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/Picture016-1.jpg

One of the few remants of anything
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/Picture006-1.jpg

This was the only thing that was left standing on the site. Seroiusly.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/Picture005-1.jpg

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/Picture004.jpg

Remains of one of the roads. Note the mountain of concrete in the background, all that is left of the cooling towers, chimneys and outbuildings.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/Picture003-1.jpg

Skelton Power Station, fully operational. 1983/4 (photo - Leodis)
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/2003102_84911746.jpg

This was originally a coal powered station, running on coal mined nearby towards Temple Newsam. All that is left are a few tracks in the concrete
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/Picture013-1.jpg

An empty coal train passes through Woodlesford station, after delivering its coal to Skelton Grange (via the Waterloo sidings) from Water Haigh colliery and pits down the line. (woodlesfordstation.co.uk)
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/45645DavidHolmes.jpg

More track...
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/Picture009-1.jpg

This diesel locomtive, now a Connah's Quay powerstation in Flintshire, Wales was one that worked at Skelton Grange, in 1949.(Anorak wearers, the number is JF4210001. Is that the first of the design?) (geoffspages.co.uk)
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/10_connahsquay_2_9_81.jpg

This place was odd: in certan parts almost Pripyat in it's appearance. The PFA (pulverised fly ash) lagoons, and general undisturbed quality make it a good place for bird watching (apparently). Nearby Swillington Ings bird watching club say that "... waterbirds, gulls and waders. Little, Great-crested, Red-necked, Slavonian, Black-necked and Pied-billed Grebes have all been recorded here"

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/Picture010-1.jpg

A last view of the site.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii273/thedownings10/Picture001-1.jpg

Apparently, the cold water intake pipes are still visible from the water line. Sadly, the ridiculous combination of shorts and sandals (yes really...) and shoulder high nettles thwarted any chance of seeing that.

Posted in here because, even after the addition of other peoples pictures and researching it's history, it fails to cover up the fact it is an unusually uninspiring report.

Bigjobs
11-08-2008, 10:35 AM
Thought it was a good report meself. :)

croiz
11-08-2008, 11:13 AM
Think you're being a bit harsh on your report. I've seen this from Temple Newsam and wondered what it used to be.

industry
17-08-2008, 06:32 PM
As you say not a lot left!! Here is a picture from a Clyde Crane & Booth catalogue that I have from 1960 - looks like it was a great building inside... sorry for the quality of the scan!

http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc183/industry01/SkeltonGrange1.jpg