Willington Cooling Towers...demo shortly
Hello peoples,
It’s been a rather long time since I last put up a post. I won’t bore you with my woes...but the planets came out of alignment and the shit hit the fan big time. Generally I don’t do things by halves, its either all or nothing, so several big whammies in succession threw me off key a little, to put it nicely! I almost met up with the grim reaper, he came with me by ambulance then sat on the end of my hospital bed tapping his fingers...hmmm we shall meet again my friend, but give me a few more years’ lol.
So whilst my life has been in various stages of being upside down I’m so glad I have still managed to get out and maintain some kind of exploring life, not anywhere as much as I’d like to but with the price of petrol and pot noodles nowadays times are hard. I’m going to come out too; I’m a serious technophobe, and a real bad one.
The transition from film to digital has been a rather painful process but fortunately short lived, but nowhere near as frustrating, demoralising, agonising and downright fookin mind blowing as getting my head around any kind of tech. I’ve crashed several laptops beyond repair, at least 4 external HD’s, countless phones I’ve lost or have just frozen on me, I’ve got about six email accounts because I’m forever locking myself out of them as they keep making me change my passwords, then I forget what recovery account is attached to what and I get a recovery text message sent to a lost phone with an obsolete number...PayPal think I’ve been hacked and block me but it’s me trying to get in to my own account, I find nothing I use is ever compatible with whatever useless system I’m on…I’m amazed I even got into my DP account
In fact I am having to write this stuff in Word then copy and paste it here as my laptop has stopped working whilst putting up this post...a blue screen appeared with shed loads of numbers and stuff that only makes sense to a computer engineer followed by the only statement in actual English that says “collecting data for crash dump, install OS” I turned it on and off again and its limping through. I have tried several times to put up some posts but I’m also locked out of my photobucket account and the thought of trying to open a Flickr account and successfully uploading to here has put my procrastination skills into overdrive and nothing seems to get done. If it weren’t for the extremely useful Krela’s easy to follow guide into putting up pic’s I’d still be swearing at my laptop:icon_evil
On a visit to Willington last week I saw the demo notice on the palisade and I thought that’s it! Pull your finger outa your arse and face your fear! I’m always gutted when I turn up at an explore and find diggers and piles of rubble lying about, it’s such a cruel sight, so if this post makes just one person speed up their planned trip or if you’re looking for better light on a revisit get down there now before it’s too late.
I don’t mind admitting I’m a bit of an industrial hoe too, and yes I have slept with the cooling towers...it was a rather chilly night and I wanted to be up early the next morning to try and catch the sun rise, that’s my storey and I’m sticking to it (what happened at Pyestock stays at Pye that kinda thing).
I’ve always had a fascination with power station cooling towers ever since I first saw the formidable huddle, hmmm is that the collective name?? on the M1 just before jct 25 for the Derby turn off. I spent many formative years arguing with my brother in the back of my dad’s blue MK III Cortina, looking out the window at what seemed to be a landscape littered with derelict gems and proper looking factories where things were actually made, from metal I believe. They had brick chimneys and zigzag roofs and were full of real machinery with actual moving parts, you could smell and taste the grease, you could hear the rattling of pulleys, big levers and dials like the type Frankenstein was created with... none of these cheap rectangular steel framed data hubs filled with cyber space that we have today, progress isn’t always good, is it???
I think the problem is that I’m born in the wrong era. Ahhh reminiscing about the 70’s it seemed a far more innocent time. Mobile phones weren’t about so I never felt rage I have now when my phone freezes or my data runs out, no compatibility issues, you had to go down the street to make a phone call...2p or 5p was your only decision, of course you could always jam a coin in the slot and get free calls...it wasn’t hard to get around the system then. Computers were about but nobody really knew anyone that had one, the internet wasn’t about, I was less stressed, the internet wasn’t about, I had a better memory unspoilt from years of self abuse, but I did think there was something odd about Jimmy Savile, the 70’s weren’t all good. So I’ve become a little side tracked...what I was going to say was why I love these magnificent structures.
For one I love their shape, a hyperboloid structure with a negative Gaussian curvature, hmmm lovely. The Russian engineer Vladimir Shukhov (1853-1939) was the first to use this mathematical design in architecture due to its superior stability towards outside forces compared to vertical buildings, love it...and secondly the acoustics just blow you away! I heard a peregrine falcon squawking over head...one of the most mysterious sounds I’ve ever heard as it echoes’ ricocheted and resonated off the curved walls, you truly have to experience it if you get the chance.
So a little history...if your still reading this
I won’t go into shed loads about this place as by the time I have “digested it” then written it up sadly these huge 300 ft hyperboloids will probably be low lying piles of rubble. There’s a great website I found by a guy called Dave Harris “A Brief History of Willington Power Station” which I am going to attempt to put the link to The Willington Web Site - Power Station history it has some lovely photographs of the site prior to the power station’s A/B demolition and lots of interesting facts about its use and construction.
So anyway, the power station was borne during the mid 1950’s and ran by the Central Electricity Authority. The site was decommissioned during the early 90’s when both A and B power stations were demolished, leaving just the cooling towers standing as distant reminders of its industrial past.
August 2016 saw a planning application submitted by South Derbyshire District Council for the permission to demolish the surviving towers, known locally as the Willington Five Brothers, which will be happening anytime between Jan-July 2017. The new owners Calon Energy plan to use the site to build a shiny new gas turbine plant, which is a pleasant surprise to the usual eyesore’s that tend to spring up overnight, that is the sprawling mass of sterile housing developments that seem to appear at almost every junction or roundabout these days, crammed with soulless new builds linking up small towns and villages creating an urban sprawl via bland housing corridors full of disillusioned captives struggling on low pay, unsociable hours with high mortgages who wake up in poorly built homes constructed with paper thin walls, intermittent electricity and designed by architects with weak bladders, I use the term architect loosely in this respect...sorry I must try not to get so political. Now have a look at some lovely structures...ooOOoo yeaaah
These photographs were taken during five visits over the last three years. My aim was to try and capture the cooling towers through different seasons and various changing light. Sadly I never managed this as time has run regrettably out…not unless there is a sudden snowfall in the next few weeks!
nocton, melton mowbray, willington 437 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
nocton, melton mowbray, willington 450 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
nocton, melton mowbray, willington 457 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Some may say they are an eyesore and appear rather oppressive and foreboding but I would disagree. If I lived beneath their impressive stance I would be thrilled to see them every morning and take comfort from their protection…but then some may say that I’m not quite right in the head.
Willington 021 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
The morning started off damp with a miserable flat grey sky but after some rain the fog started to fall, by the time it was looking really thick it was too dark to even see them.
Willington 065 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Willington Cooling Towers 174 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Inspection doors
Willington Cooling Towers 209 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Willington Cooling Towers 424 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Willington Cooling Towers 435 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Willington Cooling Towers 385 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Willington Cooling Towers 222 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Willington 077 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
melton mowbray and willington 194 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
The place takes on a totally different feeling with the warmer colours in the sunlight.
melton mowbray and willington 319 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
melton mowbray and willington 292 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Flooded excavation on the site
melton mowbray and willington 104 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
melton mowbray and willington 125 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
melton mowbray and willington 160 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_6924 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
I love the way nature reclaims the environment
_MG_6885 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_6964 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7085 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7113 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
melton mowbray and willington 348 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
They can be seen from various positions from around the local area and afar…I’m sure there will be a lot of folks who are going to miss their presence when they are gone
DSC_0437 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
DSC_0423 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
I just had to include this shot from last week, I don’t think it could be classed as access info lol. Whilst staying at my brothers near Birmingham I suggested a little trip out just to see how the site was getting on…I’m glad I did but its never a good visit if you find a demo notice.
Are these possibly the oldest and youngest explorers in the same shot???…my dad who’s 80 this year with my niece who’s three.
DSC_0451 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7087 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Last final parting shot of the Willington Five Brothers…cheers for the fun guys!!!
Thanks for taking a look
I've no idea why some of the BB code is showing on these pic's, Flickr didn't seem to have the larger image size option when I clicked share, large was 800x533 which was the largest size...and idea's???..my techno fear is creepin in as I speak:arghh:
Hello peoples,
It’s been a rather long time since I last put up a post. I won’t bore you with my woes...but the planets came out of alignment and the shit hit the fan big time. Generally I don’t do things by halves, its either all or nothing, so several big whammies in succession threw me off key a little, to put it nicely! I almost met up with the grim reaper, he came with me by ambulance then sat on the end of my hospital bed tapping his fingers...hmmm we shall meet again my friend, but give me a few more years’ lol.
So whilst my life has been in various stages of being upside down I’m so glad I have still managed to get out and maintain some kind of exploring life, not anywhere as much as I’d like to but with the price of petrol and pot noodles nowadays times are hard. I’m going to come out too; I’m a serious technophobe, and a real bad one.
The transition from film to digital has been a rather painful process but fortunately short lived, but nowhere near as frustrating, demoralising, agonising and downright fookin mind blowing as getting my head around any kind of tech. I’ve crashed several laptops beyond repair, at least 4 external HD’s, countless phones I’ve lost or have just frozen on me, I’ve got about six email accounts because I’m forever locking myself out of them as they keep making me change my passwords, then I forget what recovery account is attached to what and I get a recovery text message sent to a lost phone with an obsolete number...PayPal think I’ve been hacked and block me but it’s me trying to get in to my own account, I find nothing I use is ever compatible with whatever useless system I’m on…I’m amazed I even got into my DP account
In fact I am having to write this stuff in Word then copy and paste it here as my laptop has stopped working whilst putting up this post...a blue screen appeared with shed loads of numbers and stuff that only makes sense to a computer engineer followed by the only statement in actual English that says “collecting data for crash dump, install OS” I turned it on and off again and its limping through. I have tried several times to put up some posts but I’m also locked out of my photobucket account and the thought of trying to open a Flickr account and successfully uploading to here has put my procrastination skills into overdrive and nothing seems to get done. If it weren’t for the extremely useful Krela’s easy to follow guide into putting up pic’s I’d still be swearing at my laptop:icon_evil
On a visit to Willington last week I saw the demo notice on the palisade and I thought that’s it! Pull your finger outa your arse and face your fear! I’m always gutted when I turn up at an explore and find diggers and piles of rubble lying about, it’s such a cruel sight, so if this post makes just one person speed up their planned trip or if you’re looking for better light on a revisit get down there now before it’s too late.
I don’t mind admitting I’m a bit of an industrial hoe too, and yes I have slept with the cooling towers...it was a rather chilly night and I wanted to be up early the next morning to try and catch the sun rise, that’s my storey and I’m sticking to it (what happened at Pyestock stays at Pye that kinda thing).
I’ve always had a fascination with power station cooling towers ever since I first saw the formidable huddle, hmmm is that the collective name?? on the M1 just before jct 25 for the Derby turn off. I spent many formative years arguing with my brother in the back of my dad’s blue MK III Cortina, looking out the window at what seemed to be a landscape littered with derelict gems and proper looking factories where things were actually made, from metal I believe. They had brick chimneys and zigzag roofs and were full of real machinery with actual moving parts, you could smell and taste the grease, you could hear the rattling of pulleys, big levers and dials like the type Frankenstein was created with... none of these cheap rectangular steel framed data hubs filled with cyber space that we have today, progress isn’t always good, is it???
I think the problem is that I’m born in the wrong era. Ahhh reminiscing about the 70’s it seemed a far more innocent time. Mobile phones weren’t about so I never felt rage I have now when my phone freezes or my data runs out, no compatibility issues, you had to go down the street to make a phone call...2p or 5p was your only decision, of course you could always jam a coin in the slot and get free calls...it wasn’t hard to get around the system then. Computers were about but nobody really knew anyone that had one, the internet wasn’t about, I was less stressed, the internet wasn’t about, I had a better memory unspoilt from years of self abuse, but I did think there was something odd about Jimmy Savile, the 70’s weren’t all good. So I’ve become a little side tracked...what I was going to say was why I love these magnificent structures.
For one I love their shape, a hyperboloid structure with a negative Gaussian curvature, hmmm lovely. The Russian engineer Vladimir Shukhov (1853-1939) was the first to use this mathematical design in architecture due to its superior stability towards outside forces compared to vertical buildings, love it...and secondly the acoustics just blow you away! I heard a peregrine falcon squawking over head...one of the most mysterious sounds I’ve ever heard as it echoes’ ricocheted and resonated off the curved walls, you truly have to experience it if you get the chance.
So a little history...if your still reading this
I won’t go into shed loads about this place as by the time I have “digested it” then written it up sadly these huge 300 ft hyperboloids will probably be low lying piles of rubble. There’s a great website I found by a guy called Dave Harris “A Brief History of Willington Power Station” which I am going to attempt to put the link to The Willington Web Site - Power Station history it has some lovely photographs of the site prior to the power station’s A/B demolition and lots of interesting facts about its use and construction.
So anyway, the power station was borne during the mid 1950’s and ran by the Central Electricity Authority. The site was decommissioned during the early 90’s when both A and B power stations were demolished, leaving just the cooling towers standing as distant reminders of its industrial past.
August 2016 saw a planning application submitted by South Derbyshire District Council for the permission to demolish the surviving towers, known locally as the Willington Five Brothers, which will be happening anytime between Jan-July 2017. The new owners Calon Energy plan to use the site to build a shiny new gas turbine plant, which is a pleasant surprise to the usual eyesore’s that tend to spring up overnight, that is the sprawling mass of sterile housing developments that seem to appear at almost every junction or roundabout these days, crammed with soulless new builds linking up small towns and villages creating an urban sprawl via bland housing corridors full of disillusioned captives struggling on low pay, unsociable hours with high mortgages who wake up in poorly built homes constructed with paper thin walls, intermittent electricity and designed by architects with weak bladders, I use the term architect loosely in this respect...sorry I must try not to get so political. Now have a look at some lovely structures...ooOOoo yeaaah
These photographs were taken during five visits over the last three years. My aim was to try and capture the cooling towers through different seasons and various changing light. Sadly I never managed this as time has run regrettably out…not unless there is a sudden snowfall in the next few weeks!
nocton, melton mowbray, willington 437 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
nocton, melton mowbray, willington 450 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
nocton, melton mowbray, willington 457 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Some may say they are an eyesore and appear rather oppressive and foreboding but I would disagree. If I lived beneath their impressive stance I would be thrilled to see them every morning and take comfort from their protection…but then some may say that I’m not quite right in the head.
Willington 021 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
The morning started off damp with a miserable flat grey sky but after some rain the fog started to fall, by the time it was looking really thick it was too dark to even see them.
Willington 065 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Willington Cooling Towers 174 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Inspection doors
Willington Cooling Towers 209 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Willington Cooling Towers 424 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Willington Cooling Towers 435 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Willington Cooling Towers 385 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Willington Cooling Towers 222 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Willington 077 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
melton mowbray and willington 194 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
The place takes on a totally different feeling with the warmer colours in the sunlight.
melton mowbray and willington 319 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
melton mowbray and willington 292 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Flooded excavation on the site
melton mowbray and willington 104 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
melton mowbray and willington 125 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
melton mowbray and willington 160 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_6924 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
I love the way nature reclaims the environment
_MG_6885 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_6964 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7085 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7113 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
melton mowbray and willington 348 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
They can be seen from various positions from around the local area and afar…I’m sure there will be a lot of folks who are going to miss their presence when they are gone
DSC_0437 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
DSC_0423 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
I just had to include this shot from last week, I don’t think it could be classed as access info lol. Whilst staying at my brothers near Birmingham I suggested a little trip out just to see how the site was getting on…I’m glad I did but its never a good visit if you find a demo notice.
Are these possibly the oldest and youngest explorers in the same shot???…my dad who’s 80 this year with my niece who’s three.
DSC_0451 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_7087 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Last final parting shot of the Willington Five Brothers…cheers for the fun guys!!!
Thanks for taking a look
I've no idea why some of the BB code is showing on these pic's, Flickr didn't seem to have the larger image size option when I clicked share, large was 800x533 which was the largest size...and idea's???..my techno fear is creepin in as I speak:arghh: