Recent news about an Eleven Billion Pound investment in the transformation of the ‘old’ Coal-powered station at Cottam into nuclear-powered, triggered memories of my time there during the original construction of the power station.
Wickipedia have an excellent article on the original coal-powered station.
Fans of ‘clean’ energy will no doubt be celebrating. This station alone absorbed a maximum of 25,401 tonnes of coal per day. The figures are scary in the extreme. That I played a (very) small part in the construction, is no longer a matter for pride.

It was a small part. Myself and T.M. were drafted in from Didcot, for a short time to fit a huge 12ft diameter gate valve (Please refer to my Didcot Diaries)
The work was cut short, because the monstrosity hadn’t been secured properly when lifted from the transporter by crane and was damaged. Twenty-five thousand pounds, and much swearing and cursing. T.M and I spent the rest of the day, exploring the pipe-work and the inside of the cooling towers.

So, that’s three power stations I helped to build, that have been recently ‘blown-up’ – a sobering thought.