Poole Power Station

Poole Power Station
Poole Power Station, days before the demolition of the chimneys
Country	England
Location	Dorset, South West England
Coordinates	50°42′56″N 1°59′46″W / 50.715564°N 1.996153°W / 50.715564; -1.996153Coordinates: 50°42′56″N 1°59′46″W / 50.715564°N 1.996153°W / 50.715564; -1.996153
Commission date	1950
Decommission date	1998
Thermal power station
Primary fuel	Coal

Poole Power Station was a coal-fired power station located in Hamworthy, Poole, in Dorset. Its 325 ft (100 m) tall twin chimneys were prominent landmarks and it was the tallest building in Dorset until its partial demolition in 1993.

History

The station was constructed between 1946 and 1950, built out of local brick. Before construction could begin, 250,000 tonnes of chalk was imported from a quarry in Sturminster Marshall. To build the power station, millions of three colour bricks were made by Skykes and Sons of Creekmoor and The Upton Brick Works. Construction of the station required the driving of 30–40 ft piles. The two 325 ft (100m) tall chimneys that were the most noticeable features. The station was originally intended to burn coal but an oil fired burner was installed in 1955. In its heyday, the station employed over 400 people.^[1]

Demolition

On February 2, 1993, the 325 ft chimneys of the power station were demolished, in front of an audience of approximately 7,000 people. In December 1993, eight coal bunkers, containing 1,600 tonnes of steel were demolished. The main building, which contained over 14,000 tonnes of steel, remained until March 1994.

The site today

Today, the site is a major brownfield location and pylons still exist there. The access road to the Twin Sails Bridge cuts through the site.^[2]

References