Willington power station was built in the 1950′s next to the river Trent and close to the Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire coalfields, at the time thought in-exhaustible. Initial plans were to have two cooling towers and four generators – “Willington A”. During construction, “Willington B” was commissioned, with three more cooling towers and two generators.
Privatisation ensued, and National Power eventually decommissioned the station – A closing in 1995, and B following in 1999.
That’s a very concise history – more detailed information can be found on the excellent Brief History of Willington Power Station website.
Not a lot remains at Willington power station today – just five cooling towers.
Cooling towers
These are 300ft high and have a 218ft diameter at the base (compared to 340/260 at Thorpe Marsh).
Inside
Unlike Thorpe Marsh, there are still structures inside all of the cooling towers. And they’ve got water in. The structures inside meant you couldn’t really look up and appreciate the scale of them.
Stuff
There wasn’t much laying around. Some old signs. Remnants of the railway system. Rubble.
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Great pics.I worked at Willington from 1976-95,and I recognise a few names from above.The two stations were unusual as a lot of the boiler plant was outdoors,nice in summer,but not so good in winter.Some names I do recall-Reg England,Brian Jackson,Brian Glover,Bill Britland,Brian Riley.The manager at one time was John Reid.
Now nearing 87, I was Senior Project Engineer with English Electric working in conjunction with CEGB on
R&D for special design of high speed (10,000 rpm) cardan shaft and membrane type flexible couplings.
R&D testing at D.Napier & Son Ltd, Acton, London
This was for hydrogen cooling of the Alternator via drive connection from Exciter to the circulator fitted in the alternator casing. The drive system had to accommodate up to +/- 1/8″ misalignment in all three planes. No mean feat of endurance under continuity of exacting conditions.
Fretting corrosion of the 20gauge stainless steel membranes each end on the 10″ dia flexible couplings was an inital problem but finally solved by alternate coating with PTFE – known of course today by housewives as TEFLON – and still a very closely controlled process.
I was privileged to witness overspeed tests on initial turbine set. Very awe inspiring and excitingly successful proof test – noted I would add, from my position of comparative safety well back from turbine end – and looking at the rev counter exceeding revs
beyond 3000 to when steam cut-off to turbine finally occured ! A veryanxious few moments however !
A couple of days overdue on ‘outing time’ to first getting power ‘on line’ but a most satisfying experience on real engineering – and meeting with other two members of power consortia. Babcock & Wilcox + Taylor Woodrow. Times to ever remember. Sadly all my ex-colleagues are now deceased.
Just wondering if it’s possible to enter the Willington site to take some black and white pictures for my dereliction high school project. If anyone can help me please email diondestelle@gmail.com
Thanks!
Hi Dion – sadly it’s only possible to enter the site to take colour photos and HDR.
I’ve been wanting to enter this site for a good few months for a film project. Does anyone know who owns them or what security firm owns them. Tempting urbex exploration but with a stupidly big camera not always the best way. Loving the pictures
Cheers Patrick
I’ve been wanting to enter this site for a good few months for a film project. Does anyone know who owns them or what security firm owns them. Tempting urbex exploration but with a stupidly big camera not always the best way. Loving the pictures
Cheers Patrick
My dad, John Bolton, was involved in the design of Willington power Station. I always think of him when I see the towers. I lived in Heath Lane, Findern, which is very near the site.My Dad worked at NEI international Combustion from 1940′s to 1980′s- does anyone remember him visiting Willington Power Station?
I am concerned about the area surrounding the power station at Willington. There are Peregrin Falcons nesting in the towers, buzzards and hare and other wildlife live in the fields around them. If the towers are demolished, and another power station built, these delicate species will be wiped out from the area…..
hi, my dad john vine worked at willington as a rigger for years after leaving spondon station. the hard work took its toll and he died recently. asbestos!
he did enjoy his time there though and met some great people.
Does anyone know how I can get permission to take photos using the powerstation as a backdrop? Why is there a restriction on the types of photos that one can take.?
Many thanks.
I used to work at Willington as secretary from 1982 for John Reid and then moved to Rugeley, Ironbridge, Swindon, Ipswich and Drakelow. It was lovely coming across this web site, especially as I have just tonight passed the “gentle giants” (cooling towers) for a meal at the Crewe & Harper. But I was terribly upset to read that John Vine had passed away. He was a great chap. Condolences and Best Wishes to his family. Jan x
My father took me to see the area around Willington Power Station in 1969, on the way back from a trip to Birmingham. We stopped there because he used to work on the farm that preceded the power station. That would have been in the early 1930s. I think he only worked there for a couple of years, before trying his luck elsewhere in the country, and eventually joining the army.
Hi all i live in Stoke-on-Trent and i can see 5 chimneys on the horizon as i look east i wondered if willington power station was them. I would love to have a drive out there and take some pictures and how to get there.
Just head east on the A50, coming off at Willington. You’ll see the towers clear as day then.
Hi, I have just seen this site, thought It may interest someone to know, that my Stepfather James Gilmour originally from Glasgow, was one of the steeplejacks on the chimneys at Willington.
If my memory serves me right, we moved down to Willingham in 1962. We used to live on a caravan site, across the road from the entrance. We could watch my stepfather daily waving to us from the top of the chimney.
I went to Willington primary school and I can remember a lovely lady who was a dinner lady there, she lived in Findern Rd or Lane ( can’t remember which )
We had a great time there and as the chineys were finished, we moved on to other power stations ending up in Gainsborough. The power station nearest to us is West Burton. I can now see that from my bedroom window.
My stepfather also worked at High Marnham and Drakelow.
Just thought I would share this as it’s all part of my history. I am a 59 year old mum and granny now but these sites ae of interest to my grandkids.