The Kingsnorth power station was a 2000MW dual fired station situated in the River Medway estuary. This was an ideal location as it allowed coal to be brought in by sea.
Another Location I was shown by @Exploring With Pride 🌈 whilst down in Kent, making good use of his boat on a gorgeous day. Visited Fort Hoo and Fort Darnet too which were nice for a couple of quick stops. Would have looked phenomenal from above with the drone I'd imagine, but I forgot the damn batteries 😅
I thoroughly enjoyed this, even though it was miles out of my comfort zone. I hate heights, so climbing some massive old rusting cranes isn't my idea of fun, regardless of how good the view was 😂
The History
Power Station
The station which was situated on the Hoo Peninsula on the Medway was capable of running on either oil or coal, with four coal fired units and one oil fired unit providing a total generation capacity of 1,940MW. Generally oil was only used as a secondary fuel and for startup. The station was also capable of co-firing biofuel at a maximum of 10% of the fuel blend.
It was recognised by the UK government in the early 1960s that further electricity generation capacity was required in the south east of England, with plans for a station at Kingsnorth being drawn up by 1963.
Construction of the station first began in 1967 under the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB), with it being commissioned in 1970. It was built with a single chimney and didn't utilise cooling towers, instead using water from the Medway as it's cooling source.
The station was key to providing base load to the National Grid throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s with it undergoing numerous upgrades throughout this time to improve it's efficiency and reduce emissions.
By the turn of the millennium it increasingly attracted concerns over it's emissions due to the growing focus on reducing the global carbon footprint and climate change. In 2007, it became a focal point for climate activism after plans to build a new coal fired unit on the site were announced, with Greenpeace and other high profile groups launching high profile campaigns against them.
In 2008, it was the site of the 'Climate Camp' protest which saw protesters occupying the site to highlight its impact and that of other Coal Fired power stations globally on Carbon Emissions. E.On proposed plans to replace the station with a new one that used more modern cleaner methods to generate from coal, with the addition of Carbon Capture and Storage technology.
These plans were put on hold in 2010 due to economic conditions and uncertainty over the UK's energy policy with the change of government. The plans would never come to fruition with the stations closure announced in December 2012. The EU's Large Combustion Plant Directive was the primary reason cited, with the level of investment required to meet the legislation being deemed unviable. It closed in March 2013.
Decommissioning and demolition began soon after, with the site being completely cleared by July 2018.
The Coaling Jetty
The Long Reach Jetty was 1,000 feet long, situated adjacent to the power station in the Medway Estuary. The jetty was equipped with heavy duty cranes that could lift 10 tons of coal each from multiple Large Bulk Carriers simultaneously. These cranes were integral to maintaining a rapid offloading process, minimising downtime for the vessels.
Conveyor belts transported the coal from the jetty directly to the power station's storage facilities with them being capable of moving 1,500 tons per hour. These conveyors were enclosed to prevent dust and spillage, ensuring an environmentally friendly operation.
As the years progressed and environmental regulations were tightened, these measures were further improved upon to help prevent contamination of the river and surrounding land during coal handling.
The jetty ceased operations with the closure of the power station in 2013, with it's decommissioning and demolition following a similar timeline to that of the power station. That is of course until it ceased, with much of the conveyor system and the cranes remaining in situ.
I can't find any reason for this, so my assumption would be the associated costs and lack of easy access meaning it's just been left to rot for now. The jetty could also potentially be repurposed when redevelopment of the power station site occurs.
The Explore
View from Fort Darnet -
Aerial View of Fort Darnet from the Jetty -
On Approach -
Moored up and gained access to the jetty, having a quick look at the controls and rails for the smaller of the two fully intact cranes before starting our first climb.
Beneath the 1st Crane -
I'm glad it was pretty much all sloped walkways and steps rather than ladders even though a couple of them were pretty sketchy.
At the lowest level you've got motors for powering the conveyors which moved unloaded coal onto the main conveyor system to the power station.
A Mercury Filled Gauge -
Start of the Conveyor System -
Final time this was tightened up I'd imagine -
Gauge Cluster -
In Case of Emergency -
Continuing upwards, you soon reach the control cab with the operators seat. It's a bit stiff so was a faff to sit in, and very sketchy considering the bottom window is missing... Not a bad view though, especially considering how gorgeous the weather was.
Wind Speed Warning -
Communication -
Control -
We continued up to the top of the crane which is by far the sketchiest part, as the uppermost staircase has partially detached from the structure, so it's just a tad wobbly...Can get a decent view over the jetty and the other cranes from up here.
Big Boi -
Conveyor From Above -
The Conveyor at the Power Station End -
We made our way back down, with me being very glad to be back on terra firma upon reaching the bottom.
On the way back down -
We hit the switchrooms next, very stripped out as per usual but still okay to look at. Few nice little details still to be seen too.
Switchgear -
Circuit Chart -
Phone -
Now it's time for the main event... Climbing the Big Boi!
Another easy climb to begin with, more inclined walkways and stairs. The large coal hopper is interesting to look at, you could likely climb into it for a closer look too if that takes your fancy, we didn't though.
View of the First Crane -
Winding Mechanism -
Moved up to the next level where the machinery over the hopper can be seen clearly and then followed a walkway out onto the counterweight, which I wasn't best pleased to be doing as it juts out over the water.
Scoop -
Moving on, we reached the machinery room which is absolutely plastered in bird shit. Grabbed a couple of quick shots and moved on as the smell was rancid.
Winding Gear and Bird Shit -
The controls for this crane are less impressive to look at even though it's the biggest of the three, it's just a small wooden cabin overlooking the jib.
Worst part of the climb for me now, bloody ladders when we're a couple hundred feet off the ground, not ideal 😂 I did climb the first one, but decided against the second one, view couldn't be that much better up top, and this walkway was far more appealing than the windy platform up top.
View towards the first crane -
Headed back down and had a quick look at the third crane. This one has been partially demolished, so we didn't bother climbing it, we only went as far as the integrated switchroom.
Could have climbed up into the inner workings of the crane, but was a dark confined space and I packed light for the day, so I didn't have a decent torch to light it up properly.
Indicator Panel -
Yet Another Phone -
View Back Down the Jetty -
Continued...
Another Location I was shown by @Exploring With Pride 🌈 whilst down in Kent, making good use of his boat on a gorgeous day. Visited Fort Hoo and Fort Darnet too which were nice for a couple of quick stops. Would have looked phenomenal from above with the drone I'd imagine, but I forgot the damn batteries 😅
I thoroughly enjoyed this, even though it was miles out of my comfort zone. I hate heights, so climbing some massive old rusting cranes isn't my idea of fun, regardless of how good the view was 😂
The History
Power Station
The station which was situated on the Hoo Peninsula on the Medway was capable of running on either oil or coal, with four coal fired units and one oil fired unit providing a total generation capacity of 1,940MW. Generally oil was only used as a secondary fuel and for startup. The station was also capable of co-firing biofuel at a maximum of 10% of the fuel blend.
It was recognised by the UK government in the early 1960s that further electricity generation capacity was required in the south east of England, with plans for a station at Kingsnorth being drawn up by 1963.
Construction of the station first began in 1967 under the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB), with it being commissioned in 1970. It was built with a single chimney and didn't utilise cooling towers, instead using water from the Medway as it's cooling source.
The station was key to providing base load to the National Grid throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s with it undergoing numerous upgrades throughout this time to improve it's efficiency and reduce emissions.
By the turn of the millennium it increasingly attracted concerns over it's emissions due to the growing focus on reducing the global carbon footprint and climate change. In 2007, it became a focal point for climate activism after plans to build a new coal fired unit on the site were announced, with Greenpeace and other high profile groups launching high profile campaigns against them.
In 2008, it was the site of the 'Climate Camp' protest which saw protesters occupying the site to highlight its impact and that of other Coal Fired power stations globally on Carbon Emissions. E.On proposed plans to replace the station with a new one that used more modern cleaner methods to generate from coal, with the addition of Carbon Capture and Storage technology.
These plans were put on hold in 2010 due to economic conditions and uncertainty over the UK's energy policy with the change of government. The plans would never come to fruition with the stations closure announced in December 2012. The EU's Large Combustion Plant Directive was the primary reason cited, with the level of investment required to meet the legislation being deemed unviable. It closed in March 2013.
Decommissioning and demolition began soon after, with the site being completely cleared by July 2018.
The Coaling Jetty
The Long Reach Jetty was 1,000 feet long, situated adjacent to the power station in the Medway Estuary. The jetty was equipped with heavy duty cranes that could lift 10 tons of coal each from multiple Large Bulk Carriers simultaneously. These cranes were integral to maintaining a rapid offloading process, minimising downtime for the vessels.
Conveyor belts transported the coal from the jetty directly to the power station's storage facilities with them being capable of moving 1,500 tons per hour. These conveyors were enclosed to prevent dust and spillage, ensuring an environmentally friendly operation.
As the years progressed and environmental regulations were tightened, these measures were further improved upon to help prevent contamination of the river and surrounding land during coal handling.
The jetty ceased operations with the closure of the power station in 2013, with it's decommissioning and demolition following a similar timeline to that of the power station. That is of course until it ceased, with much of the conveyor system and the cranes remaining in situ.
I can't find any reason for this, so my assumption would be the associated costs and lack of easy access meaning it's just been left to rot for now. The jetty could also potentially be repurposed when redevelopment of the power station site occurs.
The Explore
View from Fort Darnet -
Aerial View of Fort Darnet from the Jetty -
On Approach -
Moored up and gained access to the jetty, having a quick look at the controls and rails for the smaller of the two fully intact cranes before starting our first climb.
Beneath the 1st Crane -
At the lowest level you've got motors for powering the conveyors which moved unloaded coal onto the main conveyor system to the power station.
A Mercury Filled Gauge -
Start of the Conveyor System -
Final time this was tightened up I'd imagine -
Gauge Cluster -
In Case of Emergency -
Continuing upwards, you soon reach the control cab with the operators seat. It's a bit stiff so was a faff to sit in, and very sketchy considering the bottom window is missing... Not a bad view though, especially considering how gorgeous the weather was.
Wind Speed Warning -
Communication -
Control -
We continued up to the top of the crane which is by far the sketchiest part, as the uppermost staircase has partially detached from the structure, so it's just a tad wobbly...Can get a decent view over the jetty and the other cranes from up here.
Big Boi -
Conveyor From Above -
The Conveyor at the Power Station End -
We made our way back down, with me being very glad to be back on terra firma upon reaching the bottom.
On the way back down -
We hit the switchrooms next, very stripped out as per usual but still okay to look at. Few nice little details still to be seen too.
Switchgear -
Circuit Chart -
Phone -
Now it's time for the main event... Climbing the Big Boi!
Another easy climb to begin with, more inclined walkways and stairs. The large coal hopper is interesting to look at, you could likely climb into it for a closer look too if that takes your fancy, we didn't though.
View of the First Crane -
Winding Mechanism -
Moved up to the next level where the machinery over the hopper can be seen clearly and then followed a walkway out onto the counterweight, which I wasn't best pleased to be doing as it juts out over the water.
Scoop -
Moving on, we reached the machinery room which is absolutely plastered in bird shit. Grabbed a couple of quick shots and moved on as the smell was rancid.
Winding Gear and Bird Shit -
The controls for this crane are less impressive to look at even though it's the biggest of the three, it's just a small wooden cabin overlooking the jib.
Worst part of the climb for me now, bloody ladders when we're a couple hundred feet off the ground, not ideal 😂 I did climb the first one, but decided against the second one, view couldn't be that much better up top, and this walkway was far more appealing than the windy platform up top.
View towards the first crane -
Headed back down and had a quick look at the third crane. This one has been partially demolished, so we didn't bother climbing it, we only went as far as the integrated switchroom.
Could have climbed up into the inner workings of the crane, but was a dark confined space and I packed light for the day, so I didn't have a decent torch to light it up properly.
Indicator Panel -
Yet Another Phone -
View Back Down the Jetty -
Continued...
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