To be honest, we thought this one was long gone like the similar sites in it's close vicinity. Therefore, when it cropped up suddenly, we made sure to get it done because there is a quickly disappearing amount of abandoned power stations in England.
Lostock Power Station
Bowman, Thompson & Co. originally owned the site, but it was sold to Brunner Mond in 1990. With a seven year closure the site was reconstructed, afterwards producing sixty tonnes of soda ash a day. This figure later rose to 800 tonnes a day in 1926, with all of the Brunner Mond assets then being turned over to ICI. The coal fired power station was decommissioned in 2000 when E.ON built their new Combined Heat & Power plant at Winnington. There are plans for the station to be demolished and a new Sustainable Energy Plant to be built on the site.
To start, here are some old pictures of the turbines and then a newer photo estimating the design of the sustainable energy centre that is planned to be built in the power station's place
Although when we visited, there had been recent security problems with other explorers that had been, we managed to gain entry cleanly without any issues, and spent a solid few hours exploring the maze of rusty machinery and scaffolding inside.
Externals
Inside the building that isn't the turbine hall. This one would've housed the beginning of the coal process - the coal would be sent to the top of the structure via a conveyor belt, to be burned in the boilers into highly condensed steam, which would then flow to the turbines.
Into the opposing building, where the turbine hall is situated. Asbestos removal is currently ongoing in here and then it will be demolished. The turbines would spin the steam in their internal generators to make electricity.
The turbine hall
Finally, a quick trip onto the roof to finish as the sun went down.
Here you can find the link for our documentary styled video on this site. We cover the impressive structure's past, present and future through cinematics and narration:
Thanks for reading
Lostock Power Station
Bowman, Thompson & Co. originally owned the site, but it was sold to Brunner Mond in 1990. With a seven year closure the site was reconstructed, afterwards producing sixty tonnes of soda ash a day. This figure later rose to 800 tonnes a day in 1926, with all of the Brunner Mond assets then being turned over to ICI. The coal fired power station was decommissioned in 2000 when E.ON built their new Combined Heat & Power plant at Winnington. There are plans for the station to be demolished and a new Sustainable Energy Plant to be built on the site.
To start, here are some old pictures of the turbines and then a newer photo estimating the design of the sustainable energy centre that is planned to be built in the power station's place
Although when we visited, there had been recent security problems with other explorers that had been, we managed to gain entry cleanly without any issues, and spent a solid few hours exploring the maze of rusty machinery and scaffolding inside.
Externals
Inside the building that isn't the turbine hall. This one would've housed the beginning of the coal process - the coal would be sent to the top of the structure via a conveyor belt, to be burned in the boilers into highly condensed steam, which would then flow to the turbines.
Into the opposing building, where the turbine hall is situated. Asbestos removal is currently ongoing in here and then it will be demolished. The turbines would spin the steam in their internal generators to make electricity.
The turbine hall
Finally, a quick trip onto the roof to finish as the sun went down.
Here you can find the link for our documentary styled video on this site. We cover the impressive structure's past, present and future through cinematics and narration:
Thanks for reading
