Littlebrook ‘D’ Power Station was the last of the four power stations to be built on the bank of the Thames, near Dartford. The first building, ‘A’ station was completed in 1939, followed by the ‘B’ and ‘C’ stations. These were all originally built to run on coal but later converted to be oil-fired. Littlebrook ‘D’ station was commissioned in 1981 and was contained 3 turbines, each capable of producing 660 MW, with each turbine output greater then in the previous stations combined. Littlebrook "opted-out" of the Large Combustion Plant Directive and therefore was forced to close in 2015. The site is currently being demolished to make way for a distribution centre.
The Explore
It was five months since my first power station at Fawley, in February, which had been a great explore though demolition had already begun a few months earlier. Unfortunately, it would be a few months before I tackled another power station due to my A-level exams coming in just as I was beginning to travel further, once I learned how cheap coaches are. I intended to have a go at Rugeley, followed by Ironbridge, but following a bad experience to getting caught at Rugeley, as security were about to let their six German Shepheard’s free for the night, I didn’t really feel like trying Ironbridge.
Fast-forward a month and I had finished my exams and had a few weeks free before I started work and so decided to try Littlebrook as I’d seen that demolition had begun on the earlier stations. While researching Littlebrook on the morning of my visit, I was sad to discover the ‘A’ station had been blown up earlier that week. However, I was hopeful that Brown and Mason would be concentrating their efforts on the earlier stations, before tackling the much larger ‘D’ station. I was also confident I would be able to do much better than my attempt at Rugeley, as I knew demolition was underway which would increase the chance of finding a way in.
When I arrived I noticed a van right by my planned access point, so I decided to search for another place.
After a quick run, I arrived at the building and found a way in. Climbing up the stairs and entering the turbine hall, from what I could just make out in the darkness, it appeared this power station was intact. The interior was frustratingly dark, in complete comparison to Fawley, with only two thin slits of light, lighting the whole building. The ground level of the turbine hall and boiler house were in complete darkness and so I decided against going to the top of the boiler house which I now regret. I also missed out on the control room and gas turbines.
The approach
Its still there!- unit 1 turbine
Finally starting to get a bit lighter
Looking down on unit 2
Ground level, showing unit 3's turbine rotors
Painful lighting conditions
The site of unit 3, mothballed before closure and removed around 2015
Looking the full length of the turbine hall
Taking it all in
The condensers, below the turbines
The last remains of the 'A' station
The demolished turbine hall of 'A' station
I revisited the building nearly a month ago and a huge hole has been smashed through the wall of the turbine hall to light the interior for demolition. At the time of my visit unit 1 turbine was well into destruction, though unit 2 was still complete. Looking at the speed the buildings are being razed, I imagine this will be the next power station to be completely flattened, with Fawley likely to last a bit longer.
It’s definitely still worth visiting but you need to be quick!
Thanks for looking
The Explore
It was five months since my first power station at Fawley, in February, which had been a great explore though demolition had already begun a few months earlier. Unfortunately, it would be a few months before I tackled another power station due to my A-level exams coming in just as I was beginning to travel further, once I learned how cheap coaches are. I intended to have a go at Rugeley, followed by Ironbridge, but following a bad experience to getting caught at Rugeley, as security were about to let their six German Shepheard’s free for the night, I didn’t really feel like trying Ironbridge.
Fast-forward a month and I had finished my exams and had a few weeks free before I started work and so decided to try Littlebrook as I’d seen that demolition had begun on the earlier stations. While researching Littlebrook on the morning of my visit, I was sad to discover the ‘A’ station had been blown up earlier that week. However, I was hopeful that Brown and Mason would be concentrating their efforts on the earlier stations, before tackling the much larger ‘D’ station. I was also confident I would be able to do much better than my attempt at Rugeley, as I knew demolition was underway which would increase the chance of finding a way in.
When I arrived I noticed a van right by my planned access point, so I decided to search for another place.
After a quick run, I arrived at the building and found a way in. Climbing up the stairs and entering the turbine hall, from what I could just make out in the darkness, it appeared this power station was intact. The interior was frustratingly dark, in complete comparison to Fawley, with only two thin slits of light, lighting the whole building. The ground level of the turbine hall and boiler house were in complete darkness and so I decided against going to the top of the boiler house which I now regret. I also missed out on the control room and gas turbines.
The approach
Its still there!- unit 1 turbine
Finally starting to get a bit lighter
Looking down on unit 2
Ground level, showing unit 3's turbine rotors
Painful lighting conditions
The site of unit 3, mothballed before closure and removed around 2015
Looking the full length of the turbine hall
Taking it all in
The condensers, below the turbines
The last remains of the 'A' station
The demolished turbine hall of 'A' station
I revisited the building nearly a month ago and a huge hole has been smashed through the wall of the turbine hall to light the interior for demolition. At the time of my visit unit 1 turbine was well into destruction, though unit 2 was still complete. Looking at the speed the buildings are being razed, I imagine this will be the next power station to be completely flattened, with Fawley likely to last a bit longer.
It’s definitely still worth visiting but you need to be quick!
Thanks for looking
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