Brimsdown Power Station

Brimsdown Power Station

Brimsdown Power Station 1974, showing part of the coal handling plant and 4 of the 7 cooling towers
Location of Brimsdown Power Station in Greater London
Country England
Location Enfield, Greater London
Coordinates 51°39′40″N 0°01′19″W / 51.661°N 0.022°W / 51.661; -0.022Coordinates: 51°39′40″N 0°01′19″W / 51.661°N 0.022°W / 51.661; -0.022
Commission date 1907
Decommission date 1974
Operator(s) North Metropolitan Electric Power Supply Co (1904–48), British Electricity Authority (1948–54), Central Electricity Authority (1954–57), CEGB (1957–78)
Thermal power station
Primary fuel Coal-fired
grid reference TQ368976

Brimsdown Power Station was a coal-fired power station on the Lee Navigation at Brimsdown in Enfield, North London. The station had seven cooling towers which were visible from a wide area.

History

The first station was brought into operation by the North Metropolitan Electric Power Supply Co. between 1904 and 1907, before officially opening in 1907. It was used primarily to supply the local tramways. The station was extended between 1924 and 1955, supplying power to the wider area of Enfield and Essex.[1]

Brimsdown Power Station was the only known British example of the Loeffler boiler system. It was a system that enjoyed a brief vogue in the 1930s, mainly in Europe. It overcame metallurgical and feedwater quality problems but rapid advances rendered it unnecessary quite quickly.[2]

Coal was supplied by barge or by rail.

In 1948 Britain's electricity supply industry was nationalised under the Electricity Act 1947 and Brimsdown Power Station became part of the British Electricity Authority. The BEA was succeeded by the Central Electricity Authority in 1954 and the Central Electricity Generating Board in 1957. The CEGB decommissioned both stations in 1974.

A 392MW gas-fired CCGT station was opened on a part of the original site in 1999, known as Enfield Power Station or Enfield Energy Centre rather than Brimsdown Power Station. This has been operated by E.ON since 2005.

SS Brimsdown

In 1951 the British Electricity Authority named a new "flat-iron" coastal collier SS Brimsdown after the station.[3] However, at 1,837 gross register tonnage, 270.6 feet (82.5 m) length, 39.5 feet (12 m) beam and 16.6 feet (5.1 m) draught she was a large coaster, not intended for service on the Lea Navigation.[3]

References

  1. ↑ Baker, T.F.T.; Pugh, R.B., eds. (1976). A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 5: Hendon, Kingsbury, Great Stanmore, Little Stanmore, Edmonton Enfield, Monken Hadley, South Mimms, Tottenham. Victoria County History. pp. 243–245. Retrieved 23 November 2007.
  2. ↑ Pierre Terre (1975). "TQ3697: Brimsdown Power Station 1975". Geograph.
  3. 1 2 Anderson, James B (2008). Sommerville, Iain, ed. "Ships built by the Burntisland Shipbuilding Company Ltd: arranged by date of launch". Welcome to Burntisland. Iain Sommerville. Retrieved 15 June 2011.
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