Inverkip Power Station

[MungoDundas]

Passed it on Fair Monday, looked the way it always looked.
Never thought to shoot off a 36 exp spool - drat !

http://www.greenocktelegraph.co.uk/news ... n-begins-/

Don't know if this is true,but was told that as this oil fired power station was completed shortly after OPEC oil price quadrupled, it therefore was no longer viable - however as a National Infrastructure element it stayed on "hot standby" trundling round (so it didn't sag & remained operate-able) with a suitable staff level - but not producing generally.
Over all the years, the only time its output was needed was a top up to the grid for one week during the Miner's Strike (finally required politically but not financially).

Then again, that's probably mince & it's been powering the Fairlie Yachties since Slade were in the Hit Parade.

Driving in my motorcar ,this area is really quite near Glasgow these days, but somehow it always seems to me that it's on a slightly different phase to us. Always feels like a holiday when you pass Lunderston Bay, even if it's a work trip. If you make it as far as Mearns T. McCaskie, it's like being abroad.

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[Doug]

Hi Mungo. Its a funny old world. Only last night i was out with a couple of old friends and two of my own family and one of the things that came up was this power station. You are right that is has been mothballed for a very long time and i remember seeing on-line some photos showing the dereliction inside the plant. My son thinks he heard that the main chimney, which is a landmark in the area, may be brought down but i would think there will be a lot of protest about this cheers

[yoker brian]

Preparations have been underway for some time, from what I understand locals will be quite happy to see the tower go.

I'm told that when I was a nipper heading down to the grandparents caravan at Wemyss Bay, my grandfather nicknamed it Brian's Lum, on account of me looking out for the landmark.

Anyway STV news website from 19/07/2012 :

http://m.stv.tv/news/scotland/111240-co ... r-station/

Controlled explosion to take place at Inverkip Power Station

By Kenny McKay 17 July 2012 12:14 BST

Demolition work at the Inverkip Power Station will take a major step forward as the first of three 30m-high structures are brought to the ground.

The first large air heater structure, housed in the boiler house, will be demolished by controlled explosion on Wednesday, July 18.

It is the first of three similar steel structures to be brought down at the Greenock power station as part of four-year programme to replace the station with a possible business and residential developement.

All three structures are located on the seaward side of the main boiler house with the remaining two structures scheduled to be demolished this autumn.

It is understood that a mix of small business units, shops and a reported 780 houses are just one of the proposals being considered by Inverclyde Council.

Inverkip’s chimney is the tallest free-standing structure in Scotland and third tallest in the UK. It is 236m (778ft) high and contains more than 1.4m bricks and 20,000 tonnes of concrete.

The oil-fired power station was built to meet peak demand and provide flexibility to the electricity supply network but was never commercially operated except during the miners’ strike of 1984/5 when it was required. The plant was then kept as a strategic reserve until the late 1990s.

The removal of the air heater will be managed by ScottishPower’s contractor Brown and Mason, and the controlled explosive demolition is set to take place at 3pm.

Work has been ongoing for two years at the power station to remove equipment and structures from the site in advance of the potential redevelopment.

[Doug]

Thanks Brian for all the info

[DickyHart]

There was an official HG tour of Inverkip few ears back.

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=6529&p=133402&hilit=inverkip#p133402

[hillbilly]

The place was always an ugly blot on the landscape. I well remember walking right round the shore from Wemyss Bay to Inverkip and even Inverkip was just a wee tidal river with no marina. Aye progress can be shite.

[yoker brian]

Looks I'll be losing a life long friend on the 28th of July.

From an early age on trips up & down to my Grandparents caravan at Wemyss Bay, the big lum was the landmark that meant I was nearly at the caravan park...

I used to lie in bed at night in the caravan and look out for the flashing red aircraft warning lights. My late grandfather even nicknamed it "Brian's Chimney", so much so that my 8 year old neice even calls it that!

I will need to make the short trip & pay my respects to the big man.

From the BBC http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-gla ... t-23160478


The chimney is the tallest free-standing structure in Scotland, and the third tallest in the UK
The chimney at the former Inverkip Power Station in Inverclyde will be demolished on 28 July, it has been announced.

Scottish Power said Scotland's tallest free-standing structure, near Greenock, would be brought down using explosives.

The plans to demolish the 236m (778 ft) tall chimney have been agreed following talks with experts and local agencies.

The operation will marks the end of a power station which was never able to fully operate as intended.

The oil-fired facility was given planning permission in 1970, and was designed to meet peak demand and provide flexibility to the electricity supply network.


Inverkip Power Station was mothballed in the 1990s
However, due to the soaring price of oil in the 1970s the station was never commercially operated - except in 1984 and 1985, as a result of coal shortages.

The plant was kept as a strategic reserve until the late 1990s, when it was mothballed.

Inverkip's chimney, which contains more than 1.4 million bricks and 20,000 tonnes of concrete, is the third tallest free-standing structure in the UK.

Dylan Hughes, Scottish Power project manager, said: "The demolition plan for the chimney stack at Inverkip has been taken following months of discussions with experts including vibration specialists, explosives engineers and ecologists.

"We have also been working closely with the police, Inverclyde Council and the relevant railway authorities to ensure that the event will be managed safely."

[banjo]

i will pay my last respects to it next week on my way to bute.

[Lucky Poet]

It'll be quite a thing to see come down, and not least because vibration specialists were involved.

[Toby Dammit]

Wish I could make it up to see this at the end of July. Like some others here seeing it meant near arrival at the sea side during the holidays, usually Millport in my family's case. You could hardly fail to notice it. A monstrosity of course but like Godzilla and King Kong I'm sure its demise won't fail to thrill and even leave you feeling a little sorry.

[scottwramsay]

Anyone got a confirmed source for a blowdown time?

EDIT: I started a thread in the usual place for conversations about demolitions too. Sorry - not trying to cross-post - just trying to catch the right audience. I found this thread from a search but I wouldn't have caught it if I was doing my usual amble through Glasgow Development.

[Doug]

Sad to see the chimney is being brought down. I have visited Dunoon a lot over the years and have gazed across the Clyde at this huge structure, It will be strange on my next visit not seeing it. I bet Fred Dibnah would have loved to have had a go at it !