History (from power stations of the u.k. website)
Electricity has been generated at Littlebrook since 1939 when the first Littlebrook Power Station was commissioned by the Kent Electric Power Company. Littlebrook ‘D’, which commenced generating electricity in 1981, is the fourth power station to be built on the site and was oil fired. Fuel was delivered by seagoing tankers, offloaded at the river jetty and stored in tanks. Fuel from those tanks, as well as supplying Littlebrook ‘D’, was also transferred by river and road to other power stations in the South East.
Littlebrook ‘D’ Power Station was built by the Central Electricity Generating Board from 1977 onwards with the first unit commissioned in 1981. The station was designed as a fuel oil fired station from the beginning – the diversification of fuel supplies being adopted by the CEGB in the 1970s.
The ‘D’ station incorporated the latest 660 MW, 4-cylinder re-heat turbines running at 3000rev/min with each turbine output therefore being larger than the combined output of the previous A, B and C stations! The turbine output was increased to 685 MW during commissioning with practically no additional engineering works required which is testament to the robust design standards rigorously upheld by the CEGB.
The turbines were designed to be flexible in operation with fast responses to changes in required output. There are also 3 gas turbine units manufactured by GEC capable of 35 MW each which are capable of starting up the station should there be a complete collapse of the grid system.
This chimney served D station
Was completed in 1981
Last used March 2015
Demolished December 2019
215 meters high (705ft)
The explore
After climbing the chimney during the day in the summer i decided i wanted to return and get some night time shots. A few months had past and yet to return then it was announced it was going to be blown up in a few days.
with only a couple of days to go we decided to go push our lucks and try it. Expecting a massive fail we arrived around 8pm spotted where the dog unit was sitting and went for it approaching from the opposite side just walked up to the tower and climbed in.
The whole base of the tower was lined with explosives but decided to climb anyway.
There is 20 floors and each level has 4 flights of stairs then 2 ladders at the top for roof access over 800 steps.
The 6th floor had also been drilled and lined with explosives even boxes of explosives laying about.
Finally made it to the top them stairs are a killer but the views are breath taking.
Luckily was quite mild on the top considering it was mid December but very windy.
spent over 3 hours on site walked in and out no problems even with all them unattended explosives.
Enjoy the pics.......................
Whats left of the turbine hall.
Explosives around the base.
The 6th floor also had explosives.
One of the red light that use to light the chimney up.
The top floor is covered in names of explores and former workers who have made it up.
Down one of the 3 inner chimneys.
Roof hatch.
And best of all the the views from the top.
15/12/2019 8am Pitched up on the other side of the river and watched the demolition was amassed at how many people had come to watch it get blown up the path along the river was packed.
After watching it get blown up we headed off for a spot of breakfast then headed over to see the mess
walking down the river path the whole floor was cover in white dust. Spotting that the place was deserted in we went to see the mess.
The only casualty the top of the chimney hit this building pushing it over crushing some of the builders equipment.
View of the dartford crossing from the path behind the power station.
Electricity has been generated at Littlebrook since 1939 when the first Littlebrook Power Station was commissioned by the Kent Electric Power Company. Littlebrook ‘D’, which commenced generating electricity in 1981, is the fourth power station to be built on the site and was oil fired. Fuel was delivered by seagoing tankers, offloaded at the river jetty and stored in tanks. Fuel from those tanks, as well as supplying Littlebrook ‘D’, was also transferred by river and road to other power stations in the South East.
Littlebrook ‘D’ Power Station was built by the Central Electricity Generating Board from 1977 onwards with the first unit commissioned in 1981. The station was designed as a fuel oil fired station from the beginning – the diversification of fuel supplies being adopted by the CEGB in the 1970s.
The ‘D’ station incorporated the latest 660 MW, 4-cylinder re-heat turbines running at 3000rev/min with each turbine output therefore being larger than the combined output of the previous A, B and C stations! The turbine output was increased to 685 MW during commissioning with practically no additional engineering works required which is testament to the robust design standards rigorously upheld by the CEGB.
The turbines were designed to be flexible in operation with fast responses to changes in required output. There are also 3 gas turbine units manufactured by GEC capable of 35 MW each which are capable of starting up the station should there be a complete collapse of the grid system.
This chimney served D station
Was completed in 1981
Last used March 2015
Demolished December 2019
215 meters high (705ft)
The explore
After climbing the chimney during the day in the summer i decided i wanted to return and get some night time shots. A few months had past and yet to return then it was announced it was going to be blown up in a few days.
with only a couple of days to go we decided to go push our lucks and try it. Expecting a massive fail we arrived around 8pm spotted where the dog unit was sitting and went for it approaching from the opposite side just walked up to the tower and climbed in.
The whole base of the tower was lined with explosives but decided to climb anyway.
There is 20 floors and each level has 4 flights of stairs then 2 ladders at the top for roof access over 800 steps.
The 6th floor had also been drilled and lined with explosives even boxes of explosives laying about.
Finally made it to the top them stairs are a killer but the views are breath taking.
Luckily was quite mild on the top considering it was mid December but very windy.
spent over 3 hours on site walked in and out no problems even with all them unattended explosives.
Enjoy the pics.......................
Whats left of the turbine hall.
Explosives around the base.
The 6th floor also had explosives.
One of the red light that use to light the chimney up.
The top floor is covered in names of explores and former workers who have made it up.
Down one of the 3 inner chimneys.
Roof hatch.
And best of all the the views from the top.
15/12/2019 8am Pitched up on the other side of the river and watched the demolition was amassed at how many people had come to watch it get blown up the path along the river was packed.
After watching it get blown up we headed off for a spot of breakfast then headed over to see the mess
walking down the river path the whole floor was cover in white dust. Spotting that the place was deserted in we went to see the mess.
The only casualty the top of the chimney hit this building pushing it over crushing some of the builders equipment.
View of the dartford crossing from the path behind the power station.
