Report - Nechells 'B' Power Station Remnants - Birmingham - May 2017

[dweeb]

Really interesting. Can’t think there are that many of us left who worked there. I was a student apprentice starting in 1973 and ended my days at Nechells as a Control Engineer. Yes I was that person sat at the control desk. For my sins I was the last Control Engineer to synchronise the machines (there were only 2 of the 4 still in commission). Can’t remember the date or year but I know it was an evening shift, probably tea time peak, and we recorded 106MW (2 x53) for the half an hour period. The Grid Control Engineer (Warwick House) said brilliant or words to that effect and told me to shut it down. The boilers never fired again and the turbines never turned.
If anyone remains the slightest bit interested then I’m happy to tell more.

Please do tell us more...

 

[Trevorzjones]

Thanks that you are interested. The picture of the ‘swinging’ lamps reminded me of something. For obvious reasons a considerable number of the staff were ex RN and as such the operation of the power station had a nautical feel to it and as such reference was often made to swinging lamps to make those ex-mariners feel at home. There were a lot of highly polished boots and pressed boiler suits around.