Brimsdown Power Station
Encyclopedia
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.
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.
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.
named a new "flat-iron" coastal
collier
SS Brimsdown after the station. 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.
Fossil fuel power plant
A fossil-fuel power station is a power station that burns fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas or petroleum to produce electricity. Central station fossil-fuel power plants are designed on a large scale for continuous operation...
on the Lee Navigation at Brimsdown
Brimsdown
Brimsdown is a place in the London Borough of Enfield, North London generally known as the Lea Valley. The Brimsdown area is roughly located in the area either side of Mollison Avenue, to Bilton Way, just south of Ordnance Road, extending as far south as the Mollison Avenue/Jeffreys Road roundabout...
in Enfield, North London
Municipal Borough of Enfield
Enfield was a local government district in Middlesex, England from 1850 to 1965.The parish of Enfield adopted the Public Health Act 1848 in 1850, and formed a local board of health of 12 members to govern the area. The local board's area was reconstituted by the Local Government Act 1894, and...
. 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.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.
Coal was supplied by barge
Barge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
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
British Electricity Authority
The British Electricity Authority was established in 1948 with the nationalisation of the Great Britain's electricity supply industry. It was created by means of the Electricity Act 1947...
. The BEA was succeeded by the Central Electricity Authority
Central Electricity Authority (UK)
The Central Electricity Authority was a body that ran the electricity supply industry in England and Wales between 1954 and 1957. The CEA replaced the earlier British Electricity Authority as a result of the Electricity Reorganisation Act 1954, which moved responsibility for Scottish electricity...
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
Enfield Power Station
Enfield Power Station is a 408 MW gas-fired station, opened on part of the original Brimsdown Power Station site on at Brimsdown in the North London Borough of Enfield...
or Enfield Energy Centre rather than Brimsdown Power Station. This has been operated by E.ON
E.ON
E.ON AG, marketed with an interpunct as E•ON, is the holding company of the world's largest investor-owned energy service provider based in Düsseldorf, Germany. The name comes from the Greek word aeon which means eternity....
since 2005.
SS Brimsdown
In 1951 the British Electricity AuthorityBritish Electricity Authority
The British Electricity Authority was established in 1948 with the nationalisation of the Great Britain's electricity supply industry. It was created by means of the Electricity Act 1947...
named a new "flat-iron" coastal
Coastal trading vessel
Coastal trading vessels, also known as coasters, are shallow-hulled ships used for trade between locations on the same island or continent. Their shallow hulls mean that they can get through reefs where deeper-hulled sea-going ships usually cannot....
collier
Collier (ship type)
Collier is a historical term used to describe a bulk cargo ship designed to carry coal, especially for naval use by coal-fired warships. In the late 18th century a number of wooden-hulled sailing colliers gained fame after being adapted for use in voyages of exploration in the South Pacific, for...
SS Brimsdown after the station. However, at 1,837 gross register tonnage
Gross Register Tonnage
Gross register tonnage a ship's total internal volume expressed in "register tons", one of which equals to a volume of . It is calculated from the total permanently enclosed capacity of the vessel. The ship's net register tonnage is obtained by reducing the volume of non-revenue-earning spaces i.e...
, 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
Coastal trading vessel
Coastal trading vessels, also known as coasters, are shallow-hulled ships used for trade between locations on the same island or continent. Their shallow hulls mean that they can get through reefs where deeper-hulled sea-going ships usually cannot....
, not intended for service on the Lea Navigation.