Goldington Power Station

Goldington Power Station [ref: X798/6/1]

A publicity leaflet for Goldington Power Station [ref: X798/6/1] states: “The consent of the Ministry of Fuel and Power for the installation of 60,000 kilowatts of generating plant at Goldington was received in June 1950 and in August 1951 consent to develop the Station to an ultimate capacity of 180,000 kilowatts was obtained. The first of the six 30,000 kilowatt generators was commissioned in June 1955 and the final unit in 1958”.

 
Circulating water pump hose [ref: X798/6/1]

The plant began to produce energy in June 1957, being officially opened in August of that year. It ran on coal and had six boilers and six turbines. The power station employed around 250 people. It stood just off Barkers Lane on what is now Riverfield Drive.

 
Switching Station [ref: X798/6/1]

Bedfordshire Archive and Record Service has a quite comprehensive archive relating to the construction of the power station, received from National Power Plc in 1992 [ref: X798].

 
Coal handling plant [ref: X798/6/1]

The plant closed in October 1983. The four cooling towers were demolished in 1986 and in March the following year the two chimneys, each around 300 feet were also demolished.

List of sources at Bedfordshire Archives:

• X798/1: conditions of contract and specifications: 1951-1954
• X798/2: site plans: 1954-1959
• X798/3: operating manuals: c. 1954-1957
• X798/4: progress photographs - ground level: 1950-1958
• X798/5: progress photographs - aerial: 1950-1957
• X798/6: publicity material: c. 1960
• X917/3: B/W photograph of CEGB engine ED9 at Power Station, c.1950s
• BorBK3/421: negative of waste ground at power station, 1983
• BorBK4/32/14/18: B/W photograph of Goldington power station, n.d
• Z1558/2/6: photograph of Goldington Power Station, 1981
• Z1663/2: booklet 'Goldington Generating Station', 1960