Record Details

NHER Number:55410
Type of record:Monument
Name:Site of Thorpe Power Station

Summary

Opened in 1926, this station was built to take over from the overworked Duke St. Station. The site was extended several times and supplied power to most of Eastern Norfolk.
The site is now demolished.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 2479 0775
Map Sheet:TG20NW
Parish:NORWICH, NORWICH, NORFOLK

Full description

NIAS records:
Opened in 1926, this power station was built to take over from the Duke Street station (NHER55409). Through various expansions the total area supplied to was around 725 square miles. Originally the station held two 5000kw steam turbines powered by coal fired boilers. In 1926 the station sold 24 million units p/a. By 1936 (published evidence) the station sold 134 million units p/a. The station is built from 550 tons of steel framework supporting concrete floored and walls faced in china-clay quartz. The large chimney was constructed during major extension work to allow exhaust for the increased number of boilers. A culvert diverted water from the River Wensum for cooling purposes. A spur line was constructed from the L.N.E.R. line to supply coal and extract ash from the site. The station also had a large Telpher grabber suspended rail system to collect and distribute the coal fuel. This provided a continuous rail loop across the length of the site from the ship berths at each end to the coal stores and through the plant.
See (S1).
W. Arnold (HES), 09 May 2011.

Monument Types

  • STEAM TURBINE POWER STATION (Early 20th Century to Mid 20th Century - 1926 AD to 1964 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

<S1>Archive: NIAS. Norfolk Industrial Archaeology Society Records.

Related records - none

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