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The Nechells Flyer

L

Laurie_B

master brummie
I've been carrying out a bit of research into the history of Nechells Power Stations (I used to work there in the late 60's/early 70's) and found this set of photos online,showing the railway operations there.
https://industrialrailwaysofthemidlands.fotopic.net/c1710886.html
Some of the photos must have been taken in the early 70's as the older 'A' power station was then being demolished.
Also can be seen in the backgrounds of some of the photos,are the M6 motorway near Spaghetti Junction,and Nechells Gas Works.
 
Thanks for that link Laurie, interesting pics of Nechells, and a lot more of other Power Stations. I drove past the Ratcliffe power station, the other day and it looked so clean, I thought it was a gas powered station until I saw the mountain of coal.....:)
 
its funny that I spent my first 11 yrs seeing the power station at the bottom of our road (trevor st nechells), the railway lines were behind the big Taroni's scrapyard at the bottom of the road. thought it looked a grim place then. I used to go with my mates to the water cooling pits at saltley gas works to catch newts and frogs. I kept them in a big perspex bowl on the sideboard at home (it was a commercial light cover - dad worked at osram in witton) one day one of the workers caught us newt dipping, and gave us a right rollicking, and we had to scarper pretty sharpish. problem was that I left a big glass sweet jar full of newts by one of the ponds. when I got home I told dad we had been told off, he asked where my jar was, when I told him, he dragged me back there, caught hold of the worker and gave him a right 'what for' Dont think I was ever so proud of my dad as that day.
 
Thanks for the replies.
OldMowhawk-yes Ratcliffe Power Station looks very different than those at Nechells once did.I spent a few months there in 1972 at the CEGB Scientific Services labs.
Archierod-the power stations did look a bit grim from a distance,but they were quite impressive close to,even more so on the inside.And the staff who worked there were great-real Brummies!The railway lines used to go down to Washwood Heath sidings on the Birmingham-Derby lines.The CEGB locos were looked after by a fitter called Harry (can't remember his surname) and his mate.
 
thanks laurie b
I know the power station seemed grim, everything did at that time. I ended up helping to make similar generators to the ones that would have been in the power station, at parsons peebles in witton
 
Hi Archierod,
The B station did have Parsons steam turbines and generators.The main ones were each rated at 50MW.Each set also had a 'house' generator of about 2.5 MW.
Attached is a photo taken inside the turbine hall at Nechells B with Number 1 Set nearest.
It did look a bit grim and gloomy judging by the pic!
4176886162_95e8607a12.jpg
 
Laurie_B said:
Thanks for the replies.
OldMowhawk-yes Ratcliffe Power Station looks very different than those at Nechells once did.I spent a few months there in 1972 at the CEGB Scientific Services labs.
Archierod-the power stations did look a bit grim from a distance,but they were quite impressive close to,even more so on the inside.And the staff who worked there were great-real Brummies!The railway lines used to go down to Washwood Heath sidings on the Birmingham-Derby lines.The CEGB locos were looked after by a fitter called Harry (can't remember his surname) and his mate.
Click to expand...

Hi worked at Nechells B from 1972 till 1981 the fitters name was Harry Meakin. He was originally from the Liverpool area. The photos of the steam engines brought back many happy memories, one engine was saved and working on The Battlefield Line near Market Bosworth. Any more photos of the station? It was a good place to work with a great workforce.
 
View attachment 42840Hi

Unfortunately I have pictures of most power stations in the UK nothing of Nechells PS I worked in the power industry for 27 years as well 12 years at GEC Witton,

I worked Nechells for sometime Management services engineerI took over from John Goodall.

The only thing I got is section through the steam turbines.

During Work in management services I luck to have visited or worked on every power station in the Midland Region except Lincoln PS they had a strange Swiss turbines.

Ray
 
hi all.i can remember the old a power station,we would walk over the frozen cut .looking for mercury to play with out of the busted eqipment letting it run through our fingers then climb up and walk along the steelwork, were the old coal cranes once worked unloading the trucks.
 
Thanks very much for the replies.
I also remember the older power station at Nechells.The older hands always called it 'Princes Station' after the first section had been opened in 1923 by the then Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) .
Another trainee and I went for a walk round the station one afternoon just before demolition work started.It was like going back in time it seemed so antiquated!
I think two of the A station sets ran till about 1969/70 using steam piped over from the B station.I also think the A station wooden cooling towers 'accidentally' burned down in about 1971 after demolition contractors had been cutting out the pipework using oxy-acetylene.
I can remember Harry Meakin who looked after the locos,a really nice bloke I recall.

Attached are some of photos of the old A station-one showning the canal basin which ran parallel to the B'ham & Warwick Junction Canal,and the 'overhead electric telphers' that used to unload the canal boats.There were also railway lines and wagon tipplers between the canal basin and the boiler house.
The second picture is of the old control room.I went in there on the (somewhat unofficial) visit and I thought it would make a good location for a Frankenstein film!
The third image is a view of the inside of the A station turbine house,with the first two sets to have been installed nearest the camera position.They were built by British Thomson-Houston.I think all the others were supplied by GEC,possibly after they had taken over B T-H.
 
Laurie_B said:
Thanks very much for the replies.
I also remember the older power station at Nechells.The older hands always called it 'Princes Station' after the first section had been opened in 1923 by the then Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) .
Another trainee and I went for a walk round the station one afternoon just before demolition work started.It was like going back in time it seemed so antiquated!
I think two of the A station sets ran till about 1969/70 using steam piped over from the B station.I also think the A station wooden cooling towers 'accidentally' burned down in about 1971 after demolition contractors had been cutting out the pipework using oxy-acetylene.
I can remember Harry Meakin who looked after the locos,a really nice bloke I recall.

Attached are some of photos of the old A station-one showning the canal basin which ran parallel to the B'ham & Warwick Junction Canal,and the 'overhead electric telphers' that used to unload the canal boats.There were also railway lines and wagon tipplers between the canal basin and the boiler house.
The second picture is of the old control room.I went in there on the (somewhat unofficial) visit and I thought it would make a good location for a Frankenstein film!
The third image is a view of the inside of the A station turbine house,with the first two sets to have been installed nearest the camera position.They were built by British Thomson-Houston.I think all the others were supplied by GEC,possibly after they had taken over B T-H.
Click to expand...


Hi Laurie Thanks for sharing these pictures they are great, the years I work for CEGB and visits to Nechells I have never seen the engineroom/ pictures it's a great thrill to see them.

Was A station a DC generation, or part of it I remember my gran who lived in Sandy Lane Aston being changed over from DC to AC, the radio had glass accumulators batteries that had to changed up.

Have you any idea what happened to the BombShell that was orginally on the big top site in Birmingham until it was rebuild, it ended up in Reception area Nechells B, it was large Red painted shell I think it was a 1000lb.

Ray
 
Hi Ray,

Glad you liked the old photos.Oddly enough photos of Nechells B are proving more elusive than those for the older A Station! However I'm trying to track down the whereabouts of the CEGB's photographic archives which (assuming they still exist) must contain many photos.

As far as I'm aware the A station always generated AC,initially at 25 c/s and 5,000 volts-the power went straight into the local distribution system,there being no national grid system when the A station first started up.As the grid system came into being,the Central Electricity Board (not to be confused with the later CEGB) required the City of Birmingham Electricity Supply Department to alter the frequency to 50 c/s for which £53,824 was paid for "the rewinding of plant" at Nechells and Hams Hall.

Regards DC generation,from what I gather,Birmingham's first power stations (at Dale End and Water Street) originally had 440V DC generators driven by reciprocating engines.I think the change to AC came about with the construction of Summer Lane Power Station.There was also a small DC power plant in Chester Street Aston,which the Electricity Supply Department acquired,which could account for your gran being changed over to AC.

I'm afraid I have no idea about the bomb at Nechells!The A station was bombed a few times in the war.
 
Hi, never got inside A station to look around thanks for photos. I believe the turbines were BTH and frazer and chambers with GEC alternators. There were also 2 Belliss & Morcom / GEC dc generators 1,875 kw output. Nechells B had 12 international combustion boilers, 2 of which supplied steam to A station. These boilers were chain grate possibly the largest the C.E.G.B operated. If memory serves me right steam temperature of 850F at superheater outlet. Pressure was 675 psi.

Yes the old wooden towers did burn down as you said, every fire appiliance in Birmingham was at the scene as next door was Nechells gas works, the fire brigade did not want the gas holders going up.

Two bombs fell on Nechells A coal stocks but failed to detonate and as a kid I can remember them in the open market, the one that lost its roof during the second world war, they were used as money boxes.
 
Hi Powerman,
There were indeed 2 Bellis and Morcom house sets in the A station,and you're right about the B station boilers too.If I remember correctly,No 12 boiler was always operated by the 'regulator' stoker who determined all the boiler steaming rates on instructions given by control room engineer dependant on the station output.
As you said about the wooden cooling towers burning down,the fire brigades were much more concerned about burning timbers landing in the gas works next door than saving the cooling towers themselves.And the wood used in the towers had been treated with chemicals to prevent the wood from rotting so the smoke must have been quite toxic.
I was on shift at the time and had a long weekend off so I missed the drama.I think the towers burned down on a Saturday.The site looked a bit different afterwards.
 
Laurie_B said:
Hi Powerman,
There were indeed 2 Bellis and Morcom house sets in the A station,and you're right about the B station boilers too.If I remember correctly,No 12 boiler was always operated by the 'regulator' stoker who determined all the boiler steaming rates on instructions given by control room engineer dependant on the station output.
As you said about the wooden cooling towers burning down,the fire brigades were much more concerned about burning timbers landing in the gas works next door than saving the cooling towers themselves.And the wood used in the towers had been treated with chemicals to prevent the wood from rotting so the smoke must have been quite toxic.
I was on shift at the time and had a long weekend off so I missed the drama.I think the towers burned down on a Saturday.The site looked a bit different afterwards.
Click to expand...

Hi Laurie, had a chat with ex Nechells B operations guy and we both thought that Nechell B had 4 regulating boilers or peggers as they were known. They were the middle boilers by the walkway through the boiler house. The boilers were in two banks of six, back to back with the fans between them. Each regulating boiler had another 2 boilers to their side and operated in banks of three. No12 boiler may have been the regulating boiler before my time. Nechells B was also a range station wich meant any turbine could be supplied steam from any boiler. Spent my time there as a mechanical fitter with little to no ops involvement.
 
This is a fascinating story, and it's really good to see so much history being recorded here. I'm quite surprised at the suggestion that Summer Lane power station supplied only AC from the start, which I think was around 1904 when the trams opened. Although they ran at about 600 volts dc (plus or more often minus), the local supply came from substations, where the main feeder was transformed and rectified. The same substations, or in some cases others, also provide dc at about 220 v for domestic consumption, which built up some time after the the trams started. To my recollection, dc was still being supplied in Handsworth and parts of Aston until the later 1940s. I can't speak for the other parts of Inner Birmingham, but I think it was similar.
An associated topic is street lighting, most of which was by gas until the 1950s. I started work in the City Architect's Department in 1955, and a colleague in the same office was involved in 'refinements' to his design for those strange one-armed electric lamp posts which soon filled the older side streets in old Brum. The light fitting was suspended beneath what looked like a Chinese coolie hat or a saucepan lid.
Peter
 
Thanks for the replies.

Hi Powerman,
I think the 'regulating' arrangements in the boiler house must have changed over time.My recollection (late 60s) is that No 12 used to be the regulating boiler.The stoker would broadcast the boiler loadings (based on steam flow rates) over the boiler house Tannoy.He had a blackboard where he chalked up the boiler loadings.Part of the board,at one time,read "B/A" for the steam main feeding the A station.
When I first started at Nechells there were 4 stokers per three boilers but that was reduced to 2 men per three boilers,not a very popular move at the time.There may have been further reductions in the boiler house staff after I left-maybe as a result of 'Pay and Productivity'
You're right about Nechells B being a range station.There were,I seem to remember,four interconnected steam receivers in the turbine basement,behind the boiler feed pumps.

Hi Peter W.
It looks like the plant at Summer lane was a little more complicated than I first thought.According to the "History of Birmingham Corporation",Summer Lane generated both DC and AC power.Power was supplied at low voltage (DC) to the tramway system and possibly also for local lighting and power,and at higher voltages (AC) for wider distribution around the City.The station was opened on 10 October 1906 by the then Lord Mayor,though the station was subsequently extended.
A brief description of the engine house states that it was "divided into two parts by a central gangway with high tension plant on one side,and low tension plant on the other, and spanned by an overhead travelling crane worked by electric power."

There is a film clip briefly featuring Nechells A (or Princes Station) on the British Pathe website.
https://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=8833
 
Ray Griffiths said:
View attachment 42840Hi

Unfortunately I have pictures of most power stations in the UK nothing of Nechells PS I worked in the power industry for 27 years as well 12 years at GEC Witton,

I worked Nechells for sometime Management services engineerI took over from John Goodall.

The only thing I got is section through the steam turbines.

During Work in management services I luck to have visited or worked on every power station in the Midland Region except Lincoln PS they had a strange Swiss turbines.

Ray
Click to expand...

Hi Ray, the turbines at Lincoln power station were 20 mw Brush-Ljungstrom x 4. I never worked on any.
 
That's very interesting stuff indeed Ray,and thanks for posting it.
Not sure what image program you have-but somewhere along the toolbar should be the word 'Image'.Try clicking on that and look for 'Resize' and you should be then able to reduce the file size.
Attached is a cross section of Nechells B.
 
Hi All, what a small world - my uncle, Syd Hardy was a Turbine Driver at 'A' station. I used to visit on a Sunday in the 50's wooden cooling towers and all. But what I found interesting was the use of a long wooden pole with an insulator and hook at one end used to switch the high tension lines from one circuit to another. Health and safety would have a fit these days.
 
That's very intersting pistonvalve-I'd like to hear more if possible.
The switching sounds very iffy!Presumably this took place in the switch house to the south of the turbine and boiler houses?
Attached is another old pic of the A station at Nechells,this time showing the switch house (parts of which still survive I believe) fronting onto Watson Road with the turbine house and the boiler house (with its funnels) behind the switch house.The wooden cooling towers mentioned can also be seen.
 
Hi Laurie_B'

From memory (50 years+) There were row's of knife switches (large), the 'knife' had a hole where the hook was engaged, the changeover was achieved with brute strength applied by the operator at the other end of the wooden pole. I remember several poles stacked up against a wall. I witnessed an operation, the 'switcher' would clean the insulator with a piece of rag before engaging. I don't think there were sparks so the switching must have occurred 'off juice'

For some years I used to walk from Aston Church Road along passed 'A' and 'B' stations through the drainage works to Tyburn Rd (Birlec) where I was an apprentice. The size of the Rats seen were just as impressive as those switching poles!!

Just to link in with the Railway theme - my visits were mainly on Sundays and we would stop and watch the 'Royal Scot' thunder by on its way North via the Aston Stechford line (about 12.PM)
 
He's a true story off the shop floor from Nechells "B" Power Stn.
One day myself,several electricians and mates were on our way to do some routine maintenance on some switchgear.Amongst us was a lad called Peter who was a student apprentice and with us for a short while before going into the control room with the engineers.The blokes asked him what he did for a hobby,and he said he was a runner and ran for his local club,Birchfield Harriers.Course now the blokes had something to go on and they kept on at him,asking if he was any good.Peter wasn't a show off or a bighead but he said he ok.Well one bloke says bet you can't run up the stairs from the ground to the top in under a minute.I can't remember how many levels there were,but there was a hell of a lot,and as you went higher the hotter it got and the fumes got thicker.Peter took the blokes challenge and needless to say,did it well under a minute.Well the blokes were gobsmacked,and then Peter comes out with "I'm not bad,but our kids better than me".If you haven't guessed by now Peter was Peter Stewart and his brother who he referred to was Ian.
 
I worked Nechells B for some time I took over from Johnny Goodall the Wolves Supporter.

I remember being at Nechells the time the IRA bombed the cable tunnel.

I'm surprised Peter he got to the top with them Chain Grate Boilers the fumes made the air yellow, at Hams Hall PS the top of the boilers was the punishment cell were the baddies were sent to work on maintenance work

Do you remember the time the Turbine Operator went to sleep while they were taking his unit off load, and some how the Generator acted like a motor and started consuming power, grid couldn't understand why Nechells was consuming so much load.

Ray
 
Yes,Wille,I remember Peter Stewart too.He was based at the Midlands Project Group I recall.I could well imagine him running to the top of the boiler house!He featured in the Midlands Power newspaper;which can be seen on the 'CEGB Midlands Region' website https://www.rootes1725cc.info/cegb/midpower/may71/may71 05.gif

Was Johnny Goodall in Management Services,Ray?I seem to recognise the name.Was he involved in putting in the P&P Scheme at all in the early '70s?
I remember the tea they used to make in the turbine hall.It was awful it was so strong.It was made in a big enamal jug and left on one of the turbine cylinder palms to stew!
One problem with the turbines at Nechells,was coupling lock which could lead to abnormally high thrust bearing temperatures.The Shift Charge Engineer would arrive in the turbine house,quickly wind most of the load off the set to free the couplings(which went with quite a jolt) and then wind the load straight back on again.
There's a reference to the cable tunnel bomb on the M.A.C.E. website:https://www.macearchive.org/Media.html?Title=21617
 
Yes that is the Johnny Goodall, his staff was Brian Noakes, Roly Wiggall, Stan ?

Ray


Laurie_B said:
Yes,Wille,I remember Peter Stewart too.He was based at the Midlands Project Group I recall.I could well imagine him running to the top of the boiler house!He featured in the Midlands Power newspaper;which can be seen on the 'CEGB Midlands Region' website https://www.rootes1725cc.info/cegb/midpower/may71/may71 05.gif

Was Johnny Goodall in Management Services,Ray?I seem to recognise the name.Was he involved in putting in the P&P Scheme at all in the early '70s?
I remember the tea they used to make in the turbine hall.It was awful it was so strong.It was made in a big enamal jug and left on one of the turbine cylinder palms to stew!
One problem with the turbines at Nechells,was coupling lock which could lead to abnormally high thrust bearing temperatures.The Shift Charge Engineer would arrive in the turbine house,quickly wind most of the load off the set to free the couplings(which went with quite a jolt) and then wind the load straight back on again.
There's a reference to the cable tunnel bomb on the M.A.C.E. website:https://www.macearchive.org/Media.html?Title=21617
Click to expand...
 
fantastic thread chaps
I used to look out of my bedroom window from my grans house in Needham st , and see the power station .I'd spend hours, watching the wheeled loader moving the coal about on the stockpile ,one of her neighbours Mrs Burrows used to work in the canteen there until she retired in the early 80's
 
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