Drakelow A, B & C in 1964
There were three power stations built on the Drakelow site. Together they gave a good representation of the rapid development that happened in electricity generation during that era. In its day Drakelow was one of the largest generating sites in Europe.
- Drakelow `A’ Station began producing electricity in 1954 and contained four 60MW Generator Units with a total output of 240 MW.
- Drakelow `B’ Station began generating in 1959 and contained four 120 MW Generator Units with a total output of 480 MW.
- Drakelow `C’ Station began generating in 1964 and contained four Generator Units with a total output of 1,450 MW. Two of these units were 350MW and the other two were 375MW supercritical units.
Drakelow was an excellent site for power generation because it had the River Trent for cooling and good access to the midlands coal fields . The site extended to 746 acres and for nine centuries Drakelow Hall and estate were the home of the Gresley family. The hall was demolished in the 1930s and after the war the estate was sold for a power generation site.
In 1967 the C.E.G.B opened a nature trail in the surrounding woodland, which was believed to be the first in Europe on an operational industrial site. This was then developed into a field study centre for use by thousands of midlands school children as part of their environmental education. In 1970 a nature reserve for wildfowl was created out of disused water filled gravel pits on the site.
