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Lea Hall Colliery and Rugeley A Power Station, Staffordshire, 1963
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Lea Hall Colliery and Rugeley A Power Station, Staffordshire, 1963
Lea Hall Colliery and Rugeley A Power Station, Staffordshire, 1963. Lea Hall was the first colliery planned and sunk by the National Coal Board (NCB) and work began in 1954, with the twin shafts being sunk to a depth of 396 metres and the first coal being produced in 1960. The colliery employed 200 men and at times it produced in excess of 1, 000, 000 tons per year. Construction started on Rugeley A Power Station in 1956 and it opened in 1963. This was the first joint venture between the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) and the NCB and coal was delivered directly from the colliery to the power station via conveyor belt. Rugeleys cooling towers were also innovative as they were the worlds first large dry cooling towers. This was an experimental design intended to eliminate water loss. The power station, the first to be controlled entirely from a control room was closed in 1995 with the adjacent Rugely B remaining, having opened in 1972. Lea Hall was closed in 1990 due to economic circumstances
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Media ID 15067210
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Aerial View Birds Eye View Cegb Central Electricity Generating Board Chimney Coal Industry Coal Mine Coal Mining Colliery Cooling Tower Electricity Energy Integration Michael Michael Walters Mine National Coal Board Paul Walters Worldwide Photography Ltd Pit Head Pithead Power Generation Power Station Staffordshire Steam Walters Coal Fired Power Station Rugeley
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This print takes us back to the industrial landscape of Staffordshire in 1963. The image showcases two significant landmarks - Lea Hall Colliery and Rugeley A Power Station, both symbols of progress and innovation during that era. Lea Hall Colliery holds a special place in history as it was the first colliery planned and sunk by the National Coal Board (NCB). With its twin shafts reaching an impressive depth of 396 meters, this coal mine employed around 200 men who tirelessly extracted over a million tons of coal annually. It became a vital source of fuel for industries across the region. Adjacent to Lea Hall stands Rugeley A Power Station, which marked an important collaboration between the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) and NCB. This joint venture allowed for direct delivery of coal from the colliery to power station via conveyor belt - a groundbreaking method at that time. Notably, Rugeley's cooling towers were also revolutionary as they were the world's first large dry cooling towers, designed to minimize water loss. While these structures represented progress in energy production and employment opportunities for many years, economic circumstances eventually led to their closure. Lea Hall ceased operations in 1990 while Rugeley A Power Station followed suit in 1995; however, Rugely B continued functioning since its opening in 1972. This evocative photograph serves as a reminder of Staffordshire's rich industrial heritage and highlights how these iconic structures played pivotal roles within their communities until changing times dictated otherwise.
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