Industrial History Online

Industrial History Online

Kirkstall Power Station

Description and History of Site:-
None of the structure of the power station remains. Most of the site is in mixed commercial and recreational uses. The dock used to unload coal is now a marina (2018).
In 1919, it was realised that the demand for electricity would soon exceed the capacity of the Whitehall Road (WYK00142) station and the corporation electricity department began looking for a site for a new station. In 1926 the Corporation acquired an estate at Kirkstall, comprising 104 acres. Construction began in July 1928 and the station was supplying electricity by October 1930.

A large dock was also constructed as a bypass to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. It is 1,000 feet long, 50 feet wide, and 6 feet deep, and could accommodate fifty barges. Coal was progressively removed from the barges, dried and pulverised. Reserves were maintained at all stages: Wet coal (up to 300 tons), dry coal (up to 100 tons) and powdered coal (up to 100 tons).

The fuel was burned in three Stirling high-duty tri-drum boilers each with a total heating surface of 16,540 sq. ft. The working pressure was 475 psi, and the normal evaporative capacity of each boiler was 160,000 lb. of water per hour, with an overload capacity of 184,000 lb. per hour. The steam was then superheated to 750 deg. F.

The generating plant consisted of two units each having a maximum continuous output of 25 MW. Each unit comprised a two-stage turbine, coupled to its alternator by a flexible coupling. The alternators supplied three-phase current at 11 kV.

Extensions in progress in 1936 comprised a second boiler house, and additions to the turbine house and switch house.

By 1967, the installed capacity at Kirkstall had risen to 200 MW comprised of five 30 MW and two 25 MW turbo-alternator sets, all by British Thompson-Houston. At that time the boilers were collectively capable of evaporating more than 2 million pounds of water per hour at 636 psi, 850 deg. F. for the 25 MW sets and 480 psi, 720 deg. F. for the 30 MW sets.

Reportedly, at some point in the 1960's the station was converted to oil-fired, though the 1967 Electricity Supply Handbook still listed it as being fired by pulverised coal. The station closed in 1976 and was subsequently demolished.


Further Reading and References:-
http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/1936_Institution_of_Mechanical_Engineers:_Visits_to_Works
Electricity Supply Handbook 1967, The Electrical Times, London.
Souvenir Pamphlet, Official Opening of Kirkstall Power Station, City of Leeds Electricity Department, 1931.


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Key Words :- electricity power generation coal steam

Viewing the Site :- Site redeveloped

Address :- Redcote Lane, Kirkstall, Leeds , West Yorkshire, LS4 2AW
Grid Ref :- SE 2707 3440
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.805197 , Long -1.590439
Local Authority :- Leeds Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Site demolished or no longer extant
Site Condition :- Site redeveloped to industrial / commercial use
Site Dates :- 1926 - 1976
Contributor :- Nick Nelson - 7 August 2018

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © Nick Nelson