Grahame N's Web Pages


PHOTO ALBUM


OLDER PHOTOS -
FAWLEY
POWER STATION


After school and 'A'levels, I joined the C.E.G.B. (Central Electricity Generating Board) - this was around 1964 or so - there was a graduate training scheme - I was taken on as a T.S.T. (Technical Staff Trainee) - was enrolled at Portsmouth Polytechnic (later Portsmouth University) and started workshop training at Portsmouth Power Station. To be fair - the training scheme was very good - a split sandwich degree course (6 months work and 6 months uni. each year). I was at various locations including Portsmouth, Southampton and Marchwood Power Stations and Nursling Sub-Station, but ended up with a 'proper' job at the new giant-size Fawley Power Station. Most of these places are now closed - we don't use things like coal or oil to generate electricity these days - just hope the wind will blow, the sun will shine and waste imported natural gas and mashed up trees!

I guess most people enjoyed work - for much of the time I was also Hon.Sec. of the Sports & Social Club - so helped organise various events, plus leaving parties as people took early retirement deals (including myself!). Some of the evidence is below - more may come to light later .... we did keep the place running as well - honest!



One of the badges we gave away to visitors like school parties - I still have mine!



One of the picture postcards handed out to visitors
Fawley Power Station - used the heavy waste oil from the nearby Esso Refinery - closed now, but not yet dead and buried (bit like me!)
- 2000MW output (huge) and one of the most efficient in the UK - somewhat like the staff there I guess!
I still salute that chimney (650ft) whenever I spot it - can't fault the retirement deal and pension! (Does still keep me in holidays & red wine!)



The place from the air - photo probably commissioned by the CEGB - used in the local paper "The Echo" I think


 



No details on this one - possibly an Old Time Music Hall organised by the Sports & Social Club - perhaps mid 1970s?
- it certainly looks as though it went with a swing - lots of drink!



Obviously an Old Time Music Hall (performed by Solent Peoples' Theatre - I recall) - Dave & Ethel Parsons certaiinly looked the part!



Same night as above - ladies from rhs - Carmen Brown; Sue Smith; and sorry - but one of the laboratory 'boffins' wife - it was a long time ago!




Obviously another Sports & Social Club event - sometime in the 1970s I guess! Everyone happy though!



Another Sports & Social Club event - wives, ladies etc. helped as 'Serving Wenchs' -
from lhs - Jane (my ex- wife); Jackie Trowbridge; Melanie Malcolm ; sorry - forgotten!; Joan (Ken Smith's wife)



Yet another Sports & Social Club event - in the Conference Room - myself Grahame N. & my ex. wife Jane



Social Club 'Riverboat Shuffle' 7Jul1977 it says on the back - from the rhs - Grahame (me) & ex. wife Jane N. ; Ray & Diane Domney
(and all still alive - Ray spoke to me on the phone today - we discussed aches and pains - 'keep taking the tablets'!
I was young then, and no grey hair! But moustaches were in ..... (Well for us fellas anyway!)


My old shift - 'D' Shift ('Dad's Army') when the fella in the centre retired - says Oct1981 on the back - testing my memory - from left to right -
Laurie Goodall (the boss!) ex navy; Terry (the 'buff') Murdoch - shift chemist; Brian Pilcher ('guns') assistant ops; Alf ('Alfie') Fielon assistant ops; Brian Dash assistant charge; John Swaine assistant charge (I was also with John during initial commissioning of the place (Electrical Services Working Party I think a few of us were called - one definitely needed an 'Avo' meter and screwdriver); Barry Kerslake assistant ops (think he got my job)



Another Fawley retirement 'do' - a skittles evening I think - again dated Oct1981 - so from the left -
Ray Springett (draughtsman); Doug Peplow (Scientific Services 'boffin'); Jim Stringer (Operations and later oil burner expert I think); Dennis Hurley (Mechanical Maintenance Engineer); Alf Wootton (Personel Officer); ??? (Mechanical Maintenance Department - I may remmenber!); Phil King (ex. Electrical Maintenance Engineer - Southampton Power Station); John James (also on Electrical Commissioning with me years before); Alf Fielon (as photo above - how did he sneak in on this one?); ???? (oh dear - maybe after a red wine or two I'll remember!) - all great guys, but many now longer with us. (A lot of posts were 'Engineer' - an ex. Navy term of course. Power Stations and ships both used steam - so much the same!


Another retirement presentation - also dated Oct1981 - at the front, seated - Ray Springett (our draughtsman) and Dennis Hurley (Mechanical Maintenance Engineer);
lhs - Dave Carroll ; Dave Page; Peter Heath; ?????; ?????; Phil Scott; Dennis Andrewartha; Robin Brazier; Jim Beaumont; Dave ????; Tony Roberts; Geoff Lamb - all MMD (Mechanical Maintence Department) - sorry fellas - I know the faces, but I am a bit long in the tooth these days! Thimk Ray Springett and Dennis Hurley were retiring - what a great deal 'early retirement' was in those days .....



Yet another retirement event - dated Oct1981 - yes I do recognise most people- but haven't the space!
I can spot three girls who ended up in my computer domain (Management Systems or Information Systems was it?) - left of centre between Dennis Hurley and Alf Fielon - Irene Seabrook; right of centre Jane Dempsey and Jill Anthony - thanks girls - where are you all now?; Len White (our commisioning working party boss - ex. Marchwood Charge Engineer), ended up as my boss much later. A great crowd - no wonder the lights stayed on - sailing was good down there too! Just spotted me - near the back, right of centre, with 'tach' smiling behind our Admin Officer Peter Lowe; Clive Potter on my rhs; then Barry Kerslake; Dave Parsons; Eddie Watts; Ray Smith; Robin Brazier (pipe? - smoking - what smoking ban....)


 



A social club event dated 6Nov1981 - think the fella on the stage was supposed to be a magician



6Nov1981 - And that's me up there - think there was a problem with the chair - plus to do with holding a live detonator!
(who owns the pair of legs hiding behind the display boards? ......... )



6Nov1981 -- The 'boss' - Station Manager Wilf Wright - think he's holding that detonator (or was it just the microphone?)



6 Nov1981 - Well the audience thought it amusing - certainly after a few glasses of wine -
Peter Heath - Mechanical Maintenance Engineer, but also Hon. Chairman of the Sports & Social Club



Wow - colour - must be more recent! Obviously a Christmas Lunch - I'm guessing the Social Club Wine Society
Mike Cox; me - Grahame Newnham; Terry Girling and Chas Smith - maybe 1990?



Another vintage photo of the old place - 'control block, canteen and the dock by night' - another postcard for open day visitors I think
all now shut and soon to go - marina; container & ferry port; housing estate; - oops! Watch this space!


BBC NEWS - FEB 2016

More than 1,000 homes could be built on the site of a disused power station site near Southampton following its sale to a developer.

Land Registry documents show London-based Long Harbour bought the 300-acre Fawley Power Station site for £25m.

The financial group said it planned to build homes and a marina on the site on the edge of the New Forest.

The oil-fired power station was decommissioned in 2013 after operating for more than 40 years.

A Long Harbour statement said: "Working with Fawley Waterside Management Company, Long Harbour has begun works towards achieving outline planning consent for a mixed-use development including over 1,000 residential units, commercial space and an active leisure marina."



Once the oompany was privatised, part became National Power - for a while they sponsored hot-air balloons


Watch out for other Fawley Power Station photo pages - the Camera Club for example.


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Created 19Jul2015 .......... Last updated: 11 March 2018 ........... photo/poldfawleyps.htm .............. Grahame L. Newnham's Web Pages
27Nov2016 - FPS Wine Society Christmas lunch photo added