Unlocking Stourport's Past

The Power Station

The Power Station was officially opened on 2 June 1927 by Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin and was enlarged after the 2nd world war. The site adjacent to the River Severn and River Stour enabled the power station to operate without the customary cooling towers associated with them.
This requirement for a copious supply of reasonably clean water meant that this could not be obtained from the River Stour, especially in winter. The water intakes were positioned in the Severn, far enough out into the river so as to avoid the debris laden waters close to the river bank. The breakwater or barrier ( photo shown above top left and plan to right): protected the intakes and river traffic from collision. diverted the (dirty) River Stour water away from the intakes. and provided a walkway that could be used by personnel to periodically (using rakes on long poles) clean the outer intake coarse filter grids.

Coal was originally brought to the power station by river and canal with a narrow gauge railway linking it through Severn Road. The branch line from Stourport station along the embankment was constructed in 1940 so that coal could be brought by rail. The Power Station finally closed in 1984.

The cleared site now has been developed as the power station housing estate and the brach line was left as a public right of way. The embankment was substantially removed in 2004 to make way for part of the preposed Stourport Relief road and the development of the Millfields housing development.

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