please empty your brain below
While on the topic of Industrial concrete towers there is a very tall free standing concrete tower at Emley Moor, Yorkshire, which is 1,084 feet tall, and used as transmitter tower.
There is a rare chance being offered to go up it as far as the lift runs to 865 feet as an auction offer on ebay. Lot number 281390349091 if you fancy a trip but it is already got too expensive for me.
The tower is a Grade 2 listed building.
It is taller than the Shard.

John | 27.07.14 - 6:57 a.m. | #

I've lived just a few miles south east of Didcot for two years now and still cannot comprehend the romantic view in which these towers are held by some local residents. They may have represented a landmark on a long train journey but I think they are an ugly eyesore blotting some of the most beautiful rolling countryside in south Oxfordshire.

I was happy to hear the rumble of them falling this morning and look forward to the others disappearing in a few years too. Good riddance!

Adam | 27.07.14 - 9:13 a.m. | #

Too late to lose the idiot warmist Ed Davey beneath their rubble in a tragic accident, then?

First the Routemaster on the line between Trafalgar Square and the Kensington Odeon: now this. Too sad, too sad.

Roehamster | 27.07.14 - 9:19 a.m. | #

Excellent stuff.

'You'll have seen them from the train, or while driving through South Oxfordshire'

I've seen them from Ivinghoe Beacon, which must be in Buckinghamshire, and about 30 miles distant. Do I get a prize?

Lorenzo | 27.07.14 - 9:37 a.m. | #

I was there last night, managed to get along the road between the power station and the railway line, as mentioned the earth bank blocked a full view. The bang was not big as I thought it would be, then they all slide down behind the trees and a cloud of dust drifted towards Didcot. I will miss them, have lots of pictures of them from all my local walks. 3 down 3 to go plus the generator building and chimney. All of which I can see from my bedroom window. Visited the site once when it was shut down due to the coalminers strike. The big turbines were split open for maintenance.

Nick | 27.07.14 - 10:02 a.m. | #

A few years ago I set off on my bike and eventually by the end of the day I got to Lechlade. I remember during a demoralising section through Oxfordshire, when I felt I was making little progress, seeing the towers in the distance and morale was restored as I felt I was progressing well to an intermediate goal. So after years of thinking what a blot on the landscape they were I now had fond memories of them and am sad that they are going.

Pedantic of Purley | 27.07.14 - 10:16 a.m. | #

Pity they can't do that to F. Gibberd's concrete 'new town'.

B | 27.07.14 - 12:24 p.m. | #

Seeing any form of demolition always makes me a little sad, however much it represents "progress" - there will still be people around who will have worked on building those towers.

timbo | 27.07.14 - 1:25 p.m. | #

timbo- I also sometimes feel slightly sad when a building comes down. Especially cinemas or theatres, as sometimes they are just replaced with a bland supermarket.
Ar present I am weekly watching the slow demolition of the 22 floor, 1975 built Market Tower in Vauxhall, as when it was being built I did know someone who worked on the site.
However I look forward to seeing the 58 floor tower that will replace it.

John | 27.07.14 - 2:44 p.m. | #

The Didcot turbines have been sold to a coal fired power station in Germany where they are now in use again! Roads were restricted for the journey when the turbines traveled on trucks to Bristol where they were shipped to Germany. They are using more coal fired power stations in Germany now as they have stopped using nuclear power.

Judith | 27.07.14 - 3:59 p.m. | #

DG ... when are you going back to photograph the debris

Caroline | 27.07.14 - 5:47 p.m. | #

'belched out electricity'

DG, I can't get hold of this image. 'Belching out steam' (from the towers) yes, but surely 'humming' (as in the wires) for electricity?

twatmonkey | 27.07.14 - 7:10 p.m. | #

One of the pleasures of country walking is standing on a hill top and identifying the landmarks in sight. Being able to identify a particularly distinctive landmark helps identifying other places in the area.

Didcot Power Station is a major landmark and will be missed on walks in the western Chilterns and the Berkshire Downs.

Steve B | 27.07.14 - 8:01 p.m. | #











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