23 amazing photos of when Portsmouth had its own power station
Today we remember the power station that stood tall for more than 80 years in Old Portsmouth.
By Steve Deeks
Published 13th Feb 2020, 15:41 BST
Updated 27th Dec 2023, 10:39 BST
The shell of the building was created in 1894 but in 1977 the Central Electricity Generating Board cut off Portsmouth's contribution to the National Grid. This ended Portsmouth’s 83 years of generating electricity.
The images aren’t all News copyright images, some have been sent into us and have appeared in The News over the years.
This evocative aerial photograph of Old Portsmouth dates from about 1948.
To the bottom left is the Camber with the cola hoppers of Whites the coal merchant. Unloading at the wharf is a large collier with three barges alongside.
At the pointed end of the coal wharves can just be seen the Bridge Tavern which is dwarfed by them. Above the Bridge Tavern is the lock for the coal barges that brought in coal for the power station.
The covered travellators for taking the coal up and over Gunwharf Road can be seen.
Above the lock are the buildings of HMS Vernon. To the bottom right can be seen Oyster Street which at this time passed into White Hart Lane and since these times a block of flats have been built over it.
St Thomas Street passes behind the cathedral with many of the buildings just bomb sites. The bank now a residential building on the corner of Highbury Street can be Cleary seen.
The east end of St Thomas's Street and Warblington Street leading into St Georges Road close by Landport Gate are both bomb sites. To the top right hand corner can be seen the United Services cricket ground where, up until the Rose Bowl was built, Hampshire played first class cricket. Above the power station chimneys the railway line from the Harbour station to Portsmouth & Southsea High Level can be seen running along its tree lined route. Photo: -
Seen in St George’s Road is the trolly bus on route 6 to the Dockyard. To the rear are the towering chimneys of the power station in Gunwharf Road. Photo: -
A windy day at the children's boating pool on Southsea Common. In the background you can see (from left) the obelisk of the naval war memorial, the power station chimney and the Queen's Hotel. The picture is undated but the fashions and the cars parked on the common indicate that we might be in the late 1920s or early 1930s. Picture: costen.co.uk Photo: -
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