Didcot gone?
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,014
Likes: 1
From: England
Didcot gone?
I hear they have removed the towers at Didcot.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...shire-28487288
How will we navigate the south of England now? I will miss them.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england...shire-28487288
How will we navigate the south of England now? I will miss them.
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: South Bucks
I've submitted a NOTAM proposal to NATS - not sure if they'll do anything with it. Yeah Stokenchurch mast is still there and makes a good reference for crossing the Benson MATZ going West and the Chilterns going East. Just 4nm SW of Didcot there is also the Round DIAMOND light source building at Harwell - not so visible but very distinguishable (but keep above it at least 2500 ft radius 2nm).
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 9
Likes: 2
From: Hampshire
Someone's been reading about this subject. As befits a rumour based forum, I've heard a whisper that they're considering re-building at least one of the cooling towers to aid the navigation of bewildered VFR jockeys.
Has anyone heard of GPS ? And then there is the A34 !
Has anyone heard of GPS ? And then there is the A34 !
Just flown over Didcot, there are still 3 left.
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 370
Likes: 0
From: uk
Still can been seen from miles away..(thankfully), when will the rest be blow up?
Photos below!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tupper...t/14571565340/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tupper...n/photostream/
Photos below!
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tupper...t/14571565340/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tupper...n/photostream/
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,856
Likes: 75
From: uk
Some years ago we lost the permanent plume of steam? from the chimney of the cement works at Westbury, all in the name of climate change. Now it makes keeping clear of the Salisbury danger areas a bit more difficult. The remaining visual aids are much less visible.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 1,014
Likes: 1
From: England
. Capt Kremen Try using a GPS.
Between the Isle of White, Didcot Power Station , the Severn estuary and that concrete factory near colerne you always knew where you were without any of that jiggery pokery stuff.
What ever happened to maps, rulers, china graphs and dalton computers. You tell the kids of today this and they just don't believe you!!!
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 222
Likes: 15
From: Only occasionally above FL50
Didcot demo lion
On the BBC last night they said the remaining 3 towers would go in 2015 and the rest of the site (including the chimney?) would be cleared by 2016.
I remember John Williamson's gliding simulator on a Sinclair Spectrum in the early 1980s. Didcot was the only guaranteed thermal source. Others were random! Sad day for glider pilots when they switched off Didcot.
I remember John Williamson's gliding simulator on a Sinclair Spectrum in the early 1980s. Didcot was the only guaranteed thermal source. Others were random! Sad day for glider pilots when they switched off Didcot.
Last edited by Andrewgr2; 28th July 2014 at 06:21. Reason: Punctuation
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,546
Likes: 2
From: Oxford, UK
SAD DAY FOR GLIDER PILOTS!!
BOOKER/BICESTER/DIDCOT!! The standard 100 k triangle in a k8 gider, that wooden wonder with performance of 27 to 1 (thats 27 feet forward for every one foot down).
If you made it round BIC/DID and got back to Booker in a K8, you could be proud. Nowadays, flying glass gliders with a performance of 40 to 1 and even 60 to one, no big deal.
The memories of stubble fires and the Didcot chimney....must have shortened our lifespan with every breath. You had to fly DIRECTLY over the smoking chimney to contact astonishing lift...hold your breath and gain a thousand feet with every turn, but it smelled perfectly awful. Don't try climbing over the cooling tower, no lift in there! just water vapor... your view may be obstructed as you spiral down the inside... no, never tried it myself.
Which would you prefer? Six tidy cooling towers, or a farm of fifty wind turbines? Can't use them for soaring cross country....
If you made it round BIC/DID and got back to Booker in a K8, you could be proud. Nowadays, flying glass gliders with a performance of 40 to 1 and even 60 to one, no big deal.
The memories of stubble fires and the Didcot chimney....must have shortened our lifespan with every breath. You had to fly DIRECTLY over the smoking chimney to contact astonishing lift...hold your breath and gain a thousand feet with every turn, but it smelled perfectly awful. Don't try climbing over the cooling tower, no lift in there! just water vapor... your view may be obstructed as you spiral down the inside... no, never tried it myself.
Which would you prefer? Six tidy cooling towers, or a farm of fifty wind turbines? Can't use them for soaring cross country....
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 25
Likes: 2
From: Berkshire
"Given the much- trumpeted shortfall in Energy-production, I'm astounded these Generating sites arenot being re-equipped.
The lunatics are runningthe Asylum for sure!"
I think you will find that they are still using the site for the gas powered generators. The 6 towers were for the old coal powered site ( Didcot A )and are now redundant. The 3 remaining towers will come down over time as they are too close to the gas fired generators (Didcot B ) which have a different cooling system.
Regards
The lunatics are runningthe Asylum for sure!"
I think you will find that they are still using the site for the gas powered generators. The 6 towers were for the old coal powered site ( Didcot A )and are now redundant. The 3 remaining towers will come down over time as they are too close to the gas fired generators (Didcot B ) which have a different cooling system.
Regards