Pandon Dene Power Station
Encyclopedia
Pandon Dene Power Station was an early coal-fired power station
situated on the Pandon Dene, to the east of Newcastle upon Tyne
.
(NESCo) were confined to operating within the eastern half of Newcastle. Their initial objective was to supply electricity for "4,500 ten candle-power lamps, of which 3,000 could be alight at one time." NESCo's first major step toward achieving this goal was the erection of their first power station, at Pandon Dene in the city's east end. The station was opened in 1890. Charles Merz worked at the station in 1892, prior to becoming a founder of his own electrical engineering consultancy Merz & McLellan
.
s, each driven by a conventional Robey steam engine
, meaning the alternators operated at a slow speed. This gave the station an initial generating capacity of 150 kW. The Mordey generators could not operate in parallel and so each time load was transferred from one machine to another, supply would be interrupted and customers would notice a distinct flicker in the lights.
The station burned 2,700 tonnes of coal per year, all of which was delivered by horse and cart. The electricity generated was supplied almost entirely for lighting purposes, and was generated at a pressure of 2,000 Volt
s, and distributed using house-to-house transformer
s which reduced the pressure to 100 Volts. Later in the station's history, further generators were installed, the largest of which had a capacity of 500 kW.
in Wallsend
, and was subsequently converted into a sub-station
with motor-generator
s. The sub-station used four 800 kW rotary converter
s. It was one of five sub-stations which provided electricity for the North Eastern Railway's
Riverside Branch
.
Fossil fuel power plant
A fossil-fuel power station is a power station that burns fossil fuels such as coal, natural gas or petroleum to produce electricity. Central station fossil-fuel power plants are designed on a large scale for continuous operation...
situated on the Pandon Dene, to the east of Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
.
History
At the outset of their operations in 1889, the Newcastle-upon-Tyne Electric Supply CompanyNewcastle-upon-Tyne Electric Supply Company
The North Eastern Electric Supply Company was responsible for the supply of electricity to a large amount of North East England, prior to the nationalisation of the British electricity industry with the Electricity Act 1947...
(NESCo) were confined to operating within the eastern half of Newcastle. Their initial objective was to supply electricity for "4,500 ten candle-power lamps, of which 3,000 could be alight at one time." NESCo's first major step toward achieving this goal was the erection of their first power station, at Pandon Dene in the city's east end. The station was opened in 1890. Charles Merz worked at the station in 1892, prior to becoming a founder of his own electrical engineering consultancy Merz & McLellan
Merz & McLellan
Merz and McLellan was a leading British electrical engineering consultancy based in Newcastle.-History:The firm was founded by Charles Merz and William McLellan in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1902 when McLellan joined Merz's existing firm established in 1899...
.
Design and specification
Upon opening, the station generated electricity using two 75 kilowatts (kW) Mordey alternatorAlternator
An alternator is an electromechanical device that converts mechanical energy to electrical energy in the form of alternating current.Most alternators use a rotating magnetic field but linear alternators are occasionally used...
s, each driven by a conventional Robey steam engine
Reciprocating engine
A reciprocating engine, also often known as a piston engine, is a heat engine that uses one or more reciprocating pistons to convert pressure into a rotating motion. This article describes the common features of all types...
, meaning the alternators operated at a slow speed. This gave the station an initial generating capacity of 150 kW. The Mordey generators could not operate in parallel and so each time load was transferred from one machine to another, supply would be interrupted and customers would notice a distinct flicker in the lights.
The station burned 2,700 tonnes of coal per year, all of which was delivered by horse and cart. The electricity generated was supplied almost entirely for lighting purposes, and was generated at a pressure of 2,000 Volt
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
s, and distributed using house-to-house transformer
Transformer
A transformer is a device that transfers electrical energy from one circuit to another through inductively coupled conductors—the transformer's coils. A varying current in the first or primary winding creates a varying magnetic flux in the transformer's core and thus a varying magnetic field...
s which reduced the pressure to 100 Volts. Later in the station's history, further generators were installed, the largest of which had a capacity of 500 kW.
Closure
The station closed in 1902, following the opening of Neptune Bank Power StationNeptune Bank Power Station
Neptune Bank Power Station was a coal-fired power station situated on the River Tyne at Wallsend near Newcastle upon Tyne. Commissioned in 1901 by the Newcastle upon Tyne Electric Supply Company, the station was the first in the world to provide electricity for purposes other than domestic and...
in Wallsend
Wallsend
Wallsend is an area in North Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England. Wallsend derives its name as the location of the end of Hadrian's Wall. It has a population of 42,842.-Romans:...
, and was subsequently converted into a sub-station
Electrical substation
A substation is a part of an electrical generation, transmission, and distribution system. Substations transform voltage from high to low, or the reverse, or perform any of several other important functions...
with motor-generator
Motor-generator
A motor-generator is a device for converting electrical power to another form. Motor-generator sets are used to convert frequency, voltage, or phase of power. They may also be used to isolate electrical loads from the electrical power supply line...
s. The sub-station used four 800 kW rotary converter
Rotary converter
A rotary converter is a type of electrical machine which acts as a mechanical rectifier or inverter. It was used to convert AC to DC or DC to AC power before the advent of chemical or solid state power rectification...
s. It was one of five sub-stations which provided electricity for the North Eastern Railway's
North Eastern Railway
North Eastern Railway could refer to:*North Eastern Railway *North Eastern Railway *North Eastern Railway *North Eastern Railway...
Riverside Branch
Riverside Branch
For the Boston, Massachusetts branch line of the same name see, Green Line "D" Branch.The Riverside Branch was a North Eastern Railway built double track branch railway line in Northumberland, England, that ran from Riverside Junction between Manors and stations via seven intermediate stations...
.