My daughter and I got up at 2.15am for the scheduled demolition of the three cooling towers of Didcot A power station sometime between 3 and 5am this morning.
We, along with hundreds of others parked in Milton village nearby and had a vantage point across the fields from about 1km away as the crow flies. We were stationed from 2.45am – and in the end it was just about light when the towers went at 5am. We couldn’t hear the klaxon from that distance, but Radio Oxford had the details…
But there are still the other group of 3 towers plus the chimney left – so we’ll still know we’re nearly home whenever we see them on the horizon.
Going back to bed now!
How momentous!
It was all a bit surreal. They did it that early, because they’re next to the mainline railway, and the line had to be checked. All that waiting for just a few seconds – but wonderful to see. (reminds me of 2012 when my bro was a torchbearer – that was gone in a flash too!).
I saw this on the BBC website, but didn’t link it with you. I would have loved to have been there. It’s funny how we have these landmarks that speak to us of home, isn’t it. When I was little the ‘golf balls’ at Fylingdales always meant we were nearly at my grandparents.
How will I know when to get my things together ready to change trains for Oxford! It must seem very strange for those of you who live near Didcot.
Whooaaaa. That seems VERY worth getting up for. The pictures are great.
I’m impressed you made it out of the house to see this – looks as though it was quite spectacular, if swift! A little bit of everyday history….
As a visitor to RAL since about 1982 I’ll miss these iconic towers!