Skelton Grange Power Station was the imposing landmark which will be remembered by generations of people who grew up in the city. Skelton Grange ‘A’ and Skelton Grange ‘B’ were the two now-demolished coal fired power stations that served Leeds and surrounding areas. The seven cooling towers in Stourton dominated the city’s skyline for decades. The power station closed in 1994 and was demolished in 1998. These memories, powered by the YEP archive and others published courtesy of photographic archive Leodis, which is run by Leeds Library & Information Service, chart its rise and fall. READ MORE: Memories of Kirkstall Power Station LOVE LEEDS? LOVE NOSTALGIA? Join Leeds Retro on facebook
7. Skelton Grange
The view looks from Belle Isle Circus towards Stourton. The street in the foreground, with a parked car, is Winrose Grove. In the middle distance, a car can be seen travelling on what was then the M1 urban motorway, which would later be re-designated M621 following construction of the A1-M1 Link in the 1990s. Beyond the motorway is the Freightliner rail terminal and behind that the cooling towers and turbine halls of Skelton Grange Power Station. Photo: Leeds Libraries, www.leodis.net
8. Skelton Grange
The coal stocks at Skelton Grange pictured in February 1974. Photo: YPN
9. Skelton Grange
Five cooling towers are visible along with two smaller chimneys in this undated photo. The two towers to the right and the two chimneys belong to the "A" station which operated between the 1940s and the mid 1980s. The three towers to the left belong to the "B" station, built between 1955 and 1962. This originally had four towers but as only three appear to be visible here it would seem that this photo was taken after 1983-84 when the fourth cooling tower was demolished. Photo: Leeds Libraries, www.leodis.net
10. Skelton Grange
City snowscape... looking across Temple Newsam golf course to the power station in December 1965. Photo: YPN
11. Skelton Grange
This 370ft chimney, one of two at the Skelton Grange 'A' power station is pictured as it is felled by Leeds Demolition Company in November 1988. It crumbed into a pile of rubble next to the remaining chimney. Photo: YPN
12. Skelton Grange
November 1989 and two 300ft towers at Skelton Grange 'A' were blown up during a controlled explosion. The two cooling towers, each weighing 4,000 tonnes were closed in October 1983. A group of schoolchildren from East End Park Special School were guests of honour. Photo: YPN