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Kingsnorth Power Station, Kent - Dec 2013 / Jan 2014 | Oblivion State Urban Exploration

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Kingsnorth Power Station, Kent - Dec 2013 / Jan 2014

Maniac

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I know it's an overused phrase, but this place really was EPIC. It had everything you want from an explore, sneaking around to get in, dodging CCTV security guards and ridiculous fences. Industrial porn on an epic scale, retro control rooms, working automatic doors it really was immense!

Kingsnorth Power Station has stood on the hoo paninsula in Kent for over 40 years steadily generating power for the national grid. It was capable of operating on oil or coal, in reality it spent a majority of its life being coal fired with oil being used only as a secondary fuel. Its generating capacity was a little under 2000 megawatts and it had 4 generator sets in total.

A replacement power station was considered for the site by owners EON, but plans were abandoned after the proposal attracted substantial public protest. Kingsnorth Power Station ceased generating in December 2012 after consuming all it's allowed hours under the EU directive on large Combustion Plant. It officially closed in March 2013 and decommissioning started shortly afterwards.

Wind forwards to December this year and a couple of bored explorers by the names of Fortknox and Maniac were pondering over what to do over the christmas break. I utter the phrase "I wouldn't mind taking a proper look at Kingsnorth" and the plan was born.

Despite what they'd have you believe, these places are not inpentrable fortresses, there's always a chink in the armour, it's just finding it that's the key and find it we did. It took us a few hours cautiously making our approach slowly getting closer and closer, overcoming fences, CCTV cameras and other obsticles in our path, but we soon found ourselves standing very close to the building with nothing between us and our entry point. If I'm brutally honest I didn't expect to get this far without having to leg it away from angry security guards, getting arrested or both. But apart from a radio playing loudly in one of the maintenance sheds the place appeared deserted.

I visited this on two occasions, first off with Mr Fortknox0 when we first cracked it at the end of last year - hats off to you for giving me a push to get this done. And then more recently again with Fortknox0 and this time accompanied by Frosty and Gadget. Both times absolutely fantastic trips I will never forget!

This is what it looks like from a distance

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And close up

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So in we went, not knowing at this stage how far the decommissioning had progressed and we were pleasantly surprised.

Apologies for some of these photos, there are a lot of handheld shots with a few better ones when time allowed.

Firstly this place is vast

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And has a lot of pipes

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But of course it gets better

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And better. . . . .

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And better . . . .

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Parts lined up ready to go.

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Continued . . . .

 

Maniac

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And of course no power station would be complete with its control room

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Good to see they're keeping a steady 50Hz - this was still monitoring the grid as it kept fluxuating.

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Couple of cheeky outside shots

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I would love to say what a cracking start to 2014, except that really this was a stunning end to 2013 as we did it first right at the end of last year.

The only thing that has escaped us is the chimney, but that really is locked up proper tight after greenpeace painted 'Gordon' down it sometime in 2007.

Thanks for looking!

Maniac

 

Lara

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Oh my word, that is a belter!! Im a little bit jealous right now :)

 

shaddam

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Now THAT'S the definition of an explore !. Blown away ! I can only imagine how it must of felt being there !!

 

Maniac

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Now THAT'S the definition of an explore !. Blown away ! I can only imagine how it must of felt being there !!
It was a mixture between pure adrenalin, shitting ourselves at the slightest movement or sound, moments of pure joy like getting into the control room, and dread that we might be caught at any moment. Props to Knox, as I probably would have chickened out on the first night had he not pushed me a bit to keep going. (y)

All-in-all a massive win!

 

Frosty

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And the workers mike!! prevented me from having any shots of lower levels!! DAMN THEM!!

 

fortknox0

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Was all good fun though!! cant beat that feeling of going into the unknown on an explore!! and seeing that control room with all the panels still on was pretty good!! I think it was just staying alert that made it possible n not just running in. Considering the industrial estate security and security from the live plant next door were on us straight away I think we did pretty good :) . shame about the chimney but cant win them all I guess! ;)

 

Wevsky

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Nice one mr maniac,considering the greenpeace precautions you seem to have found a way . (y)

 

mookster

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Massively insanely jealous, that is proper industrial epic win on a huge stick.

 

skeleton key

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Now that is simply class guys and really cool.

Getting in the control room is Legend .

Hell Yeh :band:

 

Perjury Saint

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Epic?! Thats an understatement!! F**KIN AWESOME that is mate!! Very well done!!

 

Nelly

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That is absolutely cracking mate!!!

 
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