Building record 7756/6 - Jodrell Bank Observatory: Power House

<1> Historic England, 2015-, Notification Report of Decision not to Designate, Fox P, 11/07/2017 (Written Communication). SCH7825.

‘…The Power House was built in 1947-48, and was the first permanent building on the site, housing two 105KW generators to power the various portable equipment being used – the generators were in continuous use and were stripped and rebuilt in rotation. In order to provide the power for what became the Lovell Telescope, in 1952 an extension was begun to the west, replacing an existing low platform on the same footprint, (shown on an aerial photo of 1950-51). Due to supply problems, the extension was built using bricks intended for the chimney then being built at the university’s city-centre campus. The extension was roofed in April 1953 and allowed for the installation, within the original building, of a 7-cylinder 240KW diesel generator from Mirrlees of Stockport, which was delivered in June and in use by Christmas that year. The original two generators were relocated to the western extension. An extension to the east housing a vehicle inspection pit is also thought to have been built at the same time. An additional 7-cylinder generator from Blackstone was installed in 1976, and the electrical equipment and control cabinets updated and relocated. This generator, and the Mirrlees generator (rotated through 180 degrees) replaced the original two 105KW generators, largely within the western extension. Another generator, which is visible within the original building in a photograph thought to date from just after the 1952-53 extensions, is no longer present. The current generators are still in regular use…’

<2> Chris Blandford Associates, 2016, Jodrell Bank Observatory, Conservation Management Plan (Client Report). SCH8560.