Yorkshire gold – Power station celebrates 50 years with train journey across iconic landmark
The UK’s largest producer of renewable power, Drax Power Station, has celebrated its Golden anniversary with the unveiling of a special rail wagon, seen for the first time crossing Yorkshire’s iconic Ribblehead Viaduct.
Renewable power pioneer, Drax Group, unveiled the golden liveried Class 66 locomotive operated by GB Railfreight to mark the 50th anniversary of its eponymous power station near Selby, in North Yorkshire.
The train hauled 25 biomass wagons, including one with a matching golden wrap, across the famous Victorian viaduct on the scenic Settle-Carlisle line towards Tyne Dock, where they were filled with the sustainable biomass pellets the power station uses to generate enough reliable, renewable electricity to power four million UK homes.
Mark Gibbens, Head of Logistics at Drax said: “We are delighted to mark the 50th anniversary of Drax Power Station, and its role in keeping the lights on for millions of people in Yorkshire and the UK, through this train journey across the iconic Ribblehead Viaduct.
“Our partnerships with organisations such as GB Railfreight ensure that we can continue to contribute to the UK’s decarbonisation objectives and energy security with power from sustainable biomass.”
John Smith, CEO of GB Railfreight, said: “GB Railfreight has proudly supported Drax and the UK Government to produce low-carbon power for us all; driving jobs, warming homes and creating economic value across the country.
“To recognise the importance of our relationship with Drax and to celebrate their 50th anniversary, we gave them the perfect gift to mark the occasion – a gold locomotive.”
Drax has also commemorated its special anniversary with a series of charter trains that carried passengers around the Drax Power Station rail loop to raise money for charity.
The event, in partnership with GB Railfreight and others, raised over £30,000 for Martin House, a charity that provides hospice care for children and young people with life-limiting illnesses across West, North and East Yorkshire.
GBRf’s Golden Locomotive 66301 was named “Drax Power Station 50” during the day by Drax Plant Director Bruce Heppenstall and two of the companies longest serving employees. Along with the naming ceremony, passengers were transported around the power station and had the opportunity to see locomotives that have moved materials to Drax Power Station throughout its 50-year history.
Drax Power Station began producing power in 1974, and Yorkshire’s railways have played a critical role in the site’s supply chain and its continuing role in UK energy security
When Drax opened it was the UK’s largest coal-fired power station and trainloads of coal were taken from the region’s mines to supply it. Today, the plant uses sustainable biomass, and the company’s rail freight partners transport the compressed wood pellets from ports across Northern England to Drax Power Station – the UK’s largest renewable power producer by output.
Drax currently holds a fleet of 255 IIA-D rail wagons, which were specially developed to transport biomass in 2014 and manufactured locally in Mansfield.
The conversion of the power station from coal to using biomass has paved the way for Drax to develop its plans to deploy the vital carbon dioxide removal technology, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS) – a technology which can permanently remove millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping to reverse the harmful effects of climate change.
Drax aims to install BECCS on two of its biomass generating units supporting the UK government’s ambition to have a net zero electricity system by 2030.