R.I.P. The Cooling Towers

Scarily, it seems to be becoming a recurring theme that I’m paying homage to things that have been destroyed. After only just posting about the demise of Weston-super-Mare Pier, I’m talking about the downfall of the much loved Cooling Towers in Tinsley, Sheffield just next to the M1.

These iconic structures have lined the horizon of Sheffield for many years and always served as a reminder that you were home.

Thousands turned out to see the demolition of the towers, unfortunately, I was down in Somerset and was unable to pay my respects to them. It was pleasing to see that they didn’t go down without a fight! Makes you wonder if E:ON’s claims of them being structurally unsound was a valid one though.

There is one thing that is really bugging and puzzling me about the demolition of the towers: Why the hell weren’t they listed? It is thought that these were the last examples of pre-1950′s Cooling Towers and nobody thought that this was an important part of this country’s heritage? How can an eye-sore like Park Hill Flats, which are apparently fine examples of 1950′s architecture (precisely the reason they should be knocked down), be considered as a listed building and the Cooling Towers not be?

It was good to see that so many people turning out and that there was so much media attention about the Towers, just a shame that it was too little, too late. One other confusing thing was that The Guardian article quoted as them being nicknamed Bill and Ben the flowerpot men. I don’t know a single person who has ever referred to them as Bill and Ben the Flowerpot Men, please correct me if I’m wrong though!

Image courtesy of Foto43