LAST week, we featured a brilliant picture of Coronation Day sports taking place in Darlington’s Brunswick Street, with children dashing along the tarmac-topped road away from the giant shapes of cooling towers behind them.

The Northern Echo: Coronation Day sports in 1953 in Brunswick Street, DarlingtonCoronation Day sports in 1953 in Brunswick Street, Darlington (Image: Darlington Centre for Local Studies)

Coronation Day sports in 1953 in Brunswick Street, Darlington. Picture courtesy of the Darlington Centre for Local Studies

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The three cooling towers belonged to the Haughton Road power station which was beside the East Coast Main Line. Duncan Bannatyne’s gym and the Steeplejack Way light industrial estate, off Borough Road, now occupies the site of the power station.

The power station began generating in May 1940, causing Lord Haw Haw, the turncoat broadcaster to crackle across the propaganda airwaves and warn the town that it was now a target for Luftwaffe bombers. In response, the cooling towers had camouflage shapes painted on them, as if it were possible to somehow hide such giants in the urban environment. At least one man fell to his death while painting the camouflage.

The Northern Echo: Looking at the rear of Borough Road with the power station dominating the skyline on December 11, 1962

Looking at the rear of Borough Road with the power station dominating the skyline on December 11, 1962. We reckon this picture was taken from the rear of Peases Mill

The station also had three slender chimneys which pumped out coal smoke. The smoke combined with the steam from the cooling towers to produce “artificial drizzle” which dribbled down on the terraces of the Bank Top area of town so that housewives dare not hang their white washing out in their back yards to dry.

The Northern Echo: brunswick street jefferson darlington.

An experiment with a time-lapse shutter by Douglas Jefferson, the Echo's chief photographer, in Brunswick Street in Darlington shortly after the Second World War. Below: Brunswick Street in June 1959. The school, which is now The Forum, is on the right

The Northern Echo: Brunswick Street in June 1959. The school, which is now The Forum, is on the right

The Northern Echo:

Brunswick Street in the early 1960s after it had been cleared in readiness for the inner ring road to be built

The Northern Echo: Inside the Darlington power station in December 1974

Inside the Darlington power station in December 1974

The Northern Echo: Bobby Arrowsmith is chaired by his workmates at the Darlington power station in August 1965 after winning the best kept power station in the North East trophy for the third time. The judges liked the station's safety record, its cleanliness and that

Bobby Arrowsmith is chaired by his workmates at the Darlington power station in August 1965 after winning the best kept power station in the North East trophy for the third time. The judges liked the station's safety record, its cleanliness and that the engineroom was painted an attractive powder blue complimenting the alternators in cherry red.

The Northern Echo: Norah and William Brown outside their house in Middleton Street in January 1979. They look pretty happy, so perhaps they've received news that the cooling towers are due for demolition

Norah and William Brown outside their house in Middleton Street in January 1979. They look pretty happy, so perhaps they've received news that the cooling towers are due for demolition

The Northern Echo: The smokey skyline on April 30, 1973, from Lower Priestgate. On the left is the ten pin bowling alley that has just been demolished; on the right are some outbuildings of Peases Mill

The smoky skyline on April 30, 1973, from Lower Priestgate. On the left is the ten pin bowling alley that has just been demolished; on the right are some outbuildings of Peases Mill

the 1960s, the station generated 60 megawatts and employed 170 men.

It ceased generating in 1976 when the artificial drizzle stopped. The three stubby cooling towers were demolished on January 28, 1979, not only clearing the skyline but enormously improving the colour TV reception for those in the east end of town. The three chimneys were demolished one by one in 1982.

The Northern Echo: The cooling towers come crashing down on January 28, 1979

The Northern Echo: The cooling towers come crashing down on January 28, 1979

The Northern Echo: The cooling towers come crashing down on January 28, 1979

The cooling towers come crashing down on January 28, 1979

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