Originally, the nickname "Persistence Power Plant" (or "Power in Persistence") referred to the lengths one had to go to to access the building - first a hike, then a wade, then a sprint, and then a squeeze. Since then, though, it's taken on a different meaning, as it has taken me three visits to properly see and photograph the entire property without being too on edge to explore the upper floors (as on my first visit) or being interrupted by workers (as on my second).
This time, I made my approach early in the morning on a Sunday to avoid any such encounters. Since my previous visit, demolition has started on a very limited basis, and all of the ground-level doors were wide open, eliminating much of the difficulty. My choice of timing paid off well, and I spent several hours documenting every place of interest that I remembered from earlier trips, along with a fair few new discoveries. The turbines have long since been removed from their hall, so the real treat here is the boiler house, a lovely maze of pipes, catwalks and brickwork lit by skylights, with the ground floor corridors flanked by fantastic panels of switches and gauges.
Places like this make me wish I was in the business of filming my outings. Still photography can't adequately capture the dimensions, lighting and atmosphere of such a space. Exploring to this place was my gift to myself the day after my 30th birthday, and I can't imagine a better way to usher in a new decade of exploring.
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As always, thanks for looking, and happy exploring!