The Iconic towers of Ratcliffe-On-Soar: Power, Beauty and surely there is still time to save them.

"As the River Flows, the Sculpture of Towers Stand and Watch." The photo on the left was taken in April of 2026 - for it was a sunny late Spring afternoon and here I was visiting Trent Lock, a location that could very easily be described in the following way, 

"Trent Lock, a location where Water meets, for it is here that The Erewash Canal meets The River Trent, it is a location that has a certain kind of magic to it, where history of yesteryear can still be seen and sensed, and it is also a location that has a certain photogenic quality, for it is also a location that sits close to the border with Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire - but most of all it is a location that has been shaped and forged by industry as well, passing industry and present industry, and yet there is also another element to Trent Lock that makes it a unique and interesting place, and that is the towers that rise gently like concrete giants from the other side of the water that no matter where you are within this setting seem to dominate the skyline. But for how long? Well the sad thing is, that these concrete giants may not be around for much longer and yet we, us humans could change that."

Fast forward from April of 2026 to the first week of June 2026, and  I ended up coming across an article which said the following "Notts-Based Photographer, Harvey Tomlinson is Up for a National Geographic Award for his Photograph of Ratcliffe-On-Soar Power Station." And then what happens? On Wednesday the 3rd of June 2026, 9pm on More 4, was a program with Kevin McCloud, you may or may not have seen him presenting Grand Designs, but his latest series is called quite simply - Kevin McCloud's Listed Britain, and for anyone who likes Architecture and the arts of the built environment then it might be the ideal tonic and program of escapism. But what made the episode that little bit more interesting on the 3rd of June 2026? Well, Kevin McCloud himself was visiting this site where these now defunct concrete giants stand, and they stand empty and sadly unused, unlisted as well. A Stark contrast perhaps to say the more futuristic Lloyds building in London. But that aside, what Kevin McCloud was looking at was these giant concrete giants, and a site which now sit empty and without purpose. Or do they? 

For these towers were very much alive - now though they are silent, and they are awaiting their death. But what happens if they could be saved? What happens if this landmark of industry and architecture could be used in a slightly different way - and well they can. You only have to look abroad at certain countries within Europe and beyond where Cooling Towers and industry has been preserved, a few examples of cooling towers which in Europe (and further afield) have been preserved are the following, 

1. Inota Power Plant, Hungary - Again this is a former power plant with cooling towers which is now the home to a repurposed venue for music and arts, where the cooling towers are used for projection screens. 
2. Wunderland Kalkar, Germany - A place of leisure, a place that is a theme park and in a former cooling tower what is there? Quite a large ride that forms part of the wider theme park. 
3. Pirelli Headquarters, Milan in Italy - Pirelli is of course known worldwide for the tires that they produce, but architecturally what did they do? Well for their Headquarters they used a cooling tower which was part of a former power station. 
4. Orlando Towers, Soweto in South Africa - Want to do something interesting, and use an empty space, well that is what Orlando Towers is, it is a former coal powered power station which again has cooling towers and that complex is now an extreme sports centre and hub. 

And that is just four locations that the wider public, the wider community, the wider outside of the box styles of thinking have come together and found a way in which to reuse architecture and preserve it, preserving history. Of course after the segment with Kevin McCloud visiting Ratcliffe-On-Soar, he ended up talking to someone from The 20th Centry Society, a group of people who are campaigning for outstanding buildings, and you might think that Ratcliffe-On-Soar Power Station, is not outstanding but it is. It is a place of history and of architecture that combined makes for something interesting, the person who Kevin McCloud spoke to, said something to this effect, 

"That you can actually purchase a cooling tower and that some have been for sale for the price of a house."

A quirky way perhaps to save a piece of Architecture, and it got me thinking that these iconic cooling towers and the site of Ratcliffe-On-Soar Power Station really has so much potential, the potential for it to be changed into a site for arts, a festival site perhaps? A site for arts and the artistic community perhaps? A Site of learning and science - okay, an example of that could be take a leaf from MAGNA in Sheffield, where a site of industry has once again been preserved and transformed. But all it needs to make this happen is a little bit of "outside the box thinking" and that is the key. Why in other countries are interesting industrial pieces of architecture, that includes old power plants saved? Surely here in the UK, it is time to start taking note, to look more to the future and to think more along a progressive line and see what can be done. 

And if we can do that, then surely there is still some time, a window of opportunity a case in point to save industrial artefacts, landmarks that have shaped the landscape that they exist in, to perhaps transform the land that they are on, into places of arts, places of beauty where memories from their industrial past can still be seen, memories still shared, and a place for the public to still enjoy, perhaps that is what can be done to Ratcliffe-On-Soar Power Station, and yes headlines over the past couple of days have said the following,

"Uniper signs up Erith for demolition contract at Ratcliffe-on-Soar Power Station."

But despite that headline, things have been done in the past, where something on the brink of demolition, where architecture that is on the cusp of being destroyed has indeed been saved, by the power of people, some of whom have links to a particular building or buildings, some of whom can see the potential for future use, from parkland and spaces that can still encompass the architecture that stands, and surely it is not too late to save the iconic structures of Ratcliffe-On-Soar Power Station, and the cooling towers that have graced the landscape for many a year, to save them it just needs some outside of the box thinking to be done. 

Moods and November Views, a slightly unusual look at The Erewash Valley after Storm Claudia.

November really is a month of "transitions, one minute there are the colours of Autumn that end up becoming the final embers of colour before everything turns that little bit more grey." And along with the grey and bare weather, what else is late Autumn and this transition period into Winter known for? Well storms - and it was on November the 14th 2025 that Storm Claudia arrived, bringing with it an entire deluge of rain in just one day, and whilst Monmouthshire has been affected, here on the Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire Border, it was time to see what effects Storm Claudia had, on The Erewash Valley. And from the ground near Shipley Lock, the best way to describe things was lets just say, 

"Typically Moody and Grey, atmospheric and strangely beautiful yet haunting."

And here are the photos from the ground overlooking The Erewash Valley, with Winston in the distance and of course The River Erewash. 

"November Deluge and Golden Embers Remain."

"Embers of Gold, the River Runs High."

"Moods and Grey, the Flood Plains, the River escaped on the Way."

"The Water, the Turbine of Winston."

But from above, with the drone it was clear to see the extent and amounts of water that had fallen, that had made it onto the flood plains, and looking towards Giltbrook and the direction in which Bennerley Viaduct is, well that was dramatic to say the least. Towards Langley Mill, again, dramatic but not so much in terms of water on the flood plains, and below are the photos taken with the metaphorical flying tripod with a camera attached to it. 

"Moods and November Valley Views."

"Water World. A Grey November Storm Claudia Aftermath."

"As the water Wanders."

"Bleak over Erewash Fields, towards A Langley Mill Grey."

"River, Canal, A Sense of Erewash Grey."

"Erewash Fields, to Storm Aftermath Fields."

"Floating above the water, under the November Grey."

Did I encounter the last strands of Autumn Beauty in Derbyshire? For I think I really did, colour and beauty from the ground and from the air.

"As the middle of November approaches a transition happens. For it might still be Autumn, however the last strands of Autumn Beauty, well they can still be seen, but amongst the last strands of that Autumnal Beauty, a bareness can also be seen creeping in, giving way slowly and gently to the bare and more challenging elements of capturing Winter, a season without such a glorious glow."

It was on Thursday the 6th of November 2025, that an "Autumnal Trip into Derbyshire" was on the cards. Yes, as a county goes, Derbyshire is a county of many contrasts, from the more touristy parts of the county that include The Derbyshire Dales and their landscape elements, right up towards The Peak District National Park, and their darker, bleaker and atmospheric landscapes, in which wild and desolate moorlands can be found. But this time around, the locations whilst they were in Derbyshire, were lets just say, 

"A little bit away from the touristy areas and traps, for they still had Autumn Elements and Autumn Beauty, that many would probably ignore on their way to the more touristy parts of the county."

And the first stop off, of the day was Belper, a beautiful and historic town that is located in The Lower Derwent Valley, and a location of history that can still be seen even today, but where was the best place to capture the Autumn Beauty of Belper? Well that of course happened to be the delightful Belper River Gardens, and below are the photos that I managed to capture using the "metaphorical tripod in the sky, with a camera attached to it."

"Autumn Serenity, the Glow and Beauty of The Gardens and The River."

"Autumn Vibes of Belper River Gardens."

"Autumn Portrait, River Garden Glow."

"Moods, Sky and a River Garden below."

"Floating above the Autumn of The River Gardens. A Belper Kind of View."

After a delightful visit to Belper River Gardens and of course lunch at - Park Life Café at the Swiss Tea Rooms, situated within Belper River Gardens it was time to move on, this time the winding A6 heading towards Derby in a more southbound direction, passing through Milford and of course ending up in Duffield, where a right turn was taken, this right turn of course leading along the equally winding and picturesque B5023 towards the historical town of Wirksworth, situated in the picturesque and hidden Eccelsbourne Valley, a valley that has a plethora of vistas and views and glorious scenery that is just waiting to be discovered, after passing through Wirksworth, another stop took place, this time at Black Rocks, located between Wirksworth and Cromford, a place that I had not visited for a couple of years, but a place in which geology can be seen, along with some pretty incredible Autumnal Woodlands, which were on metaphorical fire, and had a truly glorious glow to them, and here are the photos from there.

"Like an Autumn Wallpaper."

"Mystical is the Autumn Glow."

"Psychedelic Autumn Fire Glow."

"Like an Autumn Painted Portrait."

"Orange Glow, the Autumn Beauty Shines."

"Amongst the Autumn Pillars."

"Branches of the Autumn Beauty, the Artists Glow."

"Autumn Tapestry and Colour Symphony."

Upon finishing up at Black Rocks, and witnessing plus of course capturing an entire Autumn palette of artwork and colours that just somehow "popped" it was time to head back down into Cromford and back down the A6, this time heading towards Ambergate, and finally there was just one more stop off point, a seemingly ordinary layby between Whatstandwell and Ambergate, however this Layby has an extraordinary view of Shining Cliff Woods on the other side of The River Derwent, and a truly spectacular view of the Lower Derwent Valley, and then I had noticed something, the sky was doing something spectacular, the colours had changed and this made the woodlands of this part of The Lower Derwent Valley completely glow, and of course I just had to send the drone up, and below is what I had managed to capture. 

"A Shining Glow."

"Autumn Gold, A Shining Cliff Beauty."

"Shining is the portrait of Autumn Layers and Gold."

"The Bends of The Lower Derwent, and the chasing magical light."

But looking back at the three locations that I had visited, what had I seen? Well beauty, artwork and colours, all of which created and curated by nature, and yes it might have been the 6th of November 2025 - but I really am sure that I had come across in Derbyshire, the last strands of Autumn Beauty, the last strands of colour, magnificent Autumn Colours that this year, have proven to be that little bit more magical, and that has been something else to behold, but of course Autumn will give way, and the colour will become a little bit more meh, dull and bland, but in the mind, what is there? Visions of colour and of course Autumn delight, until the return of the colour in the Spring of 2026. That being said though, Winter photography can be challenging, but if the conditions are right, then magic even in the Winter can still be found. Yet this time around on the 6th of November 2025, I really had come across magic and beauty, and perhaps the last elements of Autumn colour, before nature takes itself off to sleep for one last time before the Spring arrives. 

Finding colour and beauty on the ground and from the air, at Shipley Country Park.

If there is one place that I love to visit, and have done over many years, since I was young - it would have to be Shipley Country Park, an area of parkland between Ilkeston, Heanor and of course Smalley/Stanley Common - that seems to exist almost like a rough triangle of course and provides a much needed place of escapism and serenity from the more "suburban areas" that it is located next to. And it was on November the 1st 2025, in the afternoon that a walk at Shipley Country Park, was on the cards. 

The last time I had visited, well what had I noticed? That of course would happen to be the encroaching palette of Autumnal Colours, slowly becoming that little bit more visible, but this time around, well I came across the beauty on the ground, the colours of Autumn truly standing out like works of art, just awaiting to be captured, but I also sensed something else, what was that sense? 

"Well yes, it is November already, goodbye October, and whilst there is still colour, swathes of Autumn Colour, just looking beautiful - there are signs however that things are beginning to change, slowly of course but you can make out some lets just say slightly more sporadic areas in and amongst and around the swathes of Autumn Colours in which there are trees and other such foliage without any leaves any more. A sure indicator and sign as to what season is coming next."

But of course walking around at ground level, well these are the photos that I had managed to capture, and one of them happens to be my favourite one from Autumn 2025 - and that photo is quite simply called: A moment of Autumn Gold.

"Veins of the Autumn Tree, And Autumn is the Canopy."

"The Autumn Kiss."

"To walk the Autumn Pathway."

"An Autumn Portrait of Gold."

"From Autumn Gold to Autumn Blue."

"The Autumn Canopy, a Glow of Beauty."

"Guardians of Autumn, the silence of Autumn Beauty."

"Autumn Swathes, the cover of Autumn and the Pathway."

"The layers and elements of Autumn, for artwork of Autumn is in front of me."

"Entering the Autumn Glow."

"The beauty from inside the Autumn Artwork."

"A Paws for Thought."

"A moment of Autumn Gold."

"Autumn Gold, the Portrait Glow."

"Shining Gentle Autumn Light."

"Within the Autumn Sanctuary."

"The fire of the Autumn Arts, Layers of Warmth a Glow."

And of course I just had to send the drone into the air, the metaphorical "flying tripod with a camera attached to it." But, this time around I could notice a difference, for this time last year, a lack of colour, and this year, well from above it was clear to see the beauty of Shipley Country Park/Horsepool Hill, and its more abstract layers and colours below, thus giving a different perspective of what Autumn at Shipley Country Park, looked like, and below are the photos that I had managed to capture of Autumn from the air at Shipley Country Park.

"An Autumn Tree Standing."

"Gold, Green, Blue."

"Abstract, Architecture and The Autumn Afternoon Golden Beauty, a Glow."

"Over the tops of Autumn to the Scar on the Landscape."

"Foliage, Golden and Autumn. The elements and patterns of the Autumn Below."

"SIlver, Gold and Blue."

"Golden Abstract and Silver Elements."

"Green Beauty, Abstract Elements."

"That perfect Autumn Light, the Canopy of Autumn."

"Gold amongst Green."

"Autumn and the outline of Shipley Hall."

"The outline of the Hall, the Autumn Glow that Surrounds."

"The branches of Autumn Gold. The Artwork of Autumn Beauty."