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13 November 2014

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Tinsley Towers

You are in: South Yorkshire > Places > Tinsley Towers > Tinsley Towers: going, going, gone...

Tinsley Towers: going, going, gone...

They'd been camping out since teatime. Some had portable gas stoves, some brought their young children tucked up in duvets in the back of their cars - all were there to watch the demolition of the Tinsley Towers.

Tinsley Towers demolition, 24/08/08 at 3am

Tinsley Towers demolition, 24/08/08, 3am

Thousands of people turned up to watch the planned demolition of the Tinsley Cooling Towers in Sheffield at 3am on Sunday 24th August 2008.

There was no hush as zero hour approached - in fact the shouts from the eight thousand or so spectators grew more deafening. They were silenced only by the two loud cracks, and the distant rumble as Sheffield's skyline changed forever, and the Tinsley Towers fell.

Meadowhall's car parks were jammed with onlookers and the roads around Meadowbank in Rotherham and Wincobank were also crowded.

Going, going...: Tinsley Towers partially demolished

Going, going... partially demolished

As the 250 foot tall redundant cooling towers disappeared into a cloud of dust, it seemed for a moment as if a piece had come to rest on the motorway. It was an optical illusion - but all had not gone according to plan.

A section of the north tower remained pointing into the sky. Two hours passed while Ìýthe Highways Agency and the owners of the towers - energy company E.On - debated what to do.

Eventually E.On's contractors demolished the remaining piece of the towers manually and confirmed the demolition was completed. In a joint statement with the Highways Agency, the project partners declared that there had been no damage to the M1 viaduct.

The towers' demolition on Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio Sheffield!

Â鶹ԼÅÄ Radio Sheffield stayed on-air overnight to cover the demolition of the towers. Steve White was in the studio while reporters Andy Kershaw and Dan Green were on-site to watch the demolition and brought us the moments that the iconic landmarks came down.

Gone: The day after the demolition

Gone: The day after the demolition

Andy Kershaw said: "We watched the countdown to the detonation at just after 3am and after the huge plumes of dust and smoke settled, everyone realised that part of the north tower remained standing. It pointed a giant concrete finger in the floodlit sky with part of the walls still standing at around 15 metres."

Find out more about the demolition with Â鶹ԼÅÄ News:

The 250ft high towers structures stood about 17 metres away from the M1 at Tinsley, across the road from Meadowhall Shopping Centre. They were left standing for safety reasons after the demolition of the Blackburn Meadows power station. Many people felt that when they saw Tinsley Towers, they know they are "home."

I Love Tinsley Towers

I Love Tinsley Towers!?

Thousands flocked to view the detonation of the towers

Meadowhall Shopping Centre agreed to provide a viewing area for locals who went to witness the demolition of the cooling towers in the early hours of Sunday morning on the August Bank Holiday.

Thousands of peopleÌýstood in the drizzle with a sense that they were witnessing a seminal moment in Sheffield's history. The atmosphere was described as 'carnival' in nature in the run up to the detonation.

Clare Brooks and her partner Glynn Morgan's from Dinnington won the raffle to sound the claxon for the explosion. Money raised in the raffle is to be shared equally between Rotherham Hospice and Neurocare at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital.

Tinsley Towers postcard

A postcard from Tinsley Towers

E.On is also funding a a commemorative book and set of postcards. Copies of the book and postcards set, each priced £5, will be on sale from Tuesday 26th August.

In pictures

We'd like to collect as many of your photos of Tinsley Towers as possible - before and after the demolition. Send in your photos of the towers and the site to south.yorkshire@bbc.co.uk and we will add them to the gallery below.

You can also leave your comments about the towers and their demolition via the form at the bottom of the page, or submit your memories of Tinsley Towers to the Â鶹ԼÅÄ Memoryshare project where they will be added to an archive of memories from 1900 to the present day.

Tinsley Towers

Tinsley Towers

What you think

One of the overriding feelings people have about the Tinsley Towers is that when you saw them standing alongside the M1, you knew you were 'home' and this was a major reason why the public wanted the towers to remain. Before their demolition, people wrote in with the following comments:

"I moved to London some time ago and every time I come back for a visit when I pass the towers I know I am home," said Helen Wrend. Sarah agreed: "I always love to see them when I'm on the train or coach back from a long trip - they tell me I'm almost home. I'll miss them when they're gone."

Other people point out that the towers were an important reminder of Sheffield's industrial past. "They represented Sheffield's past glories as an industrial hub of the world!" says Jimmy.

Tinsley Towers (artist's impression © Insite)

Artist's impression © Insite

Lots of people saw the Towers as a potential piece of urban art or iconography, and they were the subject of a RIBA and Groundwork Sheffield art competition and a Channel 4 competition to keep them as a piece of iconic art, but nothing came of it. A series of postcards of Tinsley Towers was commissioned by the Arts Council, and limited edition memorabilia and artworks were sold commemorating the Towers.

After photographing the towers from every angle for an art project, M wrote in to say, "They are among the most beautiful pieces of urban landscape I have ever seen. Their loss would be the loss of a distinctive landmark, part of Sheffield's horizon as much as the Arts Tower or Meadowhall. I'll be extremely sorry to see them go; I believe they deserve to stand for as long as they can as a testament to Sheffield's past and proof of the fact that something theoretically ugly can be beautiful too."

View of Sheffield and Tinsley Towers from a crane

View of Tinsley Towers from a crane

But E.On spokesman Jonathan Smith explained that their demolition clears the way for the regeneration of the site and surrounding area: "The rest of the power station has gone, the towers have reached the end of their useful working life, and they literally need to be demolished."

Although by no means everybody, certainly some locals see things from this point of view as well: "They're old and dull. They make it look old," says Jack - and 'Owdlad' says, "They've been an eye sore for many years and the sooner they are gone, the better it will be." Chris, a Civil Engineer, wrote in to say that: "they're rotting, dilapidated structures that will one day become a risk to the M1 due to lack of maintenance and investment. The only reason they didn’t come down with the rest of the original power station was due to strengthen works of the M1 viaduct which IS something of value and engineering heritage due to its very unique design. Down with the towers and make some use of the brownfield site they sit on!"

You can read more comments on the topic by clicking on the link below to our Tinsley Towers Gallery and you can add your own.

What next? Landmark and biomass power station

So what is planned for the brownfield site which Tinsley Towers sat on? In the first half of 2008, Sheffield City Council gave E.On planning permission for a £60m new biomass power station that will generate enough electricity for around 40,000 homes.

The biomass plant will be built on the 30 acre site that the Blackburn Meadows power station stood on, and would burn a combination of recycled wood and specially grown crops such as willow and elephant grass.

Sunset at Tinsley Towers, 2008

Sunset at Tinsley Towers, 2008

E.On also say that they are also exploring other opportunities for the site: "The land has been earmarked for employment opportunities in Sheffield City Council's Urban Development Plan. We believe the area has a positive future and we are already in discussion with the council and local partners to explore all options that will fit with the area's regeneration plans."

The company also say that they have put aside a substantial sum to create a new permanent landmark piece of art for Sheffield.

Get more information from Â鶹ԼÅÄ News via the link below.

Have Your Say and your photos

We'd like to collect as many photos of Tinsley Towers as possible. Send in your photos of the towers - old and new - to south.yorkshire@bbc.co.uk and we will add them to the gallery below.

You can also leave your memories about Tinsley Towers by clicking on the Â鶹ԼÅÄ Memoryshare link.

last updated: 03/04/2009 at 13:10
created: 12/08/2008

Have Your Say

What did the towers mean to you? Was their demolition a loss for the region or will a biomass power station be a better use of the space?

The Â鶹ԼÅÄ reserves the right to edit comments submitted.

Megan Connell
I really love the Tinsley Cooling Towers in Sheffield when I went down to Great Gaddesden because there are my friends and it's too sad to see them go, but why? because They had to make it safe from the road (M1 Motoway).

Shamee
I am so upset that the towers are gone. The towers was a good representation of Sheffield and now its all gone. Thanks Eon.

Brenda Callaghan
Its so nice to know that the powers that be listened to everyone......and then ignored all the pleas to save them.I loved the towers...it was a disgrace that they were demolished. It would appear that there is no Credit worries or EON, but yet they still increase the fuel charges.Strange that Battersea Power Station was never demolished!I bet they listened to Londoners more than the people of Sheffield and surrounding areas.Still, Honi Soit Qui Mal Y pense.

Matty
Get a grip people,Am origanally from Sheffield and looking back at them i think grim, miserable and ugly. Plant more trees...

Jonathan
Surely the £500,000 for the new artwork added to the cost of the demolition would have been more than enough to reinforce the towers? In years to come this will be looked upon as an act of iconoclasm since the times of Oliver Cromwell.

martin gates
the people who let the demolition go ahead should hang their head in shame.they said the tower are unsafe,but one still stood after the demolition,have we been told lie so a company can build on the land??makes you think

PHIL
IF A MONUMENT IS TO REPLACE THE TINSLEY TOWERS IT SHOULD BE A KNIFE FORK & SPOON MADE OF STAINLESS STEEL - A TRUE LEGACY OF SHEFFIELD

Chris Eyre
I live about a mile from where the towers stood. My partner, John, works long hours in Grimsby. He said it was always heart-warming to see the towers when he was approaching Junction 34 of the M1 as it meant he was almost home, so we're very sad that Eon have demolished them; they were iconic and represented a time when Sheffield was a leading light in our long-gone heavy industry. Part of our past has gone forever.

Miss Angry
I am so angry and upset at the demolition of the cooling towers. This is purely a publicity stunt from E-On to show us how big they think they are. If the towers were so unsafe would we have been able to drive past them at a mere 17 metres away at any time day or night? I think not. And where were the councils while this masacre was being planned? When I moved my gate post 10 years ago they were staight round saying, "put them back". And how much I wonder did it cost to knock them down? According to one web site a deal was done between E-On and the Highways agency costing £80 million pounds!!! to strengthen the viaduct so it could cope with the demolition. Would it not have been cheaper to have done some general maintenance? Do the words Historic Landmark mean nothing to people anymore? If it doesn't then may I suggest you have a good look at the carnage that was once two magnificent structures,it's the saddest place for miles around.

john -sheffield
i wonder , the person who had the final decision on the fate of the towers , is he or she from sheffield ?? , i suspect not.

Derry Leach
The loss of these towers is more significant than most of us realise - this is the start of the end of the world.

Matthew Hill
Shame they had to go, but it really was a spectacular moment. The crowds were loud, but the thousands were silenced when the first lot of explosives went off and the ground shook like an earthquake. It is something I will never forget, and I very glad I went to witness this very unique sight.

Page - Sheffield
As a mark of respect and to pay homage to what the towers represented I would love to see two commemorative beacons of light directed into the night sky which would always keep the fond warm memories of the Tinsley Twin Towers alive. I was born and raised in Tinsley and always looked upon those towers as warm bussoms to come home whilst I was away from home. Most certainly the end of an era! So long Twin Towers I'll miss you!!

josh-sheffield
i carnt beleave what they have done they have destroyed a british land mark they have been there ever since i was born it won't be the same when we travel on the m1 or go to meadowhall the cooling towers are a landmark i carnt beleave they have gone

Catie
When the towers came down it was like something had died in all of us. With all the regeneration we are losing our industrial heritage. We've forgotten about our fathers and and our grandfathers who worked to keep this steel city famous around the world. I don't want to like in a nice new city. I want my towers back.

Yvonne
It's a shame to see them go - seeing them after a long drive was a relief - you knew you were home.

PTAYLOR
SAD TO SEE THEM GO SHEFFIELD WILL NEVER BE THE SAME WITHOUT THE TOWERS ITS AN END OF AN ERAWHY EON ???

lh-sheffield
I went to see the demolition and it was a spectactular moment that shall never be forgotten. It's a shame they had to go.

MARTIN ALFRETON
WHEN TRAVELLING TO AWAY MATCHES WITH ALFRETON TOWN FC IN THE NORTH EAST OR NORTH WEST IT WAS ALWAYS A PLEASANT SIGHT TO SEE THE TOWERS IT ALWAYS MEANT THAT WE ARE JUST ON OUR WAY FOR A GOOD DAY OUT OR JUST ON OUR WAY BACK WHICH MEANT WE ARE NOT FAR FROM HOME.THEY WILL BE SADLY MISSED BY EVERYONE.

jo smedley
a sad day, we've lost our landmark. You always knew you were back in Sheffield when you saw them. One glance and you knew the kettle was only 10 minutes away. Please don't replace them with some arty farty piece of sculpture that means nothing to a true Sheffielder. They're gone and thats that. We still have our memories of them and no high powered multi million pound concern can ever take that away from any of us!

philip
i'm not from sheffield i'm from barnsley when ever i think of sheffield i think of tinsley towers and meadowhall and what are they going to do on the land...build houses??!!

Leigha
I can't believe the towers have gone. This might sound strange but everytime I was coming back into Sheffield and I saw the towers I was happy because I was home. I went to see the demolition and it's sad to see them go.No doubt that they won't ever be forgotten.

philip
i'm not from sheffield i'm from barnsley when ever i think of sheffield i think of tinsley towers and meadowhall and what are they going to do on the land...build houses??!!

charley bacon
i was really heart broken when the cooling towers were demolitioned last night at 3 am but one of the cooling towers were still standing, a spokewoman said that both of the cooling towers were gone by the time of 5:20 am this morning. charley bacon age 11 .

joseph bacon
i for one will miss the towers as a sheffield lad myself, and i have passed them everyday since i was 13 years old as i have all ways worked in rotherham, and all so when i visit my brother who lives on meadowbank road. what a sad night it was even my 11 year old daughter shed a tear. justice pervailed as the north tower did not compleetly come done..... im still standing....

Big un
It's sad and weird. They were iconic, instantly recognisable and imposing. but at the end of the day, they were one of the last remnants of the horrible, depressed and filthy de-industrialised wasteland of the Don Valley I knew growing up in Sheff in the 80's. I don't agree that they represent Sheffield's heritage. There's still 2 generations of that heritage alive to tell the tales, and millions of tons of Sheffield Steel around the world.Maybe now people will look the other way off the bridge, down the valley into town and beyond, and realise Sheffield's gateway isn't two concrete funnels but a unique geography - you have to go over a bloody viaduct just to transverse the valley eh?BTW, the viaduct was unsafe because of the amount of pigeon s**t on it, corroding the steel. The bridge serves a function to probably multiple millions of people a year. I don't see what purpose the renovated towers could possibly serve, and how it would be a sensible use of our tax money. I, for one, would have been FUMING if they'd spent it making the towers safe and left them just standing there, while Sheffield's roads are crumbling away as they are all over the city.

paula
the towers meant you were home.its so sad :(

martin barnes
i seriously can not believe the towers have gone! when driving up the motorway from the airport, seeing the towers meant that we were home. its a massive loss to our herritage

dave blinco
i,ve lived in sheffield all my life although never understood the significance of the towers,but,i along with thousands of others will miss them truck drivers allover the uk refer to them as the salt and pepper pots, now we,ll have to say were nearing the eyesore,(meadowhall)

Abby- aged 11- sheffield
I AM NOT PLEASED THAT THEY HAVE NOCKED DOWN THE TOWERS! YOU MADE ME AND MY STEP SISTER KATY CRY! YOU DONT REALISE WHAT THEM COOLING TOWERS MENT TO US. THEY WAS LIKE A LANDMARK OF SHEFFIELD SO YOU NEW WHEN YOU WAS HOME. I HOPE THEY PUT SOMETHING LIKE THE COOLING TOWERS THERE WHERE ALL THE BROKEN PIECES OF THE OLD ONES LIE. I AM NOT INPRESED WITH EON NOCKING DOWN THE TOWERS. NOW SHEFFIELD LOOKS BORING AND NOT THE SAME. I AM HARTBROKEN ABOUT THIS EVENT AND I AM NOT PLEASED WITH EON AS THEY HAVE DISTROYED SHEFFIELD COMPLETELY! YOU HAVE MADE ME UPSET AND HARTBROKEN! I HOPE YOUR PLEASED OF YOURSELF EON!

REBEKAH STEVENSON LEEDS
i went to watch the towers brought down ,im not even from sheffield but i was deeply sad that such a landmark was brought down ,i wonder if anyone was still alive who built them and wonder what they thought , they were not ugly they were not in the way , what they were is more than that , they were a flag flying to let people know they were home like two guards watching over the city ..like i said i am not from sheffield but i turned out to watch the end and it was like turning up to an exicution ...from what i hear both locals and people not from the area didnt want them gone ...thats i then .cole inustry went to the dogs, the steel industry is going the same way ...it was the only thing left to make us proud of our past....are we proud anymore now they have gone??? i think not ........

Lex Howling
This is a sad day in the war against nature. There should be a memorial monument to the Tinsley Twin Towers, maybe two beams of light spotlighting industrial clouds.

mandy
I'm sad to see them go, they are a piece of my heritage and childhood gone. I was pleased to see them as my welcome home. after a long drive, In my teens, on returning home to sheffield on leave when serving in the armed forces, Always new I was safe as soon as I saw them standing strong on the horizon. I am probably a little sentimental over this, but I was pleased that they didn't go without a fight, and as a proud northerner I found it ironic that it was the north tower which put up the biggest fight. I truely feel bereft. I only hope that E-on will erect something fitting to make sure we have a landmark and also somewhere that people can remember what did stand on the site and how much the towers meant to the city of Sheffield.R.I.P. Tinsley Towers

Grace Gadsby
My daughter, now aged 13, has always been afraid of the towers. Everytime we drove past on the M1 she would scream and duck down. She cheered when she heard they were to be demolished.

Sarah & Christian Ratcliffe
We are from sheffield and feel sad that the towers have been demolished. They really were a landmark. Yes they were ugly, but that made them even more appealing in strange way, like the mangey cat in the cat sanctuary. They really held a special place in peoples' hearts. Many were so fond of them they gave them their own names "andy's legs" was ours! since they looked like a dumpy pair of legs. Anytime you were returning from a journey North, seeing those towers meant you were home! Just another small part of our identity stripped away... what's next?

Lauren - Sheffield
I am 14 and I went and watched the towers this morning being blown up and it was awful to see them being blown up, i was happy that it hadnt gone right, as i didnt agree with it, in the first place, they are a landmark and my Grandad used to work there so i always used to call them "Grandads Towers." i hope they regret there actions of blowing them up. The amount of people that. They were a landmark and when you think of Sheffield you think of the towers. its pathetic what they have done to them, surely they could have restored them or maybe moved them away from the bridge, or have just done something to help them. THEY SHOULDNT HAVE GONE!!!!!!

paul - rotherham
Ithought it ironic that by bathing the towers in floodlights for the demolition, it made them look so impressive - if they had done that earlier on a more permanent basis I am sure that the thought of pulling them down would never have been comsidered. I am sure a few people were thinking now that they might have made a big mistake... bye bye tinsley towers

Cati
Salt and pepper?! To us they were always the Elephant's Feet, but the kids call them Hulk's Binoculars. Very sorry to see them go

Leah and Amilia
I love those Towers when i come home i see the Tinsley Cooling Towers and think im home when i come back today i wont know when im home.I also am getting married today and i really wanted a picture of the Tinsley Towers cause i have none, I really love those Towers.PLEASE SAVE OUR TOWERS these are a symbol of our Sheffield I will be so sad if they go.I will really miss them Tinsley Cooling Towers, I will not get used to them not being around cause i love them,GOODBYE TNSLEYBy Leah and Amilia Aged 10 (both)

Anna Holland
The Tinsley Towers have always been there all my life, and they are no more.It's sad to think they are really gone, even though I watched them fall, I know the next time I go to Meadowhall they won't be there watching over Sheffield. And when I travel back to Sheffield on the M1 I will still expect to find them there. I thought they would always be there, in my life time anyway, and I think it's a shame my 15 month old son will not get to know and love them as I have for as long as I can remember. It's end of an era in Sheffield, as the strong steel City of the north. The strong image of The Tinsley Towers is gone.

Mr Living in the real World
Devastated, is when someone in your family dies. Not when some towers that are old and slow the whole of the country down by there mere presence by the side of the motorway. As for everyone who thinks there home when they see the towers, soon when you rectal gases burning you’ll know your home once the Biomass generator is built.I bet all the people complaining about these towers getting knocked down would be the first in the queue to complain about wind turbines being put in your area. Progress is a word that we all need to learn if our country is to survive.

SAD HEARTBROKEN WOMAN
Yes I will miss them, but I am rather worried about my emotional attachment to them. The last time I saw them they seemed to be glowing with beauty. Could it be love? Heartbroken.

Jordan,Megan,Amy,Nicole and Paige !!!
we think tht they are a very good hisorical feature to sheffield and therfore not be knocked down !!we see them on our way to meadowhall.we have been sat up all night waiting 4 the big brake and still we could not watch it on the internet or anything we are very upset :(they are a natural source and should be kept !!!!!

Hussain
Noo, this is a shame, the person who gave the go ahead needs to wake up, im 25 years old now and i still can remember when i was akid, i used to be with my parents on the mototway, i always looked out for Tinsley Towers..now i drive from Nottingham to Leeds quite often, it wount be the same any more when you pass sheffield..for me i always used to know im half way home when i used o cross the towers...its abig loss for everyone..if your reading this who gave the go ahead, you need to be shamed of your self..

craig pell
Just to let you know my brother that is there now one of the demo guys is sheffield born so its a sheffield man knocking them down

samirah
the towers is part of sheffiled and medowhall it part of history and would like it to stay because everyone even my famliy love it

dez
if they was going to be usedyes i wood have something to say. they have not been used so the time is to blow them up and say good by

Suspicious ...?
This may me down to my suspicious nature but about 9 months ago there was a stand in Meadowhall otherwise named a 'Consultation' where the stand was looking for signatures for the regeneration of the ground around Meadowhall, and if you signed you got an entry into a prize draw. Was this a sneaky way of getting people to sign for the regeneration of the area with no mention of the cooling towers going in the process???

Suspicious ...?
This may me down to my suspicious nature but about 9 months ago there was a stand in Meadowhall otherwise named a 'Consultation' where the stand was looking for signatures for the regeneration of the ground around Meadowhall, and if you signed you got an entry into a prize draw. Was this a sneaky way of getting people to sign for the regeneration of the area with no mention of the cooling towers going in the process???

charl
I can't believe they're going to destroy one of the main icons of sheffield.The tinsley towers are the biggest part of sheffiled than anything, really.Then apparently they're going to replace the towers by a piece of artwork representing the city and region?I can see this ending in tears and a tacky sculpture of where once a part of sheffield's history and heritage once was.

Tim-worksop
been in the capital they would have been saved typical of this country destroy all our history and spend millions on things like the dome well that was a memory wasnt it

thomas brammer
hello i am only 16 years old so i dont know the history of the cooling towers but i know that there are history and they are a god to sheffield

thomas brammer
hello i am only 16 years old so i dont know the history of the cooling towers but i know that there are history and they are a god to sheffield

mick
why does everyone keep refering to these towers as part of sheffield when the old records show them as rotherham, meadowhall shopping centre was rotherham until they moved the border,what a crock!! but they will be missed by most people who understand there past and history.

shel
i think it is worth noting that until the border was moved both the towers and meadowhall were built within the rotherham area

Louise Wortley
I will miss those towers, it's quite upsetting really to think that i will never see them again. Next time i travel to Meadowhall there will be a big gap in the skyline. when ever i have returned from holiday or a long journey and i see the towers, i know that i am back in Yorkshire the place i am proud to be from. Why are they pulling down such a well known, and well loved landmark, why build something as tacky as the angel of the north, yet we are not allowed to keep something that means so much to sheffield and it's past history. I think that a biomass power station is a good way to go, however i do not feel the need for it on that particular site. At the end of the day, it's not what we the public want, its business for E-on, and they don't care. They may look ugly to them, but to us they are Yorkshire. So long towers.

David from Sheffield
As a Sheffielder and ex serviceman these towers mean a greatdeal to me. They always told me when I was HOME. What's going to do that now? Do I have to look upon the carbunckle that is known as Meadowhell?First they take away the stainless bull at one side now the towers, what next, Bramhall Lane?

Toby - 15
Im 15 and from rotherham but seeing these cooling towers demolished will bring a tear to most yorkshire mens eyes. This landmark will most definately be missed.

Nicole wright
I don't think they should be nocked down because they were a feature of the motorway and by seeing the towers you always knew that you was near meadowhall they are not doing any harm so why take the historic memories of the towers away so much hard work would have been put in to them so what is the point it bloody stupid!!!!!!!!!! thereare great memories that people share with the towers so why not paint them and put pictures on them to make them look nicer to look at

kango
peace out tinsley towers!

lineswine
Funny how the Londoners can find money to do something with Battersea power station, but there's none available for Sheffield, isn't it?Typical North/south divide.

vicky
when i see the towers i know that im home they are part of my childhood it would be so bad to see them go

karen
tinsley towers should be left alone and they are not in shefeild they are in rotherham would someone please get it right as it's realy annoying to those of us that live in rotherham

John Emery - Cyprus
How is anyone ever going to find Sheffield once they have demolished the twin towers of the steel city, the towers have been a landmark for generations and it will be sad not to see them anymore, to many people they have represented the lomg gone heart & soul of the industrial east end of Sheffield but all that will remain after the demolishan will be shops & leisure centres,from a personal view i served my apprenticeship at blackburn meadows power station from 1969 - 1974 so they have been part of my life of which I will no longer be reminded of the next time i drive over the viaduct on a journey to visit my family in the U.K. My wife-Jenny & i now live in Cyprus and have done for the past three years.When asked by the Cypriots which part of England we came from we'd always reply we lived & worked near to the cooling towers shown in "The Full Monty" and most would instantly know."Meadowhall" doesn't quiet sound the same does it? WHERE'S THAT?

Amber
ii Dont Think Its Right. Its A Memourie For Everyone , They have been there for years ! So they are doing the wrong thing.

Lou
I live in the south but have family in Yorkshire. When I see the towers I know i'm nearly there. Now I'll get lost next time I visit!

Mr R J Bilson
While I cannot say that I will not be disappointed by the eventual demolition of the Tinsley Towers as I’m amongst the majority of people I talk to about them, in using them not only as a landmark on the horizon, but as a welcome home when travelling on the M1. Although I must admit to them giving Sheffield the impression of a poorly kept, mucky steel factory filled City. I can only hope that e.on fulfil their statement to the press that they aim to use the planning permission they now hold to put an equally momentous structure in their place, to ensure the same heart filled welcome home statement to people entering Sheffield.I do however hope that the decision to collapse them at such an unsociable hour is solely a decision of safety and not in any way, shape or form influenced by an increase to the cost of doing it during daylight hours, as I am amongst many people who while resolved to the removal of the towers will be taking an interest in seeing there death with a view of nostalgic reflection.

Pam - Barnsley
I'm an incomer to S. Yorkshire, lived here 35+ years and am proud of this beautiful region and its history. It has suffered and survived some very hard blows to its steel and coal industries. The towers represent a heritage that should be saved. Destroying them will be seen in the future as a great loss and a continuation of the total distain for local sensitivities that characterised the "redevelopement" of this region from the 1960's onwards.

mick longworth
we have tourist from all overthe world to our historic land and we should be proud of it leave the towers alone and turn the area into a visitors centre

Marcia Johnson
I'm in mourning!! love the towers. When I was sick in the Hallamshire Hospital, I could see them, I could see home!It wont be the same!!

TONY SLADE
ITS JUST ANOTHER COMPANY DOING WHAT IT WANTS WITHOUT LISTENING TO THE VIEWS OF THE LOCAL PEOPLE, AND I AM FROM DERBY.

Matt Fletcher
It is going to be so sad to see these towers go they are speical to all of us & gives Sheffield something to talk about. I will miss them when coming back to Rotherham. Shame on the people who want to pull them down.

christy
Everytime i drive back up north and past these i know im nearly home and everytime i drive past i admire the history and view of the towers..they are sheffileds own unique landmark and your going to probably stick up a huge industrial estate that causes more pollution i bet..even though your telling us otherwise!What do we know..the power is obviously greater than our petitions!Have fun!

FRED
I've been lost a few times driving in and around sheffield."There's the Towers",yippee know where i am now.I'll have to buy a satnav.

FRED
I've been lost a few times driving in and around sheffield."There's the Towers",yippee know where i am now.I'll have to buy a satnav.

Iain
It will be sad to see them go ..as a chld I saw them everyday from my bedroom window..but time move on . Even the towers at Wembley had to go.

Darren
People should get a life, they are ugly, dangerous and an image of a dirty old industry that has long gone.

Craig
Dont know much about them but my brother is one of the demolition men thats doing the blast

Abbey
to me they mean im nearly home,and they also look pretty good to :(.they rocked socks :(

Joanne - Rotherham
I can see the towers from my office in Rotherham Town Centre, they're amazing structures. My kids are only 8 and 6 and they love them too. You know you're home when you see them. Not one person I've come across wants them to go. E-on should listen to the locals and leave them alone - SAVE THE TOWERS!!

Jordan - sheffield
Bad times

SJC
I am moving to Sheffield next month after commuting for 18 months and I think it is a real shame. They are a landmark and part of our Industrial history.

Helen
I'll be really sad to see them go. Regeneration is all well and good but I don't think you should completely erase the past to do it. I reckon the money for maintenance could have been found through fundraising alone with the amount of people opposed to the demolition. I also suspect it has more to do with the money e-on an make than any genuine concern for the state of the towers. Let's not pretend this is being done for the good of the community and just admit it's so some energy fatcats can make a few more quid.

Donna - Sheffield
Aww it's so sad - like most have said... seeing the towers you know you're almost HOME!

C de Bruyn
It will be like losing a couple of good friends. Like lots more I knew I was home when I saw the towers

Neil Bennett
It's hard to believe they are demolishing a little bit more of "ROTHERHAM'S" history.However, if sheffield's borders are growing at this rate then perhaps demolision is the answer.

David Pickthall
Although I wont be glad to see them go. I think a Biomass Power station which will provide work for a city where a job in Industry is hard to come by (I left due to a lack of them) will be a step forward.

GlynBD - Nottingham
I always see them towers on my way up to manchester, they are one of the best bits of my journey (Sadly) There is some sence or awe and bewilderment when your next to something so big and unique.

Heather
What a sad loss - i'm not from Sheffield but i pass through often and i regard them as an iconic landmark, it will be a real shame to see them go..... they will be missed.

Elaine
If E.On have put aside a substantial sum to create a new permanent landmark piece of art, why couldn't they spend this money refurbishing the towers. There is already a permanent landmark The Tinsley Towers!!

Karen White
I'll be glad to see the end of these ugly things. I travel a lot to the south, and returning north (to Harrogate) the grim sight of those towers reminds me that I have to pass through South and West Yorkshire before I arrive home. Good riddance!

Clive
I am a southerner who came to live in Sheffield in 2003. I have learned to love Sheffield and those towers always signal home to me. I feel they were a landmark in the same way that the Angel of the North indicates the approaching area of Geordieland

Steve
i am 14 and i am not from sheffield but i will be sad to see the towers go. every time i go to medowhall i always know im nearly there when the towers come into sight. they are a landmark of yorkshire and most people will be sad to see them go they will be sadly missed by most people

michelle tudor
Ive just been watching look north and was sad to hear that the great land mark tinsley towers will be demolished on sunday .i totally no were sheffield people are coming from when they say they know they are home when they see the towers ,i was sad to see barnsleys sky line chimney demolished back in febuary o8 at the old beatson clark site at stairfoot ,id grown up just round the corner from the beatson site but moved away in 1999 ,so when ever i visited my family i always knew i was near home when i could see the 117 year old chimney stack .i was lucky enough to take part in the final farewell to the chimney ,by pressing the demolition button ,it was my own way of saying good bye to the landmark... with thanx to everyone at ron hull demolition for hearing my plea and pestering and shear determination lol,it paid off in the end.but it didnt make it any less sad or less upsetting because i still miss it,it really is surprising how much memory is built around things we take for granted at the time, especially from your childhood .gone forever but never forgotten. thank you for reading my message.good bye and good luck sheffielders my heart goes out to you all .

tony kennedy
like most people passing those towers let me know i was almost home they were a bueatiful sight and i will miss them alot

Benny Thorpe
To all those who will miss the towers - don't despair. Come along to Barnby Dun near Donny and you can stare at the six massive cooling towers that are left from the old Thorpe Marsh power station.

Mike
I cannot believe that the publicity machine of E-on are attempting to turn an act of cultural vandalism into a public celebration with raffles, viewing areas etc.If they are to produce a "souvenir" booklet detailing the history and architectural importance of the towers - surely that in itself is an acknowledgement that they are not only a local landmark but an important symbol of South Yorkshires Heritage.Cant see why Parkhill Flats are listed - yet the towers are being destroyed. Surely it cant simply be a case of private sector profit ??

Dee - Sheffield
I am a Londoner who settled in Sheffield two and a half years ago and I am really going to miss the towers. I hope they are replaced with something tall and impressive that can be seen for miles. We need a landmark that is worthy and able to proclaim that this is Sheffield. I love the idea of the stainless steel towers. Whatever stands there must tower over the two decks of the M1 and the A631. I will go and watch the end but with great sadness and a tear in my eye.

Greg
Such a pity they dsemolish those towers, I think the City Hall should had to say something about that in order to not demolish something that´s is real sheffield

Koopa
They are ugly, and they should have been demolished years ago - Good Riddance!

Mike
In what why are the tower "unsafe" Having been right upto them on several occasions( well upto the fencing since they locked the gates, the bases look as solid as the day they were built. As said by others, the towers are a landmark of Sheffield and should be PRESERVED as something historic.

john
Why? is the question what have the council got planned

Adam - Sheffield
I would much rather they demolish Meadowhall Centre than these towers, they are Sheffield to me, and make me proud... the viaduct was unsafe not long ago and they repaired it at some silly expense, why dont they spend a lil money repairing something that the majority of the people that live here want to keep...

KITT KNIGHT
I'm not from sheffield, am a barnsley man, but even i will be sad to see the welcoming sight of the towers dissapear from the city of sheffield. think of the cities history, Yorkshires memories of the land marks that remain. The tinsley towers should be left alone to mark the cities heritage for the rest of time to come.GOOD BYE TO YORKSHIRES MOST FAMOUS LAND MARK

Rebekah Gale
I am 14 and I don't live in Sheffield but everytime I go to Meadowhall I know I'm nearly there as soon as I see the Tinsley Towers. I believe that instead of demolishing them, E.ON have enough money to restore the towers, the towers can be kept and still used.SIMPLE!

Charlotte
Its a biiiiig shame that they are going! I see them on the way to school and back! Id be lost without them! It is pathetic, they are not doing any harm to anyone are they?! They mean alot to alot of people, all them memories are gone! SAVE THE TOWERS!

Spencer Davies
Im from Barnsley and everytime I go towards Worksop or go to meadowhall the towers always make me smile.Big loss to the area.

gary
nooooooooooo they cant go iam living in australia now so when i vist how will i no when iam back home

nicola
its a huge shame, not many people look at meadowhell and think to themselves "Im home" much better to see the towers than that eyesore!

David Mitchell
This is certainly an end of an era i have lived in Sheffield all my life (26 yrs) and view the towers as a major landmark and industrial heritage i totally agree with others when they know they are home after travelling by road or rail although sadly i will be out of the country on holiday on the 24th of Aug and will miss the important final chapter in the life of the towers it will sure be strange coming back to an empty space and something that will take alot of getting used to if ever.

Becky Wordy
I agree with Hassina, when i see the towers, i know im home! Completely devastated by the decision.

dave jackson
It will be a sad day when these great towers fall.As a child i used to travel from Runcorn with my brother in law who was a truck driver and used to deliver to Tinsley Wire.When I saw the towers I knew we where nearly there.Now many years later I drive a truck for a living and pass the towers daily and they still make me smile.It will be a sad day for Sheffield and a sad day for me.

David
SAVE OUR TOWERS. I feel that it is a tragic loss for us Sheffield folk. Like so many people have said before 'Seeing the Towers means your HOME'. This is part of our history, when we were the leaders of global industry. Its a disgrace that we Sheffielders are yet again the losers. Don't people realise what a fantastic & vibrant city Sheffield is not to mention the 4th biggest in England & the greenest city in Europe. But what would they know or understand. Their more than likely from some other part of the country. Its all to do with MONEY oh & jobs (so they say).

ellie and rob
we see the towers as a landmark to sheffield. you see them in the beginning of calendar and look north, they are also in the full monty. we dont want another landmark for sheffield we want the towers. we know we are hitting sheffield when we see them

grace
goodbye tinsley, i will miss you :(

Hazel Middlebrook
Hi I am getting married on this day and will find the whole thing a disruption...ironically my new surname is also going to be Tinsley!

Hassina in Sheffield
The Towers mean coming HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thomas age 8
I have named the two towers salt and pepper and I do not want them to be demolished. thomas age 8

Terry
Just been watching Look North News about the Tinsley cooling towers, they asked for information and comments about them.My information about them is that my father Wilfred Mansell born 1913 was a forman bricklayer on the towers. I'm e-mailing you and not them because I think any info that they recieve should come from Sheffield own radio station and not a Leeds soarce. many thanks for reading my e-mail Terry

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