MEB at Major Street

The West Midlands Joint Electricity Authority

But one important aspect of electricity supply had already changed and that was the separation of electricity generation and distribution from the supply to users.  During the First World War the government had set up a number of committees to consider different aspects of post-war reconstruction.  One of them was the Electric Power Supply Committee.  That committee found there were over 600 separate electricity undertaking in operation most of which were too small to operate economically.  Amongst other things the average generating capacity of the power stations was only 5,000 h.p..  That committee recommended the appointment of Electricity Commissioners who would divide the country into District Boards which would take over all power generation and distribution within their area.  In effect this was a proposal for nationalisation and proved a bit too much for those times, with the result that the Electricity (Supply) Act 1919 created the Electricity Commissioners who could set up Joint Electricity Authorities with the agreement of the undertakings concerned.  

A number of electricity undertaking in the West Midlands got together to propose a scheme.  In December 1925 the Electricity Commissioners approved a scheme creating the West Midlands Joint Electricity Authority which consisted of  the Midland Electricity Corporation for Power and Distribution and Wolverhampton, Walsall, West Bromwich, Cannock and Shrewsbury Councils.  The authority was made up of representatives of the MEC, the councils, colliery owners, railway companies and workers in the industry.  Its area covered about 1,000 square miles in Staffordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire.  The Joint Authority's main offices were at Phoenix Buildings, Dudley Road, Wolverhampton.

The purpose of such Joint Authorities was  to produce electricity more economically and, by interconnecting a number of systems, enable power to be switched around the area as supply and demand varied.  The idea was that the authority would acquire all the power stations in their area and that they would build "super stations" of a large and economical size.  They therefore took over the power stations at Wolverhampton, Walsall, West Bromwich and Ocker Hill and set about preparing to build a super station at Buildwas.

The Ironbridge Generating Station, from the cover of the WMJEA's booklet recording the opening. Note that this first station was cooled entirely by river water.  The cooling towers came along with Ironbridge B in the 1960s.

This joint authority was one of the very few which were created under this voluntary scheme. Following the recommendations of the Weir Committee, the Electricity (Supply) Act 1926 created the Central Electricity Board who were to establish a "gridiron" transmission system, linking the biggest and most efficient power stations throughout the country and supplying power o existing undertakings.  This was the start of the national grid and the WMJEA was authorised by the CEB to build it proposed superstation as part of the national grid.  Thus the power station, now known as Ironbridge A, was built and was opened on 13th October 1932.  (It may be worth noting that there was no favouritism towards local suppliers.  In the entire list of contractors for the new station not even ECC appears; the only Wolverhampton company listed is James Gibbons Ltd., who supplied "door fittings, etc.").

The Wolverhampton Red Book 1930 reflects this change and gives further details:

The [West Midlands Joint Electricity] authority was established 21^st December, 1925, under the West Midlands Electricity District Order, 1925, pursuant to Sec. 7 of the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1919, for the administration of the "Electricity District" comprising an area of approximately 1,000 square miles in the counties of Staffordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire.

The Authority purchased the generating stations belonging respectively to the Wolverhampton, Walsall and West Bromwich Corporations, and the Midland Electric Corporation for Power Distribution Limited, on the 1^st January, 1928, from which date they have supplied the vendors with electricity in bulk. The Authority have inter-connected the stations with a view to the most economical operation of the group. ...

The Ironbridge, Ocker Hill, Wolverhampton and Walsall generating stations are "selected" stations for the purpose of the Central England Electricity Scheme, 1928. ...

Detailed proposals for a scheme of distribution over approximately 109 square miles in Shropshire, including Wellington, Wenlock, Madeley, Newport, Coalbrookdale, Dawley, Oakengates and Shifnal, etc., have been submitted to the Electricity Commissioners for approval.

By 1936 it had become necessary to expand the power station and this was done by building a new generating hall at Commercial Road.

T.A.G.Margary, the Wolverhampton Borough Electrical Engineer in the 1930s

One of the major purposes of the Borough's electricity supply was to promote industry and, according to a report of 1936, about 80% of the supply was taken by industry. Even so many industries would still be relying for power on their own oil or gas engines, using electricity only for lighting. Of course the Borough's tram, and then trolleybus, system also took all of its supplies from the same system. Domestic use was originally very limited but gradually expanded from the wealthiest classes downwards, with the Borough encouraging people to connect by an Assisted Wiring Scheme, inaugurated in 1930, which, by 1936, had been used for the connection of over 12,000 premises. Much of the expansion in the 1930s seems to have come from the leadership of T. A. G. Margary, who had been appointed Borough Electrical Engineer in February 1930. Under him the change over was made, in 1933, from direct current to alternating current, on a three phase four wire system. Amongst other things he produced a new design of "Lucy box", the cast iron boxes containing connections or isolation systems, often with the Borough Coat of Arms on them, many of which still stand about our streets.

Throughout the Second World War electricity was provided by the Joint Authority and the Borough Council. But on the 1st April 1948 came nationalisation, so that by the 1951 Wolverhampton Red Book we find that the Midlands Electricity Board has its district office at 83 Darlington Street and the British Electricity Authority has its Midland Division at Phoenix Buildings, Dudley Road. That would be the last reference to the MEB at Darlington Street as their new, centralised, premises were already being built at Major Street.