Everything seemed to fall into place the second day of field tripping, in the end. I got the train out to Ferrybridge Power Station, with it being the closest one to Leeds and close to Kellingley Coal Mine, so I hoped I would be able to visit them both in a day. Despite not actually managing to make it to the mine, my day in Ferrybridge was invaluable!
At first I had absolutely no luck with having conversations with people. None of the site offices at the actual power station would comment without an appointment and didn't seem very enthusiastic to help me out. After gathering some photos up close I headed for lunch in the village, grabbing a coffee in the local pub, where the owner also wouldn't comment due to not being actually from the area. More fruitless searching in the local businesses, newsagents, cafes and a print shop, all basically pointing me to each other, leading to dead ends and no conversations. I got the impression that it was an important topic to the local people and was close to the hearts of some of them, but I think for this reason they were biting their tongues.
Finally, as I was debating whether I would get anything out of the village, I was sent to the local hairdressers, who apparently have been there for years and who's clients are a large proportion of contractors from the station. Willing to try one last time I reluctantly headed there, and hit a jackpot.
At first, as always, they seemed slightly taken aback by my proposal but in the end the owner agreed to sit down with me and quickly relaxed to the idea of discussing the topic and ended up having the best conversation I have had so far. She was very lovely and had strong opinions on the closure of the site, sharing personal stories of the impact its had on her business, the attachment the locals have to the station and the chimneys, and her personal views on the subject. It was so helpful and rich in source material, I came away feeling like I had really got some valuable material to work from, as well as having the opportunity to turn up to a random town in Yorkshire and be very welcomed and befriended by 4 ladies in a hairdressers.
To top this off, I had picked up a map off the floor in the morning and didn't really think much of it, but it caught my eye so I stuffed it in my pocket as a potential piece of ephemera. Turns out it is a site map of the new multi-fuel project being built on the site, with contractors notes and highlights on it. Couldn't have been more perfect and just such a lucky situation to walk past that and find something I would never have gotten by any other means.
Friday was testament to the power of trusting that if you put yourself out there, if you turn over as many stones as possible, if you don't give up or settle for what you have already got, then the world gives back. Things fall into place, but not into your lap. You have to do your bit, and then things fall into the places you put yourself, the places you actively search and make an effort with.
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