[4] To meet the post-war demand the British Electricity Authority commissioned the building of new generating plant.

The Ministry of Fuel and Power granted consent for 60 MW of electricity generating plant at Goldington about 3 km east of Bedford in June 1950.

The site at Goldington was chosen because it was remote from built-up areas; was adjacent to a railway for the delivery of coal and the disposal of ash; and was close to an ample water source for cooling the plant.

[6] The site was liable to flooding from the River Great Ouse therefore the area was raised in level prior to construction of the power station.

[7] The principal civil engineering contractors were Mitchell Construction Co. Ltd., Bierrum and Partners Ltd, and Film Cooling Towers Ltd.[7] The first generator was commissioned in June 1955, then September 1955, November 1956, December 1956, June 1957 and the final set in March 1958.

[5][2] Coal was initially supplied via a dedicated siding off the Bedford to Cambridge railway line.

[6] The 132 kV connection to the national grid was at a switching compound on the north side of the power station.

[9][6] The six Clarke Chapman boilers[6] burned pulverised coal – up to 250 tonnes an hour –  to produce steam at a total rate of 1,800,000 lb/hr (228 kg/s) at a pressure of 600 psi (41.4 bar) and 454 °C.

The amount of electricity sold and the number and types of consumers was as follows:[11] In 1958 the above totals were made up of the following:[11] The railway line from Bedford to Goldington power station was retained when the remainder of the line to Cambridge was closed in January 1968.