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Gas Holders in Birmingham
- Thread starter norfolk brummie
- Start date
Pedrocut
Master Barmmie
Covroad
master brummie
Hello,
If you look under the thread Women’s contribution to WW1 #11 There is a picture posted of the gas holders in Nechells being painted .
Covroad
master brummie
Covroad
master brummie
Attached some pictures of the deconstruction and removal of the ‘tar pits’ (catchments) from the holders in Windsor Street. Not the most easiest task as it is all out containment, and disposal of hazardous waste.
At the rear of the picture is Lord Street .
At the rear of the picture is Lord Street .
Attachments
Covroad
master brummie
The attached shows the then deputy Chairman of WMGB assisting in a purge / flare off to introduce natural gas into the distribution network in Bracken Road Erdington
This was 1976 and as the article quotes the process of introducing natural gas in to the West Midlands Region began in 1968 in Coleshill . The article and picture is from the Boost the internal newspaper for then WMGB.
This was 1976 and as the article quotes the process of introducing natural gas in to the West Midlands Region began in 1968 in Coleshill . The article and picture is from the Boost the internal newspaper for then WMGB.
Attachments
Covroad
master brummie
Pedrocut,
A picture for all WMGB members and their family's
Attachments
Covroad
master brummie
Attached, picture of the original Lord street offices, Stores, Engineering, Service, Gas Holder site , plus numerous other departments ran from this site. In the mid 80’s a film that was directed by Mel Gibson, and with Bob Hoskins starring, and others who I cannot remember was part shot in the original ground floor offices as the gave the authentic Victorian back shot to the film ( at that time Lord Street has the old cast iron lighting/ gas mantles and very ornate of the time fixtures and fittings) the picture show some ornate masonry works .
Attachments
Covroad
master brummie
Picture of the first purge and flare off in the West Midlands, outside the Wheatsheaf Hotel Coleshill
Attachments
Covroad
master brummie
Map of the Zones those converted to NG pre 1970, and the post 71 conversion zones.
Attachments
Covroad
master brummie
The last gas lamp / mantle being removed from Duke St Gosta Green ( Note the lamp had been isolated from its gas supply for some time prior to removal).
In Nechells Gas Works the amount of cast iron gas lamps and ornate fittings for wall , floor, street fixing most with the coat of arms of Birmingham cast into them that were lost forever during various refurbs and finally demolition was a terrible loss to our industrial history.
In Nechells Gas Works the amount of cast iron gas lamps and ornate fittings for wall , floor, street fixing most with the coat of arms of Birmingham cast into them that were lost forever during various refurbs and finally demolition was a terrible loss to our industrial history.
Attachments
Covroad
master brummie
Terence David Lines
master brummie
Remember them well and the smell when the No8 bus passed them.
Covroad
master brummie
Not quite Birmingham, a promotional brochure re the benefits of gas, price quoted then in Therms as units of cost. A reminder when your gas was paid for by the shilling via a slot meter and the gas man came and emptied the meter, which normally lead to a refund from overpayment.
Attachments
Radiorails
master brummie
Don't forget the accompanying aroma.
Covroad
master brummie
Picture of the old WMGB HQ Wharf Lane, in its time it was state of the art design and detail for its employees
Attachments
Brummie a long time ago
master brummie
My 'local' gasworks was in Adderley Street. End of Fazeley Street, up Liverpool Street past the big bus depot on the corner, to Adderley Street at the T junction. It was finally closed in 1940, 10 years before my time, but I remember going there to get sacks of coke for the open fire at home. Maybe they were clearing out left overs. The gas holders were finally removed 1951 to 1965, which fits with my time slot living there.
Page 23, but the whole document is interesting.
Andrew.
Page 23, but the whole document is interesting.
Andrew.
The coke was a by-product of gas production. Some coke was used to fire the retorts, but most was sold off afterwards.
When Smethwick gasworks became operational, they reported that they made more form the sale of coke than the cost of the coal.
I understand that the steel industry used tons of coke to fire the furnaces.
Covroad
master brummie
The bye product of ‘Town Gas’ was coke , in my early days in the gas industry I heard numerous very amusing stories of the residual coke being sold on a Saturday at most of local gas works .
The smaller the works the more ‘relaxed’ the transactions were; for example prams were used for transporting the coke from the works to the home address these prams would vary in capacity from a small pushchair to a modified pram for maximum load. Sweets, homemade cakes, etc were offered as incentives to load the mode of transport to the maximum.
The owners and managers of local pubs, fish and chip shops, etc were given sympathetic service!!
I was told of the employees of the local works having to go out to keep ‘good order’ in the queue as pushing in was quite common during cold spells.
