Here are a super set of photos from a social media site. Not seen images like this before, so am fascinated to see the gasholder under construction.
Photo caption:
1889 - Nechells Place Nechells Birmingham - The City Gas Works, better known as Nechells Gas Works was in Nechells Place - Image by Birmingham Old Prints, Photographs & Maps 1600 - 1900
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Hello,
Pedrocut,My old pot and pan worked for West Midlands Gas for 40 years, and I remember the Boost Mag.
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 .I think he retired from Lord Street, after many years working ”outside”.
Picture of the first purge and flare off in the West Midlands, outside the Wheatsheaf Hotel ColeshillThe 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.
Map of the Zones those converted to NG pre 1970, and the post 71 conversion zones.Picture of the first purge and flare off in the West Midlands, outside the Wheatsheaf Hotel Coleshill
Remember them well and the smell when the No8 bus passed them.
Don't forget the accompanying aroma.Remember them well and the smell when the No8 bus passed them.
Picture of the old WMGB HQ Wharf Lane, in its time it was state of the art design and detail for its employeesPedrocut,
A picture for all WMGB members and their family's
The coke was a by-product of gas production. Some coke was used to fire the retorts, but most was sold off afterwards.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.
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 .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.