Gasometers

[Hopkirk]

Those old style gas storage devices - are any still in use?

I guess they were a potential terrorism target.

I see plenty that are empty, but the huge frames are still there.

[Hopkirk]

You know, these things

http://farm6.staticfl...6148_abfa0d66fd_z.jpg

[RATTER15]

Didn't they stop using them with the introduction of North Sea Gas back in the 70s? I know there are some still about and look like they are still serviceable, I maybe wrong!

[Graham-W]

The firm I used to work for produced bio-gas by anaerobic fermentation and the gas was stored, on site, in those gasometers before being sent to the boilerhouse for steam raising. Simplest way to store gas under slight pressure.

[ChuckFickens]

Paranoid about terrorism much? it's got absolutely noting to do with that!

they've been gone years..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/264609.stm

[Graham-W]

Still in use by many companies producing bio-gas from their effluent.

[jno]

eh? I'm sure I noticed a full one a couple of years ago. I don't normally pay much attention so I don't know whether it's gone up or down since then.

[Hopkirk]

Thanks for that Chuck.

Well that 1999 BBC article said most would be demolished over the next ten years.

I think they missed the deadline - I see loads still standing.

[percypineapple]

The one in skegness still seems to be going up and down at different times, mind you, skeg is 50 years behind the times.

[Hopkirk]

Did the Luftwaffe try to hit them?

They would have burnt nicely.

[DocSausage]

The IRA had a go at bombing at least one gasometer in Warrington in the mid-nineties.

[EDDIE51]

One of the London test cricket grounds has one in the background (Lords?) it was still visible the last time I saw cricket from there. I was surprised as I though they had all gone . Or prehaps I was watching a replay of an old match with out realising.

[EDDIE51]

Not Lords but The Oval
http://en.wikipedia.o...lders_at_the_Oval.JPG

[New Judge]

As has been mentioned in the articles,these are not gasometers (i.e. they do not measure gas) but they are gasholders.

There are dozens, if not hundreds of them still around. A site a couple of miles from where |Ii live has three large gasholders, two contained within a frame and one of the free standing "spiral telescopic" variety.

[New Judge]

The gasholders at the Oval are world famous. As Lords' has its Nursery End, so the Oval has its gasworks end. A well known actor who cannot be named for legal reasons (Ray Winstone) was once talking on a chat show about the sexual orientation of a fellow actor. "Yeah of course he bowls from the gasworks end. Everybody knows that".

[FredPuli43]

We Surrey members call it the Vauxhall End. We don't admit to a gasworks! The Surrey Tavern is a famous gay venue in an old pub nearby. It is..er...at that end.

[FredPuli43]

[typo]^^ Vauxhall Tavern ^^

[douglas9401]

Ooh, Viva!

[Hopkirk]

Brilliant. Thanks for the interesting discussion.

Only on AB could a discussion on gas storage holders evolve to a gay bar near the Oval.

I can understand why these things were originally known as gasometers - after all a quick glance tells you how much gas is stored within.