Southall Gas Works
Encyclopedia
Southall Gas Works is a site of around 83 acres (33.6 ha) in Southall
, west London, formerly occupied by a plant
for the manufacture of town gas. Today a much reduced site is used for the pressure reduction and storage of natural gas
and the remainder of the site is the subject of planning proposals.
, close to its junction with the main line of the canal to the Thames at Brentford
. It is on the north side of the Great Western Main Line
between Southall
and Hayes
stations, close to the junction with the branch line
which originally ran to Brentford Dock
. Across the canal is the recently established Minet Country Park.
, which outstripped the capacity of the company's original works on the Thames at Brentford.
The gas works was originally established at the western end of the full site, and progressively expanded to the east over sites originally used for brickyards and chemical works. It initially consisted of a retort house and a 480000 cubic feet (13,592.1 m³) gas holder. In 1881 a second retort house was built and in 1885 an ammonium sulphate plant.
In 1878 no. 2 holder was built with a capacity of 1130000 cubic feet (31,998 m³). In 1885 a Hurd holder was built with a capacity of 2100000 cubic feet (59,465.4 m³). In 1892 holder no. 4 was erected, to take 3950000 cubic feet (111,851.5 m³) of gas. In 1899 a carburetted water gas (CWG) plant was added with a capacity of 3000000 cubic feet (84,950.5 m³) per day, and in 1903 another retort house with 200 retorts.
During World War 1 chemical plants were constructed to produce oil gas tar, coal tar
and crude benzole
. In 1916 the CWG capacity was increased, and in 1920 Blue Water Gas plant was added.
In 1926 the Brentford Gas Company was taken over by the Gas Light and Coke Company
(GLCC). In the early 1930s a 7500000 cubic feet (212,376.4 m³) waterless holder was constructed. This holder, which is over 300 feet high, remains as a major local landmark.
By 1935 the chemical works had closed and had been replaced by a smaller works further east. Whilst not as large as the GLCC's Beckton Products Works, this made a significant contribution to the Company’s production, particularly of creosote
and road tar. The works was situated on the opposite side of London to Beckton
, which facilitated the company’s road tar spraying operations on that side of the metropolis. Southall Products Works continued to manufacture ammonium sulphate until 1946.
Following nationalisation of the gas industry in 1949 the plant came under the control of the North Thames Gas Board
. Construction of oil gasification plant began and by 1951 up to 300000 cubic feet (8,495.1 m³) of gas a day was being produced in this way, primarily at times of peak demand.
In 1953-4 a further 12000000 cubic feet (339,802.2 m³) CWG plant was built on the site of the original retort house from the 1860s, together with tower purifiers.
In the early 1960s coal was replaced as a feedstock by liquid petroleum. The first major oil storage tank, of 544000 gallons (2,473,073 l), was installed in 1960. In 1963, catalytic reforming
plants with a capacity of 60000000 cubic feet (1,699,010.8 m³) per day were installed. Catalytic rich gas plant was installed in 1966 with a capacity of 30000000 cubic feet (849,505.4 m³) per day.
The Products Works ceased distilling tar and was closed down in 1968. With the move to North Sea gas the gas works closed in 1973, leaving gas distribution and storage as the main on site functions. The site passed into the hands of British Gas Plc
in 1973 and subsequently to National Grid plc
.
At the time of a site survey in connection with the proposed biofuel power station in 2007 three of the site's five gas holders (Nos 3 to 5) remained in use, one (No 1 from the 1860s) was disused and one (No 2 from 1878) had been demolished.
in 1970. The site was used in an episode of The Sweeney
in 1975 and in spin-off film Sweeney!
in 1977.
. In 2010 planning permission was approved by the Mayor of London for a residential development of 3750 homes, over-ruling refusal by the local authority. A proposal for a biofuel power station has been turned down.
Southall
Southall is a large suburban district of west London, England, and part of the London Borough of Ealing. It is situated west of Charing Cross. Neighbouring places include Yeading, Hayes, Hanwell, Heston, Hounslow, Greenford and Northolt...
, west London, formerly occupied by a plant
Gasworks
A gasworks or gas house is a factory for the manufacture of gas. The use of natural gas has made many redundant in the developed world, however they are often still used for storage.- Early gasworks :...
for the manufacture of town gas. Today a much reduced site is used for the pressure reduction and storage of natural gas
Natural gas
Natural gas is a naturally occurring gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, typically with 0–20% higher hydrocarbons . It is found associated with other hydrocarbon fuel, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is an important fuel source and a major feedstock for fertilizers.Most natural...
and the remainder of the site is the subject of planning proposals.
Location
The site is roughly triangular, between a railway, a canal and residential development. It lies along the south bank of the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union CanalGrand Union Canal
The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system. Its main line connects London and Birmingham, stretching for 137 miles with 166 locks...
, close to its junction with the main line of the canal to the Thames at Brentford
Brentford
Brentford is a suburban town in west London, England, and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located at the confluence of the River Thames and the River Brent, west-southwest of Charing Cross. Its former ceremonial county was Middlesex.-Toponymy:...
. It is on the north side of the Great Western Main Line
Great Western Main Line
The Great Western Main Line is a main line railway in Great Britain that runs westwards from London Paddington station to the west of England and South Wales. The core Great Western Main Line runs from London Paddington to Temple Meads railway station in Bristol. A major branch of the Great...
between Southall
Southall railway station
Southall railway station, is in Southall in west London, England. The station is in Travelcard Zone 4 and passenger services are provided by First Great Western from London to , and , and by Heathrow Connect from Paddington to Heathrow Airport....
and Hayes
Hayes and Harlington railway station
thumb|right|Up freight west of Hayes & Harlington in 1962Hayes and Harlington railway station is a railway station in Hayes and Harlington in the London Borough of Hillingdon.-History:...
stations, close to the junction with the branch line
Brentford Branch Line
The Brentford Branch Line was built in west London, by the Great Western and Brentford Railway Company which was incorporated by Act of Parliament in 1855. The line was opened on 18 July 1859 and operated by the Great Western Railway from the outset...
which originally ran to Brentford Dock
Brentford Dock
Brentford Dock in, Brentford, west London was a major trans-shipment point between the Great Western Railway and barges on the River Thames. The building of Brentford Dock was started in 1855 and it was formally opened in 1859...
. Across the canal is the recently established Minet Country Park.
History
The gas works was originally constructed by the Brentford Gas Company, opening in 1869. It was required to meet rapidly increasing demand in MiddlesexMiddlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
, which outstripped the capacity of the company's original works on the Thames at Brentford.
The gas works was originally established at the western end of the full site, and progressively expanded to the east over sites originally used for brickyards and chemical works. It initially consisted of a retort house and a 480000 cubic feet (13,592.1 m³) gas holder. In 1881 a second retort house was built and in 1885 an ammonium sulphate plant.
In 1878 no. 2 holder was built with a capacity of 1130000 cubic feet (31,998 m³). In 1885 a Hurd holder was built with a capacity of 2100000 cubic feet (59,465.4 m³). In 1892 holder no. 4 was erected, to take 3950000 cubic feet (111,851.5 m³) of gas. In 1899 a carburetted water gas (CWG) plant was added with a capacity of 3000000 cubic feet (84,950.5 m³) per day, and in 1903 another retort house with 200 retorts.
During World War 1 chemical plants were constructed to produce oil gas tar, coal tar
Coal tar
Coal tar is a brown or black liquid of extremely high viscosity, which smells of naphthalene and aromatic hydrocarbons. Coal tar is among the by-products when coal iscarbonized to make coke or gasified to make coal gas...
and crude benzole
Benzole
In the United Kingdom, the word benzole means a coal-tar product, consisting mainly of benzene and toluene. It was formerly mixed with petrol and sold as a motor fuel under trade names including "National Benzole Mixture" and "Regent Benzole Mixture"....
. In 1916 the CWG capacity was increased, and in 1920 Blue Water Gas plant was added.
In 1926 the Brentford Gas Company was taken over by the Gas Light and Coke Company
Gas Light and Coke Company
The Gas Light and Coke Company , was a company that made and supplied coal gas and coke. The Company was located on Horseferry Road in Westminster, London...
(GLCC). In the early 1930s a 7500000 cubic feet (212,376.4 m³) waterless holder was constructed. This holder, which is over 300 feet high, remains as a major local landmark.
By 1935 the chemical works had closed and had been replaced by a smaller works further east. Whilst not as large as the GLCC's Beckton Products Works, this made a significant contribution to the Company’s production, particularly of creosote
Creosote
Creosote is the portion of chemical products obtained by the distillation of a tar that remains heavier than water, notably useful for its anti-septic and preservative properties...
and road tar. The works was situated on the opposite side of London to Beckton
Beckton
Beckton is part of the London Borough of Newham, England, located east of Charing Cross.Its boundaries are the A13 trunk road to the north, Barking Creek to the east, the Royal Docks to the south, and Prince Regent Lane to the west. The area around Prince Regent Lane is also known as Custom House...
, which facilitated the company’s road tar spraying operations on that side of the metropolis. Southall Products Works continued to manufacture ammonium sulphate until 1946.
Following nationalisation of the gas industry in 1949 the plant came under the control of the North Thames Gas Board
North Thames Gas Board
The North Thames Gas Board was a state-owned utility providing gas for light and heat to industries and homes in part of England. The Board's area included parts of the County of London, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Middlesex and Surrey...
. Construction of oil gasification plant began and by 1951 up to 300000 cubic feet (8,495.1 m³) of gas a day was being produced in this way, primarily at times of peak demand.
In 1953-4 a further 12000000 cubic feet (339,802.2 m³) CWG plant was built on the site of the original retort house from the 1860s, together with tower purifiers.
In the early 1960s coal was replaced as a feedstock by liquid petroleum. The first major oil storage tank, of 544000 gallons (2,473,073 l), was installed in 1960. In 1963, catalytic reforming
Catalytic reforming
Catalytic reforming is a chemical process used to convert petroleum refinery naphthas, typically having low octane ratings, into high-octane liquid products called reformates which are components of high-octane gasoline...
plants with a capacity of 60000000 cubic feet (1,699,010.8 m³) per day were installed. Catalytic rich gas plant was installed in 1966 with a capacity of 30000000 cubic feet (849,505.4 m³) per day.
The Products Works ceased distilling tar and was closed down in 1968. With the move to North Sea gas the gas works closed in 1973, leaving gas distribution and storage as the main on site functions. The site passed into the hands of British Gas Plc
British Gas plc
British Gas plc was formerly the monopoly gas supplier and is a private sector in the United Kingdom.- History :In the early 1900s the gas market in the United Kingdom was mainly run by county councils and small private firms...
in 1973 and subsequently to National Grid plc
National Grid plc
National Grid plc is a multinational electricity and gas utility company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. Its principal activities are in the United Kingdom and northeastern United States and it is one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the world.National Grid is listed on...
.
At the time of a site survey in connection with the proposed biofuel power station in 2007 three of the site's five gas holders (Nos 3 to 5) remained in use, one (No 1 from the 1860s) was disused and one (No 2 from 1878) had been demolished.
Film set
The gasworks was used as a space centre fuelling area for Doctor WhoDoctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
in 1970. The site was used in an episode of The Sweeney
The Sweeney
The Sweeney is a 1970s British television police drama focusing on two members of the Flying Squad, a branch of the Metropolitan Police specialising in tackling armed robbery and violent crime in London...
in 1975 and in spin-off film Sweeney!
Sweeney! (1977 film)
Sweeney! is a 1977 British thriller film made as a spin-off from the television show The Sweeney, which ran from 1974 and 1978. It was released on Region 2 DVD in 2007. A sequel Sweeney 2 was released the following year.- Plot :...
in 1977.
Redevelopment
Parts of the site remain in use for gas pressure reduction and storage, and the remainder for parking for Heathrow AirportLondon Heathrow Airport
London Heathrow Airport or Heathrow , in the London Borough of Hillingdon, is the busiest airport in the United Kingdom and the third busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic, handling more international passengers than any other airport around the globe...
. In 2010 planning permission was approved by the Mayor of London for a residential development of 3750 homes, over-ruling refusal by the local authority. A proposal for a biofuel power station has been turned down.
See also
- Beckton Gas WorksBeckton Gas WorksBeckton Gas Works was a major London gas works built to manufacture coal gas and other products including coke from coal. It has been variously described as 'the largest such plant in the world' and 'the largest gas works in Europe'. It operated from 1870 to 1969, with an associated by-products...
- East Greenwich Gas WorksEast Greenwich Gas WorksThe East Greenwich Gas Works of the South Metropolitan Gas Company was the last gas works to be built in London, and the most modern. Originally manufacturing town gas from coal brought in by river and exporting coke and chemicals, the plant was adapted to produce gas from oil in the 1960s...
- Imperial Gas Works, Fulham
- Nine Elms Gas Works