Southport gas holder
Encyclopedia
Southport Gas Holder was once the tallest structure in the northern town of Southport
, England
for 40 years.
The 84.5 m high structure could be seen from miles around, for example from Blackpool
and Winter Hill. To some people of the local area it was an instantly recognisable symbol of home coming after being away for weeks.
It was built in 1969 in the Blowick
area of Southport
(1.7 miles from the town centre) – . It acted as a storage unit guaranteeing the town's gas supply. Similar structures were built across the country when town gas was generated from coal and before the construction of a high pressure gas grid.
, that two out of the three gas holders (including the largest) would be completely demolished as soon as mid-2009. This sparked mixed reviews. Some people thought that the tower was a symbol of Southport, and should not be destroyed. Others however (mostly those who lived directly in the shadow of the tower) disagreed and could not wait to see the back of it. The tower caused problems for local residents such as poor TV reception.
On Tuesday 14 April, demolition men arrived to start dismantling the 1,100 tonne structure. The second largest crane in Britain came to dismantle the iconic structure and in less than seven weeks it was gone from the Southport skyline forever. The gas holder may be the largest structure the town will ever see.
'Ground Zero', how some people like to call the site where the gas tower once was, has yet to be developed but it is said it will be either housing and/or for business use. Some people have suggested that there should be something to remember the gas tower, but this idea has not yet been agreed on.
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
for 40 years.
The 84.5 m high structure could be seen from miles around, for example from Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
and Winter Hill. To some people of the local area it was an instantly recognisable symbol of home coming after being away for weeks.
It was built in 1969 in the Blowick
Blowick
-History and etymology:Blowick is part of the ancient parish of North Meols and was formerly a detached settlement, on the northern fringe of what is now Southport....
area of Southport
Southport
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. During the 2001 census Southport was recorded as having a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England...
(1.7 miles from the town centre) – . It acted as a storage unit guaranteeing the town's gas supply. Similar structures were built across the country when town gas was generated from coal and before the construction of a high pressure gas grid.
Decommission and destruction
The largest tower was decommissioned in January 2008, due to an environmental risk posed by the storage of oil within it. Discussions soon came as it was decommissioned and just weeks later it was decided by National Grid plcNational 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...
, that two out of the three gas holders (including the largest) would be completely demolished as soon as mid-2009. This sparked mixed reviews. Some people thought that the tower was a symbol of Southport, and should not be destroyed. Others however (mostly those who lived directly in the shadow of the tower) disagreed and could not wait to see the back of it. The tower caused problems for local residents such as poor TV reception.
On Tuesday 14 April, demolition men arrived to start dismantling the 1,100 tonne structure. The second largest crane in Britain came to dismantle the iconic structure and in less than seven weeks it was gone from the Southport skyline forever. The gas holder may be the largest structure the town will ever see.
The future
After the destruction of the tower there was a mixed reaction from the local residents, some felt they had lost an icon while others felt the tower was an eyesore, and the removal may even affect house prices. The future of the third holder is still uncertain due to costs of removal.'Ground Zero', how some people like to call the site where the gas tower once was, has yet to be developed but it is said it will be either housing and/or for business use. Some people have suggested that there should be something to remember the gas tower, but this idea has not yet been agreed on.
External links
- More images at Geograph
- National Grid press release (2009 April 20)
- Story in the Southport Visiter (sic)