NEWS
A Century of Gasholders
Published by Erith on 3 April 2023

 

Erith reached a significant milestone in March, with the successful completion of our 100th gasholder demolition. Gasholders were constructed across the UK during the industrial revolution to supply local towns and businesses with lighting and power. However, advances in technology and changes in infrastructure mean that the below-ground pipework is now capable of storing greater volumes of gas and supplying wider areas, rendering gasholders redundant and often dilapidated.

Our journey to a century of gasholders began in 2014, when we were awarded the contract for the demolition of gasholders No.2, 3 and 4 at the Beckton Gasworks in London. Later that same year, we were also awarded the contract for another three gasholders in Grays, Essex. Since these early contracts, our road to the 100 has seen us undertake the dismantling of gasholders across the UK, including 34 within Greater London and 15 in and around Greater Manchester.

Working in lockstep with our prestigious clients, National Grid, Northern Gas Networks and SGN, we have helped unlock the potential of disused gasholder sites for future development which have since been transformed into new residential buildings, green spaces and commercial properties. This effort has enhanced the economic and social prospects of the local areas and eliminated what can often be unsightly structures scarring the skyline.

Over the past nine years, we have opened the gates of our sites to numerous local schools and colleges to introduce students to the construction industry, giving presentations and site tours to the next generation of the UK workforce. In addition, we have engaged with local charities, hospitals, and food banks in the vicinity of our sites, as part of our concerted effort to give back to the local communities.

The four demolition projects completed in March and thus completing our list of 100 gasholders were:

• Rawtenstall

• Great Yarmouth

• South Shields

• Farnworth

Upon reaching the 100th gasholder milestone, Simon Frost, our Operations Director who has overseen all of our gasholder demolition projects, commented: “This is a significant milestone to reach, and it has been a fascinating journey. I have travelled across the country to each of the gasholders and they all have a unique story and history to them. Congratulations to our site teams and office staff who have displayed extraordinary expertise and professionalism to reach a century of gasholders.”

The Road to the Century Statistics:

• Individual sites: 60

• Water discharged: 1,642,035,000 Litres – Equivalent to 657 Olympic swimming pools.

• Sludge removed: 40,380 m3 – Equivalent to 154 Squash courts.

• Metal recycled: 84,809 Tonnes – Equivalent to 7,067 London buses.

• Number of Gasholders: 100

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