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an industry in motion

TABLE 1 COMPOSITION OF MANUFACTURED COAL GAS AND NATURAL GAS (WARD, 1965)
NON-COMBUSTIBLE COMPONENTS COMBUSTIBLE COMPONENTS

SOURCE CARBON DIOXIDE OXYGEN NITROGEN CARBON MONOXIDE HYDROGEN METHANE OTHER HYDROCARBONS
(ETHANE, PROPANE )
COAL GAS 2.0% 0.5% 5.5% 7.5% 51.8% 27.0% 4.7%
_
NATURAL GAS 0.6% _ 2.7% – 90% 6.7%

This pipeline, called Feeder One, was dismantled in the 1970s and only the Peterborough district office. The Bishop
to become the start of the national gasholder remained, which has been Bridge site was used as an operational
transmission system (NTS). The NTS demolished in recent years. The last base until recently. With the sale of
has now expanded considerably gasworks to close in Great Britain was National Grid’s majority stake in its gas
across Great Britain, acting as the the Millport works, located on the Isle distribution business in March 2017,
high-pressure gas network to transport of Cumbrae, in Scotland; this gasworks the remaining operational assets and
gas from the entry terminals to gas closed in 1981. distribution network in Norwich are now
distribution networks, or directly In 1993, the government accepted the operated by Cadent.
to power stations and other large Monopolies and Mergers Commission’s Today, there are still a few reminders
industrial users. recommendation to separate gas supply of Norwich’s long history of gas
The process of conversion to and pipeline operation, with the aim of manufacture. These include the walls
natural gas in the Eastern Gas Board creating competition in the supply of built on Gas Hill and Kett’s Heights Park
started in 1968 and signalled an end gas to domestic customers. using bricks from the former gasworks,
to the manufacture of gas in England. the former gas lamps within the city and
Gas production at Essex’s Romford the occasional stopcock cover bearing
gasworks was switched off on 26 Today, there are still a few the initials of the British Gas Light
August 1976. In 1973, part way through reminders of Norwich’s long Company. With the gasholders now gone
the conversion programme, a new Gas history of gas manufacture. at Bishop Bridge, the type of fluctuating
Act restricted the industry, increasing These include the walls built diurnal storage that these large, low-
centralisation. The Eastern Gas Board pressure gasholders provided has been
became one of the regions of the British on Gas Hill and Kett’s Heights met by alternative means. The land once
Gas Corporation. The conversion Park using bricks from the occupied by the gasholders will now be
program required every burner in every former gasworks, the former safely returned to beneficial use.
gas appliance working on coal gas to be Although the gas industry in Norwich
modified or replaced with one suitable gas lamps within the city and is almost 200 years old, it is still thriving.
for burning natural gas. Many older the occasional stopcock cover It has evolved into a segmented industry,
appliances unsuitable for conversion bearing the initials of the British consisting of North Sea gas producers,
were scrapped, aided by generous Gas Light Company. With the a national gas transmission system
trade-in offers at the gas showroom. operated by National Grid, regional
The discovery of significant amounts gasholders now gone at Bishop gas transportation companies such as
of gas in the North Sea led to the Bridge, the type of fluctuating Cadent, who distribute gas in Norwich
construction of reception terminals for diurnal storage that these and eastern England, and energy
the gas on the eastern coast of England. large, low-pressure gasholders suppliers who sell gas to customers.
The Bacton terminal was located on the Large LNG importation facilities, such
Norfolk coast and became operational provided has been met by as that operated by National Grid on the
in 1968, but was officially opened by alternative means. The land Isle of Grain in Kent, help supplement
HRH the Duke of Edinburgh in 1969. once occupied by the gasholders gas supplies from the North and
The Bacton terminal is connected to Irish Seas and those imported from
the NTS and remains a key point of will now be safely returned to the continent. Gas-fired electricity
entry for gas into eastern and southern beneficial use. generation provides an important back-
England. Its proximity enabled Norwich up to supplies of renewable electricity
to be converted to natural gas in the when there are lulls in wind or solar
early 1970s. This was achieved through The difficulties in accessing the electricity generation. New alternative
the construction of an intermediate Cremorne Lane site made it unsuitable forms of gas such as biomethane are
pressure natural gas feeder pipeline for use as a district office or depot. The starting to be utilised and the potential
from Bacton to an above ground Bishop Bridge site was retained for for carbon free hydrogen gas to provide
installation with a pressure reduction gas storage and distribution purposes. future gas supplies is on the horizon.
station at the Bishop Bridge site, prior Some of the old buildings were used While the gas legacy in Norwich
to the closure of the gasworks. The operationally by the Eastern region, will no longer be quite so visible,
gas holders were retained on-site to although in March 1994 distribution the gas distribution infrastructure
support the medium and low-pressure and transmission were moved out is still present beneath the streets,
gas distribution network in Norwich. of the district office. Some staff were operated by Cadent and supported by
Without the need for manufactured retained working in the former gasworks the national gas transmission system
gas, the Cremorne Lane gasworks were buildings, but the majority moved to the owned by National Grid.

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