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Difference between revisions of "Beckton Gas Works"

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==Description==
 

Latest revision as of 13:46, 12 May 2016


"The plant was opened in 1870 by the Gas Light & Coke Company. The name Beckton was given to the plant and the surrounding area of east London in honour of the company's governor Simon Adams Beck. It came eventually to manufacture gas for most of London north of the Thames, with numerous smaller works being closed. Its counterpart south of the river was the South Metropolitan Gas Company's East Greenwich Gas Works on the Greenwich Peninsula.

After the Second World War a major reconstruction project was undertaken by the civil engineer T. P. O'Sullivan of Brian Colquhoun and Partners. Following nationalisation in 1949 the plant was owned by the North Thames Gas Board. After closure the residual site passed to British Gas and Transco.

The discovery of natural gas in the North Sea meant that manufactured gas became uncompetitive. The Beckton works closed between 1969 and 1970, when the last trainload left the associated chemical works.

The works lay within the London Docklands area and parts were redeveloped by the London Docklands Development Corporation." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beckton_Gas_Works

Gas works were used to produce and store flammable coal gas. Coal was mined in Britain and then shipped on a barge up rivers or on trains to the gas works. There it was burned to create the gas, which was then purified and put into the gas holders until needed for consumer use to light streets and buildings. The process also created coke, tar, ammonia, and sulphur as by-products.


Operation

1870 to 1969


Location

Loading map...


Located in

East Ham


Produced

Coal Gas, Coke, Coal Tars, Ammonia, Sulphur


Used Raw Materials

Coal


Ownership

From To Owner
1870 1949 Gas Light & Coke Company
1949 1969 North Thames Gas Board


Industry

From To Industry
1870 1969 Coal Gas Industry