Albert Road gas holder facts for kids
The Albert Road gas holder is a huge, round metal structure in New Barnet, north London. It used to store a lot of gas, about 2 million cubic feet! This gas holder was built in 1934 for a company called Barnet & District Gas and Water. It stopped being used around 2009. Today, it's a reminder of how gas was stored in the past.
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Where is the Gas Holder Located?
This large gas holder stands on the east side of Albert Road. It is part of what used to be the New Barnet Gas Works site. The site is right next to Victoria Park in Barnet.
History of the Gas Works Site
The gas works site first opened in 1866. It was started by a company called the East Barnet Gas and Water Company. Later, in 1872, this company took over two smaller gas companies. It then became known as the Barnet & District Gas and Water Company.
In 1949, the gas company became part of a larger national system. It joined the Eastern Gas Board. After the year 2000, a supermarket chain, Asda, bought the land. They wanted to build homes and a supermarket there. However, their plans were not approved. So, they sold the area to One Housing, which is a group that provides homes for people.
What is the Albert Road Gas Holder?
Gas holders like this one have been on the southern part of the site since at least the 1890s. But the Albert Road gas holder, which is the last one remaining, started being used in 1934.
How the Gas Holder Worked
This gas holder is a special type called "column-guided." It has four parts that move up and down, like lifts. These parts are called "lifts." It could hold a massive amount of gas, about 2 million cubic feet!
After the 1960s, a lot of natural gas was found under the North Sea. This "North Sea gas" changed how gas was supplied. The old gas works on the site were taken down. A new high-pressure pipeline was put in place. The Albert Road gas holder was kept only for storing gas at low pressure. This helped manage the gas supply during busy times of the day.
When it Stopped Being Used
The gas holder was stopped from being used around 2009. It is no longer part of the system that supplies gas to homes and businesses.
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