Wortley gas holder to be demolished after 65 years

A gas holder that became an unlikely landmark in west Leeds is to be demolished.
The Wortley gas holder is being demolishedThe Wortley gas holder is being demolished
The Wortley gas holder is being demolished

The Wellington Road gas holder in Wortley was erected in the 1950s, but has been obsolete for several decades after it was superseded by new technology.

Northern Gas Networks still own the structure and have begun work to dismantle it.

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It is one of the last buildings left on a site that has been supplying Leeds with gas since the 1820s - and which has played a key role in the city's industrial history.

Leeds Gas Company were the first owners of the gasworks, but by 1890 the site had been sold to the local council and was at the centre of a violent strike. Managers attempted to cut both hours and pay, and used strikebreak labour when workers walked out. A riot ensued and numerous workers and police officers were injured. The Riot Act had to be read and the strikers were threatened with military intervention.

The site's dramatic story continued during World War Two, when the gasworks were damaged in an air raid after an incendiary bomb exploded nearby. The buildings were reinforced to protect them against more attacks.

The last remaining tank, which will be cleared by February, was originally called Holder Five and was built in 1954. The tanks stored manufactured coal gas, which has since been replaced with greener energy.

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Customers living nearby have been contacted by Northern Gas Networks and given information about the work.

The gas distributor has also launched a local history project to collect memories about the holder and the gasworks.

They are keen to preserve letters, stories, drawings, diaries and photographs about the tank, which will be published on the Northern Gas Networks website and social media channels.

Senior project manager Mark Johnson said: “For around 100 years, gas holders were a vital part of the local gas supply system, responsible for storing manufactured coal gas which was supplied to thousands of people across the region.

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“However, advances in technology and a move towards renewables and greener alternatives to natural gas means that gas holders are no longer used. The holders have become expensive to maintain, and a phased programme of removal, both in the north of England and across the UK, has been underway for several years.

“The Wortley gas holder has been a feature on the local skyline for over a century. It is a familiar sight to local people, who have grown up with it always being there. That’s why we are encouraging residents to commemorate the gas holder before it disappears from the skyline.”

Anyone wishing to share their memories of the gas holder should email [email protected] or post on the Northern Gas Networks Facebook page.

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