The accelerator pedal of the gas network marks birthday
A GAS compressor in Alrewas, will celebrate its 50th birthday this month, making it the longest-serving unit in National Grid’s fleet of 64 compressors – the ‘accelerator pedals’ of the system which keeps Britain warm through the winter.
Compressors increase the pressure of gas by reducing volume to push the fuel around the gas transmission system.
It has been carefully maintained over the last 50 years, including replacing its jet-engine turbines with newer, lower emission alternatives.
As the Alrewas compressor marks its milestone, it’s important to remember that in November 1966, an announcement was made that would put the whole district of Burton in the spotlight.
The area was chosen to be the first district in the country to be converted to using natural gas by the East Midlands Gas Board.
This landmark process was overseen by 1,500 employees working at East Midlands Gas Board’s De Montfort Street headquarters in Leicester with many dozens more employed locally.
For the conversion to take place, a new major artery needed to be laid so that natural gas from the North Sea could be piped to the mainland.
While the Alrewas compressor was originally designed to move gas from the East of England, with the advent of North Sea gas in the late 1960s but is now just as likely to be used in handling supplies from South Wales or from the north east as the transmission system becomes more dynamic and flexible, with diverse supply sources.
Meanwhile, as this pipeline laying and compressor building took place, Burton was also gearing up for the big switch.
May 15, 1967 was chosen as C-day – conversion day – a time when high speed natural gas would be available in Fradley and Alrewas followed a week or so later by Burton and its surrounding districts.
C-day was the climax of weeks of preparatory work and the temporary natural gas conversion centre on Wetmore Road could be removed now the work was complete.
Switching to natural gas from town gas wasn’t as simple as it sounded as every gas-burning appliance needed converting.
A ‘special projects department’ made more than 20,000 home visits to compile a list of appliances in need of conversion and huge stockpiles of replacement burner units were ordered.
Salesmen followed up these visits with the offer of selling new appliances which were designed for natural gas.
Many customers took advantage of the special trade-in deals being offered.
Meanwhile, motorists complained about the endless holes and trenches which had to be dug throughout the area so that the new natural gas lines could be laid.
For the conversion to work, the district of Burton was divided into zones – and as the programme advanced, these zones increased in size.
The outer villages of Fradley, Alrewas, Tutbury, Barton, Yoxall, Branston, Rolleston and Stretton were converted first before the teams moved to Burton itself.
A start was made in July 1967 in Burton and by November the whole town would be converted – making it the first town in the country to be using natural gas.
To help convince customers of the benefit of natural gas, an information centre was created at Bargates Shopping Centre.
The complete switch and conversion to natural gas certainly wasn’t fast. It took until the Queen’s Silver Jubilee in 1977 to complete the programme.