Centenary of The Stalybridge Gas Works
Centenary of The Stalybridge Gas Works
Centenary of The Stalybridge Gas Works
ThemanufactureofcoalgasinStalybridgebeganintheyear1818,whenMr.JohnLeech,
cottonmanufacturer,erectedagasmakingplant,andintroducedgasintohismills.Thesight
wasanovelty,andlargenumbersofpeoplecamefromadjacentplacestoseethemills
lightedupannight.Beforetheformationofapublicgascompany,gaswasmanufacturedby
millownersontheirownpremises,amongstothersbythefollowingfirms:Mr.George
Adshead,StayleyNewMillsMessrs.HarrisonandMr.Cheetham,CastleStreetMillsin
additiontothepioneerinstallationatGrosvenorStreetMills.
SometradesmenhaditbroughtfromManchesterinairtightbags,speciallymadeforthe
purpose.Awellknowndruggistandatinplateworkerformedperhapsthefirstlocaljoint
stockgascompany.Theformerprovidedtheresinofwhichtheyintendedtomakeit,the
lattersuppliedthepiping,retortandagreatironpot.Afterfiringsometime,andnotseeing
thegasholderrise,oneofthem,withalightedcandleinhishand,tinkeredwithhis
gasometerwiththeresultthatthegasrushedoutandwentoffwithagreatclaplikethunder.
Thegasholderwasblownintheair,justgrazingtheman'sshoulder.Theywerethe
pioneersofgasmakinginStalybridge.
StalybridgeGasLightCompanywasformedin1828,withworkswherethepresentworks
nowstand,butontheAstleyEstatesideofthebrook.Intheyear1871aworkswasbuiltat
MossleyforthesupplyofMossley,MicklehurstandSaddleworth.
Onthe31stJuly,1885,byActofParliament,theaboveundertakingwastransferredtothe
CorporationsofStalybridgeandMossley,thepurchasepricebeing126,000payableby
Stalybridgeand84,000byMossley.
Thepriceofgasin1830was15S.per1,000cubicfeet.
TheNewGeneratingStationoftheJointBoardissituatedhalfwaybetweenStalybridgeand
Mossley,onwhatisknownastheHartsheadSite,whichcontainstwentysixacresandis
suitableforanyextensionsoftheStationnecessarytosupplythewholeofthedistrict,for
whichtheJointBoardhavethenecessaryPowerstosupplyelectricity.
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TherearelargereservoirsontheSitewithaholdingcapacityofaboutsixmilliongallonsof
water.ThesereservoirsareaveryvaluableassettotheBoardastheysupplythe
condensingwaterrequiredbytheTurbinesduringperiodswhentheflowoftheriverTameis
belownormal.
AtthepresenttimeTwoTurbinesof15,000horsepowereachareerectedintheStation.One
oftheserunsfullyloadedallday,andthenecessarysteamissuppliedfromfourBoilers
eachwithacapacityforevaporating35,000lbs.ofsteamperhour.
TheGeneratingStationisatpresentproducingelectricityataslowacostasanyGenerating
Stationinthecountry,andthemonthlyreportsshowthatsincetheStationhasbeenin
operationthequantityofCoalusedperunitsoldtotheconsumershasbeenreducedfrom3
lbs.to2lbs.,areductionof33and1/3rdpercent.
TheJointBoardissellingelectricalenergyataloweraveragepricethananyother
Undertakinginthecountry,thechargesforelectricalenergysuppliedtotheCottonMills
beingabout1/2d.perunit.
Owingtothenumerousapplicationsforadditionalsuppliesfromnewconsumers,theBoard
havedecidedtoapplyforsanctiontotheElectricityCommissionersfortheborrowingofan
additional170,000inordertodoublethecapacityoftheworks.
Owingtothelowpriceschargedforpowerpurposes,alargenumberofCottonMillsand
otherindustrialUndertakingsarefindingthatitisabettercommercialpropositiontouse
electricityfordrivingpurposes,ratherthantoinstalltheirownsteamenginesandboilers.
TheBoardhaverecentlyadoptedasystemof1/intheslotmetersforsupplyingthe
CorporationHousingSchemeswithelectriclight.OwingtothelowchargesmadeforStreet
Lightingpurposes,theCorporationsofStalybridgeandHydearegraduallyadopting
electricityforStreetLighting,andconsequentlyagreatimprovementistakingplaceinthe
lightingofourstreets.
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