South Shields landmark gets a new look

JULY 25, 2008

One of South Shields’ most prominent landmarks is set for a makeover of mammoth proportions – to make it worthy of the town’s revamped town centre.

Northern Gas Networks’ huge industrial gas holder sits right in the heart of the town’s multi-million pound regeneration scheme amid modern new buildings of steel and glass.

Now engineers are getting ready to make it worthy of its new neighbours – by giving it a £250,000 paint job to make it blend in with its surroundings. The feat will require 5,000 litres (1,100 gallons) of paint.

Work will start by the end of July and, depending on the weather, may need to be completed next year.

During the work, the 150ft diameter structure – a feature of the South Shields’ sky line since 1886 – will be entirely wrapped in sheeting to prevent spots of paint ending up where they’re not wanted. Built by G & W Walker Ltd the holder’s design includes 16 vertical cast iron columns and two huge tanks which lift telescopically as they fill with gas, to a total height of 90ft.

Kevin Stephenson, of United Utilities, which manages the gas mains system on behalf Northern Gas Networks, said engineers had even consulted the developers to choose the colour scheme.

“At the moment the holder is pale blue and looks a bit stained and dirty. We’ve agreed to paint it two colours. The tank will be dark grey to match neighbouring buildings as closely as possible. This tank goes up and down in the winter as the holder fills and empties of gas. Being dark it will not show oil stains as much.

“The frame and columns will be pale grey to blend in with the sky when the tank is at ground level. It won’t exactly be invisible but it should be much less prominent,” he said.

Welcoming the work South Tyneside Council Leader Councillor Iain Malcolm said: “The gas holder dominates the town centre skyline and improving its appearance will surely be welcomed by residents, shoppers, visitors and businesses, especially those in the multi-million pound Waterloo Square development.

“The Council has hugely ambitious plans to regenerate the whole of the riverside, strengthen the economy and create a vibrant, attractive area to live, work and visit. The gas holder is such a prominent landmark I’m pleased that Northern Gas Networks are investing in its appearance and giving it a much-needed facelift.”

The South Shields gas holder is a vital part of the local gas supply system, making sure there’s enough gas to go round even in the coldest winters. It can store almost 1.5 million cubic feet of gas – enough to supply 1,800 homes for a full day, or 42,000 homes for an hour.

Chris Gorman, Network Director for pipeline company Northern Gas Networks, said the gas giant was one of the town’s unsung treasures.

“When it’s cold we need the gas it stores to get us through the peaks in demand at certain times of the day, for instance first thing in the morning or early in the evening when everyone gets home from work and switches their heating on. People in South Shields have a lot to thank it for,” he said.