What happened to Gasometers ?

In this video we look at the demolition of a gas holder, Gasometer in Manchester UK. The Bradford road gas works was established in Manchester in 1877. The Bradford area is a suburb situated in East Manchester. This area consisting of Gorton, Clayton, Bradford, Ardwick was very industrial. Victorian industry was able to flourish in the area due to the nearby coal resources. The demand for gas usage was increasing and so an additional gas works had to be built at Bradford road. These gas works at the time produced Coal gas or as commonly called ‘Town gas’ It was stored in huge Gasometers that dominated the skyline. Nearby was a Colliery, coal mine called Bradford Colliery. Although it eventually caused mining subsidence in the area and had to close. It was one of the main providers of coal for the gas works. The gasometer we are looking at is being demolished. It was built in 1908 and has dominated the skyline since. It is a telescopic gasometer, it rises and falls depending on how much gas is being stored in it. We have many old photos of Manchester that show the industrial history of the area. We see that stages of demolition at the hands of the cutters torch. Cut up with an oxy-acetylene torch the gas holder has been reduced to scrap metal. With the advent of Natural North sea gas not required to be stored it spelt the end for these kind of telescopic gas tanks, gas holders, gasometers. This is a video that documents the industrial and Victorian history of Manchester and the UK.