Tall Shite gas holderz

[pbottomley]

Today I was mainly messing my pants, whilst standing on top of this wee beastie... The uber shite of the gas industry

 

320 feet tall, wet, slippy, moves, shakes and creaks

 

img_0224 by paul.bottomley, on Flickr

 

The observant amongst you will of noticed unlike most gas holders this one doesn't rise or fall, it stays at its maximum height externally all the time and inside a diaphragm moves up and down as gas is vented out or pumped in.

 

Its made from sheet steel 1/4″ thick riveted together, the lift used to be inside the box running up the side but that’s long been abandoned, as its just too old. The new lift is a construction lift like you see running up the side of large tower blocks. Its a long ride, its scary and at the top it open out onto exposed walkways with sheer drops down to ground level.

 

img_0241 by paul.bottomley, on Flickr

 

I have nothing but respect for these guys who work on these day in day out. I was shall we say nervous and it spoilt some of the experience, as we went inside the holder from the top, onto a suspended walkway 320 foot above the ground, it basically froze me to the spot, there were two staircases, one inside , one outside each with open tread pattern steps (no thanks) or the noisy and rattly lift…. not for the fearful!! (I was not brave, boiler-suit is now in the washing machine!)

 

 

A video of a wet trip upwards.....

 

I will not be doing that again I can tell you, I didnt get pictures of the inside as it was a) too dark and mostly because my hands were shaking with fear, here is an old picture from the 1930′s of the insides, I was right up the top NOT looking down!! All of those stairs are free hanging, 80 years old and moved as we moved, put the right whats nots up me I can tell you.

 

[Father Ted]

Eeeeeh, thats lovely that is.

Reminds me of mu childhood dicking about on top of the bitumen tanks at Lafina in Preston.

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

I'm not good with exposed heights, good work climbing that thing!

 

I have been up some 778ft tall shite, quite solid internal staircase with landings though.

 

 

[chaseracer]

There are gas holders next to the M6 near junction 9 at Wednesbury. A few years back, they were painted in blue stripes, which looked great.

 

Until the first time they rose again...

[eddyramrod]

If I'm to go any higher than thick-socks level I like to see Boeing stamped on everything around me, so respect, Paul, well done. I couldn't do that.

[seth]

Peep-oh!

 

 

Not the nicest of days to have gone up there! What was the reason for your visit?

[ashmicro]

I've no head for heights either, not an ideal state of affairs for someone who works on powerplant construction!

 

I helped on the building of this:

 

 

OO NOO! More than 3 feet up!

 

 

 

 

Although, it did have some much more attractive vistas

 

[pbottomley]

Not the nicest of days to have gone up there! What was the reason for your visit?

 

The reason for the visit was to try and understand the scale of the things I have helped planned, doing things on paper at a distance (my office is in the Midlands) its easy to say, just take that down, and sell the land... reality only ever hits home when one stands on top of these things

 

I shall not ask these guys to "pull their fingers out" again...

[Station]

I'm not good on heights either, I never used to be like that. Why do these gas things go up and down, is it to pressurise?

 

My mate did school work experience replacing the lighting (or whatever) at the top of the Anglican Cathedral in Liverpool (inside). It flipping high.

[CreepingJesus]

Cool! Every time I see the gasometers at Robroyston in Glasgow, I want to climb them. They're the multi-section type, and I was surprised to find out recently that the newest one standing, was built in 1914! How old's that one?

These things encapsulate the genius of Victorian engineering.

[Cavcraft]

Sod that for a caper. Used to go up (external) staircases onto tanks at work which were probably only about forty feet high at work and was never too keen on it. We had a rather large gent there once who was shit scared of heights and you can feel the tank roofs flexing underneath you which made things much worse for him. I quite fancy a closer look at the large floating roof tanks one day if I ever get the bottle. There's lots of cool structures where I am and sometimes see inspection/repair dudes climbing up them or sort of absailing (abseiling?) off 'em.

The steeplejacks talk of climbing huge towers like they were climbing up a small kerb.

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

LH - that's not near me is it?

 

Inverclyde.

[M'coli]

LH - that's not near me is it?

 

Inverclyde.

Inverkip powerstation?

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

Aye, shame the chimney is inaccessible now.