The Rushden Echo, 17th May 1968, transcribed by Jim Hollis
Rushden folk "take" to gas via the North Sea
 |
|
Bill Wilson converts an oven
|
|
The gas conversion men are in Rushden — as if there is hardly a housewife with a gas cooker, fire, refrigerator, poker or central heating that is not already aware of it.
When the cavalcade of lorries, caravans, mobile workshops, control centre, vans and cars arrived in Rushden about three weeks ago they were just another inconvenience the housewife had to suffer.
Now, some 2,500 homes later — and about another 2,000 to go — many local people have been "converted" in more ways than one.
People who are now cooking or heating by North Sea natural gas are beginning to understand the vast and complex planning and organisation that go into mass conversion — and perhaps beginning to wonder how such a major operation can be run so smoothly.
Key Word
The key word is organisation to compare with a military campaign.
 |
Graham Pack - In radio contact with control, to report the arrival of natural gas to Rushden.
|
|
The whole operation is supervised by the East Midland Gas Board, and in addition to their men they have two major contractors working in the town.
Altogether there are about 100 gas conversion workers, not counting the follow-up crews — they complete anything missed — inspectors and operations control personnel.
The town is split into sections and men work a section on a three-day cycle. Guiding operations, issuing orders, noting parts needed, conversions done and conversions to be done is a mobile control centre fitted with two-way radio. Little or nothing is left to chance.
There are slip-ups, but what can you expect when something like 1,000 homes a week are dealt with. But the checking and following up means very few escape the "net."
If you should be the one in 1,000, a telephone call to the gas board will put that right immediately.
Many people think conversion is just a question of changing a fitting or a burner. Unfortunately it is a lot more complicated than that.
Why should units need converting anyway? After all, gas is gas.
Mr. Michael Fieldsman, a board representative attached to the control vehicle explained the different characteristic of natural and town gas.
Double Heat
Natural gas has about twice the caloric (heat) quality of town gas, so it is 'diluted' with air at the burning point.
This does mean it will not boil a kettle of water twice as fast. In fact by the time conversion takes place town and natural gas have almost identical qualities.
But it does mean more heat is extracted per cubic foot of gas. This means more gas can be stored in present pipes and that is probably one of the reasons why natural gas is ½d a therm cheaper as soon as conversion takes place.
There could probably be a bigger saving, but there is a tremendous amount of capital cost involved. Each house costs an average of £30 to convert.
Not Poison
Natural gas has two main advantages over town gas. It is not a poison and it is cleaner.
Although not a poison, natural gas could kill. Eventually it would suffocate a person - but not before allowing them ample time to smell the leak and open the doors.
As for the smell of natural gas — it's man made. In its natural state there is no smell. The smell is added so that people can detect a leak.
What would happen if your cooker was missed and you started to burn natural gas? Nothing very dangerous, the flame would be inefficient.
Within two weeks the men will have finished in Rushden and move to Higham Ferrers.
|
