Call for Elswick gas holder images ahead of dismantling

Images of old gas holders that are soon to be taken down in an area of Newcastle are being sought.

Work will begin later this month to dismantle the now defunct structures in Skinnerburn Road and Tyneside Road, Elswick, Northern Gas Networks said.

The company is asking for photographs documenting the site so they can be preserved for generations to come.

Built in 1955 and 1960, the steel gas holders used to help supply power to 4000 homes a day.

It will take six months to take them all down.

Tim Harwood, spokesman for North Gas Networks, said: "The decision has been made to dismantle the Elswick gas holders as they no longer serve a purpose in maintaining gas supplies to the local area.

"The ongoing costs of keeping the gas holders in good repair have become economically unviable."

The UK's gas holders were originally built to store gas made from coal at a local gas works.

With the discovery of North Sea gas, the holders increasingly became redundant and were eventually phased out as new gas pipelines were laid to supply gas to homes.