Adelaide. Brompton. Just a few of the Gas Works buildings left standing. The works began in 1863 and closed in 1965. Now being redeveloped for housing.
South Australia Gas Company Bowden.
This company was formed in 1861 and the works started on Chief Street in Bowden in 1863 to provide gas supplies for street and domestic lighting and in some cases heating. Gas works were associated with coal supplies as the coal was heated in an environment with no air to release gases of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and natural gas and steam. The process to obtain gas was hard, hot, dirty and odiferous. The process involved crushing the coal, condescending, pumping, removing tar, washing, drying, cleaning, purifying, blending and storing etc. It was then piped to the location of use. The streets of Adelaide and Brompton were the first lit in the colony in 1865. As demand grew the gas works grew until it covered several acres with numerous buildings and equipment. During World War Two the South Australian government was concerned about coal strikes and limited supplies of black coal arriving from New South Wales which caused power shortages and eventually led to the formation of the South Australian Electricity Supply Company – ETSA. Gas production at the Bowden plant ceased in 1965.
Adelaide. Brompton. Just a few of the Gas Works buildings left standing. The works began in 1863 and closed in 1965. Now being redeveloped for housing.
South Australia Gas Company Bowden.
This company was formed in 1861 and the works started on Chief Street in Bowden in 1863 to provide gas supplies for street and domestic lighting and in some cases heating. Gas works were associated with coal supplies as the coal was heated in an environment with no air to release gases of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and natural gas and steam. The process to obtain gas was hard, hot, dirty and odiferous. The process involved crushing the coal, condescending, pumping, removing tar, washing, drying, cleaning, purifying, blending and storing etc. It was then piped to the location of use. The streets of Adelaide and Brompton were the first lit in the colony in 1865. As demand grew the gas works grew until it covered several acres with numerous buildings and equipment. During World War Two the South Australian government was concerned about coal strikes and limited supplies of black coal arriving from New South Wales which caused power shortages and eventually led to the formation of the South Australian Electricity Supply Company – ETSA. Gas production at the Bowden plant ceased in 1965.