Gasholder Number 172 at former Great Yarmouth Gasworks

Gasholder, built in 1884 to the design of the consulting engineer Robert P Spice of London for the Great Yarmouth Gas Company by the contractors Samuel Cutler and Sons of Millwall, London. In 1885, after foundation settlement caused the water tank to leak, it was dismantled and re-erected on a site immediately to the east.

MATERIALS: the tank and bell are constructed of rivetted cast-iron plates while the composite guide frame is formed of cast-iron columns and steel box-lattice girders.

PLAN: it is circular on plan and measures around 29m in height and 29.8m in diameter. DETAILS: the gasholder is of a column-guided type and consists of three main components: a circular guide frame (Type 18 in Tucker’s Typology of gasholders) along with an above-ground water tank and telescopic gas bell. The guide frame consists of three tiers of 14 cast-iron tubular columns joined by octagonal joint boxes to a triple tier of horizontal I-section curved steel box girders. The box girders have repeating St Andrew's cross latticework and end detailing while the top tier of girders are supported by Paddon wind ties. The columns broadly imitate Tuscan columns (although a 1909 photograph appears to show Corinthian capitals) with octagonal moulded bases, astragals and capitals, although the bases and capitals have been adapted to accommodate external bolts and stiffening feathers. Each lower column has an oval makers' plate with either ‘S CUTLER & SONS / CONTRACTORS LONDON / 1884’ or ‘RP SPICE / ENGINEER / LONDON/ 1884’ cast in relief. The top tier of columns are surmounted by needle finials set upon moulded bases with pierced volutes. Attached to the inside face of each column are guide rails for the wrought-iron carriage rollers upon which the three lifts of the telescopic bell of the gasholder rose as its was filled with gas or fell as it was emptied from its above-ground tank. The bell also bears makers' plates as described above. An access ladder is attached to one side of the guide frame.