Northern Gas Networks will be investing £220,000 to replace approximately 1.7km of ageing metal gas mains in South Kirkby with new durable plastic pipes to ensure the continued, safe and reliable supply of gas to residents in the area for years to come.

The essential work will commence on Monday, 20 January 2014 at the junction of White Apron Street and North Street, and will gradually progress along White Apron Street to Mill Lane, and up North Street and along Northfield Lane.

In order to carry out the work safely and efficiently, it will be necessary to install temporary three-way traffic lights at the junction of White Apron Street and North Street for approximately three weeks.

As work progresses, temporary traffic lights will be in situ on White Apron Street.

The work will take an estimated twelve weeks to complete.

John Pickering, Customer Operations Area Manager, Northern Gas Networks said; “We have planned our work closely with Wakefield Highways Department, to minimise disruption to both residents and motorists.

“We would like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding, and apologise in advance for any inconvenience this essential work may cause.”

If you have any questions about the works please don’t hesitate to contact the Customer Care team on 0845 634 0508, option 7. The team is available between 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday, and 9am and 5pm on Saturday.

Northern Gas Networks is due to commence the second and final phase of work to replace ageing metal gas mains in Kirkby Stephen.

 The project, worth £160,000, involves replacing 280 meters of metal gas mains with modern plastic equivalents which will ensure the safe and reliable supply of gas to customers in the area for years to come.

The first stage of the work began in November 2013 and was completed ahead of the busy Christmas period.  The final stage of the work to replace 20 metres of gas main will resume today (Wednesday 15 January) and is expected to take two weeks to complete.

To ensure that the work is carried out safely temporary traffic lights will be in place on South Road / High Street from Friday 17 January.  Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times.

Barry Watson, Customer Operations Area Manager, Northern Gas Networks said; “We have worked closely with Cumbria Highways Department and Cumbria County Council to ensure minimum disruption to members of the public, and have carefully planned our work to avoid the busy Christmas trading period.

“We would like to ask residents for their understanding while we complete these essential works to improve the local gas network”

Northern Gas Networks Customer Care team is available on 0845 634 0508, option 7 between 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday, and 9am and 5pm on Saturday.

If you smell gas please call the National Gas Emergency Service immediately on 0800 111 999.

Northern Gas Networks is investing £135,000 to upgrade the ageing gas distribution network in Hexham.

Two major projects are being carried out as part of NGN’s ongoing development of infrastructure across the north of England, which will involve replacing a total of 680 metres of existing metal gas mains with more durable plastic pipes to ensure the continued safe and reliable supply of gas to our customers in Hexham for years to come.

Northern Gas Networks will be carrying out work in the Cattle Market and Priestlands Close areas of the town.

The first gas mains replacement project will commence on Tuesday 14 January and will be carried out in three phases in Eastgate, Cattle Market and St Marys Chare.

This project is expected to take approximately ten weeks to complete.

In early February, engineers will begin work in the Priestlands Close area of the town. This project is expected to take approximately three weeks to complete.

In order to carry out this essential work safely and efficiently, at various stages throughout the project it will be necessary to put traffic management systems such as temporary traffic lights in place.

Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times.

Paul Common, Customer Operations Area Manager, Northern Gas Networks said; “We have worked closely with Northumberland Highways Department to ensure minimum disruption to members of the public, and have carefully planned our work to avoid the busy Christmas and Easter trading periods.

“We would like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding, and apologise in advance for any inconvenience this essential work may cause.”

If you have any questions about the works please don’t hesitate to contact the Customer Care team on 0845 634 0508, option 7. The team is available between 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday, and 9am and 5pm on Saturday.

St Mark’s gas holder in Hull is a 106ft tall steel construction built in 1898. A familiar sight for many locals, when in use it could store up to two million cubic feet of gas – enough to supply 2,400 homes for a full day.

And now it needs to come down.

Advances in technology mean that St Mark’s, along with the 47 other Northern Gas Networks owned gas holders in the region, are now surplus to requirements.

I’ve been working with local people to create a visual and written record about St Mark’s, so that the memories live on long after the site is cleared.

I visited St Mark’s holder throughout the demolition to make sketches of the structure.  Working with black and white acrylic paint on card I used my sketches, and photographs, as reference tools back in my studio where I worked up more ‘finished’ paintings.

When I’m out on site sketching a holder such as St Mark’s I feel a real sense of the 150 year history, intensified when I’m working alone.  You can’t help but think of the generations of workers, relatives and friends who have worked with or grown up with the holder.

There is something quite eerie about being stood so close to such a large structure.  The way it typifies the industrial age and indeed the Victorians attention to detail and craftsmanship is quite fabulous.  I’m honoured to be able to capture its beauty in art.

I have the great pleasure of visiting primary schools in areas that will be most affected by Northern Gas Networks essential replacement work.

To help pupils at St Josephs Primary School in Dewsbury understand why Northern Gas Networks do the work they do, and why it can’t be avoided, I spent an afternoon with Year 5 children delivering an art workshop.

As well as showing the children my own artwork and discussing the dangers of paying near the road works, we spent the afternoon creating some wonderful paintings. I then merged the paintings into a giant mural that adorns our site works and will soon be re-produced on one of Northern Gas Networks vans in the area.

It was such a pleasure to teach such a well behaved, enthusiastic class, thank you Miss Roberts and Year 5.

Our Community Artist, Mick Hand, is a professional artist with more than 20 years’ experience.

He delivers workshops with local schools in areas where we have long-running or disruptive pipe replacement projects, with the resulting NGN-themed artwork used on our site fencing, on customer letters, and even on our vehicles.

Mick is also documenting the legacy of our gas holders using sketches and paintings.  These structures will gradually disappear from the region’s skyline over the next ten to fifteen years as a result of our holder demolition program.

We’re also calling for people to share their gas holder memories by emailing gasholdermemories@northerngas.co.uk or writing to:

Northern Gas Networks
Stakeholder Relations
Thorpe Park Business Park
1100 Century Way
Colton
Leeds
LS15 8TU

Ultimately, we aim to produce a book encompassing this artwork along with reminiscences from local people, to capture the history of these structures for future generations.

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Engineers have been working through the weekend (Jan 4/5) to identify the source of water ingress in a gas pipe supplying gas to the villages of Lingdale and Boosbeck in Redcar and Cleveland.

Water has now been removed from the pipe and normal service has been restored at all 200 properties affected. Our engineers are continuing to investigate the source of the water ingress so that we can make any necessary repairs.

Anyone who is concerned about their gas supply, or smells gas, should always contact the National Gas Emergency Line on 0800 111 999. 

Customers in the villages of Lingdale and Boosbeck in Redcar and Cleveland may experience low gas pressure this weekend (Jan 4/5).

The recent heavy rains have caused water ingress into the local network, which has the potential to affect gas pressure for up to 200 properties in the area.

Our engineers are continuing to investigate the source of the water ingress so that we can make any necessary repairs. This is likely to take us into next week.

We apologise to customers for any inconvenience, and can assure residents that we are working hard to restore normal service.

Anyone who is concerned about their gas supply, or smells gas, should always contact the National Gas Emergency Line on 0800 111 999.

Northern Gas Networks will be commencing work to upgrade the ageing metal gas mains in Stockton Road, Sunderland, in the new year.

 The work is part of NGN’s ongoing development of infrastructure across the north of England and will involve replacing approximately 220 metres of existing metal gas mains with more durable plastic pipes to ensure the continued safe and reliable supply of gas to our customers in Sunderland for years to come.

 The project will commence on Monday 20 January and is expected to take approximately six weeks to complete.

 In order to carry out this essential work safely and efficiently, it will be necessary to put road closures in place as follows:

• Junction of Mowbray Road with Ryhope Road and Stockton Road from 20 January for two weeks
• Junction of Tunstall Road / Belvedere Road to the junction of Stockton Road from 10 February for three weeks

Businesses in the area will remain open as usual and advanced warning signage will be erected two weeks prior to works starting.

Diversion routes will be clearly marked.

John Richardson, Customer Operations Area Manager, Northern Gas Networks said; “We have planned our work carefully to ensure minimum disruption to motorists, residents and local businesses.”

 Mr Richardson added; “We would like to take this opportunity to apologise in advance for any inconvenience this essential work may cause.”

 If you have any questions about the works please don’t hesitate to contact the Customer Care team on 0845 634 0508, option 7.  The team is available between 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday, and 9am and 5pm on Saturday.

Northern Gas Networks is investing £290,000 to upgrade the ageing gas distribution network in Durham city centre.

 The major project is part of NGN’s ongoing development of infrastructure across the north of England and will involve replacing 830 metres of existing metal gas mains with more durable plastic pipes to ensure the continued safe and reliable supply of gas to our customers in Durham for years to come.

 The project will commence on Monday 6 January and will be carried out in three phases to minimise city centre disruption. The work is scheduled for completion in May 2014. 

 John Richardson, Customer Operations Area Manager, Northern Gas Networks said; “We’ve developed a phased plan for this project by working closely with Durham County Council to minimise disruption to motorists, residents and local businesses.” 

 As part of this project, Northern Gas Networks will be working in the Millburngate (junction of Millburngate towards Framwellgate Bridge) and North Road areas of the city.

 In order to carry out this work safely and efficiently, it will be necessary to install temporary traffic lights on Millburngate for approximately eight weeks from Monday 6 January.

 The section of North Road leading onto Crossgate and Silver Street will be closed for approximately two weeks from Monday 27 January.

 Businesses in the area will be open as usual and access for deliveries will be maintained.

 Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times throughout the project.

 Mr Richardson said, “We will continue to keep the general public informed throughout our essential work in Durham city centre.

“Our Customer Care team will be on hand at St Nicholas Church, Market Place to answer any questions from members of the public. The team will be at the venue from 13.30 to 15.30 every Monday and Wednesday from Wednesday 8 January 2014 until Wednesday 29 January 2014.”

Mr Richardson added; “We would like to take this opportunity to apologise in advance for any inconvenience this essential work may cause and thank members of the public for their patience and support.”

 If you have any questions about the works please don’t hesitate to contact the Customer Care team on 0845 634 0508, option 7.  The team is available between 8am and 8pm Monday to Friday, and 9am and 5pm on Saturday.