DescriptionA gas company was formed by Special Act in 1854, however the town was not lit for another 4 years, as recorded in the Wrexham and Denbighshire 5th June 1858 “LLANDUDNO GAS.-This beautiful and continually improving watering place, has during this week, obtained the advantages of the gas light, from works which have been erected under the gas engineer, Mr. George Walcott; the town has only yet been partially lighted, as the fit- tines in all the houses are being carefully tried one after another. When the whole of the houses and shops preparing for gas are lighted up, it is intended by one of the principal shareholders to have a little demonstration to celebrate the event, particulars of which will appear in our columns, when they take place, these gas works, we are told, are everything that the shareholders could wish, and are working in every respect most satisfactorily”. In 1858 the company was known as the Llandudno Gas and Water Company. In 1868 the Chairman of the Company was a Colonel Tottenham (He was also chair of the Llangollen gas company). Mr Robert Price was manager of the Llandudno Gas and Water Company in 1872. Mr John Williams was the secretary to the Llandudno Gas and Water Company until his death in June 1876. The Llandudno Improvements Act 1876 allowed the Llandudno Commissioners to purchase the Llandudno Gas and Water Company, this occurred on the 31st March 1877 (The North Wales Chronicle 7th April 1877). Plans were drawn up by the engineer Mr. Marks to improve the gasworks “Mr Marks exhibited general plans of the improvements on which he had been instructed to prepare plans, and estimates. He now read his report upon the existing buildings and apparatus, much of which the spoke of as in a most dilapidated condition, the only wonder being that with the retorts, &c., as at present, the quantity and quality of the gas produced was so good as they were. He proposed a new block of buildings which would include a new purifying house and other appliances, by which the present supply of gas could be doubled. His estimate for the whole of these works was £4100, but this was altogether independent of returns from the sale of old plant. The new works were so designed that they could be proceeded with and carried out without referring with the existing arrangements as to the supplying of town with gas” (The North Wales Express 25th January 1878). These improvements were completed in late December 1878. In 1881, Thomas T. Marks was the Manager. The local authority became an Urban District Council in 1896. On the 13th December 1897, a 99-year lease taken on 2.89a from the Mostyn Estates. In 1898 T. Davies was the engineer/manger and A. Conolly the Secretary, the company was making 54m cu.ft. from 5500 tons of coal. On the 7th of February 1899, the company held the “Great Gas Exhibition” at the Riviere’s Opera House in Llandudno, featuring a practical Cookery Demonstration by Miss Jennie Barker, L.C.A. “The Llandudno Gas Department are now prepared to let out on hire, and Fix Free of Charge, Wrights "EUREKA" Gas Cookers. It is Cheaper and Healthier to Cook by Gas than by Coal. We will prove to the Householders of Llandudno that one large dinner, or two small dinners, can be cooked in Wright's Cooker's for Id. worth of Gas. Be up-to-date and make life worth living by adopting a Wright's Gas Cooker.”. Mr Thomas Davies, the Manager of the gasworks resigned in 1907. The New manager of the work gave a full description of the gasworks in June 1907 “Carbonizing Pant. —This comprises two Retort Houses and Benches, the old house measuring 44 ft. x 43 ft. and contains 5 Beds of 6 Retorts, 2,1 in. x 14 in. x 8 ft. long. These are heated on the shallow generator system, and through not working at present, I am given to understand the heating is very good. Three of the Beds are new, and two are worn out and should be renewed next year. The new Retort House and Coal Store is. 79 ft. x 60 ft. and is well arranged for present requirements. The Retort Bench contains 6 Beds of 8 Retorts (singles) with solid ends set back to the regenerative system and appear to heat satisfactorily. Two of these Beds are quite new, two have worked one year and two are worn out and require renewing this season. The total number1 of Retorts, is, 78, and last year the largest number in use was 44, leaving ample margin for some time to come. The Hydraulic Main in the old house is rather old-fashioned but quite sound the one in the new house is more modern, having separate compartments! for each Bed with separate Tar Pipes, the Foul Main runs round the four sides of the Retort House, and by its great length assists, considerably in the work of condensation. The Condenser is 29 years old, and of the old-fashioned tubular type. It consists of a rectangular base with Tar outlet, and 14 upright Pipes, 12 in. diameter, 18 ft. 'long each. It is, rather small, for the maximum days' make, but, taking into account the exceptional length of the Foul Mains, we have on the whole, a fair amount of condensing area. If, however, the make of gas increases much, it, will be advisable to consider the question of inserting a Tar Extractor. There are Two Tower Scrubbers one probably as old as the Condensers, the other about 23 years old. The former is 36 ft. high, 5 ft 6 in. diameter, but is in disuse. The newer one is 40 ft. high, 5, ft. diameter. It is fitted with the usual rough-sawn boards and has a constant flow of ammoniacal liquor passing through it. It appears to be in good condition, but rather small for present requirements, its deficiency is, however, made up by the Washer Scrubber, 12 ft. 6 in. long x 5 ft. wide. In this apparatus the last traces of ammonia are removed. Notwithstanding the capacity of the Washer Scrubber, it will be necessary if the make of gas increases, to provide a large Tower Scrubber. The Steam Boiler is of the Cornish type, 15 ft. x 5 ft., fitted with forced draught, and using Cannel, Coke and Breeze as Fuel, and Water from the Town's: supply. It is capable of doing all our work and appears to be in sound working condition. There are two sets of combined Engines and Exhausters, either of which is capable of passing all the gas, made during the present maximum day. Purifiers, these consist of eight Boxes, two 17 ft., two 14 ft., and four 8 ft square. They are worked in three sets, the, four smallest boxes being worked as two Purifiers, and are quite ample for present requirements and allow a liberal margin for increase. The Station Meter is about 14 years old; it is equal to our largest demands at present. Of the four Gas Holders three are. in use. They provide storage for nearly two days of the maximum output, which allows a good margin, and will probably serve for several years to come. The top lift of the largest Holder, which is the: last to empty, scarcely gives enough, pressure for night, consumption, but as there is ample storage! at present it causes no inconvenience. But should the output increase to any extent it. will become necessary to remedy this by adding weight to the crown. The Storage Tank used for filling Tar and Liquor Tanks, is in need of repair in several places, and some provision should be made for indicating the height of the contents which could be readily seen from the yard. In 1909, Walter Shadbolt was the Gas Manager, he submitted several schemes for replacing arc lamps with gas (high pressure or otherwise) on the promenade. (JGL 26/1/1909) In 1912 the Llandudno UDC required 7,700 tons of gas coal and 300 tons of cannel. " (Gas Journal 7/5/1912). Vested in the Wales Gas Board from the Llandudno UDC. At vesting in 1949, the carbonising plant at Conway was in a precarious condition. A short-term plant extension was made at Llandudno with interlinkage (largely using existing mains) from Llandudno to Conway and Colwyn Bay, Conway being closed and Colwyn Bay contributing a limited supply. Llandudno's annual gas production was 221m cu.ft. in 1949, compared with 349m cu.ft. at Colwyn Bay and 108m cu.ft. at Conway. In 1952 the “Gas World Year Book”, showed that Llandudno was manufacturing 285 m cu.ft. of gas using horizontal retort and CWG plant. H. Allerton was the engineer and manager. 1953, 22nd August. Vesting Agreement. The Llandudno gasworks closed in March 1956 following a supply of gas from the North Wales Gas Grid. On the 22nd August 1953, 1.25a were acquired from Church Commissioners for Wales for a site which became the gasholder Station. The gasworks were visible on the 1888 to 1994 OS maps.
