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Pipelaying JLP01_08_076876
NORFOLK. A row of Caterpillar 583 pipelayers with side booms lifting the Fens gas pipeline into a recently dug trench.
Work on laying the Fens gas pipeline started in June 1967 and was a joint venture between Laing Civil Engineering and French companies Entrepose and Grands Travaux de Marseille (GTM) for the Gas Council. Over 600 men worked on the project to lay 36 inch diameter steel pipes starting at West Winch in Norfolk and running to where it linked up with the next contract at Woodcroft Castle in Cambridgeshire. The pipeline crossed four rivers and numerous dykes and ditches. Historic England is the public body that champions and protects England's historic places. © Historic England Archive. John Laing Photographic Collection
Media ID 24091211
Filename: jlp01_08_076876.jpg
Size: 6549 x 5165 (4.6MB)
Date: 19th November 2021
Source: Historic England
Credit: A© Historic England Archive. Joh
Copyright Status: Copyrighted Work
Source: Historic England Archive
Owner URL: https://images.historicenglandservices.org.uk/
1960s Engineering Gas Supply Machinery North Sea Gas Pipeline
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EDITORS COMMENTS
This print showcases the remarkable engineering feat of pipelaying in Norfolk during the 1960s. The image captures a row of powerful Caterpillar 583 pipelayers, equipped with side booms, as they delicately lift sections of the Fens gas pipeline into a freshly dug trench. The Fens gas pipeline project was an ambitious joint venture between Laing Civil Engineering and French companies Entrepose and Grands Travaux de Marseille (GTM) for the Gas Council. With over 600 dedicated men working tirelessly on this endeavor, their goal was to lay massive 36-inch diameter steel pipes that would stretch from West Winch in Norfolk to Woodcroft Castle in Cambridgeshire. As we delve deeper into this photograph's details, we can appreciate the complexity involved in laying this vital infrastructure. Not only did these pipelines traverse vast stretches of land but also crossed four rivers and numerous dykes and ditches along their path. This image serves as a testament to human ingenuity and determination, showcasing how technology and manpower were harnessed to connect communities through efficient gas supply. It is a snapshot frozen in time that reminds us of the incredible progress made by our ancestors. Historic England Archive has preserved this piece of history for future generations to marvel at the sheer scale and precision required for such an undertaking. Let it stand as a tribute to those who labored diligently behind-the-scenes, ensuring our modern comforts are made possible by their unwavering commitment to innovation and progress.
