ipton Gasworks, February 1980 The junction of Alexandra Road and Locarno Road, 10th February 1980. The new gasworks, or Oil Gasification Plant (OGP), resembled an oil refinery more than it did a gasworks and was built on the site of two older gasworks; one produced town gas the other gas for industry. Tipton OGP went into production in 1965 but wasn't officially opened until 1967. It only had a production lifespan of 10-years and closed in 1975 due to the discovery of North Sea gas. During its decade of production, Tipton OGP was served by block tanker trains from such locations as Fawley, Herbrandston, Stanlow, Teesport and West Thurrock. Some of these were electric-hauled and brought in feedstocks such as butane and naphtha. Some trains to and from Tipton OGP were routed via the Princes End line such as those from Fawley, which sometimes bought Class 33s into the region. Gas oil and methanol was also used in the production process and this may have been brought in by rail, also. It is believed that some traffic may have been brought in by rail from Bromford Bridge, which was connected by pipeline to Fawley Refinery in the 1970s. There were some electric-hauled trains from Tipton OGP to Ordsall Lane in Manchester in the late 1970s, which travelled outwards via Wolverhampton High Level. The empties returned via Bescot and the Perry Barr - Soho line. It is assumed that these may have been conveying surplus feedstocks from the closed Tipton OGP for re-use by the Greater Manchester Gas Board. The site of Tipton OGP is now a housing estate. [Thanks to David J. Hayes for information.]
