Old steel gas pipe removal in 1930's house

Quite an experience! It would be interesting to know if the gas board admitted blame, and whether the pipe was replaced, and with what, if you remember.
I still think copper wasn't allowed on town gas, but from your experience perhaps they were prepared to ignore the rules.

I cannot remember much, but I don't remember them changing the pipe. I know my father would never tackle much DIY, and was always wary of gas and electrics, he always got someone in and trusted them to do the job properly. This is the first I have ever heard of copper, not being allowed on town gas.
 
but I don't remember them changing the pipe.
If they didn't they must have patched it up!
This is the first I have ever heard of copper, not being allowed on town gas.
I had a scrounge round on the internet but only found the attachment. Probably no need for it as there’s no town gas these days. I’m speaking from memory about acetylene, but there’ll be some ammonia and H2S present in town gas. Similar situation with biogas, also containing ammonia and H2S, where gas engines are mostly iron and steel, no bronze little end bushes.
Maybe some of the old sweats on here can add something? (says this 80-year old)
 

Attachments

That’s quite a common situation in older houses, especially with steel gas pipes from that era.

If the pipe is no longer in use, removal is usually the best long-term option, but it’s important to make sure it’s completely disconnected and safe before doing anything. In some cases, people leave it in place if removing it could cause unnecessary damage to walls or floors.

Also, corrosion inside old steel pipes can be an issue over time, so even if it looks fine from the outside, it might not be reliable anymore.

I’ve seen similar cases where homeowners had to deal with multiple issues at once, not just gas lines but also things like leaks or even situations similar to a geplatzte wasserleitung reparieren, which made the whole system upgrade necessary.

If you’re unsure, it’s always safer to get a qualified professional to check it properly before removal.

Hope that helps.
 
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