The Day the Gas Went Off   

tu 23 Jan

The gas went off in what appears to be much of Fram about 10pm last night.  By 1am we'd heard the problem was the Pressure Reduction Station (PRS) in Fairfield Road and there

could be disruption for up to a week.  We visited the PRS (it's the little brick cube at the end of the bungalows) which had three Transco/National Grid vans parked up and a small group of blokes who suddenly became very shy and fled in their vans.

Update 9:15am:  Robert Hitcham's is closed because of no heating.  Update from a National Grid press officer here.

Update 11:45ish am:  Robert Hitcham's will be closed tomorrow which pretty much shows it's likely the gas will still be off tomorrow.  Keep an eye on the bulletin board.  The United Free has electric heating and will open up if there's a need.

At 10am no sign of activity around the PRS ...

but lots in and around New Road as two enormous artics brought in mountains of electric hobs and heaters (safe bet they didn't get them from Bradlaugh's) ...

... there's an incident room in Robert Hitcham's (sneak in the back way from New Road) where you can get a free electric heater and hob and like Matt here, who has one for the old lady next door, they'll let you have more than one ...

... meanwhile back at the PRS fault finding has started but the real problem is this ...

... techies have to go door to door checking the gas is off ... don't hold your breath.

Update 12:45ish pm:  Framtrade in New Road 01728 723723 has lots of bottled gas, some heaters and is not charging a deposit on a large bottle if you're without mains gas.

Hey!  This is being our busiest day yet on FDC, must be all those gas people looking to see if they've got their pic on here:)

Update 2:00ish pm:  Fram's was top story on the Anglia tv news (apparently we're freezing).  Some familiar faces including Matt Bayfield's daughters.

Update 5:00ish pm:  The PRS has been fixed and Fram is being individually re-connected now; elderly and the vulnerable first of course.  Re-connecting everybody may complete tomorrow but could run into Thursday.  Still loads of gas vans in the  Robert Hitcham's car park (they must being giving them biscuits) and Anglia TV is still there (they must being giving them choccy biscuits) so expect Fram to be on the 6 o'clock news.  See Fram on the Beeb lunchtime news here.

Update 5:30ish pm:  The United Free will be open 1-4pm tomorrow for a warm, a cuppa and a chat; and will be open Thursday and Friday if needed.

we 24 Jan

Gas Update 10:30ish am:  The Beeb website is saying 250 still without gas.  That seemed a suspiciously low number but Nat Grid's Stef Von Rosser says 961 households on gas in Fram and 720 were reconnected last night!  There certainly were a LOAD of gas vans beetling about.  Most remaining shiverers connected by midday today (people out at work and the sprinkling of snow will make it more interesting).  We're still not on here in Stately Terrace though:(

Gas Update 1:30ish pm:  The incident room in Robert Hitcham's hall will end today, Robert Hitcham's school expect to be back tomorrow, and some of Stately Terrace is connected ... we must have been having a warm round The Station when they called.

Gas Update 2:30ish pm:  Cheery bloke from London (stayed in Stowmarket last night) has just flashed through NaTCH Towers checking the gas.  He reckoned there's maybe a hundred houses left to do but four gas dudes in the Munch Box reckon that like Christmas it should all be over soon.

Final Gas Update 5pmish:  Nat Grid press office say there's 50 properties they still haven't gained access to.  They'll keep trying but will start leaving cards with a phone number to call for re-connection.   By 9pm they should have packed their Transits and quietly stolen away.  Bye bye gas dudes and thank you for all the hobs!

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