Publications
Note on Natural Gas at Heathfield Station (Sussex), by J. T. Hewitt, published January 1898 in Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society (vol. 54, issue 1-4, article, pp.572-574) View Online
Abstract:In a boring made for water some months ago at Heathfield Railway-station (L. B. & S. C. R.) an outflow of natural gas was encountered. A cap provided with a cock was placed at the outlet of the boring, and thus the collection of a sample of the gas for analysis was an easy matter. Owing to the courtesy of Mr. R. J. Billinton, the Locomotive Engineer of the London, Brighton, & South Coast Railway, who not only gave me the necessary permission, but also placed every facility at my disposal, I was enabled to take a sample of the gas on Dec. 31st, 1897. Mr. Billinton further informed me that a bed of lignite had been encountered at a depth of about 300 feet; this was of considerable thickness, and was supposed to be the stratum in which the gas had its origin. He very kindly provided me with a specimen of this substance, which one can perhaps better regard as a shale; this also was analysed.