The site has a history of research dating over 50 years. It was built at the point where gas was transferred from the new National Transmission network to the Northern Gas Region. At this point, it was possible to borrow gas at pressures of up to 70 bar, utilise it to conduct tests, and then send it on its way to the customer at a lower pressure. The site, with its compact network of pipes of different sizes, was designed rather like a grand Meccano set, in which much of the pipework can be rebuilt over and over again, giving enormous versatility for testing components and layouts in ways that simulate all types of field installations