[Source: Nick Catford & Darren Kitson]


Saffron Walden was one of numerous small towns and even villages which came to be illuminated by gas during the first half of the 19th century. Providing a supply of the requisite raw material, usually coal, was available the production of what was known as 'town gas' was a valued process which continued until the coming of natural gas in the 1960s. Gasworks, albeit dirty and smelly places, provided local employment as well as a number of useful by-products. Many gasworks received their raw material by rail and that at Saffron Walden was no exception once the railway arrived in the town. Gasworks which existed prior to the coming of the railways used waterways and, if not directly served by a waterway, horse-drawn carts for the last leg of the journey. Saffron Walden gasworks was located on Thaxted Road and some 250 yards north of the railway, with coal transferred from Gas House Siding by road. The above view from May 2015 shows the entrance into the former gasworks. The building on the left was part of the works and to this day its frontage bears the legend 'Gas Works' and there is also a date of 1836. There was - and still is at the time of writing - another building out of view to the right which also bears the 1836 date but not the 'Gas Works' legend and may have been the manager's house. With that brief background out of the way, the reason for including Saffron Walden gasworks here is the sign seen on the gate. It is believed to be an ex-British Railways sign and the mention of doors suggests it may once have been located somewhere in Saffron Walden goods yard, possibly on the doors to a loading bay for road vehicles at the goods shed. Of course, of railway origin it may well be but we must not ignore the possibility it could have come from anywhere within the Eastern Region of BR and not necessarily from Saffron Walden.
Photo by Peter Coath from his Flickr photostream