“Sods Law,” I said to myself five years or so ago – like most people I always have my phone on me, but on this particular day I did not, writes Mark Stevenson.
I was walking past this Gas Governor Station at the bottom of Rodley Park when I noticed the door open.
I was surprised to see how it was tiled and decorated inside so I picked my pace up and went and got my camera from home.
By the time I got back ten minutes later it was all locked up again and the workmen had gone. Gutted to say the least.
It would be another five years before I saw that door open again, but this time I had my camera with me. I asked the workmen if I could have a look inside and take some pics. They were happy to let me do so.
Considering what it is you could tell it would have looked very fancy when first built.
It first appeared on the maps in 1889 and it was around that time a lot of building work was going on in Rodley, so I am guessing it was there to supply the new houses.
At one time urinals were attached to the back of it and a Doctor Who‘s Tardis – or Police Call Box – was placed in the ‘grounds’. If you go for a walk about in Rodley I think there is still a Tardis knocking around somewhere.
This is really interesting. Any chance of a proper photo gallery so we can see larger versions of the pictures?