WHEN an aerial view of the Great Western Railway gas works appeared in the Advertiser it brought memories flooding back to Fred Large.

Mr Large, a retired decorator who lives in Ferndale Road, remembers hearing stories of bombs falling on Swindon and of life in the gas works from his father Stanley, who worked as a chargehand on the railway.

Stanley, wife Emily and Fred’s older siblings Walter and Phylis, lived at 77 Jennings Street in Rodbourne and Stanley would walk to work every day.

“The building in the photograph was a huge building and my father worked there from 1917 to 1954, processing gas from coal to supply the factory with power, lighting and heating,” said Fred.

Coke, a by-product of the process, would later be used to heat homes.

“It had a good glow to it,” said Fred, 74.

“The small building next to the trees at the bottom of the photograph is the gatehouse and entrance.

“A cinder road ran from Iffley Road and Brook Street Bridge parallel with the Gloucester-Cheltenham rail line.

“By the tracks stood two houses where the manager and foreman resided – Brewers Decorating unit stands there now and some trees.”

Mr Large remembers meeting his dad on his Saturday shift at the works for a kickabout.

“I used to pass the football over the fence to him by the gas tank in Iffley Road,” he said.

On August 17, 1942, Swindon almost lost its gas works as the town was bombed by German planes.

“On the night of the air raid, dad was working and lost his umbrella in the blast from one bomb, which only narrowly missed the factory. I remember it created a crater which is a cycle track by the trees along the recreation ground.

“Unfortunately the other bombs struck the houses in Ferndale Road opposite Northern Road but I couldn’t say too much about it.

“Things were all change after that. The landscape isn’t the same nowadays as it used to be.

“But that area will always mean a lot to me and bring back many memories of my childhood and my family.”