Last London Sewer Gas Lamp - Last of its Kind on Waymarking.com

Off the Strand, on Carting Lane behind Savoy Hotel is London's last remaining sewer lamp. The Webb Patent Sewer Gas Lamp was invented in the late 19th century, primarily as a means to burn off smells from the sewers running underneath. The methane was collected by a small dome in the roof of the sewer, and the gas used to power the continuously-lit street lamp. This particular example, known as Iron Lily, was mainly powered by the waste of the guests staying at the Savoy Hotel next door. Carting Lane has the long-held nickname of Farting Lane, presumably because of the sewer lamp. Unfortunately, a reversing lorry managed to magle the Carting Lane lamp some years ago, but it was restored by engineers from Thames Gas.

Apparently, the lamps were never actually fully powered by the sewer gas. The lamps were fed by the ordinary town gas supply and worked by creating an intense heat within the hood which drew the air from the sewers below and burned off any impurities. Was still burning brightly as of my last visit. (Sheffield had 80+ of these lamps erected between 1914-35 and as of last count, 20+ remain and 3 are still kept lit.

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Date Logged Log User Rating   07/10/2011 Master Mariner visited it