 |
Location:
Adjacent to the Two Brewers public house, Chipping Ongar. |
Date:
Early 1950s. |
| Details:
On the traffic island is a Maldon Iron Works post with
semicircular parish finial. Replaced with modern sign at
unknown date. Legends on arm - (1) BRENTWOOD 7/
ABRIDGE 8 / LONDON 21 / A113 - (2) GREENSTEAD 1/
TOOT HILL 2 1/2 - (3) EPPING / CHELMSFORD /
DUNMOW / A113.
The Eastern National bus is
registered TM 8797 and fleet number 3081 (later 1155). It
is an AEC Regent with bodywork by Strachan. 51 seater.
It was ordered as a new vehicle in 1931 and withdrawn from
service in 1956.
Check http://www.ryanbus.co.uk/bside90/index.html
for Eastern National history and fleet details. |
Credit:
© C.
Carter (via Jim Young) |
 |
Location:
Junction of Billericay Road and Dunton Road, Herongate. |
Date:
23 Oct 1965 |
| Details:
This was the Herongate Old Dog bus terminus (at the Dunton Road
junction about 200 yards beyond the Old Dog public house - the
distinctive house is still there but the grassy island and
guidepost are gone). This was taken by Jim Young. As
the conductor he had just seen the bus back around the corner -
not a maneuver recommended today! The driver was Mr.
Kinnear.
Go to http://www.ryanbus.co.uk/bside90/index.html
for Eastern National bus histories.
The guidepost appears to be a
post-war type but showing its age. A plate holding the
"BILLERICAY" arm to the "BRENTWOOD" arm has
rusted and obscures some of the letters. There also seems
to be a plate, with or without an inscription on the opposite
side to the "SOUTHEND" arm. Dunton Road was
shown as a Cross Road from Brentwood to Tilbury Fort in
Paterson's Roads and John Cary's Itinerary, as well as early
19th century maps.
|
Credit:
© Dr.
Jim Young. |
 |
Location:
Junction of Colingwood Road and The Avenue, Witham. |
Date:
About 1960 |
| Details:
Yet another Eastern National bus; this one heading in to Witham
from Braintree. On the extreme right of the picture on the
corner of The Avenue is a Maldon Iron Works guidepost. It
is a 7 feet 6 inch with three 7 inch arms and a conical finial.
The arm to the right bears the legend COLCHESTER (miles if given
are hidden behind the telegraph pole. The arm to the left
reads B1018 BRAINTREE. |
Credit:
© John
Scott-Mason (via Janet Gyford) |
 |
Location:
On the (now former) A120 at Takeley Street. |
Date:
1968 |
| Details:
The conical finial and arms suggest that this is a product of
Maldon Iron Works. However, the spacer between the upper
and the lower arms is not standard. The post is not
standard pattern so maybe original parts were used on a later
date post.
Thanks to Nick Catford for
allowing use of this photo taken from his Disused
Stations website. |
Credit:
© 1968
Nick Catford |
 |
Location:
TQ 505978. At junction of road from Passingford Bridge and
Theydon Mt, looking towards Abridge. |
Date:
13 March 1963 |
| Details:
A pristine example of a Maldon Iron Works post probably lost
during the construction of the nearby M25 motorway. |
Credit:
© Dr.
Jim Young. |
 |
Location:
Junction of Nevendon Road, High Street and London Road,
Wickford. |
Date:
1958 |
| Details:
Maldon Iron Works guidepost with missing finial. Probably
removed when the junction was made into a crossroads during
bypass construction. |
Credit:
Unknown |
 |
Location: Kiln
Road (A13), South Benfleet, opposite Kenneth Road. (Top of
Bread & Cheese Hill) |
Date:
1985 |
| Details: Although
taken comparatively recently (1985) this wintry picture by Paul
Fretwell has been included for aesthetic reasons as well as
recording this Maldon Iron Works guidepost. The finial
appears to be a disc type which are uncommon and the only other
examples being in a cluster around Ingatestone, Stock, Hutton
and a single one at Hockley. Since 1985 the post has been
replaced by a new one in cast traditional form. Click
on the thumbnail for "then and now" pictures. |
Credit:
© Paul
Fretwell 1985. |
 |
Location:
Unknown but probably somewhere in north or north west Essex |
Date:
1940? |
| Details:
This image illustrates the fate of guideposts all over the
country in the spring of 1940. With the fear of invasion
all signs (including milestones) were either taken down,
obliterated or destroyed. No doubt many historically
important posts were lost and never replaced. |
Credit:
Unknown |
 |
Location:
The Street, Little Waltham |
Date:
May 1944 |
| Details:
A Maldon Iron Works guidepost with semicircular parish finial.
The post was still in place as late as 1963 (see below).
The American troops in the picture are most likely marching back
to Boreham airfield after taking part in the "Salute the
Soldier Day" parade in Chelmsford. |
Credit:
Unknown (Via Tony Fewell) |
 |
Location:
The Street, Little Waltham |
Date:
c.1963 |
| Details:
Same location as the previous image almost 20 years later.
It is not known when the Maldon Iron Works guidepost was
replaced but a guess is the 1970s. |
Credit:
Unknown |
 |
Location:
NGR:
TL 8127 1532. Powershall End, Witham. |
Date:
5 September 1963
|
| Details:
The Powershall End guidepost can be seen in the background when
it still had its second arm. It is a Maldon Iron Works
example with a conical finial. The legend on the now
missing arm was FAULKBOURNE / NOTLEYS, TERLING /
BRAINTREE. The happy man strolling through the September
1963 flood is Mr. Alfred Lepper.
|
Credit:
Unknown. (Via Janet Gyford) |
 |
Location:
NGR: TL 818126. Witham. It was on
the Maldon Road (now B1018) going out of Witham, on a bend just
west of Oliver's farm. |
Date: About
1959 |
Details:
A lost Witham finger post. It was made redundant
when the A12 cut off the 'Bye Road to Witham' (the arm pointing
to the left) running northwards towards Home Farm. It was a
3-arm Maldon Iron Works example with semicircular parish plate
finial. The handsome chap in the picture is George Vale,
the baby is is son Richard, and the date is about 1959.
Amongst his retirement occupations is writing reports on Witham
Town's football matches for the local newspaper, and winning
gardening prizes.
|
Credit:
George Vale (via Janet Gyford) |
 |
Location:
Elmstead |
Date: Believed
to be late 1950s. |
| Details: A
Maldon Iron Works post with one 10½ and three
7 inch arms. Semicircular parish finial. No further
details currently available. |
Credit: Unknown.
(Via Jim Young) |
 |
Location:
Upminster crossroads |
Date: After
c.1920 |
| Details: An
old postcard showing Upminster crossroads. It certainly
dates after c.1920 as two of the arms have road numbers on them.
It appears that the arms have been fixed to the lamp standard on
the circular traffic island. |
Credit: Unknown. |
 |
Location: Steven's
Corner, Basildon. |
Date: Late
1950s or early 1960s. |
| Details: A
sign of the past. This genuine 19th century finger post
once stood at Steven's Corner, Basildon. It was probably
swept away c.1960 in the name of progress as Basildon new town
developed. Possibly cast by Whitmore
& Binyon of Wickham Market in the 1860s. |
Credit:
Unknown. |
 |
Location: It
was on the corner of Upminster Common (now called Tyler's
Common) at the junction of Nags Head Lane with Warley Road. |
Date:
About 1910 |
| Details:
This post was still in existence c.1970 but with only the arm
towards BRENTWOOD remaining. The opposite side of the arm
was cast BROOK STREET. Date of ultimate destruction unknown.
With its slender, fluted shaft, it can almost certainly be
attributed to Wedlake of Hornchurch and can possibly date to
around 1840. Image shows postcard view of uncertain date
but believed to be c.1910. |
Credit:
Unknown. Via Geoff Perrior. |
 |
Location: Junction
of A12 (now A1023) and A129, Shenfield. |
Date:
1930s? |
| Details: Postcard
of unknown origin. The post has an annulus finial but the
maker is unknown. |
Credit:
Unknown. Via Geoff Perrior. |
 |
Location:
Great Baddow near White Horse public house. |
Date:
Late 1950s? |
| Details: Maldon
Iron Works post with semicircular finial. |
Credit:
Unknown. |
| |
|
|
