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Description

The Penicuik and District Gas Company works were opened on the 30th of June 1878. The works was at the north end of the town on a small site between the A701 (to the west) and Loan Burn (to the east). Prior to this coal gas produced by the Valleyfield Mill was used in the town.

The works was provided with coal by the Edinburgh, Loanhead and Roslin Railway which was, from 1877, owned by the North British Railway. There was a siding on the east side of the line, approached from the north. The line ran between the works and the A701 and a little way to the north passed under that road. To the south the line continued to Eastfield Colliery over a level crossing.

The gas company was formed in 1877, but had already been looking for a manager the year before. The retorts were in the south of the site and one, then two, gasholders to the north.

The company was absorbed by the Scottish Gas Board upon nationalisation in 1949.

The works closed in 1956 when the gas main from the north reached Penicuik. The railway was cut back to just south of Glencorse as a headshunt for the goods yard. A gasholder remained until about 1970.

The site is now the Eastfield Farm Industrial Estate which includes the site of the former railway too.

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