Gods own junkyard

Neon Sign Makers

Hidden inside an unremarkable industrial building in Walthamstow is one of the largest neon collections in the world. It’s called Gods Own Junkyard, a family firm that’s been supplying neon signs to Londoners and the rest of the world for decades.

Entering the space packed with light sculptures, movie props and original fairground and circus lights is like walking into a warm sea of glowing light. It’s a candy land for the eyes, a mini Las Vegas. From the classic “Girls, Girls, Girls” to enormous light-bulb typography, from conceptual art paradoxes to commercial signs, the place echoes a bygone era - one filled with the American Dream, tattoo culture, sex, glamour but most of all, with a whole lot of fun.

Gods own Junkyard is the life’s work of its founder, Chris Bracey, who passed away in 2014. He learnt the trade at an early age from his father who made lights for fairgrounds and circuses. What started as a simple sign-maker business quickly grew into the go-to-place for original, new and vintage light art and signage of all kinds. The business took off for Chris in the ‘70s and ‘80s, when he moved into making neon signage for the notorious Soho strip joints. Besides that, he started salvaging light signs and other objects which he refashioned, repaired and resurrected. Following a chance encounter with a film director he begun making neon props for movie sets. His work can be seen in films such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Eyes Wide Shut and Batman.

Two to three days a week, the space is rented out for photo and film shoots and other private events. Gods Own Junkyard’s neon lights grace the homes of many celebrities and demand for custom made works for artists and architects is high. Prices for pieces range between £350 and £35.000.

Towards the end of Chris’s illness, the family – his wife Linda and sons Marcus and Matt - began to take over the running of the business. The children were well prepared. Like Chris, Matt and Marcus learned their skills from their father.

The signs are not all easy glitziness. Many of the pieces are complex and require a huge amount of manual labor. Apart from the fact that there are more colors available today, neon manufacturing hasn’t changed since it was invented about 100 years ago. Neon signs are made of glass tubes that are cut and then bent over an open flame into a desired shape or lettering.

The most interesting thing, scientifically, is that the gas inside the tubes needs to be ionised (energised) in order to light up. That process is called bombarding. On a big table, called the bombarder, the ends of gas-filled signs are attached to positive and negative terminals. Then the bombarder hits it with 10’000 volts. “You have to keep your distance otherwise your hair will go sideways,” explains John, a long-term employee. After a while, like lightning in the clouds, a neon flicker appears and then the light comes on. When it’s ready to be put on the job a neon sign lasts for about 40 years.

Set up in the 1950’s, Gods own Junkyard is firmly established in Walthamstow but people come from all over to admire the wittily showcased neon works.

It’s definitely never a rainy day in there.

www.godsownjunkyard.com

This article was published in the September 2016 issue of LoveEast Magazine