I agree Jos. I quite like the smell of creosote. It was sort of tarry but not too redolent of chemicals. Goodness knows what's in creocote, but it certainly sets off my vertigo, which creosote never did.

When I was a child and the 'tar men' came down our road, all the mothers used to send their children out to inhale the tar! It was supposed to be good for you (no idea why).

We enjoyed watching the boiling hot melted tar being spread, and especially the gigantic steam roller.