He initially worked in Oswestry running a mercery business in partnership with Edward Morris, who subsequently purchased and then sold the Van lead mines.

[6] Savin followed up the opening of the last-named line with the creation of Aberystwyth's Castle Hotel to capitalise on the local seaside trade.

He produced 'probably the first package holiday deal'[7] whereby tickets bought by passengers at various railway stations in parts of England would entitle the buyer not only to the journey to and from Aberystwyth but board and lodging at the resort.

[7] It was opened in June 1865 while still incomplete but he had to stop work after £80,000 had been spent on it when he became bankrupt amid the failure of Overend, Gurney in 1866, at which point his enterprises involved a total of about £1.5 million.

[12] Savin served in local politics in Oswestry, to whose borough council he was elected in 1856, became Mayor of the town in 1866, and was alderman from 1871 until his death.

[2] On 5 February 1866 Savin declared himself bankrupt, in part because he could not pay civil engineering contractors for a canal wharf he built to increase output from his limestone quarries.