General Brixton history - photos, stories etc
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CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
Wasn't the tram shed in front of the the Brixton Hill URC church the site of the original winding gear?
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
London bus route numbers got a major sort out in about 1912 (the Met Police were then involved) - before that some bus operators had done their own thing. Not sure there's any rational explanation of what routes got what numbers or why, or if there was, it's lost in the mists of time.
But yes, the 2 and 3 have been in existence (albeit altered over the years) for 100+ years
Of the current low numbered bus routes, the 5 and 17 date from the late 50s / early 60s trolleybus replacement and the current 10 dates from the late 80s or early 90s. Numbers do get recycled if routes vanish.
Yes - it was one of two cable tramways in London (the other was Highgate Hill) Editor's done more about Brixton's trams here including the cable trams
yes, teuchter is right here - those are the tram's fleet numbers not route numbers. LCC trams didn't carry route numbers until 1913. The three lights above the destination boxes showed a combination of coloured lights by night to identify the route. (from what I have read, this was more to help the pointsmen at major junctions than the passengers...)
Don't think so - I'm pretty sure that the winding gear was in the tram depot on Streatham Hill (the one opposite Telford Avenue - now Arriva bus garage - it was completely rebuilt c. 1950/1 when trams were replaced by buses) - the surviving tram depot on Brixton Hill (also now used by Arriva) was built in the 1920s.
The small cable tram depot at Kennington (20 Brixton Road, used as an electrical sub-station when the cable trams ended, and now Italian Mission Church) is still standing.
Pictures of various Brixton related tramway buildings on this here thread, in which there was some confusion at first about which building was which...
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
Anyone know the date? Presumably post WWII as the 414 building is there, but before 1981 riot as what is now an opticians shop corner of Electric Lane is a Victorian building in the photo by the look of it.
bimble
floofy
yes that's where i got it from.
Casaubon
Well-Known Member
Here's a pic of the same stretch of Coldharbour Lane in '89.
And a couple of the same stretch from the roof of Clifton Mansions.
RoyReed
Must fly!
I found a couple of nice archive photos of the Brixton Tram Depot on Flickr.
London Transport Tram Route 18 by Chris Stanley, on Flickr
London Transport Tram Route 16 by Chris Stanley, on Flickr
It's the depot opposite Telford Avenue on Streatham Hill - you can tell from the 1930s block of flats (Pullman Court) in the background of the first shot.
And a bit more history here: London Brixton Hill
London Transport Tram Route 18 by Chris Stanley, on Flickr
London Transport Tram Route 16 by Chris Stanley, on Flickr
It's the depot opposite Telford Avenue on Streatham Hill - you can tell from the 1930s block of flats (Pullman Court) in the background of the first shot.
And a bit more history here: London Brixton Hill
Happy House
New Member
This very website provides the reply you're looking for. See Brixton Hill cable tram. Historical Brixton - old and new photos of Brixton, Lambeth, London, SW9 and SW2
Taking 'Loughborough Gardens' at face value, I'm struggling to get a perspective on where in the park it could have been. Loughborough Gardens itself is shown as allotments - many parks etc were dug up for allotments during the war.
A look on Old Maps - head for the 1951 1:1250 map shows Loughborough Park as being fully surrounded by houses (including on the west side of Loughborough Park as far south as Moorland Road)
That map also shows a cul-de-sac of small detatched properties called 'Park Gardens' running where Tilia Walk is now, only more so. The short life of these properties and the era make me fairly sure they would have been pre-fabs. But the layout is not anything like this picture.
Hmm.
[All of above now a side issue but left as of possible interest]
I've tried another tack and come up with a better version of this picture (on brixton blog here) -
which says it's where the Loughborough Estate now is.
Hmm.
Nailed the bugger.
A (temporary) street called Loughborough Gardens, not in Loughborough Gardens - Here (again, go to the 1951 map) - off Loughborough Road, roughly where the south end of Styles Gardens is now - just north of the junction with (then) Minet Road. Photographer is on Loughborough Road near the Barrington Road junction, facing east - the large building in the background is the railway electric sub station on the west side of the railway, just where the three lines join north of Loughborough Junction.
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
Brilliant work. Looks to me as though when the area was redeveloped for the New Loughborough Estate they straightened Barrington Road at the intersection with Loughborough Road and moved the Hero of Switzerland pub (i.e. rebuilt a new version of it a bit south of the original).
Of course if they hadn't redone the roads to be more car-friendly we might not be our present pickle (as per the LJ threads)
editor
hiraethified
Another feature on Brixton trams:
Brixton history: trams and buses and the abandoned Brixton underground tram station scheme
Brixton history: trams and buses and the abandoned Brixton underground tram station scheme
Puddy_Tat
naturally fluffy
Another feature on Brixton trams:
Brixton history: trams and buses and the abandoned Brixton underground tram station scheme
conductor is taking the trolley pole down off the overhead. tram has just been through the change pit and acquired a conduit 'plough' for its journey in to central london
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
Thanks for sharing. Looks like Effra Parade perhaps. Bayless windows two storey.
Find ebay a bit depressing in a way. One person's "ephemera" is another person's icon.
I would love to have the photo - but I find the idea of bidding for it repellent.
Do they sell signed photos of the Queen?
Also from Gettyimages
Taken 20th July 1971. Described as A supermarket in Brixton advertises reduced prices after Chancellor Anthony Barber had cut purchase tax on many goods and made hire purchase easier.
Think its Tescos when in Popes Road.
Also on there is this taken March 16th 1966
Described as...Ready at the tills on the first day at a Tesco supermarket in Brixton, south London.
Taken 20th July 1971. Described as A supermarket in Brixton advertises reduced prices after Chancellor Anthony Barber had cut purchase tax on many goods and made hire purchase easier.
Think its Tescos when in Popes Road.
Also on there is this taken March 16th 1966
Described as...Ready at the tills on the first day at a Tesco supermarket in Brixton, south London.
CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
Remember it well - after Green Shield stamps finished though.
Popes Road car park next door and extra car parking on the shop roof it was a good example of how retailers situated themselves appropriately to their customers.
It is amazing that Ted Knight and the town hall socialists managed to get into a deal with Tesco to
a) demolish the oldest house in Acre Lane
b) remove 50% of the customers from Brixton market at a stroke
c) provide a massive dual use car park for Town Hall staff...............uh - ooh
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CH1
"Red Guard"(NLYL)
These are brilliant thank you.
I as only able to buy my house because they burnt down Barkers in the 1985 Cherry Groce riot - and this enboldened me to knock £4000 off the offer price of my place about 75 yrds toward LJ.
The Dan Davis Chemists clock is a land mark. Presumably went at the point of off-licensification, or perhaps the pharmacy took it to Brixton Hill with them.
