Kew Bridge & Gunnersbury 1989

Kew Bridge & Gunnersbury 1989: I didn’t get our for a stroll once more in 1989 till the tenth of December, in all probability partly due to the climate with drizzle, mist, fog and a few very chilly days. Nevertheless it was just a bit hotter and I made a decision to exit. However at the moment in London sundown is earlier than 4pm and so I made a decision to take footage pretty near house so I might make an earlier begin. Kew Bridge station is just round a half hour journey from my house.

I made my first image from the footbridge within the station taking me to the station exit. As you’ll be able to see the station buildings had been in fairly poor situation. The view consists of the native landmark water pumping tower and the highest of the engine home of Kew Bridge Engines, opened as a outstanding museum in 1975 (now renamed as London Museum of Water & Steam) and the tower blocks additional down Inexperienced Dragon Lane. Six 23 storey blocks had been constructed right here because the Brentford Towers Property in 1968 to 1972 by the London Borough of Hounslow.

Inexperienced Dragon Lane apparently obtained its identify from a seventeenth century pub however there seems to be no document of the place this was, although there are or had been round 40 different pubs of that identify elsewhere within the nation. The identify is often thought both to have come from the Livery Badge worn by servants of the Herbert household, the Earl of Pembroke, which confirmed a bloody arm being eaten by a dragon or a reference to King Charles II’s Portuguese Catholic queen, Catherine of Braganza whose household badge was the Inexperienced Wyvern.

Kew Bridge station will get slightly crowded at occasions now, as Brentford’s new soccer stadium is subsequent door.

I walked as much as Gunnersbury Avenue the place on the north-east nook of the Chiswick roundabout was this magnificently derelict former works of Spenklin Ltd. They seem to have made Energy-operated work clamping units and different engineering instruments together with boosters, clamps, cylinders and hydraulic ram heads. The corporate identify was a contraction of Spencer Franklin. I believe the following manufacturing facility alongside – demolished by the point I took this – had been Permutit water softeners.

I believe this constructing in all probability dates from round 1925 when the Brentford Bypass – quickly higher often known as the Nice West Street – was opened. The roundabout right here got here later together with its flyover in 1959.

A more in-depth view of the doorway with its boards displaying it had been acquired by Markheath Securities PLC a London property developer, although 49 per cent owned by The Adelaide Steamship Co Ltd. They seem to have been answerable for a number of developments within the space and to have made Part 106 contributions to Hounslow Council for enhancements to close by Gunnersbury Park.

My reminiscence – typically false – tells me that this was on the west aspect of Gunnersbury Avenue (the North Round Street) to Spenklin Home and I believe might be from the identical period. At the least it’s clear what the enterprise of the Nationwide Tyre Service was and the constructing has a slightly wonderful squad of Michelin males.

Fairly a protracted stroll alongside Chiswick Excessive Street took me to Acton Lane the place I took this image on the nook of Chiswick Street. A station was constructed right here in 1879 when the District Railway was prolonged from Turnham Inexperienced to Ealing Broadway, however clearly that within the distance right here is from the Nineteen Thirties.

On the nook we’ve a slightly unremarkable post-war constructing however with some slightly outstanding Christmas decorations. The lengthy store entrance is now divided into separate outlets.

A more in-depth view of Chiswick Park Station, one in all many attribute stations by architect Charles Holden for London Underground and inbuilt 1931-2. Holden’s first full Underground stations had been constructed on the Northern Line southern extension from 1926, however he later designed many extra. This station stays virtually because it was constructed and shares its options with a lot of his others. It was Grade II listed in 1987.

The inside of the tall drum-shaped ticket corridor with a store, Midas Gold Trade at proper. Helpful indicators above the exit inform the best way to buses and to Acton Inexperienced, whereas the decrease promoting panels are all for Underground posters. The Underground had been pioneers in numerous methods in promoting – not least within the tall tower at this and different stations whose major if not solely objective was to hold their branding with the trade-mark roundel and station identify.

I believe the brick constructing at left which I believe housed the ticket workplace was maybe a later addition to the constructing which in any other case has been altered little.

To be continued.

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Tags: 1989, Acton Lane, Brentford, Charles Holden, Chiswick Park, Chiswick Park Station, Chiswick Rd, Ealing, from Footbridge, Inexperienced Dragon Lane, Gunnersbury, Gunnersbury Avenue, Hounslow, Houslow, Kew Bridge, Kew Bridge Engines, Kew Bridge Station, London, London Photographs, Markheath Securities PLC, Midas Gold Trade, Nationwide Tyres, peter Marshall, Spencer Franklin, Spenklin Home, Stroll

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