Bricklayers Arms Goods Depot
From what I have recently read on the Bermondsey Boy website and other forums, especially from newcomers to the Bermondsey area, there appears to be a lack of knowledge about the Industrial History of this area. In particular - of the Bricklayers Arms Goods Depot and how important this depot was to the area, its history, and what we can still find of this massive complex within Bermondsey. Without it Bermondsey would have ground to a halt.
It was constructed by the South East and Chatham Railway Co with running rights for the London - Brighton South Coast Railway, it was opened in 1843 and closed in 1962.
In its first ten years it was the South London Passenger Terminal and known as "West End Station" before the opening of London Bridge Station. The last recorded history, as a passenger terminal was in 1863 with the arrival of Princess Alexandraof Denmark - prior to her Marriage to Edward the VII.
The depot site stretched from Pages Walk to the west, to its source in Rotherhithe New Road in the east, to the south of Willow Walk and Lynton Road, and to the north of Rolls Road and Rotherhithe New Road - a distance of some 1.7 miles. This site is now part of the Mandela Way complex and the rest given to housing.
Not only was it a goods yard, it was also the Motive Power Shed for the South Eastern Railway, supplying the engines to pull the trains to operate the Railway and it also had a massive Repair Shop.
With the introduction of Motor Transport the railway work declined, and the subsequent closure London Docks, Wharfs and Warehouses and the demise of the industrial heart of Bermondsey saw the end - after 120 years of the railway in Bermondsey.
The remains that can still be seen are - the perimeter walls in various places. The St James Road Railway Bridge the Southern Rail Stables, and the Bridge and track bed across the road at Rotherhithe New Road.
This is all that remains of this part of Bermondsey History.
Joe Foster
Fosney
Aerial View of Bricklayers Arms on the left middle Bricklayers Arms with St James Road Bridge and the road in across Rotherhithe New Road bottom Left
Main line to London Bridge Running across picture
This delightful portrait depicts ''N'' Class No. 31413 at Bricklayers Arms in 1960, wearing the final version of the BR livery, complete
with ''late'' crest design. Immediately to the right of the engine's front, in the distance, can be seen the brick-built 380-foot long engine
shed, known as ''St Patricks''. Mostly obscured by the nearby brick post is the depot's huge water tower, which was situated to the north
west of the 210-foot shed building. The Railway had running powers into a number of SE&CR sidings, including those at
Bricklayers Arms, Hither Green, and Herne Hill. The company also had a goods depot situated at Stewarts Lane .
Willow Walk Depot of London Brighton and South Coast Railway Lynton Road
Today Overgrown Bricklayers Arms Branch line leading to the old Bricklayers Arms Depot slopes down to two viaducts view from London Bridge looking towards New Cross
Bricklayers Arms Goods Depot 5 Jan 1932 during reconstruction work
1851 Map of Bermondsey showing the then West End Station later Bricklayers Arms Depot note that Pages Walk is known as Swan Street and the lack of development to the east of the Borough with fields not houses
Overview of layout of railway lines leading into Bricklayers Arms Depot
Bricklayers arms goods depot site looking north from Dunton Bridge from the early 80s. This is where the Mandela Way industrial estate is now and the spot on the bridge where the photo was taken is gone.
Horse drawn cart belonging to South East and Chatham Railway Co outside 77/78 Fleet Street from Bricklayers Arms Depot date 1907
For those that are interested in the Bricklayers Arms Depot in Steam there is a vdeo available to see on You Tube made in 1960 on an open day
search on the web site for -Southern Steam at the Bricklayers Arms
Or
www.youtube.com?/v=bWjUF46Qw0M-Southern Steam at the Bricklayers Arms
Best of luck
Joe Foster
Fosney
hi great pictures have you got any more pictures of bricklayers arms when it was national carriers depot thanks.
Top picture is the entrance on Dunton Road (on the northern edge of the bridge), the lower picture is the yard on the southern end of Dunton Road bridge (looking west towards the Bricklayers Arm). Both taken in March 1969
Remaining relic of Bricklayers Arms Depot The Railway bridge over Rotherhithe New Road which carried the track bed into the Depot Terminal overgrown, how long before this is lost forever
