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Then and Now: Lcc Tram Depot, Streatham Hill
Photographic comparisons of old and modern views of Lambeth
(Modern photo © urban75, August 2009)
1912 Sitting at the top of Brixton Hill opposite Telford Avenue is London County Council's Telford Avenue tram depot, designed by LCC Tramways' architect G. Topham Forest.
Built in 1905, the depot had a capacity of 30 trams which replaced the cable-driven cars which had hauled trams from Kennington Junction up Brixton hill to Streatham hill from 1891. The building was completely demolished in 1951 and a new bus garage built on the site.
It was renamed Brixton Bus Garage, a name that confused passengers for years, as 'lang rabbie' explained on the discussion thread:
 For years, people heading out of Brixton heading for Streatham Hill were confused by this, and stood at the bus stops by the tube while buses to Streatham Hill sailed past with misleading destination boards saying Brixton Garage.
London Buses finally renamed the bus stop (and terminating point for bus routes) as Telford Avenue only about eight or nine years ago.
(pic: Lambeth Archives)
Aug 2009 A little further down the road towards Brixton can be seen the 1923 LCC Tramways depot.
This building was (operationally) an annex of the Telford Avenue depot, and ceased to be used as a bus garage after the last tram left in 1951.
It was then occupied by Stratstone Garages, who created the now overgrown garden outside.
Bought back by London Buses around five years ago to cater for the increased bus services introduced by Ken Livingstone, the depot provides the extra bus berthing capacity lost due to the sale of Streatham Bus Garage.
Streatham Bus Garage was next to Streatham Ice Rink (having been closed down following the privatisation of London Buses). The building is currently a Go-Kart track while waiting for Tesco to push ahead with the 'Streatham Hub' redevelopment.
Archive photo of the Brixton Hill Depot from April 1950.
(pic: National Tramway Museum)
Entrance to the tram depot.
fter many years being used for other purposes, the building is now back in bus-related use.
Looking inside the depot. Even though it's been over fifty years since the last tram left the depot, the tram tracks remain in place and look in excellent condition.
The depot was almost empty when I passed on a Saturday afternoon.
Detail of the tram tracks.
More info: History of Brixton trams, horse drawn trams and cable cars.
Discuss this page here: Brixton history: Tram Depot, Brixton Hill
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Tram Depot
