Report: Derelict Garage/Filling Station near Junction of Clapham Park Road and Northbourne Road, London SW4
These pictures were taken in early 1989 and the garage was demolished shortly afterwards to be replaced by housing. The garage itself probably replaced Victorian semi-detached housing and a large house on the same side of the road, several 100 metres east bears the date 1822. The closure of the garage was followed by numerous fuel garage closures locally, this was one of the first to go. I was nervous about the expedition, late afternoon, broad daylight, because the forecourt was completely open to view from the busy A2217 at the front and was basically surrounded by other buildings in this heavily built up area. Nevertheless I was completely unchallenged. The site was probably quite hazardous because fuel pumps and possibly underground storage tanks had already been removed; meaning that there might be hastily covered, comparatively deep holes to accidently fall into or trap a limb inside, so I was mindful where I stepped. I don’t remember how long the garage had been disused before this time, I think it was quietly wound down then locked up. It may have only been when the pumps were very visibly removed that local youths began to actively vandalise the site – realising it had been terminally abandoned - the workshop/garage doors seem to have been forced open and one knocked flat off its hinges. It was at this point I would have noticed the garage with its doorway gaping open.
abandoned station forecourt with workshop-garage beyond [below]
garage doors agape
Left of workshop, pump site foreground, and station office; pumps removed
inside garage workshop
graffiti and skyline
approach to garage workshop
curious roof, semi open to sky
deserted workshop
used cars – not for sale
garage interior
doorway, graffiti and formal sign writing
the site now, 21 years later . . .
These pictures were taken in early 1989 and the garage was demolished shortly afterwards to be replaced by housing. The garage itself probably replaced Victorian semi-detached housing and a large house on the same side of the road, several 100 metres east bears the date 1822. The closure of the garage was followed by numerous fuel garage closures locally, this was one of the first to go. I was nervous about the expedition, late afternoon, broad daylight, because the forecourt was completely open to view from the busy A2217 at the front and was basically surrounded by other buildings in this heavily built up area. Nevertheless I was completely unchallenged. The site was probably quite hazardous because fuel pumps and possibly underground storage tanks had already been removed; meaning that there might be hastily covered, comparatively deep holes to accidently fall into or trap a limb inside, so I was mindful where I stepped. I don’t remember how long the garage had been disused before this time, I think it was quietly wound down then locked up. It may have only been when the pumps were very visibly removed that local youths began to actively vandalise the site – realising it had been terminally abandoned - the workshop/garage doors seem to have been forced open and one knocked flat off its hinges. It was at this point I would have noticed the garage with its doorway gaping open.
abandoned station forecourt with workshop-garage beyond [below]
garage doors agape
Left of workshop, pump site foreground, and station office; pumps removed
inside garage workshop
graffiti and skyline
approach to garage workshop
curious roof, semi open to sky
deserted workshop
used cars – not for sale
garage interior
doorway, graffiti and formal sign writing
the site now, 21 years later . . .
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