With its southern side flanked by a long row of railway arches, Brixton Station Road stretches from Brixton Road in the west to Barrington Road in the east.
Once home to a traditional clothes/bric’n’brac street market that had stalls all the way from Pope’s Road to Valentia Place, these days there’s a more diverse, but smaller set of markets to be found. Starting up in 2009, the farmers’ market on Sundays is particularly busy and one of my faves.
I’ve long been fascinated by the old railway arches on Station Road (see my archive photos from 2010 and 2001) , and despite some modernisation, much of the old character of the street remains. Here’s some photos taken in March 2013:
A church in a bookshop.
Entrance to Brixton railway station, off Station Road.
The eastern end of Station Road. The empty bridge opposite has sparked a lively debate on urban75 forums: The mystery of the railway bridge abutment at Barrington Road, Brixton.
Archive photos and Brixton Station Road stories:
Then and Now: ‘Alfie’ – Michael Caine in Station Road
Station Rd market in 1921
The original Marks and Spencer Penny Bazaar
Valentia Road in 1964
John’s old cafe
By Brixton Road
Pope’s Road
Railway arches in 1940
I remember standing underneath the arches with a girl friend, during the Blackout, whilst the bombs dropped on Brixton, during my leave from the R.A.F. and the Arcade with all its shops. Antonios Ice Cream MMMMM as a child do I remember that!! Yummy ! Such memories LONG GONE, NO MORE DEAR BRIXTON ALAS.
just had a look at your picture walk down Brixton station rd.it bought back many memories for me as I lived in Clapham from 1942 till 1963. used to go to the market every Saturday. good time then. A walk through Walworth out the back into the arcade. I think this site is very informative to us oldies who have left the area. what a great site this is cheers john fuller.
following on from my earlier post who remembers Barry’s the cloths shop in Atlantic rd. All us trendies went the for our cloths on a Saturday then into the Granville arcade to listen to the blue beat/sca records.
I grew up in and around Brixton from 1943 until I married in 1969. When I was a nipper in the 50s, you could find me in the market rummaging for rotten fruit or getting up to some kind of mischief. The dad of a friend of mine owned Don’s Models and often I would pop in to have a chat with his mum when passing by. I went to Effra Parade infant and Junior School and then on to Santley Street Secondry School. Then, in 1956 I spent my last year at school at the newly built THS. When I left school I became a projectionist at the Clapham Gaumont and later worked at the Streatham bowling alley until moving to the ABC Regal Streathm. Memorable times indeed.
John Piggott Santley Street Secondary 1951 to 1955
I too went to Santley Street Secondary Modern from1951 to 1955. It was a great school, never learnt much but had some very good mates. my last teacher was ” Spinner Edwards”. He would tell us stories how he won the war, nobody believed him but we all loved him. I lived in Briscoe Buildings, Brixton Hill, before moving out of London in 1959 They were happy days
Hi John, I remember Mr. Edwards, aka Spinner! He used to tell us some really good yarns, one in particular was diving overboard of the ship he was on and diverting a torpedo. Wholly unbelievable stuff of course, but better than any lesson. But fun nevertheless. The school dinners were the best I had at any school, especially the curry and the apple pie and custard. Briscoe Buildings wasn’t far from where I lived – up Helix Road and across to Leander Road. I used to catch the bus from outside there. I left London in 1969, the year I got married. I miss the old Brixton, Brockwell park Lido etc.
Hi john my name is brian skinner i lived at. 9 briscoe buildings untill 1958 aged 16 best days of my young life i now live in australia best move ever best wishes brian.
hi all on this site realy nice stories about growing up in Brixton you might like to take a look at a site LOST STREETS OF BRIXTON GENEVA ROAD some great stories there