A trip inside the Camberwell Submarine
An oddity in Akerman Road, SW9
(Photos/words © urban75, April/Aug 2007)
Stuck in a small island on a little strip of dual carriageway in Akerman Road, SW9 is this curious building.
Known locally as the 'Camberwell Submarine' on account of its nautical lines, the structure has baffled people for years.
Some people thought it was a ventilation shaft for the tube (even though the nearest line is a mile and a half away), while others suspected it could be some forgotten defence relic from the Cold War era.
![Camberwell Submarine, Vent shaft for boiler room, Akerman Road, Brixton, London SW9](images/camberwell-submarine-01.jpg) The Camberwell Submarine in all its nuclear sub-esque glory.
![Camberwell Submarine, Vent shaft for boiler room, Akerman Road, Brixton, London SW9](images/camberwell-submarine-02.jpg) There's an entrance at either end - I came in through the door at the northern end.
![Camberwell Submarine, Vent shaft for boiler room, Akerman Road, Brixton, London SW9](images/camberwell-submarine-03.jpg)
![Camberwell Submarine, Vent shaft for boiler room, Akerman Road, Brixton, London SW9](images/camberwell-submarine-04.jpg) By chance, a maintenance worker was on site, and he kindly invited me in to take a look around. The mystery of the Camberwell Submarine will be solved!
![Camberwell Submarine, Vent shaft for boiler room, Akerman Road, Brixton, London SW9](images/camberwell-submarine-05.jpg) Stepping through the entrance.
![Camberwell Submarine, Vent shaft for boiler room, Akerman Road, Brixton, London SW9](images/camberwell-submarine-06.jpg) Ground level view by the door. The stairs are to the right.
![Camberwell Submarine, Vent shaft for boiler room, Akerman Road, Brixton, London SW9](images/camberwell-submarine-07.jpg) Concrete stairs lead two floors down to the subterranean boiler room.
![Camberwell Submarine, Vent shaft for boiler room, Akerman Road, Brixton, London SW9](images/camberwell-submarine-09.jpg) The electronics control panel.
![Camberwell Submarine, Vent shaft for boiler room, Akerman Road, Brixton, London SW9](images/camberwell-submarine-10.jpg) Cables and amp meters for controlling the cooling fans.
![Camberwell Submarine, Vent shaft for boiler room, Akerman Road, Brixton, London SW9](images/camberwell-submarine-13.jpg) The boiler room is fairly substantial.
![Camberwell Submarine, Vent shaft for boiler room, Akerman Road, Brixton, London SW9](images/camberwell-submarine-11.jpg) The high pressure gas boilers are used to heat two council estates nearby.
![Camberwell Submarine, Vent shaft for boiler room, Akerman Road, Brixton, London SW9](images/camberwell-submarine-12.jpg) Gubbins.
![Camberwell Submarine, Vent shaft for boiler room, Akerman Road, Brixton, London SW9](images/camberwell-submarine-14.jpg) Lots of valves and cool dials for monitoring important things.
![Camberwell Submarine, Vent shaft for boiler room, Akerman Road, Brixton, London SW9](images/camberwell-submarine-15.jpg) Boilers.
![Camberwell Submarine, Akerman Road, Brixton, London SW9](images/camberwell-submarine-20.jpg) The main boiler room from the far end. In the background is the door and windows of the control room (where I came in).
![Camberwell Submarine, Vent shaft for boiler room, Akerman Road, Brixton, London SW9](images/camberwell-submarine-08.jpg) Looking up the stairs from the boiler room floor.
![Camberwell Submarine, Vent shaft for boiler room, Akerman Road, Brixton, London SW9](images/camberwell-submarine-16.jpg) Back on the surface. The concrete structure acts as ventilation shafts for the boilers lurking deep below ground.
![Camberwell Submarine, Vent shaft for boiler room, Akerman Road, Brixton, London SW9](images/camberwell-submarine-17.jpg)
![Camberwell Submarine, Vent shaft for boiler room, Akerman Road, Brixton, London SW9](images/camberwell-submarine-18.jpg)
Get there quick!
Described elsewhere as looking like a, "a nuclear submarine, with a model of the mountain from Close Encounters on each end" the future for this unusual structure looks in doubt.
A recent Lambeth Planning statement proposed removing one side of the dual carriageway and removing the "submarine vent shaft."
![Camberwell Submarine, Vent shaft for boiler room, Akerman Road, Brixton, London SW9](images/camberwell-submarine-19.jpg)
A last look at the Submarine. Mystery solved!
UPDATED PICS: AUGUST 2007
![Camberwell Submarine, Vent shaft for boiler room, Akerman Road, Brixton, London SW9](images/camberwell-submarine-21.jpg)
![Camberwell Submarine, Vent shaft for boiler room, Akerman Road, Brixton, London SW9](images/camberwell-submarine-22.jpg)
![Camberwell Submarine, Vent shaft for boiler room, Akerman Road, Brixton, London SW9](images/camberwell-submarine-23.jpg)
See also: The Onion Shed, Camberwell
« back to homepage
|