Brixton: the underground tram station that never was

[editor]

http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/c/croydon_tramlink1950/tramlink_subway_brixton.jpg

Proposed in 1950, central Brixton was to get a substantial underground tram station, underneath the Brixton Road junction with Acre Lane and Coldharbour Lane.

It was to be part of a rapid transit tramway from Purley and Croydon to Brixton and Kennington.

"Twin-coach trains would be made up of long single-deck carriages (rail coaches) with a high power-to-weight ratio and rapid acceleration. Plenty of space would be provided for standing passengers, whilst resilient rubber wheels would reduce noise. Grass and flower borders would help make the reserved track sections more attractive and neat fencing would ensure pedestrians did not stray into the path of high-speed trams"

More: http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/c/croydon_tramlink1950/index.shtml

[Skim]

Makes me think of the Robyn Hitchcock song:

Trams of Old London
Taking my baby into the past
And its trams of Old London
Blow my mind

Ludgate, Fenchurch, Highgate Hill
Rolling slowly up there still, uh huh
Waterloo and Clerkenwell
Up to Aldgate East as well, uh huh

On a clear night you can see
Where the rails used to be
Oh, it seems like ancient myth
They once ran to Hammersmith

Trams of Old London
Taking my baby into the past
And its trams of Old London
Blow my mind

Through Electric Avenue
Brixton Down and South-West Two, uh huh
Teddington and Kennington
Twickenham and Paddington, uh huh

In the Blitz they never closed
Though they blew up half the roads
Oh, it hurts me just to see 'em
Going dead in a museum

Trams of Old London
Taking my baby into the past
And its trams of Old London
Blow my mind
Trams of Old London
Taking my baby into the past
And its trams of Old London
Blow my mind

:cool:

[davesgcr]

If only ! What a lost opportunity.

The old LCC tram system was dead in the water by the late 1930's and starved of capital investiment - though only the war kept it going (and that with minimal maintenance).....this must have been part of the great Abercrombie town planning report - which the bitter reality of austerity Britain resulted in not a lot happening - the Victoria line for example didnt get completed till 1971 and we are still waiting for some of the other lines proposed.!

There is a good PhD here for some committed soul.

[strung_out]

picture doesnt work by the way!

[Gixxer1000]

Interestingly the proposals are completely different to the current tram scheme.

[Gixxer1000]

picture doesnt work by the way!

Yeah, naughty:D