Eddie Menday: The dock of the day

Jun 19 2009

DURING the war years - when my brother and I worked on the Great West Road - we often used to spend our lunch hour visiting the back alleys and the canal at Brentford.

We used to look up and see the steam trains on Brentford Dock, not quite knowing the implications as to why they were there.

We knew that they had something to do with the shipment of goods, but of course, being war-time, these things were not discussed.

Even in recent years, and taking in the Heritage Walk on my own, I never really appreciated the full story surrounding the Brentford Docks.

A new book by Diana Willment, called Brentford Dock and Railway, is now bringing to life the reasons which led to the docks being built.

We are taken back to the 19th Century and the time of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who was chief engineer to the Great Western Railway.

While he planned the GWR line from London to the west country, it is also thought that he designed the line from Southall to the Brentford Dock.

He was a very sick man in 1859 and was preoccupied with projects in Bristol. At the time, goods for London were carried by train on the main line to Southall, where it was thought to be easier to reach the River Thames and then ship them downstream to the London docks.

While the Grand Union Canal shipped goods from the north and Midlands, the waterway to Brentford had its drawbacks.

It would almost dry out in hot summers and freeze over in winter, which made navigation difficult.

The many locks would also slow the passage through. In evidence to a Parliamentary Select Committee, called to discuss the proposed plan for a line from Southall to a new docks at Brentford, Brunel named a number of landowners who would be affected by the new line, including the Duke of Northumberland and the Earl of Jersey.

There were objections to the building of the line, particularly from the Duke of Northumberland as it threatened to affect the park of Syon House. But, an Act of Parliament in 1855 was passed giving rights to the Great Western and Brentford Railway Docks Company to go ahead with the project.

The opening of the new docks was a bit muted for the townsfolk of Brentford. However, The Times newspaper of Saturday, July 16, 1859, tells us that: "Yesterday the ceremony of opening the company's docks and rail-way was performed with great rejoicing at Brentford.

"Special steamers from London and Westminster bridges, decorated with flags and conveying the friends of the undertaking, opened the new docks at about 20 minutes to four. About the same time, special trains started from Southall station of the Great Western Railway to Brentford, conveying the directors and their friends."

The event was celebrated later at the Town Hall, now the Magistrates' Court, with toasts all round.

As well as goods from the industrial north, there was coal from Wales, to be transferred to barges on the Thames. Cargo also came into the docks from the river, including rice and sugar, timber for Swindon and Spanish cork for the cork factory in Southall.

A station was opened at London Road for passengers, but it did cause difficulties for ladies with their skirts as they ascended the steps to the platform.

The fare to Southall was twopence. This service ran until 1942. In the post-war years, goods traffic was winding down with the containerisation of goods at ports, and in 1965 Brentford Docks were closed. The iron bridges over the Great West Road and the London Road were dismantled and are no more. The docks area was acquired by the Greater London Council for residential purposes, and a marina developed as a base for boats and yachts. The book is an interesting read and fills a gap in the history of Brentford. I recommend it to all local historians.

* Brentford Dock and Railway, by Diana Willment and published by Dandelion Publications, (, Brentford Dock, is available for £7.50. Brentford Library hope to have stocks at a later date. There is also an exhibition at the Musical Museum until July.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

- JUNE 18, 1909 THE construction of the new railway station at Kingsley Road on the District Line has been completed.

There is every convenience for passengers, including waiting rooms on each side and excellent lighting at night.

In addition to the booking hall arrangements, passengers to HestonHounslow and Barracks can obtain their tickets through an automatic slot. An official is always in attendance to direct operations, and it is interesting to note that the old fare of 11/2d to the Barracks, is now reduced to 1d. Another improvement is the train that leaves the Barracks station at 7.32am to the Mansion House should be made a through train. When a newly-built bridge at Mill Hill Park station is completed, there will be a further improvement, with at least two non-stop trains to Earl's Court every day.

THE CLERK of the Feltham District Council reported to the council that he had received a letter from the over-seers in connection with the fire at the factory of Messrs Pritchett and Gold in January.

They were offering £5.16 in respect of the use of the fire engine on that occasion, instead of the £10.16 claimed. The clerk pointed out that the fire was in the parish, and the council knew their position under these circumstances. The sum offered would cover the out-of-pocket expenses, but not the £5 over and above this charge. Mr Tinnelly pointed out the engine depreciated every time it went out, and he thought the owners of the property should pay something towards this depreciation. Mr Fear said Messrs Pritchett and Gold were large rate-payers, and paid their share of the upkeep of the fire engine in their rates, and should have the service free. It was agreed to accept the offer made.

AT THEIR meeting, the Heston-Hounslow Rate-payers Association discussed the report on the proposed acquisition of Whitton Park.

Mr Heath said the portion being offered was only a small part of what was once Whitton Park. All the best had been sold and built upon. There was only the gravel pit and the tower left and the best of the trees had been cut down and sold. If they bought what was offered out of the rates, they would have to spend another £20,000 to

level it, and put a ring fence round two houses and have keepers. He knew that when the ground was bought by Mr. Hallet for £11,000, which he afterwards mortgaged for £30,000 and did a great deal of business there at the time. In his opinion, they should at once call an indignation meeting of the rate-payers to protest at buying the park. It was announced an extraordinary meeting of the council will be held, when the adjourned conference on the park will be continued.