History 1950's to 60's
Pictures of Old Brentford Dock
In the 1950s and early 1960s, with the construction of the national motorway system and increased road traffic, much less use was made of the Thames and Grand Union Canal for transporting goods. Brentford Dock gradually slipped into disuse and disrepair and was finally closed in 1964.
The site at the High Street end of Dock Road bridge, vacated by Pharos Marine, used to be called Montgomery Wharf, as it was once a timber yard owned by the Montgomery family.
It became the Motor Repair Workshops of the Gas Light and Coke Company (which became North Thames Gas Board in 1949). All the Gas Board's vehicles and plant were overhauled and repaired there. The workshops employed blacksmiths, carpenters, electricians, engine fitters, mechanical fitters, painters and wheelwrights.
Frank Jiggins, who was a motor mechanic there from 1952 to 1970, took the below pictures in the early 1960s when Brentford Dock was still a dockyard and later when it was being demolished. NTG finally closed in 1976 and all operations were transferred to the old Bromley By Bow gas works.
Looking towards Brentford Dock from Montgomery's Wharf
The large white building is the goods shed. The three lorries are, from left to right, Dennis Conder (bulk coke), Albion (general goods) and Atkinson (carriage of gas pipes). The reserve coal stock for the gasworks was stored in the area behind the lorries, it was 25ft high. The Gas Works stopped producing gas around 1964/5 and was being dismantled and site cleaned up 1966/69.
Railway wagons where Numa Court is today
The Dock's working cranes have been dismantled; these cranes are the demolition ones.
In the 1950s a new bridge was built over Dock Road. A second (canal) lock was built beneath the bridge.
The following two pictures were taken from the roof of the leftmost structure. Today the Max Factor building (beside the Watermans Art Centre) stands on its site. It was originally the coke grading plant, with workshops underneath (below the high water level).
The building of the Red Lion which became a famous Brentford music pub. A drive-in MacDonald's now stands on the same site. The road at the top of the picture is the South Ealing Road. The road on the left of the picture is Brentford High Street (then a single carriageway). The road next to it is the short east-bound carriageway being built.
Looking westward along Brentford High Street.
Brentford Dock from Kew Gardens. The horizontal white structure is the roof of the goods shed. This can also be seen in the picture of the weir below.
Looking from Montgomery Wharf towards where Numa Court is today. The barge is alongside E.C. Jones' boatyard.
Transit vans stored on Brentford Dock just after the rail track had been lifted about 1964/5.
Picture taken from Montgomery Wharf, the lorries were new build appliance delivery vehicles on a D400 Ford chassis, two new mini vans, a bulk tar tanker, roof of a Commer van.
The lock gates. The dock retaining wall to the left of the large building collapsed soon after the cranes that were above it had been removed. Rumour had it that the arches were dynamited for reasons unknown (many people heard loud bangs at the weekend).
Looking towards Kew Bridge from where Julius Court now stands.
Looking from Brentford Creek towards Kew Gardens and where Julius Court now stands.
By 1966 Augustus Close was a disused railway line. The sign was where Servius Court is today.
Full Size Photos
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