Disused Stations: Uxbridge Belmont Road Station

[Source: Nick Catford]

Facing south-east, again in 1929. with Belmont Road running left to right across the bottom of the picture. This time we can see the goods yard in its entirety. The electrified siding running behind the signal box can be discerned and this siding also served Button's warehouse where some wagons can be seen alongside the awning where there would have been a goods platform. The current rails on this, No. 1, siding end short of the warehouse at the barrow crossing. Why this siding was electrified is unconfirmed but probably for rolling stock stabling overnight. Just outside Button's warehouse is a crossover connecting Nos. 1 & 2 sidings and it is thought likely Button's traffic used No. 2 siding, which has a goods loading gauge, upon which shunting and uncoupling could be performed away from the current rails. At left centre can be seen a yard crane on a circular plinth. The capacity of this crane is unknown. To the right of the crane is the Metropolitan goods shed, a fairly typical brick-built structure which likely would have contained another crane, perhaps of 1½ tons capacity. The design of the second shed, towards top right, indicates that it was quite obviously used by a coal merchant but also suggests not only coal was handled. Many such businesses were coal and corn, or coal and some other commodity, merchants. A rake of coal wagons is on the siding serving this shed; most wagons are private owner but two LMS wagons are also present. Behind the LMS wagon, fifth from right, is a horse-drawn road van - the only horse-drawn vehicle which can be seen among various types of motor vehicle. BP (British Petroleum) had a small facility at Belmont Road and this can be seen towards the top and left of centre. There are two rows of two storage tanks each with a hut at their west ends. There is a single tank wagon, coupled to an open wagon, stabled opposite.
Photo from Britain From Above, reproduced with permission

Station Name: UXBRIDGE (Belmont Road)