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Location Profile: LEWISHAM |
In the ninth novel 'Lewisham' for the first time the series ventures into the far east - of London that is - to the southern most extremity of the Docklands Light Railway. What is most notable about this location apart from it being the centre of key events in 'Lewisham', it also appears both in its present day form and as it appeared back in 1969.
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Most people arrive in Lewisham by public transport in one form or
another. Back in 1969 there was either the local bus service worked by venerable
London Transport RT and RM types or the train with the Southern Region of British
Railways. The station has not changed much in the intervening time bar a few coats of paint and a change of rolling stock from the old slam door electric trains to the rather characterless new plastic ones. The main station building is sandwiched in the apex of running lines as it is situated on what is in effect a crossroads of rail routes. |
| At platform level, four platforms, (two on each incoming line)
serve suburban south east London linking to Charing Cross and London Victoria. Back
in 1969 services also went to the now long closed Holborn Viaduct as well. Barring the appearance of new lamps, CCTV and the yellow stripes on the platform surface, very little has really changed here. This is platform 1 from which characters in the novel depart twice, once in the present day and again in 1969. |
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Lewisham seems to be a crossroads for most of the traffic in the area as well. Somewhere behind all this lot is the area into which has been squeezed the DLR, bus and National Rail stations. |
| Did I mention the traffic? This was mid afternoon, not even rush hour and the High Street was chronically congested. I know this image doesn't show much but with so much traffic about there was very little I could do. I may try again on a Sunday morning when it should (in theory at least) be quieter! |  |
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Oh lovely.... 1960's concrete and brick dominates much of the area as can be seen here. I suspect Lewisham is probably not well known for being a tourist destination somehow... |
| 'Ere Charlie, are you sure the sign is big enough?' The Docklands Light Railway extended south from Island Gardens and reached Lewisham a few years ago, terminating in a new station building in front of the National Rail station and as seen here, fitted with a huge sign just in case anyone was uncertain where they were! |
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Thankfully not all is modern plastic or 1960's concrete. Across the way from the station (when not obscured by traffic!) is one island of pleasing architecture, in this case the church of St Stephen and St Mark which would appear to be undergoing an extensive restoration. |