With its vast tramway network it is probably no surprise that throughout this series we have featured a lot of structures in London which are “Still Standing!”. In this edition we head to south London to take a look at the old depot in Norwood.
Norwood Car Shed was a 15 track depot which included a central traverser and was opened by London County Council Tramways on 10th October 1909 for the accommodation of a fleet of overhead electric trams. After the London Passenger Transport Board took control of all tramways in the capital ownership passed to them and it remained in use until 6th April 1952. Unlike many other tram depots in London it wasn’t to become a bus depot (although some buses were accommodated during the 1951 Festival of Britain) and was sold on for commercial use following the removal of the last trams.
The tram depot is now in use for storage – with Access Self Storage the current owners. Its amazing to think how many old depots are now in use as storage units! Its not know how much of the old depot is still discernible inside the depot but presumably much has now been eradicated to allow for it to be converted to its new purpose. But its clear from the outside from its origins were far more interesting than a storage unit! (Photograph by Bob Hodges, 27th August 2022)