Lewes Road (4)

James Gray: The erection of the Tramways Depot in 1901. Further along the somewhat rural Lewes Road can be seen the houses of Coombe Terrace, built only a few years earlier, and then all private houses with small front gardens. jgc_28_072

James Gray: Decorated cars 1 and 4, at the Depot, for the opening ceremony on 25 November 1901. In the background can be seen the houses 2-12, Riley Road, facing the Depot, while the house of which the party wall is visible is either the present 9 or 11. jgc_28_073

2018: With the exception of the decorated tram the bus depot and surrounding area are remarkably unchanged.

James Gray: Decorated cars 1 and 4, at the Depot, for the opening ceremony on 25 November 1901. In the background can be seen the houses 2-12, Riley Road, facing the Depot, while the house of which the party wall is visible is either the present 9 or 11. jgc_28_074

2018: Modern sleek buses have replaced the decorated trams of yore. See also caption for jgc_28_073. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: Looking north east towards the Allen West premises. The houses shown at the left of the photograph are the backs of Coombe Terrace. In the background is the hill now forming part of Moulsecoomb Wild Park. jgc_28_075

2018: Once the building was completed the view was gone forever.  (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: Laying the foundations of the Tram Depot. The houses shown were the newly built houses in Dewe Road. It was originally intended to name this De Wet Road, after the South African General, but the inhabitants objected, so the name was contracted to Dewe. CORRECTION. The information I gave about Dewe Road is nonsense although it makes a good story! It was given to me by an old Brightonian and I accepted it as accurate.

James Gray: Another photograph showing the construction of the Depot in 1901, showing the houses of Bear Road in the background and those of Riley Road on the left. jgc_28_077

2018: At this angle the houses in Riley Road and Bear Road are now largely hidden by the bus depot’s high perimeter wall.

James Gray: Photographs of trams at the bus depot. jgc_28_079

2018: Whilst the decorated trams are long gone, Brighton & Hove Bus Company has recently introduced some decorated buses on various routes. This example is the work of a local artist.

James Gray: Tram and workers at Bus Depot. jgc_28_080

2018: Decorated trams are long gone as are uniformed bus drivers and bus conductors with or without uniforms. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: Brighton Corporation Tram. jgc_28_081

2018: Whilst the decorated trams are long gone, the basic structure of the buildings remains the same. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: Trolley Bus. jgc_28_082

2018: Whilst the trolley buses are no more, the basic structure of the building remains the same. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: The same vehicle leaving the Lewes Road Depot, to make the last run, at 11.30 p.m. on Friday 30 June1961. jgc_28_086

2018: A modern bus leaving the depot through the same gates. The same vehicle to which James Gray refers, FUF 1, was the trolley bus used to make an experimental run in April 1939 shortly before the inauguration of a regular service. It can be seen doing so on the Pavilion Parade page at jgc_28_085. (Photographer: Ron Fitton)

James Gray: Car No 21, of the Brighton Corporation Tramways, at the Tram Depot in Lewes Road, with houses of Riley Road in the background. The year of the photograph is not known, but is probably later than a number of the car would suggest. The first car 21, one of the original batch of thirty supplied in 1901, was replaced by a new car bearing the number in 1924, so almost certainly it was after that year. jgc_28_084

James Gray: The Barracks Tollgate dated from the early days of the 19th century, and stood in the Lewes Road opposite the present 32 Coombe Terrace. Beyond it stretched the long, flint Barracks wall with opposite a few cottages and the Ship Inn. In 1873 part of the parish of Preston was incorporated with Brighton and the borough boundary was moved several hundred yards to the north.

James Gray: Building of the Allen West premises in progress, 1900. In the distance can be seen a glimpse of the old toll keeper’s cottage which formerly stood at the corner of Natal Road. This was removed in 1921 when the South Moulsecoomb council housing estate was about to be started. Lewes Road seems to have been a bit rural in those days!! jgc_28_101

James Gray: The old Allen West premises in Lewes Road, empty and awaiting disposal, 8 April 1973. [The extensive buildings were demolished in 1973?] The extensive buildings were demolished in 1975, and the site awaits redevelopment. jgc_28_104

James Gray: A strange part of Lewes Road this – two public houses, some small houses and these commercial premises at the corner of Coombe Road. Photographed on 18 May 1974, as it was feared the corner was coming down. They survived until October 1985, when they came down. jgc_28_222