Old Waiting Room

There is something about disused and derelict buildings in London that really catches my attention. Buildings built decades ago, with years of history behind. Most have survived at least a World War, others were actually part of it, like the Paddock Bunker in Wembley. But there was a time in which bricks were laid carefully, for a reason and a purpose, calculated, thought, to be unique and last.

In the midst of last century, I think we lost it. We went for the building for the masses, for the function, and we lost the aesthetics. We demolished what now should be listed, and now back again, there is a growing effort to try to bring back the good, the heritage and the history.

Now it is when there is a Renaissance of the Community; communities indeed, trying to get rid of the big fishes in this world of Capitalism. It is the New Wave of the Buy Local, probably because we are a bit tired of the impersonal cold Tesco round the corner, of not knowing our neighbour and there is a feeling of need for a change. At least the morale is out there. And I would say that probably thanks to the so-criticised social networks, this community effort is a bit more visible, as they are actually well capable of spreading a message and finding support with very little or even non existent funding to actually make things happen.

And this is how I ended in Peckham Rye last evening. Following a discrete Tweet or a shy link on a newsletter. The existence of a refurbished station waiting room in South London was convincing enough to make me travel as far down south as I can recall. And it was worth it.

There I was, far away from home and curious of what I was about to see:

Timidly hidden in a door, right in Platform 3, the entrance to the magnificent Victorian room.

I arrived merely 10 minutes before Eileen Conn started the talk. Most of the locals had already a sit, so I decided to place myself in the newly refurbished wooden floor to get a better perspective of all the angles.

First of all Eileen made an introduction about Peckham and about how the Regeneration, as it is happening in East London, is not as really regenerating as they sold them. Lovely buildings from pre-Victorian times are now hidden behind horrible shop fronts and remain unused, derelict and decaying when they could be brought back to life turning the Rye Lane into an impressive High Street. And the neighbours agreed. See, demolishing a traditional Victorian Pub or an Art Deco Department Store. 

But it was the turn of Benny, aka Benedict O'Looney, RIBA Architect, to introduce us more deeply into the inside of the restoration and the history behind the OWR (Old Waiting Room). 

The waiting room used to be so to serve platforms 1 and 2, so big to host probably all the changing passengers to the great Crystal Palace in Victorian times. In 1962 they were demolished to place both in an island platform and the space became redundant, and hence the state they were until a couple of years ago. Before the demolition of the platform the space served as a Billiard Hall.

The station itself and the OWR  was designed by architect Charles Henry Driver, known for his french style construction and also his cast iron work. Funnily enough he designed a couple more of station in South London such as Battersea Park, London Bridge and Denmark Hill: Southerner indeed. Shame it is, that during the 60's most of the cast iron decorations were removed, and soon they will do so from London Bridge (sad, isn't it?).

The OWR also turned out to be an Billiard Hall.

But yes, now almost fully refurbished by various funding and the effort of the locals and Benny, the restoration is happening. The OWR will have a future, a use, independent of the normal functioning station and will serve to host events or activities for the community, specially by the addition of the outside stairs that where demolished in the 60's. 

Windows have been carefully assembled by a local joiner from Camberwell and the main station has been painted un green tones to harmonise again with the original design of C. H. Driver.

But what locals are really excited about is the proposed demolition of the arcade in front of the station, also decaying (the arcade) and occupies the space of what could be a square full of life and local businesses. A square to show the original arches underneath the railway covered by glass for multipurpose use.

And for some reason, I became terribly excited of this project, even though I currently live more than 5 miles away from it. 

 

A bit of Apple juice with basil or mint?

Donations always welcome for this circumstances

Impressive ceiling

And just when you thought that all that happens in Peckham is...

To read more about the beautiful hidden architectural gems of Peckham, visit:http://services.english-heritage.org.uk/ResearchReportsPdfs/054_2009WEB.pdf 

Amazing stuff, but where are the hidden gems in Islington? 

I think that's going to be another story.

Code name: Paddock

Saturday. Afternoon. Dollis Hill, a very residential area of Wembley.

Shoe protectors

Hard hat and camera in hand.

Code name: Paddock

Paddock was the name of a now disused and derelict Cabinet War Rooms from the second World War. The visit was a one-off. Open doors day as a celebration of the Archaeology Weekend with a free 30 min tour around it carrier out by Subterranea Britannica.

According to the very enthusiastic guide (volunteer, by the way) this was an alternative Cabinet War Room to the one in Central London. Apparently Churchill didn't fancy much coming to these premises for a couple of reasons: first and principle: the plae was very far away. If you think about it, Wembley really is and specially was by that time, a London suburb. For him, coming all the way here, inconvenience apart, felt like letting down London, as being hiding far away. He kept sheltering in the Central one. The second reason: it was quit damp.

Unlike the Central London CWR, this was a purpose built facility. Well engineered with amazingly thick concrete walls and ceilings, and alternative staircases and built just underneath the Post Office Research and Development station of Dollis Hill.

The bunker was just just for barely three years, as I was always kept as an alternative, in case the central London was heavily damaged during the bombings. In fact, althought it was a purpose built facility, there's no documentation about it: no drawings, no maps, nothing. Nobody knew that Paddock was a bunker until years after it was determined that it really has been.

The result of so much secrecy about the site lead to the sale of the land above. A series of construction works unfortunately damaged the waterproof membrane that protected the underground bunker and hence the current state of it right now; in constant need of pumps to remove the water and the puddles, and indeed, it is in a very decaying state.

The guide showed us a room, barely lited, paved with ceramic orange tiles and a chair in the middle. He was playing to confuse us on trying to guess the purpose of that room. It was indeed the battery room. Tiled in case the acid of the batteries spilled, it was easily cleanable. Barely lited to avoid sparks and basically because I didn't need much maintaince.

Fun fact #1: The construction works of the site lasted 3 years (on time), on budget and un-noticeable. 

Telephone communications rack

Fun fact #2: there is a tiny little inscription in one of the hubs that writes CWR what actually confirms this place to be a bunker (apart from the minutes of the War Cabinet that took place in 1940).

The room used as a social club in the 60's, hence the funky ceiling tiles for a resting area. Pretty sure the blokes had fun there.

Althought Churchill dislike the place, it had state of the art technology. High-end air conditioning and high quality galvanized conducts (according to the guide, underground buildings need to be cooled down, not warmed up. Fun Fact #3) and what was even cooler, fluorescent lights to light the rooms and specially the maps covering the walls during the war. Apparently, the now common white tubes were ridiculously expensive and rare at that time. England had them in war times.

It really was an air bomb shelter, not a long term facility, and hence, it mainly consisted in rooms for meetings and equipment and just a little cantine. We all asked the same question to the guide: where is the toilet? Where is Churchill's bedroom? The truth was that; non existent.

In the main plant, a room with the stand-by generator for the production of electricity. Quite rusty.

A small canteen was the only sign of long stay on the underground secret spot. Just two sinks, signs of a counter and a little serving hatch form which to pass the foot to the corridor. They most probably just prepared tea there.

Stalactites and stalagmites

Mould. Damp. Mushrooms...

Steel door frames

There is just one document: some minutes from a meeting held there, found in the National Archives, that describes the location of the place and Churchill siting in this room, in the middle of the big table, facing the door. Even though damp had destroyed most of the flooring and surroundings, very well pointed by the guide, that room still had sound proofed panels. The sound was surprisingly dead; perfect for super secret meetings and discussion.


Below the actual room with the War Cabinet took place the 3rd of October in 1940. Where the lady stands on the left, is the supposed Churchill's position on the table that date. It cannot be seen, but across the room, there was a hatch in the wall to pass the teleprinter messages.


Fun fact #4, the room had an independent ventilation system (now on the floor) for 1: keeping the resonance independent from the rest and 2: to smoke and not get it circulated to the rest of the bunker.

Fun fact #5: Famous Flower's Colossus computer was actually assembled inside the bunker. 

The bunker was locked and abandoned by 1944.  

Again, from here, I really want to thank greatly the guys from Subterranea Britannica for their brilliant enthusiasm and great tour. I had a really good time underground. 

I hope to visit more dark things like this in the future. But that's another story