please empty your brain below
My grandparents met at the Gillette factory in the 1930s. Thanks for the information on its current status.

Andy V | 30.05.25 - 6:25 a.m. | #

The Firestone demolition was even more sneaky as it was a Bank Holiday weekend giving the demolition crew an extra day. Tragic - but at least some of the other masterpieces of west London industrial architecture survive.

Rob Gullen | 30.05.25 - 7:40 a.m. | #

Auto Shenanigans did a video 'celebrating' 100 years since the opening of the A127 between Romford and Southend in March 2025.

Interesting looking at the comments about the Firestone Tyre Factory, mainly about what a horrible place it was to work - were they isolated comments or do they highlight the wider working environment there, or am I just reading far too much into things as usual?

Still Anon | 30.05.25 - 7:41 a.m. | #

Edward Platt, Leadville: A Biography of the A40, is a fascinating read if you can find a copy.

dg writes: on my bookshelf :)

Richard Morris | 30.05.25 - 7:55 a.m. | #

Bastards indeed.

Lorenzo | 30.05.25 - 8:41 a.m. | #

Last year I found Carville Hall in Brentford, whose grounds were divided up to make room for the Great West Road, and further divided in 1959 by the Chiswick Flyover. Was intrigued enough to write a Wikipedia entry on its history.

John Abbott | 30.05.25 - 8:47 a.m. | #

Thank you for this - a most interesting read. I'm going to the exhibition this weekend and hope to learn more there too.

And thank you Still Anon for the A127 video link. I wrote a piece about Eastern Avenue's centenary for the Ilford Historical Society's April 2025 newsletter recently - available here.

Alan Simpson | 30.05.25 - 9:22 a.m. | #

Fascinating. Nationally, of course, there are dozens of towns whose bypass has been bypassed. Perhaps hundreds.

Malcolm of Kent | 30.05.25 - 9:35 a.m. | #

The Anthony Powell novel 'The Acceptance World' contains a moment when the main male character shares a lift in the back seat of a car travelling out of London on the Great West Road with the sister of the driver, and a bump in the road throws them together, beginning an affair.

Bob L-S | 30.05.25 - 9:59 a.m. | #

I see the building just beyond the Chiswick Flyover which housed Brentford Registry Office where my parents married in September 1939 still exists but now converted into flats.

JohnC | 30.05.25 - 10:18 a.m. | #

A magnificent post - especially depicting the sharp contrast between the residential and commercial sections of the road.

cau1khead | 30.05.25 - 10:49 a.m. | #

One remarkable feature of this stretch of road was how forward thinking it was. At a time when there were very few cars, it was built with three traffic lanes in either direction, cycle tracks on either side, then a wide pavement and, in the residential bits, a separate service road for the houses. They also planted trees and grass verges along its length.
And of course, we had the modern, Art Deco factories - or at least the modern office fronts with the traditional factory sheds behind - making modern things, like car tyres, razor blades and Lucozade!

ActonMan | 30.05.25 - 10:50 a.m. | #

It didn’t take long for the Great West Road to be served by London’s buses. Like many areas in outer London the first service was limited—a Sunday-only route 102 from Aldwych to Windsor, which operated from June to October 1926. A weekday service followed, on 25 August 1926 route 32 was extended to Lampton, formerly running from Wimbledon Common via Charing Cross to Turnham Green.

For nearly a century the Great West Road has been closely associated with a ‘91’ service. The original Cambrian route 291—an independent service taken over by the London General Omnibus Company in January 1926—was restructured on 28 May 1932 to replace the 32 to Lampton. It was later extended to Cranford and renumbered 91 by London Transport in October 1934.

The route remained stable over the decades. Apart from being cut back from Victoria and rerouted to Wandsworth Bridge, it stayed largely unchanged until its withdrawal in May 1991. It was replaced by today’s H91, which has also proven to be an enduring route.

Steve | Homepage | 30.05.25 - 10:53 a.m. | #

Looking at the list of events I see there is a film show in the Gillette building followed by tour of the old factory, unfortunately it is fully booked. Hopefully dg is going and will write about it

John | 30.05.25 - 10:55 a.m. | #

A Register Office is where one registers a wedding. A Registry is where one stores files. So a Register Office, historically, may well have had a registry.

Robert Butlin | 30.05.25 - 10:57 a.m. | #

James Marshall is an ex-colleague of sorts from my Hounslow council days. Highly knowledgeable it goes without saying.

daveid76 | 30.05.25 - 11:28 a.m. | #

As ActonMan mentions, there are cycling provisions along the Great West Road - either separate marked pavement or sharing space with pedestrians. I've cycled along it many times, which is also a good way to experience the art deco of the Golden Mile at a leisurely pace.

Greg | 30.05.25 - 2:07 p.m. | #

One of the earlier consequencies of the Great West Road must have been the move of Osterley Station to a site fronting the new route.

dg writes: nine years later.

The remains of the old station include a secondhand bookshop that is not long for this world, they're closing down later this year.

ap | 30.05.25 - 3:25 p.m. | #

There’s sadly a lot more ‘shady’ history to the beautiful historic buildings than the demolition. A few mysterious fires, for a start.

Sad to read about the bookshop closing too. Has always been one of, if not the, best in London.

Nick | 30.05.25 - 3:34 p.m. | #

While the Osterley Book Shop is closing, the owners are keeping the space to concentrate on art sales. IanVisits has the details as we know them to this point.

Greg | 30.05.25 - 3:49 p.m. | #

A road I know fairly well and hold a soft spot for - firstly as the route out west to return to the homeland and later as student/newly qualified digs for many years. Happy days.

Cornish Cockney | 31.05.25 - 1:13 a.m. | #

This was a lovely post, thank you. I drive along here most Sundays on my way down south to visit my Mum. Nice to know a bit more about the building I'm passing.

Louise | 01.06.25 - 7:43 p.m. | #











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