Houses facing the main road are part of the Whamcliffe Estate being developed. Next comes the Hanwell Bus Garage. This was built in 1924-25 to take 120 buses and extended in 1930. It was not until July 12th, 1950 that the name was changed to Southall Garage. In November 1924 all buses terminated previously at Hanwell Broadway, came on to the new garage.
George Cross, cartage contractors which started in Sussex Road, has now established a new business next to the garage. A small coffee stall brings us to the bridge. On the left hand side we now have the Iron Bridge Garage, built for Mr Charles Abbott. It was totally equipped to do all car repairs and servicing and dispensing of petrol at 1/3d (61/2p) to 1/6 (71/2p) per gallon. The Allied Building Estate has built the houses facing the main road to Green Drive and back to the railway, with Lyndhurst Avenue, with the water mains down the middle and railway arch at the end. After the park the next change is that the old Market House has gone and, in its place, well set back for road widening, the new Odeon Cinema and three shops.
There are now shops to Hambrough Road and the No 2 Salvation Hall.
Under the Iron Bridge on the right hand side is now the new Greenford Hotel with the Greenford Road leading off on the right. The entrance to the Greenford Road under the Iron Bridge was sealed off, and a Timber Yard established there.
Although the West Middlesex Golf Course follows down to Dormers Wells Lane, Mr Abbott had found room to have a Service Garage built. Down in the hollow – the house ‘Springdale’ – Mr Abbott has established a Social Club and Tennis Courts for his garage employees. Also, on the verge, is one of the old pumps which used to supply water for the water carts.
A large house now stands at the corner of Dormers Wells Lane and the Uxbridge Road. Longford Avenue had several large houses. Wimpeys have built now on the old Red Lion field and, in order to get planning permission, had to demolish two houses in Burns Avenue to create access by making Waverley Road. You then find ‘Melrose’ and Mr S. A. Abbott’s ‘Chestnuts’, Holy Trinity Rectory and Church carrying on to the new police station, rebuilt, standing back from the road, but the old shops have gone and the new offices of Abbotts (now ‘Abbess’) are in their place.
The rebuilt George and Dragon with the ‘New Hall’ still on the pavement edge brings us to the Town Hall (Council Offices) with Fire Station attached. It now had a glass canopy and conveniences.
Lady Margaret Road now goes right through to the Ruislip Road, Greenford. It is the longest road in Southall. There are now shops until we reach Tudor Road. Two new roads, St Georges Avenue and Dane Road. The remains of Southall Valve Factory destroyed by fire causing £10,000 damage in October 1931 brings us to Hayes Bridge.
Bus Transport
As I have mentioned previously, two Southall companies did start to run horse buses from Southall to Hounslow between 1904 and 1913 but these were withdrawn because they were not financially successful. Although the first motor buses came into use around 1908, the first buses came to Southall on Wednesday, 14th April 1923, when route 17B – London Bridge to Southall Town Hall — came into existence, and on Sundays, 12C – Hither Green to Southall Town Hall fare 1/7d (8p). These were operated by the LGOC but they sparked off a rush of what was termed ‘Pirate’ buses – Cambrian, Eclipse, Commonwealth, Kings, New Era – all independent operators. Their routes extended into London — Liverpool Street to Southall Station, 17L and 170B; Forest Gate to Southall Town Hall, 17C; Cambrian, Liverpool Street to Norwood Road, 286, Barking and Norwood Road, 223. Cambrian final route was the 549 Stoke Newington to Southall, Western Road, before they were purchased by the LGOC on January 25th, 1926.