Stanley Sidings, Stables To East Of Bonded Warehouse

Stanley Sidings: Stables to East of Bonded Warehouse

Four blocks of industrial stabling, now converted to workshops and warehousing, dating from approximately 1855 to 1870 with later Victorian additions. Built for the London and North-Western Railway Company's Camden Goods Yard. The buildings are constructed of stock brick with hipped slate roofs and some stone lintels. Internally, some iron columns are present, but floors and roofs are generally of timber.

Block A, the northernmost block abutting Chalk Farm Road, dates from around 1855 with an upper storey added around 1895. It presents a long curved front elevation of mostly two storeys with an eaves cornice; the western end is one and a half storeys with a chimney on the roof, and has been somewhat altered. Round-headed half windows serve the stabling on the ground storey, with segment-headed industrial windows in the upper storey at the eastern end. The elevation towards the yard is irregular. The eastern portion features a cantilevered open balcony at first-floor level, retaining some concrete horse troughs and connected by bridge to Block B and separately by ramp to Block C. Ground storey ceilings employ jack-arch iron and brick construction. The interior of the upper storey contains separate compartments and paving for horses but no stalls.

Block B, situated immediately to the north of the North London railway line, is three storeys tall. The ground storey dates from around 1868 and originally served as a provender store, with round-headed half windows for stabling on long elevations. The upper storeys date from around 1881 and feature round-headed windows at first-floor level and segment-headed windows above. Tiers of loft openings for hoists have been much altered and renewed. A narrow bridge at the east end connects Block B to Block A.

Block C lies between Blocks A and B, running parallel to Block B, and stands two storeys high. The ground storey dates from around 1868 and originally served as an upper provender store, with round-headed half windows for stabling on long elevations. The upper storey dates from 1881 and features round-headed windows at first-floor level and segment-headed windows above. Loft openings for hoists, much altered and renewed, tier the facade. A horse ramp on the north side of the block dates from around 1895 and connects to the balcony on Block A. Round-headed windows appear on the ground storey, with segment-headed industrial windows above on both north and south sides. The south side formerly had another horse ramp of 1881 and a covered bridge connecting to Block B, both demolished in the 1980s. The ground storey features iron and brick jack-arch construction and iron stanchions against the walls stamped 'Norton and Son Darlaston'.

Block D stands at right angles and to the west of Blocks B and C, measuring two storeys with a main elevation facing eastwards and a northward return. Dating from around 1868 on the ground storey and around 1881 on the upper storey, it features round-headed half windows for stabling at ground level and some segment-headed sash windows above, with tall brick chimneys. The interior retains original timber benching, one timber partition, and some harness hooks. This block is said to have formerly served as the Tack Room for the stabling complex. A bridge at the south end formerly connected it to Block B.

Stanley Sidings is included as a rare example of substantial industrial stabling and represents a major surviving portion of the former Camden Goods Yard. It forms a group with the Horse Hospital to the north-west and with further remnants of stabling and warehouses to the west of Block D. A tunnel, now blocked, south of the North London line once connected the complex with further London and North-Western Railway Company buildings and the Regent's Canal to the south of the North London Line.