Site Records

Site Name: Bishopsgate Goods Station (Goodsyard)

Shoreditch High Street
London, E1
OS Grid Ref: TQ335822

Sub Brit site visits 1967, 1969, February 1982 & September 1995

The upper level goods shed had five platforms served by 10 full-length railway tracks, two having short docks let into their outer (east) ends. A wide roadway served the main bank from which the five platforms extend, and there were further roadways on either side, one of them leading to the goods yard where a special Continental shed was located, its roof extending over both the rail track and the space occupied by road vans placed in position for loading and unloading. The other road way served a covered double-sided fruit platform which extended virtually from over the Wheler Street entrance to Brick Lane.

The goods yard was used for the loading or unloading of full wagon-loads and for the making or breaking up of trains. It formed a continuation of the yard of Spitalfields goods depot where two lines being reserved for the movement of trains into and out of Bishopsgate station.

Photo: The same wagon hoist is still intact in 1982
Photo by Nick Catford

The depot had sufficient covered accommodation for the loading and unloading of 430 wagons; while a further 170 wagons could be dealt with in the open air.

The following statistics are from 1933. In that year the average daily clearance was 550 wagons, though this could increase to up to 850 per day when there were large consignments of fish, fruit and vegetables. On average 30 - 40 trains arrived each day carrying nearly 2000 tons; these included local trains from the various marshalling yards in the vicinity and from the docks.

Outwards traffic sometimes also reached 2,000 tons per day but was usually less. Outwards trains numbered from 22 to 25 per day. The highest daily tonnages recorded by the depot have been, inwards, 3,044 tons, and outwards, 3,353. The record number of packages dealt with at the station in any one day was, inwards, 35,986, and outwards, 37,089. Inwards traffic is dealt with from 12 midnight until afternoon, and outwards traffic chiefly between 9 a.m. and midnight.

The Continental shed

In addition to general package goods, traffic also included also large consignments of fruit, potatoes and other vegetables, fish etc., much of which was dealt with in the yard or at the fruit bank, and then loaded directly to road vans. An important section of the traffic was that arriving from the Continent, via Harwich; of which the Harwich-Zeebrugge Train Ferry brought a good proportion. By arrangement with the Board of Customs, traffic could be received at Bishopsgate in sealed vans and the necessary clearance undertaken in a bonded store specially provided for that purpose, thus avoiding delay at the port.

The fruit bank

By far the greater part of both inwards and outwards traffic at Bishopsgate station itself was loaded onto London & North Eastern Railway vans, though in the case of traffic loaded or unloaded in the yard, generally referred to as the 'field,' firms concerned largely sent their own vans. The railway (LNER) employed a cartage workforce of about 640 men and boys. On average, about 500 van loads are sent out daily, and about 450 received, excluding vans belonging to other railway companies or private firms.

The same rail approaches served both Bishopsgate and Spitalfields depots. The connections were made immediately adjacent to Bethnal Green station and apart from two through lines giving access to the yard and to Bishopsgate goods station; they include a number of sidings, together with six coal-tipping roads on a branch viaduct constituting the Spitalfields coal depot. Alongside this was the viaduct serving the hydraulic hoist which gave access to low-level sidings linked to the East London line.

Unloading baskets of Italian plums

Owing to the fact that from Bethnal Green junction the main line descended on a steep gradient past Bishopsgate Low Level Station (closed 1916) to reach Liverpool Street station, while the goods lines, yard and shed remain on the higher level, there were extensive arches and these were utilised to form the low, or street level premises at Bishopsgate. At one time nearly all these arches had transverse lines, but some of these roads were later taken out.

The general offices were situated inside the main entrance on Shoreditch High Street. The inwards receiving offices, time office and continental offices were located on the upper rail level. At two places hydraulic lifts, capable of taking loads up to 2 tons were provided linking the three levels of the goods station. Six further hydraulic lifts for goods were provided on the platforms together with a number of 2 and 12 ton hand or hydraulic cranes. One of the three hydraulic track hoists was located in the centre of the station, between the platforms, a second truck hoist was located adjacent to the outer wall alongside the Wheler Street inclined roadway, while the third was in the goods yard.

The main street level entrance on Shoreditch High Street

From the main entrance on Shoreditch High Street a road way ran around the outside of the depot emerging at both ends into Wheler Street. Turning left from the entrance a number of offices, stores and domestic rooms were located on the right hand side; these included the police office, goods office, weigh offices, mess rooms and the kitchen. There were further mess rooms to the right. In the central section of this part of the depot there were two central rail tracks linked to one of the hydraulic truck hoists and connected to turntables with transverse lines passing into a number of the arches. There was a further transverse line serving another truck hoist adjacent to the outer roadway on the right. On this side the station is immediately above the disused Bishopsgate Low Level Station which is at a still lower level.

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