Report - Northampton Bus & Tram Office - Jan 21

[Bikin Glynn]

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After my last report being well documented I thought u may like this. I can only find one permission visit from 16 that covered the workshops only, this is an overlooked bit of deco excellence IMO.
Iv started with a stolen pic as I neglected to take any externals.

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The St. James garage started out as the Northampton Corporation tram sheds after the Northampton town council bought out the Northampton Street tramway system in 1901 and replaced the majority of horse drawn trams with an electrified system in 1904,
The facilities included storage, workshops and fabulous Art Deco Corporation Office building. Public transport in Northampton was revolutionised with the company returning profits after the first year of operation and industry in the town also grew.

This is essentially an empty shell but entering through the toilet gives you an idea of whats to come.

In 1937 the council approved a new extension, to house the expanding fleet that was to include a new garage area (itself measuring an impressive 260ft by 90ft and one of the largest unsupported roof structures of the time), mess room, recreation room and engine test room and opened in 1939 along with the fabulous Art Deco Corporation Office building.

Moving through the rooms we hit the stairs which is what its really all about.

Criminally the handrails to the stairs have been carelessly ripped out which nearly made me cry!
strange also as everything else is completely untouched.

The upstairs rooms are also empty but equally cool

Thanks for looking​

 

[Camera Shy]

Lovely building that.

 

[jtza]

Didn’t expect to see such a nice art deco building from the title, good stuff

 

[Knight Rider]

Absolutely beautiful building! Love the pics

 

[Bikin Glynn]

Lovely building that.

It's unassuming from outside ain't it.

Didn’t expect to see such a nice art deco building from the title, good stuff

Thanks dude, I think it's really overlooked as it's just a "bus depot" but shows things are always worth a look

Absolutely beautiful building! Love the pics

Thank you, it is quite nice for sure

 

[Jane Doe]

That is lovely inside ... loved your photos

 

[Mikeymutt]

Yeah really nice that mate

 

[Down and beyond]

What a beauty cracking stuff mate

 

[Bikin Glynn]

That is lovely inside ... loved your photos
Thanks jane, what I didn't say in post was it was in the dark, there was fair bit of street lighting getting in so with bit of tweek managed to get em more daylight like.

Yeah really nice that mate

Thanks dude, a gem hidden in plain sight

What a beauty cracking stuff mate

Thanks mate our counties finest architecture lol

 

[Redavni Ecaps]

Beautiful that, I could imagine a handrail with brass fittings situated there, thanks for sharing and a well represented post with great photos.

 

[mockney reject]

For an empty building that’s lovely

 

[Bikin Glynn]

Beautiful that, I could imagine a handrail with brass fittings situated there, thanks for sharing and a well represented post with great photos.
Thanks, I assume the handrail was same as the landing panel, cast steel with timber top, it certainly would of looked nice.

For an empty building that’s lovely

Thanks, it is rather

 

[Calamity Jane]

Wasn't expecting this. This empty shell is a gorgeous example or great craftmanship. Those stairs are ones to be envious of. What a beauty. Agree the taking of the hand rail does seem particularly cruel in this case.

 

[Bikin Glynn]

Wasn't expecting this. This empty shell is a gorgeous example or great craftmanship. Those stairs are ones to be envious of. What a beauty. Agree the taking of the hand rail does seem particularly cruel in this case.

Thanks jane, I went in there on a bit of a whim & had no idea what it contained.
I'm assuming metal theives had the railing but no idea how they got it out! Maybe the owners removed it for some reason but who knows

 

[HughieD]

Those staircases are beauts. Criminal about the handrails. Good explore that mate.