Goldhawk Road is Shepherd’s Bush’s oldest thoroughfare, which underwent improvements in 1864. During these improvements, the remains of the Roman road to Staines, known as the Devil’s Highway, were discovered beneath the surface. The bend at Stamford Brook was not part of the Roman road, as it was known for being famously straight. Over time, the route through Chiswick shifted south, and the New Road was constructed to compensate for this change. The main westbound section of this road was named Gould Hawk Road after Gould’s Farm in Stamford Brook, while the old Roman road continued to the boundary at Emlyn Road. The area had several pubs, and today only The Shepherd & Flock and The Raven have the same name as the original establishments. The notorious remand home for boys, Stamford House, was located on Goldhawk Road, and physical and sexual abuse by some members of staff was common.

Shepherd’s Bush had many stations, and the current Shepherd’s Bush Market opened in 1914 under the arches of the Hammersmith & City line between Uxbridge Road and Goldhawk Road. This market was unique in that it was untroubled by motor traffic. The area had quite substantial shops under the railway arches, including WG Stores, which operated a hardware store, timber merchant, and a record shop, while a jeweller’s, a tattoo parlour, and a toy shop were located along the same stretch. Further north, fabrics and furnishings dominated. Wooden market stalls lined the western side in front of the railway arches, most selling fruit and vegetables, trinkets, knick-knacks, and other small items, but there were also a few open spaces where a temporary pitch could be set up.

New Shepherd’s Bush Market, a labyrinth of stalls on the western side of the railway, was opened up after World War II, following the bombing of the Silver Cinema on Uxbridge Road. The Who played at the Goldhawk Social Club in Goldhawk Road during their early days, and their first hit release, "I Can’t Explain," quickly made them favorites on the new TV show, Ready, Steady, Go!.

In 1965, The Who made a promotional appearance at the WG Stores in Shepherd’s Bush Market. In 1968, they released a single called "Dogs," which recounted a story of love, beer, and greyhound racing at the White City Stadium.

During the mid-1960s youth culture, a divide existed between Mods and Rockers. Mods wore sharp suits, popped pills, and rode scooters, while Rockers were into leather and rode proper British motorbikes. Shepherd’s Bush was the stronghold of Mods, where Vespas and Lambrettas were sold in Goldhawk Road, often adorned with additional mirrors, a long aerial, and a fake tiger tail at the back.

Quadrophenia, a 1979 film, is a fictional yet accurate portrayal of 1960s Mod culture in Shepherd’s Bush. The movie features scenes shot in Shepherd’s Bush Market, Goldhawk Road, Uxbridge Road, Latimer Road, and the Wormholt Estate.

After the Second World War, the BBC became a major local employer in Shepherd’s Bush for the next 60 years. In 1949, they bought the Gaumont film studios in Lime Grove, converting them for television use, and opening for business in May 1950. This was intended as a temporary measure while the BBC Television Centre was built in Wood Lane, with construction of the "concrete doughnut" beginning in 1951. Due to post-war shortages, it wasn’t opened until 1960.

The Shepherd’s Bush Empire was bought in 1953 and renamed the BBC Television Theatre. Riverside Studios in Hammersmith was bought the next year.

To reach our destination from Goldhawk Road, taking a direct and engaging route would involve passing through Shepherd’s Bush Market. This market is a lively strip of stalls, extending all the way to our next station. The presence of the ’Underground’ is hard to miss in the area, as it runs alongside the market on a tall embankment. As you reach the northern end of the market, you’ll notice the arches that reveal a whole street of shops on the other side of the railway tracks. The market offers a variety of goods, including fruits, clothes, food, and cheap trinkets.

Upon emerging from the market, the experience is a bit of a contrast as you reach Uxbridge Road, which is bustling with traffic. The station that serves the area, Shepherd’s Bush Market, is situated at the northern end of the market, hidden under a bridge much like the nearby Goldhawk Road station. Originally opened in the early 1900s, the station was moved to its current location and renamed Shepherd’s Bush Market to distinguish it from a nearby station on the Central line.




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