Barbers in railway stations

[rmpbedford]

Hi everyone,
When I was a child I remember that there were some larger stations with barbers working within them, i.e. on platforms, concourses, underpasses etc (as opposed to being sited next to the front entrance etc). I have found some shared memories of these on the LNER forum, but I wondered whether anyone was aware of stations which still have barbers working within them today? If there are a few it might make for a nice little tour.

Thanks!

 

[EZJ]

Manchester Victoria has a barbers on the concourse.

 

[pethadine82]

Harrow on the hill

 

[CarltonA]

I had a few haircuts at Windsor and Eton Central years ago, not sure if they are still in business. They weren't very good TBH.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I had a few haircuts at Windsor and Eton Central years ago, not sure if they are still in business. They weren't very good TBH.

I'm not sure what you expect from a barbers at a train station

 

[CarltonA]

I'm not sure what you expect from a barbers at a train station

A reasonable haircut of course, why should being located at a station make any difference?

 

[contrex]

I've never seen a barber's in a station, but when arriving late for trains I've had a few close shaves.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

A reasonable haircut of course, why should being located at a station make any difference?

I don't know, it's a bit like motorway service facilities, isn't it - you have them there for convenience and that's about it. Nothing wrong with it, I just wouldn't have enormous expectations from it.

 

[class68fan]

Marybone has a gents barbers.

 

[StarCrossing]

Caterham has one in the station building, but you enter from the street without needing to go into the "operational" part of the station.

 

[Rail Ranger]

There used to be barbers at both South Shields and Newcastle Central: https://www.lner.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3912

 

[Clansman]

Inverness has one.

 

[ianBR]

Brighton has a brand new one that opened a few weeks ago in a shipping container on the concourse

https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/23119267.brighton-welcomes-new-shipping-container-barber-shop/

 

[Gloster]

My recollection is that they were fairly common, at least in third-rail commuter land, in the shops adjacent to stations that the Southern built on its land. The shops were fairly small but this probably didn’t matter much as a one or two man barbershop would not need much floor space: a couple of basins along the wall, a couple of adjustable chairs, a bench to sit on while you waited, a table for a copy of the Evening News or Standard according to choice and a hat stand. The back would probably only be a small toilet and washbasin, and a storeroom with odd smocks, spares, boxes of lotions and ‘something for the weekend’, plus a small kettle shoved on a shelf.

 

[Roger1973]

I seem to remember from childhood travels with my late father that at least some of the London terminus stations had a barber shop operating in part of the gents' facility or next to it. (I can't comment on whether there was anything similar in the ladies'.)

For obvious reasons, this would not have been a much photographed part of station infrastructure. The best I have come up with on a quick search is this photo on Flickr which says it's Waterloo Station Barbers Shop.

Don't know whether they were operated as a concession or whether the barber/s were employed by the railways.

I guess there's a fine line between something on railway facilities and a retail unit within the station building. As for Windsor and Eton Central, that's now more or less a retail site with a small railway platform in one corner...

 

[Gloster]

I think that a year or two ago there was a video of a 1980s (?) TV programme of Waterloo station that was put up as part of a thread on this forum: this (I think) included a look at the barber’s. I can’t remember the thread’s subject.

 

[michael8]

Portsmouth and Southsea has a very good one within the station building

 

[MotCO]

Presumably, having a barbers inside the station only makes sense where either there is a frequent service so you can catch the next train, or where the gaps between connecting services are so great that to while away the time you might as well have a hair cut!

 

[aleandrail]

was one at Piccadilly years back, down some stairs on the way to the toilets. I think he was there for a long while and I guess he would of been good at the Job. Not sure of the connection with the motorway services ? but i wonder if they have them there

By Piccadilly i mean Manchester

 

[trainophile]

There's one in the station approach area at Leominster. My better half always goes there as it's quite reasonable.

 

[Dr_Intoxicated]

Hammersmith metropolitan used to have a barbers that my father frequented. It was still the metropolitan in those days.

 

[Ashley Hill]

I think that a year or two ago there was a video of a 1980s (?) TV programme of Waterloo station that was put up as part of a thread on this forum: this (I think) included a look at the barber’s. I can’t remember the thread’s subject.

This one?

 

[LRV3004]

was one at Piccadilly years back, down some stairs on the way to the toilets. I think he was there for a long while and I guess he would of been good at the Job. Not sure of the connection with the motorway services ? but i wonder if they have them there

By Piccadilly i mean Manchester

Was just scanning through the comments to see if the one at Manchester Piccadilly had already been mentioned; I was going to post about it! Yes, I remember that one also - went with the rebuild and remodelling I think/assume.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

Was just scanning through the comments to see if the one at Manchester Piccadilly had already been mentioned; I was going to post about it! Yes, I remember that one also - went with the rebuild and remodelling I think/assume.

That was my regular barbers when I worked in what was then Rail House (just across the car park). I often wondered if any potential customers were put off by the location on the half landing (well actually more than half way down) on the stairs down to the gents.

I also recall once using the barber at Waterloo when passing through the station.

 

[randyrippley]

I think that a year or two ago there was a video of a 1980s (?) TV programme of Waterloo station that was put up as part of a thread on this forum: this (I think) included a look at the barber’s. I can’t remember the thread’s subject.

In the 1960-70s the barbers at Waterloo was accessed via the downstairs gent's loo, with large windows overlooking the urinals.
Not a place to take the wife
Very Victorian demeanour and setting with walls decoratively glaze-tiled, and the barbers in waistcoats and stiff collars

 

[Ken X]

Barbers in Horsham Ticket Hall.

 

[31160]

Fort Williams got one

 

[Lloyds siding]

There's a dog grooming parlour within the station buildings at West Kirby!

 

[The_Van]

Excellent that. Great memories of London terminals when I was a lad

 

[Master29]

That takes me back to when I was a kid. I remember Paddington having one but think Liverpool Street might have had one.