Staples Corner

Slipping through time, let’s pause at Staples Corner. This isn’t about stationery. It’s about a swirling vortex of roads, a landmark in its own right. Staples Corner is where the A5 dances with the North Circular, a rendezvous later crashed by the M1. Junction 1 of the M1, to be precise. Imagine this chaotic ballet of traffic, a constant flow beneath the looming flyover of the A406. Staples Corner even offers a gateway to retail therapy, with access to the Brent Cross shopping centre. But before you envision gleaming storefronts, picture this: two roundabouts, linked by a short dual carriageway. The western roundabout consumed a former crossroads and the GPO Storage Depot. The eastern one? It rests on the ghostly remains of Hendon Greyhound Stadium. Staples Corner isn’t just a jumble of roads. It’s a layered history, a palimpsest of London’s past. The A5, though single carriageway on either side, rises above the fray on a flyover. This elegant bridge, known as Brent Bridge, adds another dimension to the scene. And who manages this intricate dance of asphalt and concrete? A trio of authorities. Transport for London orchestrates the A5 slip roads and roundabouts. Barnet Council maintains the overpass and surrounding roads. And the M1? That’s the domain of National Highways. This wasn’t the M1’s final destination. It was meant to stretch further south. The earthworks, a testament to this abandoned plan, were ingeniously repurposed. They now form an extra slip road, a graceful arc over the north side of the eastern roundabout. But where did the name come from? Not the office supply store. Think mattresses. Until 1986, a mattress factory stood near the site. Staples Corner was initially the name for the buildings closest to the factory yard. The opposite side was Newmans Corner. When the roundabout devoured Newmans Corner, Staples Corner claimed the entire area. Even the original Staples Corner buildings eventually met the wrecking ball, replaced by a business park. One more ghostly echo resides near Staples Corner. East of the junction lies the vast Brent Sidings, a railway yard. In 1988, this quiet space became the scene of a dramatic news story, when a runaway train spilled onto the North Circular Road. Staples Corner. A place of converging paths, layered histories, and unexpected stories.