Music spaces in railway arches
- Trevor Mason
- Aug 20, 2014
- 8 min read
Updated: Jul 6
A quick trawl on the interweb reveals there's plenty of music rehearsal spaces utilising railway arches.
Railway arches make good music rehearsal spaces
When you think about it, it makes sense. Amplified bands are probably no louder than a passing train, so unlikely to annoy local residents. Parking is likely to be good too. They usually have ground floor access making moving gear easy.
These spaces are part of a long-standing British tradition of transforming industrial urban spaces into grassroots creative hubs. In these cases, the music spaces combine Victorian transport infrastructure with local independent music scenes. Many of these railway arches date back to the expansion of London's underground and overground rail networks in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
These thick, vaulted brick structures were built by Victorian railway companies for structural support. Over the decades, London's network of railway arches became highly sought after by musicians. The dense brickwork provides excellent natural acoustic isolation between units, making them structurally ideal for loud music rehearsal.
The specialised UK commercial property guide , ArchLet, focuses on railway arches. It provides practical resources for small businesses looking to rent vaulted arch spaces across towns and cities in England and Wales. In its guide, "Railway Arches for Recording Studios & Rehearsal Spaces", it states "Arches offer exceptional natural soundproofing from thick multi-brick masonry walls, high vaulted ceilings that create excellent live-room acoustics, structural mass that blocks external airborne noise, and affordable rents compared to purpose-built studios. The industrial character adds authentic atmosphere to recording sessions."
The advantages of placing a music rehearsal space in a railway arch are:
Natural soundproofing from thick masonry walls
High vaulted ceilings create excellent live-room acoustics
Lower rents than purpose-built studio complexes
Industrial character adds authentic atmosphere to sessions
Structural mass blocks external airborne noise effectively
Established history of successful arch-based studios
We found the following music rehearsal spaces firmly tucked away under your train seat.
The Vatican
The Vatican Rehearsal and Recording Studio houses five rooms in a railway arches in East London.
Established in the 1980s, it is used by record labels and artist managers for pre-production and demos. It also encourages students by offering discounts on weekdays. The facility features two spacious practice rooms 80 square metres. Its reception/lounge area offers refreshments and snacks, with plenty of cafes, coffee shops and bars nearby. It makes lockouts available.
Past clients include SKY, BBC, ITV, X-Factor, Strictly Come Dancing, The Voice, Pixie Lott, Big Brother and Katy B.
Further information at www.thevatican.biz
Yellow Arch Studios
Yellow Arch Studios started life as an Edwardian nuts & bolts factory for the bridge & shipping industry in the early 1900s.
After being rediscovered in 1996 in disarray and ruin, the Yellow Arch team got their ladders and paint brushes out and set about designing and refurbishing the building, opening its doors as Yellow Arch Studios on October 7th 1997.
Yellow Arch has been operating as a music rehearsal space, recording studio, equipment hire, teaching studio and gig venue.
It has established itself as a key player in the music industry in Sheffield. Most famously known as the birthplace of the Arctic Monkeys, the studio has produced albums by artists including Richard Hawley, Kylie Minogue, Jarvis Cocker, The Klaxons, The Maccabees, The Wedding Present, Goldfrapp and Duane Eddy, and has a strong working relationship with the BBC, EMI Records, Sony, Universal and Warners.
Yellow Arch has four bespoke practice rooms in railway arches, all high vaulted with oak beams ranging from 300 sq ft to 1000sq ft. The facility features lounges, a licensed café/bar open all day long and a secluded courtyard chill out.
It provides space for hundreds of local bands to meet, rehearse and record whilst offering placements and training to students, and supports and assists local community projects and charities. Free storage is thrown in for regular bands.
Further information at www.yellowarch.com
Bush Studios
London’s Bush Studios has six rooms in the arches behind Shepherds Bush Market and near an Underground station.
Its practice rooms are suitable for rehearsal, showcasing, auditions, pre-production and dance. All studios are acoustically designed, mirrored and have floating floors. It also offers amp and audio system repair & servicing, including design, modification, advice and custom build. It is an authorised service center for Hiwatt amps.
Along with the usual equipment and instrument hire, it can also supply touring crew and transport.
Clients have included Alison Moyet, Alll Saints, Baaba Mal, BBC, Beyonce, Billy Ocean, Bloc Party, Cee-Lo Green, Chrissie Hynde, David Guetta, De La Soul, Ellie Goulding, Evan Dando, Faith No More, Franz Ferdinand, Ginger Baker, Goldfrapp, Gong, Grace Jones, Island Records, The Jesus & Mary Chain, Joss Stone, Kasabian, Killing Joke, Klaxons, La Roux, Laura Marling, Lauren Hill, Lemonheads, Madness, Mark Ronson, Mercury Records, Mick Fleetwood, Moby, Mumford & Sons, Natalie Imbruglia, Noel Gallagher, Nora Jones, One Direction, Paloma Faith, Paul Young, Paulo Nutini, Placebo, Rihanna, Rough Trade Records, Royksopp, Rudimental, Rumer, Shpongle, Simply Red, Skunk Anansie, Sly & Robbie, Sony Music, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Stereophonics, Steve Hillage Band, Sugababes, Supergrass, Thames TV, The 1975, The Orb, The Specials, The Ting Tings, Tinchy Stryder, Tricky, Universal Music, Van Morrison, Westlife, Will Young and Wretch 32.
Further information at www.bushstudios.co.uk
Alaska Studio
Alaska Street Studio directly opposite Waterloo Railway Station in south London has four archway rooms, one of which is suitable for small showcase gigs.
Established in 1977 by Pat Collier of the Vibrators, the musical rehearsal space has a rich music history.
From the pioneering punk rock, ska and reggae scenes of the 1970's & 80's followed by the UK hip hop, grime & indie scenes, Alaska Street Studio has been the place of choice for rehearsing bands across the genres over the years.
Past clients include Asian Dub Foundation, Goat Girl, Rat Scabies (The Damned), The Libertines, Roots Manuva and Wiley.
Further information at www.alaskastudio.co.uk
Under the Bridge Studios
Under The Bridge Studios in Brighton is located right under Brighton train station and has three large and two small practice rooms. As an incorporated voluntary organisation of active musicians (players and teachers), its workers aim to share music-making rooted in many cultures, traditions and genres with kids of all ages and abilities.
It runs a successful centre for the ABRSM practical music examination board offering music lessons in classical and contemporary piano/keyboards, bass, drums, guitar, saxophone and singing. It tutors also mentor bands in group dynamic, composition and songwriting.
Further information at www.underthebridgestudios.org
Arch Studios
Located in West London, this is a popular rehearsal venue under the arches located underneath the District line tracks just behind Stamford Brook Station. It caters to bands, solo musicians, and voiceover artists in five air-conditioned, soundproofed and fully equipped rehearsal rooms.
The musical rehearsal facility launched and began serving the West London music community in 2013. It was founded to address the severe shortage of affordable, soundproofed and fully equipped central practice environments in West London.
The studio has become a staple for independent artists, touring bands and local performers by providing a reliable infrastructure. It remains one of the few dedicated, independent music rehearsal mainstays surviving in the increasingly gentrified area of Chiswick and Hammersmith.
Artists who have rehearsed at Arch Studios include Al Murray (the British comedian and drummer), Spindle Sect, A Body of People, The Doberman Boys, Twinns, Balcony, Modern Shakes, The Filthy Spectacular, Brother Leo, Plain Jane, Lips, Early Glide and The New Variants.
Further information at https://www.archstudios.co.uk
BonaFide Studio
Bonafide Studio has three rooms and can be found in the heart of London’s Muswell Hill. It is set within a Nature Reserve Parkland Walk situated in Arches 13 and 14 under a foot bridge with no trains running above to cause any sound disturbance. Nina at BonaFide said: "The railway arches provide generous space, an unusual look and even free parking. Our studio is also happily tucked away but accessible so we have the best of two worlds: prime location but we are not disturbing anyone."
Apart from its rehearsal facilities, it offers sound engineering tutorials and recording discounts for regular rehearsing clients. However, running a music rehearsal space in a railway arch has had its downsides. Nina again: "We moved from Shoreditch to Muswell Hill so we left many of our regular clients behind. Moving the premisses we almost felt we had to start all over again. As we don’t do paid advertisements, the relationship with our community was essential in gaining our new client base. The cost to soundproof and acoustically treat our space was a big investment. Our arches were just a shell so we invested over £100k to make it work."
Further information at www.bonafidestudio.co.uk
Overdrive Studios
The studio is built inside a repurposed railway arch directly opposite Deptford Train Station in south London.
The complex focuses on providing accessible, no-frills practice environments for independent bands, offering scaled rooms based on band size. Room One is designed to accommodate larger groups of 5 to 8 people. Room Two is tailored for standard 4 to 5-piece band setups.
It operates as an active hub for London’s punk, hardcore, metal, and alternative rock bands to rehearse, connect, and put on underground shows.
Further information at www.facebook.com/overdrivestudios
The Engine Rooms
The Engine Rooms in Bow in East London is based in four railways arches and offer all-day lockout opportunities.
Known for its grassroots, DIY community atmosphere, it operates simultaneously as a fully equipped practice facility and an intimate 120-capacity live music venue.
The largest space, studio 1, features an in-room stage view setup used for large band setups, tour preparation, showcase events and theatre groups. Studios 2, 3, and 4 are medium-sized, acoustically treated rooms tailored for standard band practices and smaller budgets.
The complex is built directly underneath the rail lines passing through the Bow Triangle Business Centre. It maintains its industrial aesthetic which provides a natural acoustic insulation for its music venue and four rehearsal studios.
Further information at www.engineroomslondon.com
EVA Sound Studios
EVA Sound Studios is based in a pair of repurposed railway arches in Walthamstow in London. While the studio uses a business address within the broader industrial estate area of Leyton, the physical studio space itself is built directly inside two connected railway arches running alongside the local train line. This layout allows the studio to offer the classic benefits of London arch spaces with natural soundproofing due to the thick Victorian brickwork. It operate a secure, 24-hour setup with private, step-free access. It also has dedicated on-site vehicle parking right outside the arch openings.
Further information at www.evasoundstudios.co.uk
Rogue Studios
A premier, long-running independent music rehearsal and recording facility. Rogue Studios has three rooms in railway arches on a trading estate in south east London. Established in the late 1980s (around 1987–1989), it has earned a reputation as one of the UK's top destinations for rock, metal and heavy alternative music, even earning a spot in Time Out magazine's top 10 London studios. Its core rehearsal identity remains rooted in London's railway arch studio culture.
The facility features three professionally spec'd rehearsal rooms each with heavy-duty 2K to 2.5K PA rigs, vocal microphones and stage monitors built into the base price. There is parking on site and all the rehearsal rooms are on the ground floor.
Further information at www.roguestudios.co.uk
Other spaces
And there’s always the Roundhouse in London's Camden Town which was a former railway engine shed.
Pirate Studios
In London's Notting Hill area it is located inside three railway arches near Latimer Road station, offering automated, 24/7 self-service practice rooms.
Terminal Studios
In South London's Bermondsey area it is a long-standing mainstay of London's live music scene with decades of history, operating out of railway arches in areas like Elephant and Castle and South Bermondsey.
The Blue Studios
An East London facility featuring five fully equipped rehearsal rooms built directly into arches on Beaumont Road.
Arch 555
In London's Brixton area it is a large, industrial railway arch run by the Bureau of Silly Ideas, used flexibly for large-scale band rehearsals.
More information
References
ArchLet's Railway Arches for Recording Studios & Rehearsal Spaces https://archlet.co.uk/sectors/recording-studios
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