Our History
Founded on the 4th of August, 1964, Vanguard have been entrusted for decades with the handling and storage of the nation’s high-value treasures, businesses’ irreplaceable machinery, and people’s personal effects and heirlooms.
Warwick Road
This is 211 Warwick Road W14 which was Vanguard’s very first office. It was an ex-BR weighbridge hut which Vanguard rented from the Western Region of British Railways for £150 per annum. Find out more.
Blythe Road
By 1967 Vanguard was flat out, seven days a week, working for many of London’s leading printing companies, breweries and soft drinks companies, plus a whole range of engineering firms. Find out more.
Christmas Tree
For almost two decades, Vanguard played a central role in ‘planting’ the a major focal point of the capital’s festivities: the Trafalgar Square Christmas Tree. Find out more.
Tightrope
In 1972, Vanguard provided expertise for the second-ever tightrope walk across the River Thames by German dare-devil Franz Burbach. Find out more.
Tower Bridge
During the modernisation of London’s most famous bridge, Vanguard electrically disconnected, mechanically dismantled and removed for storage the Victorian hydraulic engines that were used to raise and lower the bridge. Find out more.
Skyhook
Vanguard always maintained a policy of embracing new technology and methods in their own industry and in 1982 formed Skyhook Lifting Limited. Find out more.
Man Presses
In what was possibly the most valuable and time critical move of heavy printing machinery ever undertaken, Vanguard’s Transport Division collected 18,800 tons of MAN presses. Find out more.
Eros
Vanguard carefully dismantled Eros and his supporting Shaftesbury Memorial Fountain, packed them up and shipped them north of the border to Scotland. Find out more.
Helios
The Horses of Helios are four bronze horses, 1½ times life size, that Vanguard installed in an alcove in the corner of the Haymarket and Piccadilly. Find out more.
Buckingham Palace
Vanguard were contracted to dismantle and remove the existing air conditioning plant from the roof of the south west wing of Buckingham Palace. Find out more.
Cutty Sark
To mark the start of a major public appeal for £2m to save Greenwich’s most famous landmark, Vanguard gave the Cutty Sark a facelift in 1994. Find out more.
Tightrope
Prior to a Mega-Bash planned to celebrate the New Millennium, another celebration was planned on and around London’s River, namely the Thames Festival, as a curtain raiser, a crossing of the Thames was proposed by Didier Pasquette and Jade Kinder-Martin, 150 feet above The Thames! Find out more.
Self Storage
In 2003, Vanguard decided to diversify into Self Storage starting with one of our warehouses at our headquarters just off the Western Avenue. Find out more.
Isle of Dogs
Following the burgeoning success of the self-storage facility in Greenford, Vanguard opted to convert an existing warehouse on the Isle of Dogs into another self-store. Find out more.
Lowry Mill
In 2008, Vanguard acquired Lowry Mill, formerly Newtown Mill. The mill was built in 1883 and is the only mill left standing out of seven in the Salford (Manchester) district. Find out more.
W1 Self Storage
Vanguard acquires W1 Self Storage Limited an established self-storage business in Central London. This becomes our Oxford Circus store. Find out more.
Bristol
Vanguard opens its 6th store on Church Road in Bristol. Find out more.
Staples Corner
In January 2023, Vanguard opened its 8th store at 717 North Circular Road in Staples Corner, London. Find out more.