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Tuesday 28 October 2014

An Urban Wander along the Limehouse Cut, London

We had a day out in London last Saturday to go and see British Sea Power at the Barbican in the evening, so decided to make a day of it and went up around lunch time to walk along the Limehouse Cut, which runs from Limehouse to Three Mills. The walk seemed to tick all the boxes for a good urban wander - ghost signs, industrial architecture, gas holders, abandonment and railways.

First up we have a ghost sign, albeit lovingly restored by the look of it, and now adorning what would seem to be flats in Limehouse.

Ghost sign, Limehouse, London E14
Ghost sign, Limehouse, London E14

A few pictures now of the Spratt's Patent Limited dog food factory, looking rather marvelous against the clear, autumn sky. As with the signage in the previous picture, I imagine this has been restored at some stage as the buildings were renovated and converted.

Spratt's Patent Limited dog food factory, Limehouse Cut, London
Spratt's Patent Limited dog food factory, Limehouse Cut, London

Spratt's Patent Limited dog food factory, Limehouse Cut, London
Spratt's Patent Limited dog food factory, Limehouse Cut, London

Spratt's Patent Limited dog food factory, Limehouse Cut, London
Spratt's Patent Limited dog food factory, Limehouse Cut, London

Spratt's Patent Limited dog food factory, Limehouse Cut, London
 Spratt's Patent Limited dog food factory, Limehouse Cut, London

I can only assume this chimney was at one stage considerably taller and said SPRATT'S as opposed to just T'S.

Spratt's Patent Limited dog food factory, Limehouse Cut, London
Spratt's Patent Limited dog food factory, Limehouse Cut, London

Spratt's Patent Limited dog food factory, Limehouse Cut, London
Spratt's Patent Limited dog food factory, Limehouse Cut, London

A considerably less legible sign now, as we leave the Limehouse Cut and join the River Lea.

BRITISH WATERWAYS
?? ONLY
BEYOND THIS POINT

Ghost sign, Limehouse Cut, London
Ghost sign, Limehouse Cut, London

As the Limehouse Cut joins the River Lea, we come across the Bow Locks with the former Bow gas works in the background.

Bow locks, London
Bow locks, London

Bow locks, London
Bow locks, London

Bow locks, London
Bow locks, London

Bow locks, London
Bow locks, London

Heading north from Bow Locks we came across a railway bridge carrying the District and Metropolitan lines from London towards Barking and Dagenham, and also the main line out from Fenchurch Street into Essex.  

Railway bridge over the River Lea, Bromley-by-Bow, London
Railway bridge over the River Lea, Bromley-by-Bow, London

Railway bridge over the River Lea, Bromley-by-Bow, London
Railway bridge over the River Lea, Bromley-by-Bow, London

Former gas works, Bow, London
Former gas works, Bow, London

Former gas works, Bow, London
Former gas works, Bow, London

Whilst I fully expected to see gas works and railway lines, what I came across next was a complete surprise ... Three Mills Island, home to a large tidal mill and some television studios.

Three Mills Island, London
Three Mills Island, London

Three Mills Island, London
Three Mills Island, London

Three Mills Island, London
Three Mills Island, London

Couldn't resist taking this picture of some disused railway tracks. Not sure where the went to or from though, but presumably down to the river at some stage?

Three Mills Island, London
Three Mills Island, London

So as a day of excellent urban wandering came to an end, we made our way back into the City, took our seats in the Barbican, only to be cursed by a power failure which meant that the concert had to be postponed. Oh well, at least the day had not been wasted, and we returned to the country retreat disappointed but quite glad of an early night.

    

Tuesday 21 October 2014

Sepia Saturday 251 - former Police Stations

To make up for missing the last two week's Sepia Saturday, I thought I'd get in early this week with my take on the theme ... I've gone for police, but not actually policemen as in this week's prompt, but a couple of pictures I have taken during my urban wanders around London of former Police Stations.

The first two pictures are from the former Police Station at Barnes, just south of the Thames in London, which I believe is now used for residential purposes. The lettering above the entrance is still present though, and ticks all the boxes for me as a ghost sign too.

Former Police Station, Barnes, London
Former Police Station, Barnes, London

Former Police Station, Barnes, London
Former Police Station, Barnes, London

My other entry for this week is a boarded up Police Station on the Harrow Road. This one is slightly less glamorous than the previous one in its present state but I'm sure it will soon be converted into something.

Former Police Station, Harrow Road, London
Former Police Station, Harrow Road, London


If you've seen me post on Sepia Saturday before from my vintage postcards or vintages magazines blogs, but you also like the content of this blog, then why not take a look at more of the posts in my In Search of Space blog, which covers my urban, rural and coastal wanders in search of almost anything and everything, including ghost signs, abandonment and decay, and disused railway lines.

Saturday 18 October 2014

A wander along the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire

I've just returned from a weekend in Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire. I only manage a tiny bit of research before we went but couldn't help noticing a old railway track to explore, so needless to say that featured high on the agenda. The most impressive part of the former Ross and Monmouth Railway that I saw was the remains of this old bridge, crossing the River Wye to the north of Ross. 


Remains of old railway bridge, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire
Remains of old railway bridge, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire

Remains of old railway bridge, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire
Remains of old railway bridge, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire

Remains of old railway bridge, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire
Remains of old railway bridge, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire

I think this might be some sort of workman's hut, buried in the undergrowth near the former railway line.

Old workman's hut on the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye
Old workman's hut on the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye

Remains of old railway bridge, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire
Remains of old railway bridge, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire

Remains of old railway bridge, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire
Remains of old railway bridge, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire

Remains of old railway bridge, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire
Remains of old railway bridge, Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire

Ok, so that's probably enough pictures of the old bridge. The next few are of the track bed heading north out of Ross-on-Wye towards the north.

Track bed of the former Ross and Monmouth Railway
Track bed of the former Ross and Monmouth Railway

Track bed of the former Ross and Monmouth Railway
Track bed of the former Ross and Monmouth Railway


Track bed of the former Ross and Monmouth Railway
Track bed of the former Ross and Monmouth Railway

Track bed of the former Ross and Monmouth Railway
Track bed of the former Ross and Monmouth Railway

Between here and the town itself, the track bed pretty much disappears as it has been ploughed over.

Track bed of the former Ross and Monmouth Railway
Track bed of the former Ross and Monmouth Railway

Back in the town however the track bed re-establishes itself and a number of bridges and remains of bridges can still be seen.

Bridge carrying the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye
Bridge carrying the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye

Bridge carrying the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye
Bridge carrying the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye

As we neared the town, just the bridge supports remain, but these ones have been fantastically preserved and adorned with historical information about the former railway.

Remains of bridge carrying the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye
Remains of bridge carrying the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye

Historical information board for the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye
Historical information board for the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye

Historical information board for the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye
Historical information board for the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye

Historical information board for the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye
Historical information board for the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye

Historical information board for the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye
Historical information board for the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye

Historical information board for the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye
Historical information board for the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye

Historical information board for the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye
Historical information board for the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye

Historical information board for the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye
Historical information board for the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye

Historical information board for the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye
Historical information board for the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye

Remains of bridge carrying the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye
Remains of bridge carrying the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye

As we reached the end of the walk, the heavens well and truly opened so we cut short the final stretch, but just had enough time to photograph the former engine shed, now in use as a garden centre.

The old engine shed on the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye
The old engine shed on the former Ross and Monmouth Railway, Ross-on-Wye

Overall a great weekend away, of which this walk was just day one. The town itself is still full of local shops and not blighted with too many brand name shops. There are plenty of small cafés, delicatessens and restaurants, and a fantastic bookshop, Ross Old Books.


    

Sunday 5 October 2014

An Urban Wander around Bristol (street art and industrial architecture)

I think the last time I was in Bristol was for a concert, Public Image Limited if I recall correctly. I don't think I've been to Bristol for years in the day time so had no idea what to expect. The drive down the M4 was awful, with rain lashing against the car almost all the way. However, pretty much as soon as we arrived the clouds parted, the sun came out, and we had a wonderful day. We were visiting on purposes other that urban wandering, but somehow I always seem to find time to sneak a bit of psychogeography into my agenda. Today's installment of pictures ranges from street art to industrial architecture, with a few others in between.

I think I have said before than I am not a fan of graffiti but I do like well placed street art. Here are but a few of the more interesting ones I found in Bristol.

Street art, Bristol
Street art, Bristol

This was my favourite. Apparently there was an even better one on the building next to this but unfortunately it had just been demolished.

Street art, Bristol
Street art, Bristol

Street art, Bristol
Street art, Bristol

And this one came in a very close second place.

Street art, Bristol
Street art, Bristol

As we drifted away from the city centre we gravitated towards the docks. Much has been re-devloped, quite tastefully I'm pleased to say, and I was especially pleased that some of the original industrial architecture remains.

Industrial architecture, Bristol Docks
Industrial architecture, Bristol Docks

Industrial architecture, Bristol Docks
Industrial architecture, Bristol Docks

One day we hope to own one of these ... alas today is not yet that day.

VW Campervan, Bristol Docks
VW Campervan, Bristol Docks

Industrial architecture, Bristol Docks
Industrial architecture, Bristol Docks


The pictures below do not do the scene justice but the brightly coloured houses across the river were quite an incredible sight.

Bristol Docks
Bristol Docks

Bristol Docks
Bristol Docks

Bristol Docks
Bristol Docks

A fluke of good timing, we headed back towards the city centre as the sun was beginning to set, making these monster-like cranes silhouette magnificently against the evening sky.

Cranes, Bristol Docks
Cranes, Bristol Docks

Cranes, Bristol Docks

Cranes, Bristol Docks
Cranes, Bristol Docks

    

Overall a wonderful day out, and one in which I definitely only scratched the surface of the city. I will be back for more.

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