England : London Sunday London Ride: Street Furniture - 23 May 2021

[rb58]

This is a re-run of a ride from three or four years ago.

A gentle tour around town to explore some of London's more interesting and unusual street furniture. With a little bit of history thrown in. Think bollards, lamp posts and the like. Social pace, everyone welcome. Quiet roads where possible, although it's not always possible to avoid traffic altogether in central London. Even on a Sunday morning.

Subject to final recce, the route is around 20 miles, and will probably finish at the cafe in Russell Square. I expect us to be there around 1.30pm, give or take.

Meet at Hyde Park Corner (by the Royal Artillery Memorial) at 9.30am, leaving shortly after. There'll be a quick comfort break part way round, but it's best if you use the facilities in Hyde Park (you'll need 20p) or a mainline station (free) before you rock up to the start.

The small print, just as a reminder: This is not a formal ride under the auspices of any club. We will be just a bunch of friends on a ride together and my role will be simply to guide us round a route. As such, you will be riding under your own insurance.

Hands up if you're interested.

 

[Nick Saddlesore]

Please.

 

[Blue Hills]

Very Stupid question.
Have i been on this?
If not, yes please.

 

[rb58]

Very Stupid question.
Have i been on this?
If not, yes please.

I think you came on the first running of this.

 

[Salty seadog]

Does it include a brass tap set into a rock like structure at a junction?

 

[rb58]

Does it include a brass tap set into a rock like structure at a junction?

It does.....

 

[Nick Saddlesore]

brass tap set into a rock like structure

That's called a sink.

 

[Blue Hills]

I think you came on the first running of this.

Ok, count me out then.
Don"t remember a brass tap but do remember a pineapple in st james.

 

[Shadow]

🙌👍🤞


(expressing interest!)

 

[Chap sur le velo]

Sounds great thanks. It's in the diary.


Love London and have been cycling around WE and City a lot in past year.
For once traffic is even better than when I started driving in London 44 years ago, even like it was at 5 am in the Morning!

 

[rb58]

Sounds great thanks. It's in the diary.


Love London and have been cycling around WE and City a lot in past year.
For once traffic is even better than when I started driving in London 44 years ago, even like it was at 5 am in the Morning!

More details will be provided nearer the date.

 

[rb58]

Including those signed up in another place, we're at 15 riders already. So, near to maximum capacity.

 

[wanda2010]

 

[rb58]

In order to comply with the organised sport exemption to the 'rule of six', this ride is now being run under the auspices of The Fridays.
@Chap sur le velo and @Shadow - you have a PM
@Nick Saddlesore and @wanda2010 - you have email

 

[Shadow]

Well, that was fun; an amazing cornucopia of esoterica.

It started with my ride to the station to take the first train from rural Sussex to London Bridge. Due to Network Rail's 'improvements', trains into Victoria were being diverted every May weekend. This resulted in a Time Trial sprint from London Bridge, an enforced detour onto Cannon Street, down and along the Embankment, up Northumberland Avenue, across Trafalgar Square into The Mall and then Constitution Hill - a distance of about 6 km - to be achieved in 7 minutes, if I was to be on time. Obviously impossible, even if my name was Mark Cavendish. Approximately 100m from Wellington Arch, I spotted the lead police horse, crossing the Duke of Wellington roundabout, in front of the Horse Guards in full regalia. Good timing as this was one traffic light I could legitimately ignore as the Guards and I crossed the road in opposite directions. Ross, our esteemed leader, was aware of my tight schedule and was pleased I arrived at the Royal Admiralty Memorial with 2 minutes to spare before departure.

We set off through Hyde Park, south into Belgravia and shortly arrived at Gerald Street. Where a Police Station once existed. And where the first public rendition of 'Onward Christian Soldiers' by Sir Arthur Sullivan was performed. And where there is now a blue 'police' bollard. More bollards appeared later, including an old French cannon, inserted upside down. Keeping with a law enforcement theme, by Guildhall off Gresham Street, is a police post, coloured bright pastel blue. Unlike the dark navy blue of a police box or uniform.

Later, parallel to Fleet Street, 4 phone boxes in a row, standing like sentries on duty. Two original K2's and two smaller K6's. These were painted red, as you would expect, as is London's oldest remaining hexagonal Victorian post box - a later version with the traditional horizontal slot, as opposed to the original vertical slatted boxed - unlike the replica green box we spotted subsequently.

'Look up'! This direction is often given to see otherwise unseen items in a city. Two such objects pointed out were a Fire Insurance sign and an early street name sign from 1727, cast from plaster. Equally, the opposite is true - 'Look down'! To discover wooden paving blocks (as a stone cobble substitute), London Hydraulic Pump covers and Coal Hole covers, some embossed with their foundry's unique design. Iron railings displayed pineapples and torch snuffers. Apparent ubiquitous lamp posts were revealed to be a KGB drop box or a burner to rid Bazalgette's underground pipework of methane gas.

And on Lothbury, in a corner at the rear of the Bank of England, a urine deflector. Yes, indeed. And perhaps even more unexpectedly, on Great James Street, we met George. George is a South American Harris Hawk who, under guidance from his handler, was deterring gulls from settling in the neighbourhood. The ride officially finished at the molto bene café at Russell Square. A most entertaining and educational ride. Thanks to Ross and all the friendly participants.


(N.B. This ride is now available on a DIY basis with route here and notes here).