It didn’t quite shape up as I thought it was going to be (everything got way to technical for a casual listener), so kicking my heals with time to kill, I thought I’d do something I had been wanting to do for a while - revisit the Police Posts around the City Of London.
The rest were still there, but in a pretty sorry state of repair, especially one on the Victoria Embankment.
On a passing return trip in 2011 I noticed several of the posts I had photographed had also since vanished. Being made of cast iron, I did have concerns they had been stolen by metal thieves, a crime on the rise due to commodity values soaring in recent years.
But last month I spotted a photograph on a Facebook friend's page, showing the Liverpool Street Police Post. It was back - and sporting a new paint job!
It's got me wondering if the other missing posts had received the same restoration - hence my plan to revisit them now.
I took a tour of all the posts under the control of the City Of London authority. Here is what I found.
Post One
Model: PA450
Restoration: The post has been repainted a cyan colour. A new City Of London crest has been set above the POLICE POST sign.
Post Two
Model: PA450
Restoration: This is absolutely unique post, with its Lantern Pole raising the lamp several feet above the pavement. When I last saw it the pole was twisted, but this has been corrected.
The body of the post was badly rusted, which has been cleaned and repainted in the new cyan colour.
The missing POLICE Public Call POST sign on the front and side have been reinstated, with a nice new City Of London crest above.
Post Three
Model: PA450
Restoration: This was always an absolutely classic example of the City of London Posts.
Its red plain glass lamp was in excellent condition, so minimal repair was necessary, aside from the new colour and updated City Of London crest.
Post Four
Model: PA450
Restoration: Tucked away around a recess of a building, this classic post always was a bit tricky to spot.
Now restored with its cyan paintwork and new City Of London crest, it has been re-sited a few inches out from its original position.
Post Five
Model: PA450
Restoration: This was the first City Of London Post I was aware of, and is a nice example.
Now back in its original position, with its new cyan paintwork, it also has a new City Of London crest on the body of the post, unlike the plates of the rest of the posts.
Post Six
Model: PA450
Restoration: This post had seen better days. The paintwork had lost its gloss and its lamp and cage were missing.
The new cyan paintwork has spruced it up and a replacement lamp and cage has been returned to the top of the post.
Post Seven
Model: PA450
Restoration: This is the best restoration of all the surviving posts.
When I last saw it it was just a shell, missing its POLICE Public Call POST signs, door facing, lacked a City Of London crest and glass inside the lamp cage.
It was in much need of cleaning up and it now looks as bright, clean and complete as its fellow posts.
Liverpool Street Post
Model: PA450
Restoration: When I surveyed the posts in 2010, this one was missing, presumably away for its restoration.
Now returned to its rightful place, it also has it new cyan paintwork, cleaned lamp and new City Of London crest.
Posts
How nice. It's great to see that they're being looked after.
ReplyDeleteI'm not a huge fan of the color difference though. It feels a little bright.
But I suppose this is to bring them forward into modern London and
to draw attention to them.
Either way it's definitely awesome that they weren't forgotten about.
Can we not do another cyan tardis?
ReplyDeleteWretched color.