Tuesday, 31 July 2012

Over the Road E14...

Westferry Road E14...
We are over the road from the previous post on this blog/site and Westferry Road E14 couldn't be more different with a paved area, cobbled stones these rather nice small bollards complete with boundary wrapped chain and an old brick (probably Victorian) pumping station.

The small bollards are relatively new, certainly painted has we see the chain wrapped around the bollards is covered with black paint but not the links hanging between each bollard.


A different angle...














Bollards of London...


Sunday, 29 July 2012

Westferry Road E14...

Simply beautiful...















London is presently hosting the Olympic Games but like any great city we have so much more to offer than a simply wonderful opening ceremony and sport.

Early this morning I was at Westferry Road E14 where a roundabout dominated by a traffic light tree used to sit. The junction has now been redesigned and manages the traffic with Marsh Wall in a slightly better fashion. On the left hand side I found these rather simple cylindrical shaped stainless bollards (above/below)  that line the border with the quay surrounded by what I can only describe has a really beautiful/colourful flower display.

It really is wonderful to see such beautiful flora in an urban setting but very rare to see so many bollards among the flowers.

Then there were four...

A little less flora...




























Bollards of London...

Saturday, 28 July 2012

Kings Bench Walk EC4...

Kings Bench Walk...















Welcome to Kings Bench Walk EC4 where I came across some bollards that are similar but have significant differences to the bollard(s) we featured on the 'Inner Temple' bollard post previously.


On the previous post (link above) we see that 'Pegasus' the winged horse was placed upon a sky blue shield. Here (above) 'Pegasus' is placed directly upon the bollard which is the same design has the previous post but with a sliver coloured cannon ball top finish. 


On leaving Kings Bench Walk you do so by Crown Office Row and then a left turn onto Middle Temple Lane and when you reach the exit by Victoria Embankment but just take a look at the beautiful badge/crest of the 'Middle Temple' it is the 'Lamb and Flag' note how the foremost leg of the lamb supports the staff complete with flag which is the Cross of St George. This crest/emblem was used originally by the Knights Templar and adopted by the 'Middle Temple' for upon these grounds stood the very order of the Knights Templar who were a religious and military order.


Middle Temple Lane...















Bollards of London...

Friday, 27 July 2012

Welcome to London 2012...















Can I take this opportunity to welcome all the visitors to London and hope each and everyone of you enjoys the greatest city on earth.

The Olympics are upon us and in general the bollards across the city are looking clean. Take a chance to see our great city and enjoy the culture, art,  museums and history.

The picture/collage above is of some of the bollards featured on this blog/site and of some of the #guestbollards I've featured yet to feature from around the globe/UK please do take a look at 'Bollards of Britain'.

Welcome to London 2012 from Bollards of London...

PS Good luck tonight @AboutLondon on the twitter I know you'll make us all proud...

Monday, 23 July 2012

Whitcomb Street SW1 and the Rotterdam Moon Bollards...

To the left...
Welcome to Whitcomb Street SW1 which happens to be very close to London's Trafalgar Square and just to the side of the National Gallery where I came across another large black wooden door/entrance with its brickwork protected by  bollards with stone mini-bollards protecting them from damage from lorries/vans reversing/delivering goods to businesses.

The bollards are certainly older than some of the other designs we find in Westminster and these are certainly more sturdy/chunkier. The design is however standard and the colour matches the frame/colour of the gates/door to yard/entrance. I do though like the idea of the small mini-stone-bollards used to protect the bollards and finish off the kerb rather nicely.

With the Olympics upon us here in London it is only right that the #guestbollard feature continues its international feel with a set of 'Rotterdam' Moon Bollards photographed by the wonderful @artistmakers on the twitter (see bottom picture). I do love the angle of this particular photograph complete with weed/grass of a floral kind creeping out of the pavement right by the 'Moon' Bollards.


To the right...
Just off Trafalgar Square...

It's a moon landing...












































































Bollards of London (and Rotterdam)...

Sunday, 22 July 2012

Move (or not) to the Beat of Bollards...

New Change/Coca Cola Bollard...
With the Olympics soon to open and barriers/bollards been placed upon the roads London is about to move (or not) to the beat of bollards.

We are at New Change in the heart of the City of London where we find these metal cased bollards that do a remarkable job of keeping vehicles out but let shoppers/pedestrians in. The bollard is cylindrical in shape with a near flat polished top complete with disused can of 'Coca Cola'.

A first for bollards and a huge thank you to @WildGooseLeys on the twitter for the photograph (below) of what I can only describe has a set of 'crayon' Olympic #guestbollards at Lea Valley.

Lee Valley Olympic Bollards...


Bollards of London (2012)...

Thursday, 19 July 2012

Aubert Park and a Child Bollard...

Aubert Park...
Welcome to north London and the Aubert Park N5 where I found on a rainy damp summers evening here in the capital what can only be described has a near prehistoric looking bollard.

The bollard looks rather rough at the edges/surface and nothing like I've seen in London before. Now when I did my driving test in a taxi-cab (yes you do need another licence to drive a London taxi-cab and not just the knowledge) this road (Aubert Park) was part of that route and this junction was a very difficult junction to turn right out of. I'm sure if my memory serves me correctly a postbox used to be here so I may need to contact the Royal Mail to see if the post box has been removed.

The bollard (above/below) is rather ugly and certainly does little for the local environment/area even though the road junction is level with the pavement.

Didn't a postbox sit here ?

A scary bollard ?














It's not often I can say a bollard is scary but the #guestbollard photographed by the wonderful @LolzHeart on the twitter is in my opinion just that and I wonder what pedestrians/motorists think when they first witness/see this design of bollard in Burnham Buckinghamshire.

I am constantly amazed at the sheer number of different designs of bollards that I'm able to find in London but I'm bowled over by the bollards you all find throughout the UK and the beyond.

Bollards of London...

Monday, 16 July 2012

Fulham Road to Ipanema...

Fulham Road...
Welcome to a rare sunny afternoon in London (last week) where I came across a rather lovely set of bollards that divide the paved/brick block area.

The bollards (above/below) have been planted with one high and one slightly lower which gives the impression of keys on a trumpet (possibly). Each of the bollards has a square shaped base with the main body of the bollard having a circular base that then rises vertically with a ridged body which is finally topped off with what looks like a 'curling' stone but without the handle. The bollard top is painted silver with the main body black.

Take a close look at the base of the bollards (below) and you see that every other one is planted differently.

Silver topped...

Continuing our #guestbollard feature I once again must thank @nancyo on the twitter for these beautiful bike bollards (below) which can be found in Ipanema, Brazil and just in case you've started to hum that beautiful song/tune here's the link for 'The Girl from Ipanema'.

Bike Bollards...














Bollards of London (and Ipanema)...

Friday, 13 July 2012

ST. John the Evangelist Bollards...

What a pair of Bollards...














We are outside Palace Wharf on Rainville Road W6 where I came across two bollards with a portcullis and ST. John the Evangelist marked upon them.

It is plain to see that these bollards are not part of the original Palace Wharf design and are more likely salvaged from a church/parish in central London close to parliament which would account for the portcullis marking on the pair of them.

If we look at some records we find that ST. John the Evangelist was in fact ST. John, Smith Square SW1 created in 1728 and bombed in 1941 rebuilt and is now a popular concert hall. Could these bollards have found themselves salvaged from the bombing or the rebuilding and made their way to W6 ?

If we take a look at the bollards (below) we see they stand upon a sturdy base with a circular body that rises vertically with three ridged areas on the main body and the half ball shaped top.

I bumped into an interesting chap/artist who actually works in this splendid building (see bottom picture) and please do click on the following link ACAVA to see riverside images of the building and the work he and other artists do.

A Portcullis...

ST. John the Evangelist...

Palace Wharf 1907...




































































Bollards of London...

Tuesday, 10 July 2012

Hans Street SW1...

Welcome to RBK&C...
A tall slender bollard...










































We are back in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea at the junction of Pavilion Road where I found this rather beautiful tall slender white painted bollard.

The bollard is different to the usual 'Hans Town 1819' bollards that can be found in this particular ward/district. It has a square base that rises vertically with curved tops that then morph/merge into a slender tapering body that flares outwards to create a muzzle look capped off with a small cannon ball top.

This part of London is a sought after area to live in and is close to Knightsbridge/Harrods. If you take a look at the brickwork in the background you'll notice its red terracotta colour and beautiful semi and circular windows complete with stone borders and keystones.

Bollards of London...

Saturday, 7 July 2012

007 Bollards at the Barbican...

My names Bollard....sorry Bond...!

From time to time whilst compiling/writing this blog/site somebody gets in touch via the wonderful medium of twitter or email and manages to knock me off my perch. The latest to do this is @SimonOkotie on the twitter with a fantastic photograph of James Bond (Sean Connery) leaning against his 'Aston Martin DB5' which was used in the film Goldfinger and appeared again in the film Thunderball after repairs by 'Q'.

An exhibition is taking place at the Barbican in the City of London where they'll be celebrating 'Designing 007: 50 Years of Bond Style' for details click on the link.

The bollards have a circular base which tapers towards a flat top which happens to be capped off with a part ball shaped top. If these were real bollards they would probably be made of concrete/stone.

Bollards of London (007 bollards)...

Thursday, 5 July 2012

High Holborn EC1...

Modern semi-ornate bollard...

We are on High Holborn EC1 outside a beautiful building which used to be the site of 'Furnival's Inn'. If we look at picture (below) we see a rather lovely City of London blue plaque marking this site.

The bollard we are looking at today is a modern semi ornate black in colour with two ridged areas which are painted predominately gold and finished with a half ball top. The bollard performs a very simple function which is to allow people access but deny motor-vehicles  when the beautiful ornate gates are open.


Furnival's Inn stood here...
#guestbollards are back...
A Panther on a post...














Please do take a look at the #guestbollard (above) of an 'emergency bollard' found on the Lower East Side New York by @rossatkin on the twitter, what a find and must be one of the top #guestbollards to date ?

I love the idea of a talking 'emergency' service bollard and love the bright red ornate body.

Now you may well be wondering what is that wonderful picture of a panther (left) doing here on a blog/site about bollards ? If you take a close look at the panther you'll notice he's sitting upon a post (bollards are small posts) and when I took a close look at the top of the post it reminded me and looked similar to some of the bollard tops we find in the City of London.

The photograph of the panther was taken by @patrickbaty on the twitter and you can admire his excellent work at Hampton Court Palace-A Tudor Garden by clicking on the link.

Bollards of London...

Tuesday, 3 July 2012

Bollards for Bikes SW1...

Bollards for bikes...

Pop along to Ebury Street and the junction of Elizabeth Street SW1 where you'll find these rather modern/contemporary looking 'bollards for bikes' upon the pavement.

It cannot be denied that cycling within our great city has taken off and become a very popular mode/method of transport. Local councils are spending money providing facilities for residents and members of the public. In the London borough of Lambeth they've even installed a 'bike pump' bollard which I featured here back in May 'Pump up the Bollards'.

The 'bike bollards' are of a steel construction and oval in shape. We can see that they have a number of holes which enable cyclists may attach chain or lock to 'bollard' and secure their bike.

Bike bollards in action...














Bollards of London...

Monday, 2 July 2012

Bollards Return to Clapham...

Windmill Drive...
Bollards are back and have returned to Clapham just off the common on Windmill Drive SW4 and close to Tom's 24 hour brand new snack wagon.

I'm not sure if this is an actual bollard or if it is a piece of previous functioning street furniture that has now turned into a rather nice looking 'ornate' working bollard.

The bollard has a circular base that rises at an angle (see picture below) and then merges into a tapering ridged body that then flares outwards. The top of the bollard looks like it has been capped off and maybe this was previously a street lamp of some sort/design.

Bollards of London...

PS after a short break I'm back and have an amazing collection of #guestbollards and bollards from around Britain which will appear here or at www.bollardsofbritain.blogspot.com

Clapham Common...