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Street furniture

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kandor
  • Start date Start date
IMG_4414.jpeg

This is outside the Mander Centre in Wolverhampton, but could be seen in Birmingham.
The Broads Manufacturing Company Ltd., historically based in London (later with a foundry in Hanwell), produced a range of cast-iron inspection hole covers and gratings under the brand name “Silent Knight”, so-called to emphasise their quiet, non-rocking operation on roads and pavements.
Silent Knight covers were widely installed across the UK—including cities like Birmingham and Wolverhampton

(Historic England also occasionally refers to notable manhole covers as “surviving examples of industrial street furniture” when listing or assessing older streetscapes.)










  • Silent Knight covers were widely installed across the UK—including cities like Birmingham and Wolverhampton







  • Silent Knight covers were widely installed across the UK—including cities like Birmingham and Wolverhampton
 
Another item of street furniture you don't see anymore is the cast iron barrier situated outside the school entrance to stop us running on to the road.. A bollard either side & painted silver, they were an unappreciated work of art by us kids back then. Unfortunately, I can't find any photos to post.
 
Banjo said:
Another item of street furniture you don't see anymore is the cast iron barrier situated outside the school entrance to stop us running on to the road.. A bollard either side & painted silver, they were an unappreciated work of art by us kids back then. Unfortunately, I can't find any photos to post.
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I liked the iron balustrades? on bus stops. A bit like seas side promenade railings. The bus stops signs used to be round. There used to be a gentlemen's urinal in Coventry painted green. It was known as the Green Man did Brum have them. It was in the middle of a big junction without an island. Also the glass cobbles they had above Gentlemens' conveniences. As featured in Carry On Screaming. I used to try and tap dance on them and I was told to come away!
 
Yes Banjo, I remember them. Seem to remember they were made of something similar to scaffolding poles. We had outdoor/playground climbing frames that were made of pretty well the same type of poles at Kingsthorne Junior School in the 1950s. Very sturdy things.
 
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Does anyone remember the fire alarms on street corners. Bright red posts with a box on the top, It has a glass panel which you could break to summon the fire brigade. There was one close to where I lived in Saltley in the 1950's, I think it was on the corner of St. Saviours rd. and Hall Rd. They disappeared as home phones became more common in the 1960's.
 
Pollution Monitors:
I noticed a small solar panel on lamp post on the other side of the road a week or so ago attached to a metal cylinder [in Moseley]. Neighbour said it was a pollution monitor. Noticed since many more in the area. Perhaps temporary? More important - why is BCC monitoring pollution and what do they intend to do about it? Or is it just another cosmetic exercise?
 
superdad3 said:
Pollution Monitors:
I noticed a small solar panel on lamp post on the other side of the road a week or so ago attached to a metal cylinder [in Moseley]. Neighbour said it was a pollution monitor. Noticed since many more in the area. Perhaps temporary? More important - why is BCC monitoring pollution and what do they intend to do about it? Or is it just another cosmetic exercise?
Click to expand...
I presume its part of the scheme surrounding the Clean Air Zone charge for vehicles. I know they wanted to monitor if pollution shot up in areas outside the city centre if cars were detouring around the city to avoid paying the charge. Also, I presume they would consider extending the clean Air Zone if other areas had high pollution. Also - To quote from the Government website (link below)
"Local authorities are required to submit an annual status report (ASR) each year, including monitoring data, to the Secretary of State (or, if within Greater London, to the Mayor of London). The ASR aims to report on progress in meeting air quality objectives and identify new or changing sources of emissions. The ASR should be made available to the public, typically on the relevant local authority’s website."
 
And they are! - Here's Birmingham's "Interactive Map" of Air Quality - I presume drawn from those sensors, although I can't see one for Moseley. The information seems to be pretty rudimentary! - Click on the "Birmingham" link below.

 
Update - It seems there is a wider grid of sensors run by "Earthsense" for the Council - Their sensors are much more widespread and include ones in Moseley, so I presume they are the ones you're seeing Superdad. Most of the sensors seem to be associated with schools- Sensor readouts and locations on this weblink - It updates in real time.

portal.earthsense.co.uk

EarthSense

View, manage and download your MappAir and Zephyr air quality data.
portal.earthsense.co.uk portal.earthsense.co.uk
 
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