Emergency Water Supply Signs:Camberwell New Road London

Discussion in 'United Kingdom' started by CL1, Feb 7, 2018.

  1. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

  2. ARPCDHG

    ARPCDHG Member

    Brilliant - now very rare and thankfully, not graffittied over. There was a great EWS sign on Brixton Hill - until the owner deliberately painted over it with a graffiti-type mural.
     
  3. Shiny 9th

    Shiny 9th Member

    Should be listed as of historic interest.
     
  4. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

  5. Tolbooth

    Tolbooth Patron Patron

    I don't know how common it was but in Coventry and Birmingham the canal was used for Emergency Water Supply.
    Yellow Circles were painted on the canal bridges to help identification in the blackout and holes where knocked in the brickwork to allow hoses to be dropped through into the canal. These holes were filled with a temporary door arrangement and, although re-bricked after the war, are still visible on a number of bridges.

    New Inn Bridge, Foleshill, Coventry
    upload_2018-2-13_8-29-5.png

    And from the canal towpath the same bridge
    upload_2018-2-13_8-27-45.png

    This bridge has just the remains of one door but the yellow painted circles are still in evidence. upload_2018-2-13_8-33-0.png

    Another example that shows door remains but a different type of painted indicator
    upload_2018-2-13_8-41-27.png

    And this example from Birmingham retains the doors - although almost certainly replacements
    upload_2018-2-13_8-42-35.png

    (Apologies for the length! Despite having gone past these thousands of times I've only just had them pointed out and got a bit obsessed - as you do)
     
    Last edited: Feb 13, 2018
    timuk and CL1 like this.
  6. ARPCDHG

    ARPCDHG Member

    Seen these in Nottingham too. Wonder why they went to the trouble of building these access holes when they could just drape the hoses over the top of the bridge's parapet??!
     
  7. Tolbooth

    Tolbooth Patron Patron

    I did wonder that too....thought it might be because the hose would kink more going over the parapet rather than through the hole and straight down ?
     
  8. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

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