visual miscellany
[OT from cottage renovations]
the Wonder Boy's London trip wasn't intended to be about detail photography or railways, but nor was it completely devoid of opportunity to burn digichrome on such subjects.
(click through these thumbnails for higher resolution images)
blooms
London seems to have been about a couple of weeks behind the Grove as far the progression of spring flowers is concerned. as one might expect it was overcast most of the time so when the light came out it was generally worth the effort to try to take advantage of it.
sidewalk miniature daffodils
these miniature daffodils were in bloom on the sidewalk in front of Cousin Gill's flat in Kew. to get this picture I found myself lying down on the cement with one leg in the gutter, under the frame of a parked automobile. fortunately nobody came along at that particular moment.
Portsmouth has an attractive public garden near the railway station.
public gardens
Portsmouth
the forecast had called for more rain than actually fell while we were there. this cherry tree was in bloom on the close of Southwark Cathedral; we went into the book sale being held in the diocesan hall in search of tea and a chance to let a bit of rain pass through, so the lighting was rather subdued.
cherry blossoms
Southwark Cathedral close wood: HMS Victory
as one who is taken with the detail of Victorian architecture, it comes as no surprise that the detail of Georgian naval architecture is even more appealing.
continuing the floral theme from above, this rose and thistle bouguet adorns the figurehead of HMS Victory in Portsmouth.
rose and thistle bouquet
note the cupid, crest, and representation of jeweled crown. the cupids are said to have been among the wounded at Trafalgar: port and starboard figures lost an arm and a leg to cannon fire during the battle.
honi soit qui mal y pense
this figurehead, applied during a refit before Trafalgar, replaced a more ornate one of which a scale model is on display in the Victory museum.
these trim details are on the starboard quarter.
quarter details
here are some trim details from the stern.
stern details steel: Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge dates from the 1880s and offers a wealth of interesting detail. the light was running out by the time we got there and there was barely enough for these images.
steel: street furniture
lamp post base
Picadilly wood and stone: the Tower
the eye is drawn to the interplay of building materials, fenestration and crenelation on the one hand and the texture and seed balls of the sycamore tree on the other.
sycamore
Thames embankment stations
Willesden Junction is to the NE of London and shows many characteristics of English railroading: 3rd (+4th) rail electrification -- the center rail seems to be neutral return -- with left hand running on double track signalled only for direction of traffic.
Walmsford Willesden Junction
don't be fooled by the track immediately to the R: it is a stub, terminating a couple of carlengths behind the point from which this picture was taken.
trains to Portsmouth operate from Waterloo Station. abundant morning light and shadow patterns on gleaming equipment made for a pleasing composition.
Waterloo Station