Why did UK fences designed like on the picture?
Posted by Specialist-Key-8970@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 400 comments
Posted by Specialist-Key-8970@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 400 comments
fsv@reddit
Surplus WWII stretchers, amazingly.
Stretcher railing - Wikipedia
Cumulus-Crafts@reddit
Also related, a lot of the bollards in London are made from repurposed cannons! I was staying in Royal Arsenal for comic con and all the bollards around there were cannons sunk into the ground
tgerz@reddit
What I’ve heard is there are only a few left. The idea was popular so they made casts and put a lot in that looked the same. https://londonguidedwalks.co.uk/bollards-bankside/
Pretend-Table6436@reddit
Related to that, and the Victorian fondness for repurposing military decommissioned ironwork, the huge gateposts at the original entrance gate at Brighton station (now the vehicle entrance) are two Napoleonic-era gun barrels salvaged from the West Battery and repurposed when it was decommissioned!
Dave-the-Flamingo@reddit
sarcastic-crab@reddit
I’ve seen two cars in two separate locations get totalled by the Squatus Campanlus. They’re so low, they’re clearly east to miss
GrahamTerrier@reddit
Well seeing as driving on the pavement is illegal, I have zero sympathy.
stillshadowy@reddit
Bollards aren't a warning. They are a protection mechanism for the public against people unfit to be in charge of a vehicle.
Clear-Security-Risk@reddit
Corner-cutting Beemer drivers deserve this.
sarcastic-crab@reddit
Update: found one in my camera roll 😂
FourEyedTroll@reddit
Obligatory r/cantparkthere
Additional_Berry8423@reddit
Clapham, quite a while ago lol. I know someone in the neighbouring block
sarcastic-crab@reddit
Not quite, it’s Nine Elms
sarcastic-crab@reddit
Mercedes bends
Stormagedd0nDarkLord@reddit
Hit so hard his wheels came off.
Nooby1983@reddit
I think the wheels just carried on driving down the road, looney tunes style
SailAwayMatey@reddit
Maybe the wheels were never on in the first place. Think about that for a sec.
matto1990@reddit
Good think they only install them on the pavement then
NSE-Imports@reddit
There's one on a high kerb with a width restriction in Penge, easily visible to all. A van driver where I used to work drove through it every day but claimed it 'suddenly jumped at him' giving our Sprinter a lovely crunch to the door and rear quarter. Vicious things, keep your eye on them.
Appropriate_Zebra341@reddit
They’re just making it so hard to drive on pavements these days…
darkdetective@reddit
Great now I want to do a tour of London and tick each one off.
old-billie@reddit
https://x.com/WorldBollard
faithlessgaz@reddit
The London tour of bollards.
MedicalTea2989@reddit
what a load of bollards
JerseyGeorge2@reddit
Bollard Spotters
revco242@reddit
There is one special step in every tube station. It has an identifying mark on it. I think it means it's an original but I may be wrong. There is also a picture of a maze on each station. Each one is slightly different.
ChrisAyersUk@reddit
The underground maze art project you are referring to is titled Labyrinth, created by artist Mark Wallinger in 2013. It was commissioned by Art on the Underground to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the London Underground. Each one is different and uniquely numbered
BrockJonesPI@reddit
Isn't that the underground map?
ChrisAyersUk@reddit
The underground maze art project you are referring to is titled Labyrinth, created by artist Mark Wallinger in 2013. It was commissioned by Art on the Underground to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the London Underground.
RugbyEdd@reddit
Man, what did they do to you to deserve being mildly irritated by you?
JangleSauce@reddit
Took me a second. Have my angry upvote.
Emphasis-Low@reddit
🤌 Beautiful
utukore@reddit
Bollards to that!
the_bollo@reddit
What a load of absolute bollards.
YogurtHead6557@reddit
What a bollard
FragmentedMeerkat321@reddit
never mind the bollards
UltimaJay5@reddit
Urgh, read that as "lick" instead of tick.
StophLikeHell@reddit
Can't believe i spent 5 minutes reading every single one, but also I'm not at all mad about it. Thanks?
Still-BangingYourMum@reddit
Even down in little sleep Lynmouth harbour, there is an old cannon mounted near the old Martello tower, coincidentally it has an old WW2 sea mine stood next to it, used as a collection point for which ever seamans charity it had been used for.
https://www.gettyimages.ae/detail/photo/fishing-port-of-lynmouth-north-devon-royalty-free-image/670137042. Poor quality picture, but look and you can see the cannons
iamlucky12@reddit
Yes, semen quality is an important thing, it's good that they used a canon that could be mouthed.
UnderRatedMa@reddit
Seamen
Still-BangingYourMum@reddit
And remember loose lips pink tips
StorageS10@reddit
Squatus gunnus in the wild..
Dave-the-Flamingo@reddit
“In the wild” alludes to the presence of domesticated bollards.
datboichaz10@reddit
Gormley Bellendus takes the money
Viz92@reddit
Gormley bellendus hahaha
godgoo@reddit
Lol- JG Bollard
rilleryeah@reddit
where's the horse penis one?
Strude187@reddit
r/DontPutThatInYourAss
Praetorian_1975@reddit
Okay some of those look very very suspicious 🤨
Pr6srn@reddit
Suspicious? It was 'truncheon maximus' that made me realise it's just some made-up bullshit.
Azz1337@reddit
The Gormley Bellendus would like a word
Background_Dust_4923@reddit
No. That’s genuine. Anthony Gormley designed the bollards on and around Bellenden Road in Peckham.
Azz1337@reddit
That's amazing! haha
croquetmonsiour@reddit
Named for its origin on Bellenden Road. There's no silliness happening here.
CertainSprinkles1018@reddit
That’s what they called me in college
SwearbytheSeasons@reddit
Leapfrogus Guinness 😅
USS_Barack_Obama@reddit
What are you on about? That's a legitimate Latin name for a species of bollard
Locorio@reddit
Buttus Pluggus
Slartibartfast39@reddit
Trunction Maximus sounds like a good name for a dildo.
HeftyVermicelli7823@reddit
Often used in conjunction with Biggus Dickus.
Slartibartfast39@reddit
He wanks higher than any in Wome.
ElegantOliver@reddit
And he has a wife, you know.
Murps420@reddit
Is this real? “Leapfrogus Guinness” 😂
Dave-the-Flamingo@reddit
As real as you want it to be!
It was from a londonist article in 2019 (I think)
mronion82@reddit
SCREWBIUS
VV9S9@reddit
Sublime.
mrnorbh@reddit
Never seen 'Truncheon Maximus'. Whereabouts are they? 😄
warlord2000ad@reddit
If only it was true 😂
Kizarama@reddit
In Eltham on the progress estate, there are a number of bollards cast in old large shell casings. I’ll try and snap a picture.
lordrothermere@reddit
That's amazing. Is it real?
BillWilberforce@reddit
Leapfrogus Guiness
B4DM4N12Z@reddit
Leapfrogus is funny😂🤣
uffington@reddit
JG Bollard is genius.
Gormley bellendus isn't bad either.
boysfromcountyhull@reddit
JG Bollard haha
bored_toronto@reddit
CJ Bollard
daufy@reddit
Lmao, the Truncheon Maximus! I want one haha
josh12694@reddit
Octobulus boptop is genuinely the best name of anything I've ever seen.
DestroyTheHuman@reddit
A depiction of London’s Bollards containing the American version of the word “Aluminium”… I almost spat my tea out.
smegsicle@reddit
ALUMINUM?!?!
Mister_Cornetto@reddit
Looks like a new line at Bad Dragon
AWildEnglishman@reddit
I once joked with my brother that Squatus Campanulus were church bells that were blown out of their towers during the blitz and were left where they landed. Had him going for second.
PeachImpressive319@reddit
“Gormley Bellendus” brilliant.
Sirlacker@reddit
Screwbius Rosea looks suspect.
jparkur@reddit
Never mind the bollards!
unitled@reddit
Big Arnold Rimmer energy here
Decent_Action_406@reddit
Aluminum? And not aluminium 🤔
Outrageous_Editor_43@reddit
'Globus posh' 🤣
Milky_Mint@reddit
Oh no! A new thing to spot.
Liam_021996@reddit
And a lot got pulled up in both world wars to be smelted to make things for the war effort. A significant amount didn't ever get used though and instead were dumped in the Thames
Evening-Tour@reddit
The whole scrap metal, cutting fences down, bring in your Aluminium pots and pans was a feel good propaganda exercise, it was done to make the population feel like they were actively contributing.
They did it everywhere in the UK, the metal was useless, it all got dumped. You can't turn pig iron and low quality cast iron into anything useful for industrial processes, the juice just isnt worth the squeeze, you can't turn aluminium frying pans into Spitfires.
ratscabs@reddit
What does scrap metal actually get used for, then?
JonJo42@reddit
It went to landfill. It was all just a feel good publicity campaign. It made people feel they were doing something towards the war effort.
fuggerdug@reddit
I think the idea that none of it was used and it was all PR is itself a bit of a modern myth. Aluminium can absolutely be recycled into aircraft parts, brass makes munitions and even pig iron is a key component of the steel industry.
This person argues that so much was collected it couldn't all be uead, leading to the establishment of this myth. https://www.londongardenstrust.org/features/railings3.htm
Evening-Tour@reddit
The only efficient and reliable process to turn low grade steel into good quality steel are Basic Oxygen Furnace (BOF) or Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) neither of which became advanced, efficient or in common use for scrap recycling until the 1950s.
For BOF you need scrap, iron ore, limestone and coal. During a war you have better things to do with those resources. There were an insignificant amount of BOF furnaces in the UK until the processes were commercialised in the 1950s, we had better use for those few furnaces than melting railings.
EAF is unpredictable, as high concentrations of tramp metals degrades the mechanical properties of the steel. Decorative railings, well that's playing into that problem. But heres the kicker, EAF furnaces did not evolve into furnaces for scrap metal recycling until improvements to their design in the 1950s.
This isnt accounting for the manpower, fuel and materials used to cut down all this iron, transport from urban and rural residential homes to the furnaces. Considering the fuel shortages during the war, this creates a problem. The juice is not worth the squeeze, it really didn't happen.
Who ever told you otherwise doesn't know what furnace technology was like during the war, and know jack shit about steelm
Lonewolf12189@reddit
"Good quality steel" being a pretty important part there. Sometimes, if it's not needed or you're desperate you don't bother worrying about the quality being good
autofill-name@reddit
It was being sold to Germany according to my grandad who was in the navy at the appropriate time
Evening-Tour@reddit
Well specifically during the war which is what we are discussing nothing, the metal was too poor a quality to turn into weapons or heavy equipment, You can't turn low quality decorative grade iron used for railings into a mortar, unless you want to blow up the people operating the mortar. Likewise you can't turn it into armor plating on a tank, unless you want armor that shatters when hit.
Slyspy006@reddit
But could you turn it into tank traps for the beaches, or reinforcement for bunkers and observation positions?
Evening-Tour@reddit
Assuming you could magically make Basic Oxygen Furnaces that you had no better use for appear out of thin air, as long as you had unlimited supplies of Lime, Coal and Iron Ore as an additive.
If you had a shit load of railways, locomotives you weren't using for better things, if you could persuade the Luftwaffe to stop bomming rail yards and junctions, and you could transport the scrap, iron ore and lime to the furnaces, but this would have to be your priority transport resource going forward.
Of course you will need a load of vehicles just to collect and transport the scrap to the rail yards. And if you can magic up petrol/diesel to fuel them, no problem. Then there's all the fuel, resources and manpower to cut the railings down.
So yeah you could, provided you didn't understand logistics.
Slyspy006@reddit
You could also reply without being sarky about it.
Evening-Tour@reddit
The reply is the reality of what you are asking about, under war time conditions.
I said in a previous post the juice isn't worth the squeeze, how you use that metal doesn't change that. Detailing why it's not worth the squeeze just upsets you.
Slyspy006@reddit
Not at all, I appreciate facts and am in no way emotionally tied to the story.
But that doesn't mean that you don't come across as a sarky git.
Evening-Tour@reddit
You seem sensitive, do you need a hug?
Slyspy006@reddit
I'm good, thanks for the offer.
turnipstealer@reddit
Not with that attitude.
autofill-name@reddit
One story says they were dumped in the North sea, another says they were selling the iron to Germany
lesleh@reddit
Sounds like the perfect thing to bring back up for low radiation metals.
Badger118@reddit
Sad
Exact-Character313@reddit
A lot of them are Napoleonic as well
Clear-Security-Risk@reddit
Mythology layered on truth.
Whilst many (not "a lot" perhaps) are cannon, these were not Trafalgar guns. Most of those went to the bottom of the sea. Those canons that are there are captures from land battles or even British guns that were no longer serviceable.
pappyon@reddit
This is apparently an urban myth.
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/1391pe4/are_there_bollards_made_out_of_french_cannons/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
Dry_Gas_1433@reddit
Read that as Royal Arsenic the first time. 🤣
Greedy-Airport-2615@reddit
Thank you for sharing
AppropriateDeal1034@reddit
Cannon*
9ofdiamonds@reddit
The walls around the old houses in my town (central Scotland) have little metal stubs on them. The reason being the metal railings that used to be on top of the wall were taken for metal during WW2.
WayGroundbreaking287@reddit
To add, a lot of them are also just shaped like that because that's what people think bollards and fences look like, because so many of them are stretchers or cannons it's actually changed the ones that arent. It really is interesting where this stuff comes from.
Cumulus-Crafts@reddit
Like how electric cars still have grilles on the front of them even though they don't need them! There's a word for this, but I can't remember what it is
TangoMikeOne@reddit
And I have heard that in central London, both north and south of the river, the service pipes (IE: the pipes that connect the main to the property) were made from surplus musket barrels... don't know how true or apocryphal that is, but the time would be right, when water would be supplied to the upper echelons of society and the Tower musket was being superceded by the Enfield rifled musket.
Frater_Asariel@reddit
Bollards to the lot of ya's
AdMaleficent6813@reddit
Wasn't just Trafalgar, it was thousands of Royal Navy cannons from that era that we're obsolete after the invention of breach loading guns.
Often plugged at the muzzle with a cannon ball.
So much so, that when these obsolete cannons had all been used as bollards, subsequent bollard design followed suit. That's why even modern ones look exactly like a cannon.
fsv@reddit
Yes! I've seen those plenty. Once you know that that's a thing you start noticing them all over the place.
ratscabs@reddit
Where? I’ve been aware of them for ever, but never seen one
quite_acceptable_man@reddit
One place I do know is Hankey Place in London. You can find it on Google Street view. Find the white building, Richer House and you'll see a whole row of them right opposite.
I used to go there occasionally for work, and I remember noticing the weird shape fencing and wondering what the story was behind them.
Character-Trip-6094@reddit
London.
Dependent_One6034@reddit
To add to this, In many towns and cities you will see public buildings that look like they have had the railings cut off. This is because they did have the railings cut off for use in the war effort.
Sometimes, newer buildings sometimes put them in too as a nod.
AtomicAndroid@reddit
I thought you said bill boards and I was so confused thinking that would take much more effort. That's really cool that they are now bollards!
-You_Cant_Stop_Me-@reddit
The statue of Wellington in London is made of melted down French cannons from Waterloo.
Y_ddraig_gwyn@reddit
during the Trafalgar 200 celebrations the French visited Victory. A French officer asked the marine guard whether the canonballs were original, answered “no sir, you have all of those.”
DareDemon666@reddit
Not just Trafalgar, ever since the use of cannons basically. Iron cannons didn't have a very long barrel life, and were often worn out and then recycled. Bollards were more and more useful and desired as more and more carts and later motor vehicles were present on the roads, and it was much easier and cheaper to use an old worn out cannon than to cast a brand new bollard. Thus, oversized cannonballs were hammered into the muzzle to seal them and they were planted muzzle-up in the ground as bollards.
This is why bollards often have a hemisphere at the top, surrounded by a flat face. It's also why they often have bands along their length - these were reinforcement bands designed to stop the cannon from exploding.
Obviously most modern bollards are not old cannons, but the resemblance is still there because, frankly, we like the way they look. Rather than just a bland steel pole, the various shapes and curves of traditional bollards is timeless and artful. Back when cast and wrought iron were king, that sort of decoration and artful side of infrastructure was everywhere - speaking as a civil engineer, it's weirdly pleasant to be able to introduce a bit of aesthic quality back into the world along with all the drab concrete and asphalt and steel and glass we use.
myfanmail_uk@reddit
Plymouth has cannons repurchased for this also
ohhallow@reddit
Swords into kaplowshares
seanmonaghan1968@reddit
As an Australian who has been there many times, I looked at these and thought they must have made them to look like canons ><
Slyspy006@reddit
And that, of course, is why many bollards are still made in that shape.
allgone79@reddit
We also have more than a few cannon bollards in Liverpool, not sure where they came from though.
crucible@reddit
excuse me but do you have a minute to learn about the work of the World Bollard Association?
https://bsky.app/profile/worldbollardassoc.bsky.social
Spank_Master_General@reddit
That is a cool fact!
fuggerdug@reddit
"I've heard they used cannons from the battle of Trafalgar as traffic posts in London".
"Bollards, brother Belcher".
"No honestly it's true".
gash_dits_wafu@reddit
I think there's lots of bollards around the country that are from decommissioned cannons from various ships/battles.
escapingfromelba@reddit
There's not many of them around any more. Someone once did a website listing them.
dantheman200022@reddit
How bloody cool!
Abhisheksmhatre@reddit
Elite world war knowledge right here!! Take my upvote.
semisitytx@reddit
how does one possibly know the most random stuff?
fsv@reddit
I can't remember where I came across this one but I'm guessing it was someone else on Reddit asking the same question years ago.
It's the kind of thing that sticks in your mind because of quite how resourceful and clever the idea was.
Meerafloof@reddit
Yes, this is what we learned on a tour of London
FreshSatisfaction184@reddit
Now we know where we'll get our stretchers for ww3.
marquoth_@reddit
What's amazing about this is that a lot of railings were cut down so the metal could be used in the war effort. All around the country there's short stone walls with metal studs/stumps in the top where the railings used to be.
jools4you@reddit
But sadly it was propaganda campaign and the metal was rarely used.
marquoth_@reddit
[Citation needed]
Unhappy_Clue701@reddit
It’s true. Google is your friend for that sort of thing.
https://www.londongardenstrust.org/features/railings3.htm
Trumps_left_bawsack@reddit
Filing that into the 'pub quiz' folder in brain
CliffChicken@reddit
Thanks a random piece of info. And I FUCKING LOVE a random piece of info. Thank you kindly
mortysmadness@reddit
Fun fact, front garden walls in the city i live have holes where there used to be metal fences. They were chopped down for the metal during ww2.
I walk past them all the time, see the dimples in the rock and think about that.
fsv@reddit
You know what's really frustrating? Chances are that those metal fences just got dumped in the sea. They were mostly wrought iron that couldn't be reused, but the government of the time wanted people to feel that they were doing their part for the war effort, and so encouraged collection of all kinds of metals.
paulydee76@reddit
That was looks built a long time after ww2. Did they millions of them?
fsv@reddit
There are groups that are dedicated to preserving them. It won't be a new one, just one that's well looked after. Others will have disappeared long ago.
There won't have been new ones built more than a few years after the war I'd imagine.
SubstantialPlant6502@reddit
I’m so hoping this question comes up in a quiz now.
QuickTemperature7014@reddit
It’s been on a QI episode thats been repeated about 14 thousand times already so I wouldn’t really call it a little known fact.
Boboshady@reddit
I didn't know it, but then I am over 6ft tall.
Ricky_Martins_Vagina@reddit
I'm also over 6ft but have got a little dick if that qualifies me 🙋🏼♂️
ElegantOliver@reddit
Username checks ou... oh hold on a minute.
Ragnarsdad1@reddit
It also comes up here every couple of months.
Cussec@reddit
I only saw that episode 6 thousand times and I don’t remember it
Cussec@reddit
Question 21: why are you walking around looking at bollards?
Question 22: why don’t you get a grip?
Worldly_Nobody_2088@reddit
I love that we used to reuse things
Augres@reddit
That is amazing. 🤣
dazedandc0nfuse@reddit
Ok that my be my favourite fact of the year. I would never have guessed this was the reason in a thousand guesses. Thank you 😊
Odeezsage@reddit
Woah…
spunkybooster@reddit
Sad and beautiful.
Ravenser_Odd@reddit
"The Stretcher Railing Society promotes their preservation and upkeep."
I love that there's a society for them, that's so British.
EvilLee666@reddit
You’re the man. Post Wartime innovation at its best.
Automatic_Business_9@reddit
Awesome piece of history there, thank you for sharing.
gholt417@reddit
I absolutely love the history of these railings. I watched a programme on it and was awed.
Earthed_Guy@reddit
Well this is the most interesting thing I've learned today. Thankyou!
Afinkawan@reddit
Those stretchers may well have been made from old fences.
SwedishLenn@reddit
Well I've learnt something new at the age of 42. Thank you kind sir.
NatoXemus@reddit
You mean it's not a bollock resting area?
ThatAdamsGuy@reddit
You could have given me one hundred guesses and I wouldn't have managed.
GamerGuyAlly@reddit
Incredible trivia. Mad how much history surrounds us so quietly.
RugbyEdd@reddit
I thought for a minute it was the other way around, and the fence was constructed so you could grab one and use it as a stretcher of someone collapses near by.
eggbean@reddit
All the railings and cemetery tomb cages were removed for use in the war, so it could have even been the same metal used in the original rails.
captain-carrot@reddit
That's so interesting
asmiggs@reddit
The metal went full circle Railings and saucepans were melted down in both WW1 and WW2 because metal was in short supply, a lot of older housing has really low walls which would originally had metal railings. Sometimes, you can still see the nubs of the old railings; often, these railings were just replaced by a big hedge.
fsv@reddit
Unfortunately most of the railings were wrought iron and useless for repurposing, which meant they got dumped in the sea instead.
InfiniteComedian7172@reddit
I recently found this out and it is very cool
quellflynn@reddit
less amazing, when the steel to make the stretchers likely came from the walls themselves. an awful lot of steel was repurposed over that time!
fsv@reddit
Most of the railings that were taken/given over were actually not suitable for repurposing due to being wrought iron and would have been dumped in the sea.
The government of the time kept collecting it anyway as a propaganda effort so that people felt that they were doing their part.
SarkyCherry@reddit
That is a great fact
EntrepreneurialFuck@reddit
Wowwwww
Ricky_Martins_Vagina@reddit
Awesome.
Hopefully these fence types are installed around the more stabby parts of London so that they can one day be used in anger 👌🏻
vzzzbxt@reddit
Lol I was going to joke that it could be used as an emergency stretcher 😂
neilkeeler@reddit
Might be repurposed ones
ameliasasa@reddit
☝🏼This is the answer right here.
not-suspicious@reddit
That's why they posted it.
ameliasasa@reddit
No shit
lucasadtr@reddit
Fitting, seeing as all the railings were cut down for the war,
siybon@reddit
This is what reddit was made for!
And for discovering that theres a The Stretcher Railing Society!!
jaffadue@reddit
I really enjoyed learning this new fact today. Thank you!
squesh@reddit
TIL!
CaffeinatedSatanist@reddit
TIL - Thanks for the link!
silveryaso@reddit
Some of them in my town!
WelshBathBoy@reddit
The fact you'vr taken the image from an article that explains their origin, I'm doubting you don't know why
https://www.londonshoes.blog/2023/03/31/the-remarkable-stretcher-railings-of-old-london-town/
Northernpudd@reddit
Put your umbrella in
Ploddingon107@reddit
To straighten your bent grammar on.
annoianoid@reddit
"Why did UK fences designed like on the picture." What language is this?
PandyRandee@reddit
Stretchers from WW2
incubulate@reddit
if you drop a ball behind the fence
Alone-Bug6176@reddit
For small kids to get their head stuck
Perfect-Sea8965@reddit
They were repurposed WWII Stretchers.
DragonWolf5589@reddit
They are old medical stretchers from WWII same with some bollards are old canons from war ships
Specialist_Elk140@reddit
Wow, I would think of stretchers as something you'd lie down on whilst being treated, how would those curved bars work on the patient?
DragonWolf5589@reddit
The curves are the "legs" (they sit on the floor) it's so the people can carry both sides without trapping fingers underneath as it would hold few inches above ground sitting on the "feet/legs"
(look at it sideways with the curve facing down and that's how it would looked.) it's basically stretchers tiled upright onto it's side to.use as a fence. They orginally got the metal from the fences and turned I to stretchers..then to recycle and also as a memory they just shoved it back on as a fence without melting it down again etc.
(least that's what I was told when I visited London as a teen during an education trip with school)
Ok-Reality2073@reddit
Afaik, they didn’t actually use the fences to make the stretchers, as they were made of wrought iron and were pretty much useless, so they were just thrown into the sea. Was part of a propaganda stunt to make people feel like they were helping the war effort
DragonWolf5589@reddit
Interesting..
Maybe that's what they used the stretchers to replace the fences then as an apology for dumping metal in the sea (which would be random as any metal is worth something even if not suitable for stretchers it's money being thrown away). Although I've not heard that myself but I live outside London so not sure the full story. Either way the stretchers were recycled into fences to replace ones taken down for the war. Maybe if it was wrong metal they might been used for other things or something? At least I would hope so or hoped they recovered the metal they threw on the sea!
Ok-Reality2073@reddit
Honestly have no idea, it sounds a bit silly to me too, but it’s just what I’ve heard
Specialist_Elk140@reddit
Ahh yeah I see it now, he's even got his left hand under the rail, so even if they put him down to the ground, his fingers wouldn't be injured by his own body weight.
swizzysweat@reddit
Because its a stretcher its literally what it is for instance in the uk we call the sidewalk a pavement but yh you literally hold on to the railings and stretch ur body aaand lol the stretcher bed a gurney or trolley nick named stretcher because ur body is stretched out on it (slang)
M27TN@reddit
Thanks for actually answering!
TheBestOneLeft@reddit
Just using up some old Mondeo exhaust pipes.
rockyrafty@reddit
Looks like it's designed to stop skaters from grinding the top
Euphoric-Composer914@reddit
Mystery
oxlolalovexo@reddit
They are for chaining your drunk mate to on a stag do
RaspberryKey4747@reddit
A place to rest your tea cup whilst watching the birds
Rich_Car9654@reddit
There used to be used in the war to move injured people about then they made them into dances
acamp76144@reddit
Handcuff space for your gimp
only_respond_in_puns@reddit
This post is a giant karma bait. The photo is from a blog articulating the reason…
Never_trust_dolphins@reddit
These post titles are really starting to piss me off
only_respond_in_puns@reddit
This entire post is a karma bait - the photo comes directly from an article answering his own question. It’s not just … grammar it’s bait.
Specialist-Key-8970@reddit (OP)
What’s wrong? Explain please 🙏 cause I’m not native
Never_trust_dolphins@reddit
I appreciate that people such as yourself have vastly superior language skills to myself given that you speak more than one language, but there are very common grammar errors in Reddit titles at the moment which are becoming a bit of an irritant.
Mostly it's a mix of incorrect tense and grammar, "Why did UK fences designed like on the picture?" Should ideally be phrased “Why are fences in the UK designed like the one in the picture?”
"Did" implies the fence performed some sort of action rather than have a quality. "On" would suggest an object atop something, rather than an image.
The meaning is conveyed, but as it stands, it needs a second read to actually interpret the meaning.
Celebration_Dapper@reddit
I hear you, but on the other hand, a "bad" headline = it's not AI.
Chairmanwowsaywhat@reddit
Not necessarily
Dry-Journalist-2533@reddit
Ive seen a lot of those in Bermondsey south East London where I used to live old stretchers from the London Blitz history perserved
sreder1992@reddit
Stop skate boarders
Terrible-Address-513@reddit
Well they used to be used for taking wounded people up to hospitals. But cause they were in such abundance and there was a steel shortage in the UK after the war they decided to use to scrap them but to use them in a decorative manor. Not only are they in London but I believe there in different towns/cities. They serve as a grim reminder of what the people of London went through during them times and also to save money on rebuilding London when it was bombed. The more you know
ActuatorOpposite7455@reddit
There is a fence like this on Dog Kennel Hill between East Dulwich and Camberwell in SE London.
Local belief is that they are surplus stretchers from WW1
DrXinFL@reddit
That are old wwII repurposed stretchers
scooterlover5@reddit
Because they are recycled stretchers from the war
Senior-Act7294@reddit
Not fences. WW2 stretchers repurposed
Beautiful-Spirit-313@reddit
Beds or stretchers from ww2 recycled.
UncutOlder@reddit
According to QI these sections were used as stretchers during WW II; the railings were all removed and used during the War, for various purposes. At War’s end, no railings left, so the stretchers were used as replacements. Neat, ain’t it?
Arsewhistle@reddit
r/titlegore
d__c@reddit
Almost definitely a second language, possibly a curious tourist. Don't be an asshole
Arsewhistle@reddit
*arsehole
Jay-Seekay@reddit
Thanks Asswhistle
BelowAverageGamer1@reddit
Yeah, thanks bumwhistle.
Cussec@reddit
*Arsewhistle
JasonStonier@reddit
Username checks out.
d__c@reddit
👍
Chairmanwowsaywhat@reddit
Also it's perfectly fine for people to make fun of poor grammar
Chairmanwowsaywhat@reddit
Arsehole
piesucker3000@reddit
Nah this is an engagement bait post
Scart_O@reddit
It’s a bot.
Delicious-Coyote-729@reddit
There ww2 stretchers
Fancy-Licker-66UK@reddit
What is The Merc doing on the pavement in the first place!!🤔🏴😎
wandering_light_12@reddit
Oh they are the stretcher fences I think? ww2 stretchers repurposed... Cool idea actually! There were loads in the area where my nan lived in London. :-)
GentleHeart25@reddit
those fences are so girlie, they definitely have a unique charm to them.
Scart_O@reddit
You know perfectly well why. Weak engagement post.
Dreadpirateflappy@reddit
majority would not know why...
Scart_O@reddit
OP knows why. If they want to educate people then do it. Don’t ask some veiled question about it.
Dreadpirateflappy@reddit
You have no idea if op knows or not... Nothing seems to indicate that he does.
theamydoll@reddit
I’m one of the majority that wouldn’t know why. In fact, I read the first comment, “Surplus WWII stretchers, amazingly”, thought it was a joke, kept scrolling to find the real reason… just to find out that was the real reason. Fascinating!
Dreadpirateflappy@reddit
Same. lived near London all my life, never had a clue.
OP seems to not be from the UK as well, so why on Earth would he know?
Trident_True@reddit
Why would they know? The title indicates they are obviously not native and are maybe just a curious tourist. Why would a native know anyway? Not everyone lives in London or watches QI.
Scart_O@reddit
It’s a bot
Trident_True@reddit
It doesn't look like it. They have several posts about trying to learn English and they appear to be natively Russian. There's no karma-farming or blatant AI posts. Just because the account is young with an auto-generated username doesn't mean it's a bot.
Miserable_Fee4533@reddit
And the people who feel the need to repeat the answer even though it’s already been perfectly answered 100 times are just as bad
Scart_O@reddit
Bot post, not replies. Truly dead internet.
pissbeard@reddit
Yeh, I find it very hard to believe anyone would stumble upon this image randomly without context.
Ok_Economics_1149@reddit
Found out the answer to this from Mr Stephen Fry on QI years ago! Stretchers from the War....
Illustrious_Host9946@reddit
These are old stretchers from the war.... probably there to replace metal that was taken for the war effort
Alot of the barriers or bollards in London are upside down canons
Interesting_Boat1337@reddit
Theres a lot comments, but ive not spotted anyone posting this - only 1.17 long and gives a nice overview of theor purpose and re-purpose
, 'ww2 metal fence stretchers' https://share.google/QWawlTJIJIulIgOE9
DrBuzzk1ll@reddit
They are stretchers from WW1
QuirkyImage@reddit
I have never seen (or noticed) one like that
Scart_O@reddit
I have never seen (or noticed) a kookaburra. I am outside of Australia though
QuirkyImage@reddit
I have in a book and on tv
Scart_O@reddit
Far as I know it’s not even a general London thing. Any time I’ve seen it mentioned it’s only this one street. Could be wrong though.
SameSituation753@reddit
To let the cats in
CLA_1989@reddit
Such an interesting thing to learn haha, I would've thought anything but them being WW2 stretchers haha
TrigWaker@reddit
Reused stretchers
altm2@reddit
Why did he writings of the sentence be like this for, on the fence of topic U.K.?
Trident_True@reddit
They are obviously not a native speaker and are just trying their best. No need to be an arse about it.
iViEye@reddit
Arguably this would be congujgated correctly in a foreign language, but the conception of those doesn't seem to exist amongst a lot of British people
Trident_True@reddit
It doesn't exist in a lot of languages. Russian and Hungarian for example.
Gooblepops@reddit
Karma farming. Answer was known and picture from the intent
Specialist-Key-8970@reddit (OP)
Sorry. But what’s wrong with it?
PeacekeeperAl@reddit
Why done write it how?
Skirmisher7@reddit
I remember reading about these, not seen them in person, but amazing history.
Free_Spirit8926@reddit
Wow, that is an incredible repurposing and recycling of something that normally could be thrown away. I think that’s really cool honestly.
No-Bowler2791@reddit
Because it's original purpose wasn't to be a fence. That is a repurposed ww2 stretcher
Ulfeid3@reddit
It's not designed on purpose, those are materials recycled from WW2.
IllMaintenance145142@reddit
Hostile architecture so people don't sleep on the top of walls, so sad 😞
Appropriate-Bet7292@reddit
Why did English stop be used?
StandardDeluxe3000@reddit
oh come on, you knew the answer allready when asking.
LeonsFloppyHair@reddit
What is with every other reddit post having appalling gore post titles? Is it a Gen Z thing?
perishingtardis@reddit
Perfect topic for Chris Spargo
aaaaaaaactually@reddit
He’s just Tom Scott from Temu
MainCustard5424@reddit
Yeah I like him but he's nowhere near as compelling or thorough. His penguin video the other day he just sat in the car and ate biscuits and called it a day. Didn't even email McVities. Didn't find anyone who might be involved with the decision making. There was no sense of conclusivity. Low effort.
perishingtardis@reddit
True but tbf when he did the video investigating why milk is coloured the way it is (blue = full fat, green = semi-skimmed, red = skimmed), he used old newspaper articles to track the person responsible for the choice and interviewed him.
thatPingu@reddit
I've definitely seen this on a TomScott video in the past
ailaG@reddit
Not sure, this is the type of factoid I'd remember and I've seen his videos.
mata_dan@reddit
Factioid specifically means it's made up and a lie, so this isn't a factoid.
PostMilone@reddit
This is not true.
ailaG@reddit
Aaah, I've been exposed! English is not my first language, I thought it'd just be a little fact
thatPingu@reddit
Maybe not Tom then.... I've definitely seen it on a similar channel. Map Men perhaps? or Jay Foreman's Unfinished London?
ailaG@reddit
Or maybe I just forgot...
Decent_Quail_92@reddit
It's obviously somewhere to pop your brolly when smoking your pipe outside, as everyone in Britain smokes a pipe and never goes anywhere without an umbrella, due to it raining 99.7625% of the time.
Well, it does where I live, in Cumbria, even the Herdwicks on the fells look sick of it, and they're designed to be waterproof FFS.
Piano_catastrophe34@reddit
Somewhere to place your cricket bat.
justsomebo2@reddit
That's a brilliant piece of history I never knew. It's a perfect example of the "make do and mend" spirit from that era. Really cool to see such a practical and lasting legacy.
Prize_Ad210@reddit
This instagram post by history alice explained the fences
worldworn@reddit
Repurposed ww2 stretchers
SensitivePotato44@reddit
Ironically, there’s a good chance the stretchers started out as scrapped fences.
mostly_kittens@reddit
Not really, most of the railings collected were wrought iron and useless for making anything so they just threw them in the sea
SUMMATMAN@reddit
Shit really? Sheffield did loads of this - still see the little metallic knobs on short stone walls everywhere - but I always assumed it was actually useful to have done so!
Puzzleheaded-Lynx204@reddit
AFAIK it was a propaganda thing to make people feel like they were contributing
rich_b1982@reddit
That's can't be true? Aside from the fact wrought iron can be recycled for steelmaking, it would be a collosal waste of time and manpower at a time there was no doubt plenty of work to go round.
Ochib@reddit
Faced with an oversupply, rather than halt the collection, which had turned out to be a unifying effort for the country and of great propaganda value, the government allowed it to continue. The ironwork collected was stockpiled away from public view in depots, quarries, railway sidings. After the war, even when raw materials were still in short supply, the widely held view is that the gaovernment did not want to reveal that the sacrifice of so much highly valued ironwork had been in vain, and so it was quietly disposed of, or even buried in landfill or at sea.
This is the view of John Farr, author of a recent article in Picture Postcard Monthly, ('Who Stole our Gates", PPM No 371, March 2010). In it he says that only 26% of the iron work collected was used for munitions and by 1944 much of it was rusting in council depots or railway sidings, with some filtering through to the post-war metal industry. Yet the public was never told this.
Was there an official cover-up? Farr states that "most of the pertinent records at the Public Records Office had been shredded" and that hints remain that a cover-up took place to prevent names other than Beaverbrook's being linked to this sad pillage."
In London the persisting explanation is that it was loaded onto barges and dumped in the Thames Estuary, an account which seems to have originated in a letter to the Evening Standard by journalist Christopher Long in 1984.
Long wrote "I believe that many hundreds of tons of scrap iron and ornamental railings were sent to the bottom in the Thames Estuary because Britain was unable to process this ironwork into weapons of war."
He said this information came from dockers in Canning Town in 1978 who worked during the war on lighters that were towed down the Thames estuary to dump vast quantities of scrap metal and decorative ironwork. They claimed that so much was dumped at certain spots in the estuary that ships passing the area needed pilots to guide them because their compasses were so strongly affected by the quantity of iron on the sea-bed. However, there are no first hand records of this and the trail remains elusive.
Other more fanciful explanations have also surfaced: one WW2 aircraft website has an account from a member saying that, running out of munitions towards the end of the war, the bombers flying over France were simply loaded up with pieces of cut-down railings, which they dropped on the enemy. Another has the ironwork used as ballast in ships to Africa with unverified reports that houses can be found in ports on the West African coast, surrounded by decorative Victorian cast-iron railings.
Meanwhile the country remains littered with the stumps of removed railings. Recent years have seen a determined effort by many communities, led by residents who recall the removal of the original ironwork, to restore the gates and railings they lost over 60 years ago.
So What Really Happened to our Railings?
Emitime@reddit
An article in "Picture Postcard Monthly" and "some dockers said" are not screaming reliable sources to me.
Cussec@reddit
Fuck! Take my upvote.
rich_b1982@reddit
Wow, fair enough.
Puzzleheaded-Lynx204@reddit
I think it started out with good intentions and then they realised they were getting way more than they could cope with and it wasn't that useful. And they didn't want to reject it or stop the campaign so they just kept it and dumped it. https://historymap.info/WW2_Collection_of_Iron_Railings
eggbean@reddit
Yeah, whenever you go to any old cemetery you see where the tomb cages were cut away for use in the war.
CaerwynM@reddit
My grandma's house still has them on the wall outside
Ricky_Martins_Vagina@reddit
I wonder if they threw them in the same place as I go to throw all my used car batteries 🤔
humanityisdyingfast@reddit
There’s a good chance the fences which are repurposed ww2 stretchers that started out as scrapped fences will become stretchers again
Own-Lecture251@reddit
I pride myself on knowing everything but I didn't know that. Thanks!
Available-Shape8119@reddit
What a beautiful sentence!
timind25@reddit
There's a section of fencing in Norwich which is made of repurposed WW2 Runway matting:
60svintage@reddit
I'm surprised Mark Felton hasn't already done a video on this.
its-too-oicy@reddit
Grew up about 2 mins from here as a kid, never new that until now
timind25@reddit
I'm surprised it's still there, it looks very flimsy!
Busy_Philosopher_704@reddit
Norwich mentioned! YAY! I don't recognise the spot though :(
WarmSpoons@reddit
By the Dereham Road/Old Palace Road traffic lights.
timind25@reddit
Yes, just up the road from Becketts Army surplus shop.
Affectionate_Ad_3752@reddit
Place to tie your horse
Mental-Hedgehog70@reddit
Of course, you are all wrong!
I (63 y.o. m. member of the ruling elite), would like to express my insincere apologies, because I'm terribly sorry chaps, but a gentleman needs a convenient place in which he is able to safely and securely support his umbrella whilst he is pondering the problems the lower classes experience when the weather is rather changeable and their driver happens to deport them somewhat inconveniently on the wrong side of the carriageway.
TRFKTA@reddit
r/titlegore
Wonderful_Ad_7953@reddit
Regurgitated post
peakology@reddit
Is English word order random now? Can we just throw a series of randomly spelled words together, re-read them and just shrug! Sreiuosly wutworld cuming now at 2 fuck wit naaa?
deadlygaming11@reddit
That looks like an old stretcher from WW2. A lot of old war stuff was repurposed as it was a lot cheaper than melting it down. A good example is some bollards in London are actually old cannons.
Individual_Fix9970@reddit
Don't mention the war
PeonyTulip20@reddit
idk, maybe to keep the sheep from escaping their messy lives? the aesthetic is kinda cute tho.
Careless-Shelter6333@reddit
Their handles for dogging & swingers, I really appreciate it!
OddPerspective9833@reddit
You knew the reason when you posted this. Delete your post
vladicka@reddit
That’s nae a bonk.
eldwaro@reddit
Wouldn't you dream of the moment someone asks that question in person.
Specialist_Elk140@reddit
It would work for sitting on I guess, because there would be support for your butt and legs? Leaning also would be more comfortable?
Rincewind_78@reddit
I had heard of these and a little amazed by it. Does anyone know how many got used ? And was it just London ?
Deep-Garage-4491@reddit
Place looks familiar lol, not much detail in the photo but still
Clamps55555@reddit
I’m very late to this but I did know the correct answer lol
Ragnarsdad1@reddit
OP appears to be karma farming.
That exact picture is commonly used in articles that explain the origin of these fences.
Salt-Ad3495@reddit
Stretchers….
Dusty-TBT@reddit
I read these are like this to allow you to hang umbrellas of them while waiting
Chiefkratos@reddit
These fences are actually made from medical stretchers used in the world war . They repurposed them
rikkiprince@reddit
You need somewhere to stand your umbrella up without it getting into a puddle.
Environmental-Ad3167@reddit
Obviously so they can double up ss stretchers in an emergency.
PresentationAny4456@reddit
The were WWII stretchers, recycled.
iwantmuscle@reddit
Grammar
Mission-Fail-422@reddit
Theyre old stretchers
lewisfairchild@reddit
Whah???
Sufficient_Depth_195@reddit
"The stretcher railing society promotes their preservation and upkeep"
Well, I never! Good for them...but I wonder how many members are there, hiw often do they meet? I bet it's in pub! 🤣
Upper_Gas_3714@reddit
A step to climb over 😂
Decent_Action_406@reddit
Aluminum? And not aluminium 🤔
Jocelyne51@reddit
Who is ready to learn forex trading
Kindly dm
New_Combination_7012@reddit
I remember these from when I lived in Kennington. Somewhere around the Oval.
Content_Key3027@reddit
Stretchers from WW2
Unlikely_You_5015@reddit
I believe they used to be used as stretchers during WW2
phloaw@reddit
Parasol holders?
Latter-Tangerine-951@reddit
OP knows exactly what these are and is just karma farming.
johnlewisdesign@reddit
Anyone else fell like the question did a 3 point turn? Or am I just having a stroke?
pookston@reddit
Anti-Skateboarder grinding technology
AffectionateGap3210@reddit
If THPS is anything to go by, that's not a problem, the grind will just continue around that no problem.
Mitridate101@reddit
Lambeth is full of these .
withnailstail123@reddit
There’s a chap on YouTube that walks around London and delves into the weird and bizarre histories of bollards and the likes.
It’s called Joolz guides. It’s fascinating
Lumpy-Home-7776@reddit
That's a brilliant piece of history. It's incredible how a practical wartime necessity was given a second life as something so commonplace. A perfect example of "make do and mend" becoming a lasting part of the landscape.
Droidy934@reddit
To allow for heat expansion.
Painted black they absorb more heat.
Interrogatingthecat@reddit
Confidently entirely incorrect
Droidy934@reddit
And yet the priciple is a well known engineering device to overcome expansion and prevent damage. I expect the over production of stretchers in wartime was a huge embarrassment using all that steel when wood was lighter.
Halouva@reddit
Maybe for the Eiffel tower, or Empire State building. But a little fence isn't going to expand and contract that much in British heat. Plus if the black paint was such an issue they would have painted them white.
DoYJason@reddit
Lighter but not as durable in wet conditions.
Droidy934@reddit
And in the frosty cold metal is worse. Mmm swings and roundabouts
cosmotronvontootles@reddit
It's easier to rinse bodily fluids off metal, than off wood.
Specialist-Web7854@reddit
The fences were removed as metals were needed for the war effort. Post war, the no longer needed stretchers were reused to replace fences. It’s not so much over-production as recycling.
No-Photograph3463@reddit
There wasn't an overproduction though was there? It just happens that when a war is over you suddenly don't need tonnes of stretchers as all of a sudden alot less people are getting blown to piece or hit by bullet.
Also if you were engineering it you would paint it white, to prevent the temperature increase in the first place, and realise it's only in England so in all reality thermal expansion isn't going to be a big issue for a non-consequential fence.
spaded131@reddit
Lol no
MagpieRanger2@reddit
Not true- they are like this in Kennington as they are recycled WW2 stretchers
jerrymanderine@reddit
I know this one!
Praetorian_1975@reddit
They used to be stretchers during WWII
WeatherallsWeekender@reddit
Question doesn’t make sense. AI error?
ExultentPisces@reddit
My guess would be for mounting a sign post?
Disgruntled__Goat@reddit
Why guess, when people already answered 20 minutes before you?
ExultentPisces@reddit
Because guessing is fun.
Anubis1958@reddit
Allow for heat expension. The top beam will expand when it gets hot, and rather than push the support pillars out of alignment, the expension is absorbed by the curve.
MindlessOwl@reddit
Considering the lack of warm weather in the UK, I can confidently say the fence expands about as much as a gnats vagina giving birth 😁
killit@reddit
/r/confidentlyincorrect
spaded131@reddit
Lol what you on about 😂😂😂
ameliasasa@reddit
Incorrect.
sloth_ers@reddit
Why did you post this so confidentiality?
symehdiar@reddit
it's not that complicated, these are just wwII upcycled stretchers
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