You have certainly triggered my memories of Ealing with this thread Eric. Chocolate or Green base and cream on the rest. Just depends how aware one is of these sort of details. Hamilton Road, and Creffield road had all of that sort of lampostwhen I was at School there in the 40s and early 50s. Acton painted all those types silver, but it certainly identified different Boroughs, and even areas within Boroughs, as I think, but am not too sure that the East of the borough had green bases, whilst the West tended to be chocolate bases. The Uxbridge Road used the Trolleybus Traction Poles with rather splendid Lanterns.Acton by contrast in the 40s at least was still gas lit, with wonderful wind down lanterns, the colums painted silver.If maintained properly, Cast Iron standards should continue to last. I suspect that in Ealing the posts were originally for Gas Lighting, and were converted to 'Swan Neck, fitting that can take a variety of heads, including with a bit if effort the new low light polution lanterns. Sadly, in Barnet where I now live, the cast iron posts went long ago to be replaced by concrete, ugh!However these were in turn replaced, by modern slim poles, which at least are painted a pleasant shade of dark green.The reason for the use of black paint is I guess because it is much less affected by Sunlight.My view is that esthetics in one's surroundings are important. I think a little thing like making lamposts look smart might not be important to some, but it seems to have, shall I sat a 'sublimal effect'for many people, without realising it.Contrast this with some Inner London Boroughs, where Galvanised finished lighting columns, tuned a dull grey help to give the area a 'rundown air', which I suspect makes some people in authority, the sort that are forever promising 'blue skys', but never delivering, feel comfortable with!!!!
Colin Vaughan ● 7134d