52 Sandy Lane looks a little worn

I wrote in praise of 52 Sandy Lane almost six years ago when it was done up but now the refresh looks as though it was not done with full care and attention as the paint is peeling badly and what once was smart is now distinctly shabby.

A new roof and maybe more

The most prominent construction project at the moment is at Tommy Steele Corner where traffic approaching Ham has to slow down to take the sharp bend.

The roof is being replaced but that may not be all that is being done. Another scheme to watch.

Interesting things at Grey Court

Some interesting things have arrived at Grey Court School. They can be seen from Ham Street and are in the right-hand front corner as you face the school.

The main structure is, I presume a cycle stand, though the roof seems too high to provide protection from anything other than vertical rain, which it rarely is. Still, it looks very cool, and it reminds me of a railway station in somewhere that appreciates trains, somewhere like The Netherlands.

The other equipment on the site looks like play equipment. Another presumption is that this is specialist equipment for the recently opened Strathmore School. Whatever it is it looks great.

Light frost on Ham Lands

There has been a lot of frost around recently and that has only added to the fun of my morning walk to work across Ham Lands. This was one of the lighter frosts, just enough to crispen the grass and to bleach some of its colour.

Another little extension

A pile of cricks is always going to get my attention and this was no exception.

This was taken on one of my less directed walks where I head down paths on the spur of the moment which means that days or weeks later when I get around to posting the photos I have forgotten where they were taken. I think that this is somewhere near Link Way. I'll have to go back and check.

Unusual door

I like this door because of its Art Deco feel and because it dares to be different by avoiding the horizontal and vertical lines that decorate almost every other door.

Richmond Chase on a misty morning

Phase 1 of Richmond Chase is taking shape rapidly and we can now start to understand what the site will look like.

The blocks of flats have gone up first and they are creating a tunnel-like view of Latchmere House made all the more eerie by the mist and the pink tinge to the shielding around the constructions.

Walking past Ham House

The road that runs from Ham Street to Ham House often looks pretty but not usually as pretty as this. I caught it late in the day when the sun was doing delightful things and, more importantly and more rarely, there were no other people there.

Hole in the wall

I only caught the aftermath of this incident but it was clearly pretty major with a big hole in the wall in front of Tollemache Almshouses and a car door left abandoned in the garden. The incident was at the junction of Ham Street and Ashburnham Road and while I have seen plenty of silly and reckless driving there, I have never seen anything that has come close to producing this sort of outcome.

Caravan in Mead Road

I love this caravan because of its classic design and colouring. It brightens up this section of Mead Road nicely.

A small extension

I like to record changes as they are made to the area and all building works are of interest to me. Here a small extension is being added to the side of a house.

I took this on a day when I was exploring footpaths and that took me all over the place, which is my excuse for forgetting where it is! With any luck I'll pass this spot again before too long and will catch the finished work and, this time, will take a mental note of where I am.

Melancholy Walk in Autumn

As the mid-Winter cold bites it is nice to remember that just a few weeks ago Autumn was bright and it was lovely to walk along Ham Avenues. This is Melancholy Walk just as it starts its journey from Sandy Lane to Ham House. The avenue of trees is meant to guide the eye towards the house but even in Autumn the leaves all but obscure the target.

Kiko Gifts & Stationery on Ham Parade

What was Sky NEWS is now Kiko Gifts & Stationery selling a wide range of things, some of which it sold when it was a newsagent.

I quite like the look but am a little sad that the rebranding of the shop has come with a change of colour as I praised Sky NEWS' decision to turn green in 2013.

featherstone leigh on Ham Parade

What was until recently Glencorse, a retailer of second hand artefacts, has become yet another estate agent though this time it is rather different as it employs no staff and uses just the shop window, which is all that estate agents really need.

This one, presumably a branch of featherstone leigh, has one purpose only and that is to promote the Richmond Chase development which is taking shape on the former Latchmere Prison site. It looks a soulless and expensive place to me so I can see why they are having to sell it hard.

A new look for Tesco

Tesco in Ashburnham Road has had a slight rebranding which, as far as I can tell, consists of little more than a modern look Tesco express sign above the main door. The clarity and simplicity of that message is somewhat lost in all the noise around it, particularly on the door itself.

Reindeer at Ham House

Having decided to include some Christmas decorations this year I just had to share these reindeer basking in the late sun at Ham House. Apparently they have been there before but this is the first time that I had seen them.

I had gone to Ham House for a coffee and some cake to break a long walk and did a tour of the gardens while I was there. I found them as I was leaving the Orangery and heading back towards the front of the house.