cleaning

see the twin storage compartments. how like a cow.

i felt a need to walk to work down Oxford Street today, so i did. i’m guaranteed more photos going that route, but it’s a bit noisier than my usual backstreet amble.
one thing you can be sure to see at this time of morning is street cleaners. here’s a water squirty one:

and here’s one being mended:

i was chased down the street by this cleaner this morning as i stopped to take pictures of all the food and drink related rubbish i saw. i was happy in the knowledge that it was all being cleaned up, but i think mr street cleaner was worried i was going to report him for not being fast enough.

we’ve not had a street cleaner for a while so here is one in the shade on the South Bank

here is a street cleaner and a bus in the rain. i think it looks nice so i’ve given you a big version you can use as your desktop picture if you like.

(click for big)

just when i thought i’d seen them all, here’s another type of street cleaner:

there was a standoff between the automated cleaner on the right and the pushalong cleaner on the left.
by the time my camera had booted up they were on opposite sides of the road (the pushalong cleaner had pushedalong).
still, a nice street tableau i’m sure you’ll agree.

this must be how bees see street cleaners

you’ll be aware of my love of street cleaning machines. here is one refuelling.

a floating street cleaning device

here is a strange thing. the driver of the fancy road cleaners is seen here collaborating with a lowly pavement cleaner. incredible. especially since the leaves incident

here are two more cleaners to add to the hierachy (one a the top, one at the bottom)

there is a secret hierarchical structure in existence on the streets of london. it relates to street cleaners. i like street cleaners and always shout a cheery hello to them on my walk to work. sometimes they even reply.
here is the starting point – a brush and a trolley on wheels:

once you have earned an upgrade you get a pushalong jobby with brushes. (some of these have seats which is a feature upgrade i think)

finally, when you have actually made it, then you get to drive in a proper machine with a windscreen and everything. this is a temporary vehicle. (maybe it moonlights as an occasional table)

i’ve noticed that a lot of the push along street cleaners now have seat attachments. here was one seemingly abandoned in the street. i looked at the dials to see if it had a maximum speed, but none of the dials showed velocity (only fuel and time !).
Maybe there is a distance measurer somewhere and the driver has to do his own velocity = distance/time calculations. Those guys who clean the street – they are all secret rocket scientists. perhaps.