In South London , the corpse of the UK ’s World War II account are visible in an improbable place — one that you might conk by regularly and never take a second look at . In a significant number of caparison the three estates , the fences around the perimeter are actually upcycled medical stretcher from the war , as the intent podcast99 % Invisiblereports .
During the Blitz of 1940 and 1941 , the UK ’s Air Raid Precautions section forge to protect civilians from thebombings . The organization built 60,000 steel stretchers to carry spite people during attacks . The metallic element structures were designed to be easy to disinfect in cause of a gas onslaught , but that design ended up shit them complete for reuse after the war .
Many London housing developments at the sentence had to remove their fences so that the metallic element could be used in the war effort , and once the war was over , they were seem to replace them . The London County Council hail up with a root that would benefit everyone : They repurposed the excess stretchers that the city no longer needed into residential railings .
you’re able to tell a stretcher rail from a regular fencing because of the curves in the poles at the top and bottom of the fence . They ’re manus - handle , design to make it easy to carry it .
Unfortunately , decade of being endanger to the ingredient have left some of these historic artifacts in short shape , and some lodging estates have removed them due to high level of abasement . TheStretcher Railing Societyis presently working to bear on these heritage while of London infrastructure .
As of right now , though , there are spate of stretchers you may still get hold on the street . If you ’re in the London area , this ready to hand Google map shows where you may find the historical fencing .
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