Coal hole covers

In the older streets of Britain's towns and cities you can still find coal hole covers in the pavements next to rows of houses. These comprise a pair of rectangular metal flaps that, when opened, gave access to a coal cellar beneath the adjacent property. Deliveries of coal for fires would be poured through the coal hole and thence into the internal house cellar, when stores needed replenishing. The surface of the coal hole covers, because they formed part of the surface of the pavement, have embossed patterns to offer grip to pedestrians.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

Undercover sports cars

There are two classes of car that I dislike - the 4X4/SUVs and sports cars. Both have such major transport and environmental shortcomings, as well as massive in-built redundancy, that I find it hard to imagine why anyone buys such vehicles. But buy them they do, often motivated, it seems, by reasons that have nothing to do with their suitability as transport. With such views you may wonder why I smiled when I saw this Porsche and the Ferrari hidden under their manufacturer-supplied covers. The fact is I saw those covers as shrouds and imagined both vehicles were imminently bound for that great scrapyard in the sky!

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Sony DSC-RX100