A walk to the station #3

by Steve

I imagine when all of these houses were built, most of them in the 1930s, there was a pleasing uniformity to the place. These roads didn’t grow organically, this was a planned development, an estate, I guess. Although you can spot some nods from the architects to creating difference and interest. Some roofs peak at the front, others do not. Some houses have two bedrooms, others three, some maybe more. The style of housing changes from one road to another, but in a complimentary way. Every building working towards a bigger piece.

There is still enough of this uniformity that on first glance every road can look the same. But walking past the same houses each day every property looks individual, personalised over the years.

Some houses have pebble-dashing, some have mock Tudor black bars, some have been plastered smooth in a variety of muted tones. Most houses have double-glazing, each slightly different. Some have new entrance-ways stuck on the front. There are lots of extensions, one-storey, two-storey, combined with a garage or not. Some extensions are hard to spot, others look deliberately separate, although never provocative. Some houses have windows peeping out from their roofs.

Each house adapted to changing need more than aesthetic value. The estate mutates.

I haven’t even got on to all the different gardens and paths and driveways.

I think I could easily write a hundred posts on individual residences. If you look close enough each has a story to tell, about the house, but also about its owners over the years.