london-red-post-boxLondon City can be a bit grey.  The sky is generally grey and overcast.  The buildings are cold grey stone and all lined up in a row staring down on you imposingly.  The people are generally dressed in black or grey…

Now don’t go getting the wrong impression here, it’s not something to get down about (ok, the grey sky is a little depressing), it’s all actually all a set up –  just one big bold backdrop for all the great RED stuff!  Double Decker buses, telephone booths and post boxes – things that make the London world beautiful, all in the iconic RED; a constant reminder that you cannot possibly be anywhere else.

Did they do it on purpose?  Did all the powers that be all get together and say “red, yes, LOVE it” and go paint everything?  As nice as that sounds, I doubt it.  

And after a little bit of Wikipedia-ing it turns out that the Post Boxes (they seem to be called Pillar boxes?) did come first – in 1852 to be precise – but they were initially painted green so as to not be too obtrusive.  Turns out they were too unobtrusive and people kept bumping into them (!) so they repainted them all red in 1874.  Telephone boxes were also commissioned by the Post Office in the 1920s and painted red to match.  The first motor buses were introduced in 1902 (to replace the horse and carriage variety) and were initially painted red in London and green in the country. 

Whatever the reason, it’s a brilliant piece of town branding either way.  Smart work London, and to me, extremely beautiful…