Return to the footbridge

Towards the end of last month, the first circuit for quite some time involving the footbridge over the railway at the bottom of West Street, Ewell.

A circuit which started off with a leak from a drain cover at the head of the ally between what used to be the Albion (now McCafferty's) and Bill's (now Diba). The Albion was once useful for opening at 08:00 on Derby Day, after the Marquis had pulled out of that aspect of the business, while both Bill's and Diba have been previously noticed in other connections. The premises now occupied by Diba having been through a number of incarnations in our time in Epsom; quite a high turnover for what one might think was rather a good site, right in the centre of town, handy for both Wetherspoons and the railway station.

A leak which survived several days before being fixed.

While just across the road, in the market place, someone, perhaps a young man leaving Wetherspoons having taken a few beverages, had pulled a branch down from one of the young trees. Or perhaps the van of a careless market man? In any event, making a bit of a mess, now cleared away, although I have yet to inspect how carefully the broken branch was trimmed away. Maybe later this afternoon.

Having dealt with a trolley from M&S left outside the Viceroy office in West Street, pushed on into East Street, to capture this unusual leaf.

I let Google Images loose on the image today on the clue: 'a terminal leaflet of a tree of heaven in East Street, Epsom. Presumably the machinery controlling whether it was to be a pair of leaflets or a terminal leaflet - the tree is odd pinnate - had come a bit unstuck' - and he comes up with a new answer. Despite the fairly strong hint in the clue.

Not content with this, I persist, dig up reference 1 from earlier in the year, and he changes his tune. A reminder that care is needed when using these tools for this sort of thing. Which, from a testing point of view, have the advantages of being repeatable and of there being a right answer.

After reviewing the business of alternate or opposite, he settles for sub-opposite and goes on to remind me about the stink of freshly crushed leaves - another clue to identification - but warns me that I should wear gloves when I give it a go. The smelly sap can do unpleasant things to skin - and, as it happens, I am a person with delicate skin.

Quite a good recovery from a shaky start.

Maybe the Common Room as was, vacant now for some years, is on the move. Or will it be yet another heritage & planning stalled development? It certainly exists in the planning system and looks to include the East Street hollyhock, just about visible middle right. Listed hollyhock?

Despite the sign, the current proposal in the planning system is said to be awaiting a decision - which might have been thought to affect the sale price. Who knows.

'Variation of Part 1 and Schedule 2 of Section 106 Agreement, dated 4 November 2024, associated with planning permission 22/01953/FUL, dated 6 November 2024, to vary obligations for delivery of affordable housing units from 51.5% to a maximum of 20% of the development on the grounds of financial viability'.

The curious can look it all up under '26/00742/S106A'.

Sainsbury's were unlucky in the timing of the refurbishment of the hedging in and around their Kiln Lane site. Maybe the budget didn't include after care - a common enough omission with both public and private plantings. The Guardian was on about this only yesterday.

Royal Mail trying something new, outside the store. I wonder who uses these things? Thinking with my fingers, I suppose people who are still at work and who like to receive their parcels in person, rather than having them left on the doorstep.

The basket of a trolley on one side of the rails by the footbridge, with the undercarriage on the other side.

While on the other side of the footbridge, someone had cleared away all the vigorous growth that was to the left in the snap above, by the side of what is now Travis Perkins, noticed from time to time.

While a bit further along, Travis Perkins had changed their supplier of air conditioning units. All bar one from one manufacturer (Fujitsu), the other, newer and rather larger, from another (Samsung). All far eastern, naturally.

A stray in Blenheim Road, left over from the collapse of First Line Recovery, quite some months ago now. There was another one a bit further down.

And a new-to-me baker's van. What was it doing outside Costcutter? Have they been infected with the sour dough disease? The appearance of the website at reference 3 is more buns from Gail's rather than bakery, but to be investigated further in due course.

One of the plants in the instant garden in Manor Green Road, rather bigger and healthier than when I last snapped it, as noticed at reference 4.

Google Image confirms his identification of Arum Lily.

And goes on, when I mention its similarity to perpetual spinach, to say that I should not try to eat it. We shall see if we get any flowers next spring, which would seal the identification.

Home to try these Cox's apples from Sainsbury's, to make a change from their main line offerings: large, pink, crisp and sweet - but a bit thin on character. These ones from Victoria Farm in Kent, almost certainly the people at reference 5. Not bad apples, but a slightly chewy skin and a slightly sour after taste. A pleasant change, just the same. I think they ended up going off from the inside out, a sign to me that they have been in store for a while.

If one was a little younger, one could go and stay with them for a month or so late summer and get paid for it! Jut the thing if you fancy a spot of life in the bunk house. But I remember being told by a correspondent who did pick in Histon (then the home of Chivers, now Hartleys) when I was young, and her story was that it was hard work. And that there was no way that you could keep up with the travellers who seemed to be born to the work.

PS: I have just returned from a visit to the tree noticed near the top of this post. It looks as if the broken branch came away cleanly enough, but I think I would have been tempted to take the whole branch out, leaving a rather smaller wound, reducing the risk of infection. Hopefully, whoever did it knew better. Better than not having a pruning saw to hand!

References

Reference 1: https://psmv6.blogspot.com/2026/06/heaven.html.

Reference 2: https://www.treeguideuk.co.uk/tree-of-heaven-8/. Provided by Google Images.

Reference 3: https://www.lockdownbakehouse.com/.

Reference 4: https://psmv6.blogspot.com/2026/08/another-circuit.html.

Reference 5: https://www.victoriafarmltd.com/.

Group search key: 20260927, aisk.