10 - 10 - 10 Edgelands:

O'Brien & O'Brien

Operating at the intersection of fine art walking practice, psychogeography, critical animal studies and ecology, the practice of Deep Canine Topography seeks to reframe the humble act of the ‘walkies’ as a co-authored act of ‘making’ or ‘performing’ together. As part of the practice based element of my PhD thesis, Deep Canine Topography, 10 - 10 - 10 Edge-lands, is a further investigation of the methodologies of Deep Canine Topography (O'Brien & O'Brien 2018). This series operates as a visual and sonic essay for each walk and explores memory, deep topographical imprints, and entropy between wild and post-industrial spaces and sub-urban sprawl, on the edge of the city of Leicester and the county of Leicestershire. During the 2020 Covid 19 pandemic lockdown, as part of permitted exercise, we undertook 10 Walks, of up to 10 miles, within a 10 mile circle of our home, just outside of the city centre. Covid 19 restrictions, remained in place in Leicester longer than in any other UK city or region. Each title will take you to a different walk. Click return to return to the title page. Click Base Map to open a GoogleMap of the walk locations and GPS tracklogs (in a new window). Clicking on the round MAP circle, on the title page, will take you to the central exposition of my PhD: Deep Canine Topography.

Hi Bro. Hope you're all well. On a wander round Braunstone Park today, Can you remember which number Grandma and Grandpa lived at? I'm sure you can, and the reg number of his Ford Consul estate...?

249 Gooding Ave. URY ???

Ok Cheers. I'll take a look whilst I'm here. And am I imagining this or could you get to Grandpa's orchard from our back garden?

Looking at it, it can't be true as it's the other side of Almer Road. Magical childhood memories playing tricks again.

It's the last house before the cul-de-sac, opposite the park. 249.

If you're looking at the roundabout.

It's a private house now and it's all been done up.

Yeh, found it. Looks very different now. Big extension on the side. I'll send you a Facebook message with some picks later. It's all very familiar, especially the park

Camville Road is looking a lot neater than last time I was up this way.

We lived up the road, Gramp's garden was massive, they had pear and apple trees.

When we lived at 35 Overpark Ave, Dad used to park his six wheeler, a red Albion Reiver, VAL 205, outside Gramp's.

Dad had a six wheeler Bedford KM (Double bumper twin headlights) for Alexandra Stone.

I was racking my brains trying to remember VAL. Before my time. For some reason I thought it was a Dodge 300 (Same cab as the Leyland and Albion I think) and for Alexandra Stone.

OK That sort of rings a bell. My earliest memory is his Redland AEC Marshal Major, parked outside Camville and Mr Mores BP Atkinson tanker starting up in the morning.

Blue smoke, Front mounted exhaust?

Dad had a Bedford KM SPH507F his first truck for Redlands, a four wheeler, then he had CRC396J, an AEC Marshal six wheeler, then left to work with Uncle Terry at a steel foundry, Russell's, didn't like it, went back to Redlands and got CRC394J. I could go on trust me. Jack Moore had that lovely Gardner 240 Atkinson Borderer for AM Walker (Annie Walker) the company was known as Ma Walkers.

Ma Walker of Cosby? Wonder why I have it in my head as in BP colours? Walkers were orange. Anyhow it's the last J reg AEC I must have a memory of. Then the GEC ERF B, then the Bison 2 VNU76S (only reg I remember) and finally his T45, A123BRB?

Ooh nearly, Ma Walkers first colours were green and red and white, then she changed to orange and brown, similar to Herocks, then Jack's last truck was a Volvo F88 in Carlsberg livery, green and white. Dad's Bison was VNU78S and yes you got the Constructor right.

Close. Carlsberg not BP, guess they're nearly the same colour. I must be getting his Atkinson and his F88 mixed up.

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