An Outdated Trafalgar Square

I wrote a little while ago about the practice of some London postcard companies endlessly recycling old images and selling them as new. Here is another notable example, purchased yesterday for a whole 10p in Trafalgar Square.

If you click on the image you will see more detail. Even without zooming, if you have visited London in the past decade, you will be able to tell this is a period piece.

The pedestrianised terrace and grand stairs leading from the National Gallery into the square have not yet replaced the road and the Sainsbury Wing extension to the National Gallery hasn't been built, so the view must be at least 20 years old. When you look in detail at the traffic I think it is more likely to be nearer 50 years old!

I suppose that as long as people keep buying old images, assuming them to be current, the postcard sellers will continue recycling them. At least I can build a collection of vintage views on the cheap.

Piccadilly Circus - Spot the Difference!

Many currently available London postcards have images that may be a year or two out of date but I think this one is an outstanding example of the lazy use of stock photography!

 

I bought it yesterday in Piccadilly Circus from one of the souvenir stalls. It was not being sold as a retro or vintage view but was mixed in with all the other "current" (i.e. also often dated) cards.

Zoom into enjoy all the period details.

I have dated the view to 1963 or 64 by the poster for the "Circlorama Cavalcade" which was only open between these dates. In the intervening near half century so many aspects of this view have changed, that I am amazed it is still possible to sell this image to visitors who are able, simply by looking around them, to see that it bears little comparison to the place they are visiting and buying a souvenir of.

As a confessed London nerd though, I am glad that such historic images are still available and so inexpensively, four for a pound!

Does anyone know of an older available view of a London tourist attraction still being sold as current?