Old Police Box Pictures

[lorisarvendu]

Yeah, I kind of prefer to apply Occam's Razor in cases like this, and go with the simpler explanation.  I also know that we have to be cautious when basing theories on photographic evidence, as a lot of the photos we have access to are very poor quality.  I'm reminded of an earlier post on one of my own models, where the poster commented that I'd accurately replicated the small "lip" on the bottom of my Met Box windows.  I hadn't. It was simply a trick of the light, and I'm well aware that humans can see things that aren't there.

I'm also concerned that although there are some very obvious differences in Police Box design (panel sign and phone placement on Mk1 & Mk2, Glasgow boxes, the completely different outside of the Mk3), other hypothesized "variants" may just be down to interpretation of poor photos. A Police Box is a very unusually designed object, and it can look very different depending on how it was photographed. I refer my learned friends to this post:
http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=3175.msg37293#msg37293

Then again I suppose the differences in things like sign box width and stack height could be down to individual contractors, in which case two boxes at either end of the Blackwall Tunnel could look different if they were made by different contractors - one who covered the Woolwich area and one who covered Mile End.

That doesn't say much for the ability of the individual contractors to follow blueprints accurately though!

I suppose the answers would lie in the Met's original records of who built what box, but I guess those are records that will never see the light of day now (if they even still exist).

So many questions, so much speculation, and so little answers!

[domvar]

Some one posted a while back that the Met's records had all been nicked. 

[Mark]

Nicked from the police. How amusing.

I agree with you about seeing stuff in somewhat poor quality photo's. I personally think that as far as the Met boxes went, the eventual changes were for some reason. The windows for example had a far simpler and presumably cheaper was of staying open than the complex bracket that is incorporated into the actual frame on the Crich box. Maybe the different signs and roof configuration were done for some other practical reason?

I'm trying down the line of trying to find out who (if anyone) owns the companies who oiginally fabricated the boxes. Maybe they have changed the name but may still have old plans etc.

[Dalekoracle]

Someone's nicked the Met's records?

Blimey! Thats not good. I hope not!

You see, I spoke to Paul (from the Met) the other week and i don't think thats the case at all. Indeed, for a small fee, I can have a full and complete record of each and every Police Box built by the met (which divisions, locations, beats etc) - which I'll be happy to  scan and upload should anyone want me to. (Its there waiting for me for the princely sum of £30 of your earth pounds!)

He also says that they have all manner of photographs, plans, reports etc concerning Police Boxes, and would be willing to allow me (from a research point of view) to have full access to the files. This was with a view to adding more information to the Policeboxes.co.uk map.

I really should finalise my visit. Been sorting it out for months!

Mark
So I sincerely hope that the records have not been stolen. If they have what will he be showing me?? An empty filing cabinet, in the basement, with no stairs, where the light doesn't work and theres a sign on the door saying "beware of the leopard"? The mind boggles.

[lorisarvendu]

Well at least if there's no stairs you can't "fall" down them.   

Seriously though, that sounds like the Holy Grail for members of this board. You know if just 30 members of this forum paypal'd you £1...well actually Paypal would make a lot of money out of fees, so scrub that!  Bad idea. lol

[chriskingbees]

Mark's trip to the archives can't come quick enough for me. I'm skint (Water heater has gone up in smoke) but will chip in

KB

[Dalekoracle]

Well Chris... its provisionally March 12th.

Paul says "As for photos we have hundreds scanned but again to see them you need to call in"

Hundreds.

H.u.n.d.r.e.d.s

What a lovely word!

Just think, the list of locations and all those box photo's. I feel March is going to be a busy month.

Just waiting on clarification regarding obtaining copies (the inference is they are electronic copies so it may simply be the opportunity to save to a portable hard drive) but if theres a cost involved for the photographs, that may change things slightly.

I'll report back.

Mark D

[petewilson]

Thanks for clearing up that little mystery Mark!
Looking at it now it doesn't look like a "real" Police Box.....But hey the extra wide dimensions maybe caught the attention of the present day TARDIS Prop designer!  

The "Time Machine" in Golders Green was a nightclub, and the faux Police Box exterior was the entrance to the club itself.
Never a proper, actual old Police Box, but a nice quirky entrance porch.
Mark D

[petewilson]

Talking about Police Boxes at entrance to tunnels......
Does anyone remember a Police Box at the entrance at Heathrow Airport (which was there into the early 1970's) ?
I can remember the "Welcome To Heathrow Airport" Sign and the Police Box on the left just before the tunnel entrance.........

Pete

A photo of the often mentioned but rarely seen / documented "Blackwall Tunnel" Southern end (on Greenwich Peninsula) Red Police/Fire Box has been submitted to www.policeboxes.co.uk for inclusion on the map. (its the "sister box" to the other Blackwall Tunnel box on the Northern approach (often referred to as The Mile End box... though its not actually in Mile End, its Blackwall. (never can understand why its called the Mile End box, but hey ho....)

Mark D

[domvar]

Well Chris... its provisionally March 12th.

Paul says "As for photos we have hundreds scanned but again to see them you need to call in"
Hundreds.
H.u.n.d.r.e.d.s
What a lovely word!
Just think, the list of locations and all those box photo's. I feel March is going to be a busy month.
Just waiting on clarification regarding obtaining copies (the inference is they are electronic copies so it may simply be the opportunity to save to a portable hard drive) but if theres a cost involved for the photographs, that may change things slightly.

I'll give you a full 30 quid if you could pick me up a set of dupes / digital copies?
It would be a massive help to my concrete project

[chriskingbees]

On the subject of entranceways. This was a wine bar in Earlsfield, South london.
Given Robert is about 6ish here, it dates back 24 years.




KB

[lorisarvendu]

I love non-fan made police boxes like this, because they so look nothing like a proper box (or even a proper TARDIS) to us, and yet everyone else says "Looks OK to me.  What's wrong with it?"

What's wrong with it?  You want a list?

[Mark]

With you on that Loris!


I keep seeing a police box replica which seems to be just that rather than a TARDIS as it is always surrounded by old police cars and police bikes. Definatley the same category.

That entrance you have posted Chris has a wonderful looking Fresnel lamp on it. Looks like it could be bang on in terms of size

[petewilson]

When I was growing up in Hillingdon in the late 1960's I was lucky enough to have 2 Police Boxes nearby...
One was on our estate (On the corner of Windsor Avenue and Ryefield Avenue)
The other was at our main shops at Hillingdon....(Hillingdon Circus on the Western Avenue A40)
Here's a photo of the latter (taken 15 years before I knew it) 

[Dalekoracle]

a lovely photo, please do submit it to gavin at www.policeboxes.co.uk for inclusion on the map!

I saw a reference online the other day to an old box on the common (Moreden Road) in Worcester Park, South West London. The only image i can find of it is a tiny tiny image on Francis Frith...



I see no box. Its there, on the left of the road. tiny tiny tiny! Anyone got a better picture of it?

(you think thats small? try looking for the Woolwich Common box on Francis Frith.... a couple of white window frames, hidden in shadows, and not more than a few pixels high - see if you can spot it!)



Over time you develop an eye for spotting them in photos. Frustratingly, better photos do elude us. (fingers crossed The Met Archive will confirm the time and date of the archive visit soon!)

Mark