Piccadilly Circus Post

[markofrani]

Here's a nice shot of the Police Post in Piccadilly Circus, 1953...

[bumbler]

Hey great snap. I've used this to create a "compact" tardis for Jr.

[starcross]

I saw this funny photo and thought I would share it here. Apparently there was a riot in Piccadilly Circus on March 26, 2011.


Here a Photo of a cluster of Police officers around the Piccadilly Post. I wonder as they waited if they saw the connection with the history of long dead officers who more than likely would have been milling about on that same spot for some 70 years.



And here a Photo of the Protesters climbing on the railing and the Post.



I really hope that the Post is okay after all of that craziness. I would hate to see more of the signs smashed than there already are.

Anyone going to be out that way anytime soon? I'm very curious about its status.

cheers,

~Starcross

[Rassilons Rod]

I was in Picadilly yesterday and I took some snaps of this for the board







Interesting that the top of the lamp is not what you'd expect as a "TARDIS" person. It's domed, but it's domed from square. And then it has the holes bored in the corners for the lamp struts.

[DoctorWho8]

The Nerdist himself, Chris Hardwick was in London filming interviews with David Tennant and Simon Pegg.  Of course he had to take his picture with a "skinny TARDIS."

Bill "the Doctor" Rudloff

[Volpone]

Funny thing, the lamp is very similar to the initial lamp on my TARDIS.  I had a square shade intially.

[hb88banzai]

Here is a picture of the original Post shortly after commissioning (picture dated to 1939):

[starcross]

The Piccadilly Circus Post was nice and newly installed in 1939, and then it was hidden away in a police pill box.

Taken 14 Aug 1944 - Source

[Mark]

Looks as though the post was replaced at some time. The "Newly installed" post has the earlier door handle while the pictures above show the later style with built in door handle and little ramp above the door.

[hb88banzai]

I recall reading that the original was stolen at some point in the 1980's - actually dug out of the ground and carted away. How on earth that's possible in full view of a place as busy as Piccadilly Circus I'll never quite wrap my brain around, but there you are.

[Rassilons Rod]

I coulda sworn I posted on this in the last hour...

I was going to say that the original has a crown moulded into the top, inbwetween the M and P also - where the replacement does not.

[hb88banzai]

Picture of the Piccadilly Post from 1953 --

[Rassilons Rod]

Looks wooden in this pic!

[hb88banzai]

Current street view --



Street View URL:  http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=piccadilly+circus,+London&hl=en&ll=51.509797,-0.134881&spn=0.000013,0.007038&sll=51.509297,-0.155278&sspn=0.003806,0.008197&hq=piccadilly+circus,&t=m&layer=c&cbll=51.509797,-0.134881&panoid=ojh-FOL0gib8O39T76Fnqg&cbp=12,237.98,,0,23.18&hnear=London,+United+Kingdom&z=17

[hb88banzai]

Found another early photograph of this Post --



What on earth happened to the struts that hold up the light cap? They are thin and uniformly bowed in an interesting way. Very odd.

There's also this photo on Francis Frith dated circa 1965 --



The Underground entrance is at the corner in the lower left.  Not a lot to see in the last photo save the surroundings and general period environment, but there are some "memories" on their site tied to this photo from Constables who actually used this Post that are quite interesting --

http://www.francisfrith.com/london/memories/early-career-memories-at-piccadilly-circus_221/

http://www.francisfrith.com/london/memories/london-piccadilly-circus-1951-1955_16081/