Chiswick High Road Box

[markofrani]

Here's a nice example of  a Tardis-like Metropolitan Police Box in Hammersmith,
London circa 1948.

[Mark]

Nice picture, shame the vandalism on the corner post doesn't say 'Badwolf'!

The model looks as though it was based on the Barnet Bypass box. I say that because of the rivets down the door divider. Havn't seen them anywhere except Barnet.

[avadh]

Great find markofrani well done. I hope mine looks like that once its built as my box is based on a real policebox.

[chriskingbees]

What a brilliant picture!!! One of the best I've seen.
I love these old pictures, any more out there?
KB

[TG]

Gosh what a fantastic picture
So clear, showing every scratch and dent. There's such a wonderful quality to those old B+W photos
I love how you can see all the detail on the signage - the phone panel looks the same as the Barnet box (and my TARDIS 

Thanks for posting it !

[hb88banzai]

More pics of the same Box --

[Mark]

That last picture is the one I had as an avatar for many years on these pages. I first saw this picture in a magazine thing I had to send off for from ITV. It was some sort of Emergency 999 thing. I still have it somewhere. How amusing that we actually know where this box was.

[hb88banzai]

Based on the position of the door handle, the unique cant to the St. John sign, and the angle of the base to the street level I'd say this is another pic of this Box, only with a nice fresh coat of paint --

[hb88banzai]

OK, I sense trend.

Same handle position, same canted St. John, plus all the heavy wear patterns match those in the pictures with the Sgt. (look below the front sign box and around the St. John sign, etc.).

Might even be same Sgt. with an overcoat.



Seems to have been a very popular Box for publicity photos.

[Mark]

The bottom one looks to me as though it is in front of something with tree's in it like a park or something while the first one either has all the background removed or all the shops and houses behind are in blackout. I agree with you about the wonky badge and arrangement of handles etc. Wonder why, if they are the same box, this one was the PR Police Box? Was the Met Police PR or photography department located nearby?

[hb88banzai]

I saw that, so was not absolutely sure; however, I also note that there is a lot of what appears to be damage to the print or the negative, so it's conceivable that might just be further damage that looks like foliage.

[Mark]

Just spent 10 minutes closely looking and I agree the box with the "trees" is in fact the same box with the Sgt. If you look at the pattern of scruffiness around the St John badge and below the sign box under the word Police and above the very top left of the door they all match perfect.

I apologise for doubting you.

Still not sure about the shiny one though although the wonky St John badge does hold some weight to the argument. The problem I have is the fact the box is freshly painted complete with white windows however the officers uniform is of a much later design to 1928. Police constables didn't start wearing shirts and a lapel tunic until after WWII (don't have the exact date to hand) with their uniform being like the sgt, a high collared tunic. Bit odd.

[hb88banzai]

I think the fact it is freshly painted is throwing you. Just means they saw how ratty it was getting and decided to paint it.

The fact it has white windows also seems to place it later as this was a later addition to the classic Mark 2 pattern than the phone door, etc. I think the paint is darker too, another bit of data suggesting a later date than the ones with the sgt.

[hb88banzai]

Current street view near the POV line of site for the first picture --



A view of the Box site, though a bit off (thanks to the bus ) - Site likely between the bench and the bus stop shelter (which is about even with the front of the bus), though might be closer to the position of the bench --



Note - this street view was taken one position East of the POV position (which was about level with the front half of the bus) so as to follow the line of sight back to its origin when at the sidewalk - buildings in original picture are on the right. Also, period maps seem to show that the split that British Grove takes when intersecting Chiswick High Road wasn't there when the Box was sited, making measurements from the intersection more problematic.

Approximate Box Site Street View URL:  http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=British+Grove,+London&hl=en&ll=51.493371,-0.245685&spn=0.001042,0.004474&sll=51.492499,-0.263516&sspn=0.016646,0.039868&oq=brit,+London&hnear=British+Grove,+London,+United+Kingdom&t=m&layer=c&cbll=51.493372,-0.245683&panoid=YhsjPYGzqKwF7aenBh79LQ&cbp=11,202.56,,0,-0.76&z=18

[Volpone]

...and there goes my theory about the early boxes having a lighter shade of paint.  That box looks to be just as dark with blue trim as the ones with white trim.