Enfield Wash Box

[Dalekoracle]

Y53 - Hertford Rd / Turkey Street, Enfield.

Here's one you won't have seen before. Its from the private collection of the aunt of my friend Frank Xerri, and shows the box following a slight accident with a lorry....

If reposting, please credit Frank for the photo.

But it is quite brilliant as it captures a moment in time that only happened a few times to a very few boxes.....



Google map view here:

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.670716,-0.041021,3a,75y,22.44h,76.02t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sh6rs839J276ug8taliJgXQ!2e0


Mark D
x

EDIT: Fixed the google map link, changed name to 'Enfield Wash Box' as it was the only one there, and uploaded the original photo direct to TARDISbuilders in place of the embedded photobucket link just in case the link ever dies - banzai

[petewilson]

What an excellent Photo (in a funny sort of way!)
Thanks for posting Mark!
Shows how "fragile" these boxes were.......   

Pete

[DoctorWho8]

Poor boxy. It didn't have a chance.
Bill "the Doctor" Rudloff

[Teppic]

As tragic as that picture is, I'm sure it will give some clues as to how they were constructed.

[Volpone]

CSI time:  It looks to me like it was hit just about where the latch side of the door meets the phone box.  The right corner post looks relatively unscathed while the center divider is well destroyed.  Of course the resolution isn't great.  If the corner post is relatively sturdy it could have taken a good chunk of the hit without noticeable damage.  Looks like the angle must have been fairly straight-on, given that the utility kiosk 3 feet to the left is completely unscathed. 

Yeah, I'm going to say the right front corner got missed.  See how it was pulled over?  If it had been hit you would expect the bottom to have been knocked out first (or broken at bumper height).  As it is, the truck hit right at the door latch, destroying the left front wall section with the phone panel, knocking the left front corner off its foundation, and dragging the rest of the box along with it.  It would be interesting to see how big the vehicle was that did it because it must have taken a good bit of luck to manage to hit the box that way while missing the sign, light pole, and utility kiosk to the left. 

[hb88banzai]

Wonderful shot of a very tragic event.

Volpone - I agree, especially how the whole left side has been pushed off and back compared to the front of the base, which is all the way at the right of the frame.

However, looking at everything it appears it is still a late model Mark 2 (essentially a Mark 2 with a Barnet-like roof), so the latch was probably actually one rail above the hit point. Also, the electrical box does show evidence of taking some damage in that the lower portion has been pushed to the left by the box's left pillar and the lorry. In fact, it's possible it's been moved quite a bit as they were usually pretty close to the box. There does seem to be a bit of damage up on the right sign as well, though - it seems to have been sheered off or something, as it looks to be only partly there.

Oh, and the "light pole" is actually the A.R.W. Siren mast, though the sign post just in front of it also appears undamaged, so it does indeed seem to have been a low-speed, selective hit.

Actually, I'm quite amazed at just how much this box took and yet is still standing, albeit being held up a bit by the electrical box.

Considering the vintage of the car in the background, it's probably fairly likely that the early removal of this Box in 1967 may have been due to this very accident - it was just never replaced. If so, then this photo would have been taken circa 02-April-1967.

Here's a street view of the Box Site --



URL: https://maps.google.co.uk/maps?ll=51.670683,-0.040886&spn=0.000027,0.019226&cbll=51.670683,-0.040886&layer=c&panoid=BMdna9PeLzoP9NyaZnV7yw&cbp=12,355.02,,0,10.47&t=m&z=16

As you can see, the Pub building visible in the original photo is still there --



The 1935 OS map does show the Box, even though it was installed early that year (the dot just above the "B" in "P.C.B.") --



Oddly enough, the composite 1968-1973 OS map still shows the Box (or appears to - the "PCB" is a bit too small at this resolution to be absolutely sure it's not a "TCB", but since there is another "TCB" right next to the Public Convenience a dozen or so yards to the west, it seems unlikely) --



If that is a PCB there, it does appear to have been moved a few yards to the west since the 1935 map, though.

[fxgopher]

The day after I got the picture - I happened to be in Enfield, so I went and stood as close to where it once was.

So here's what I took

[petewilson]

Just about keeping this theme/topic alive with another (colour) Photo...
This one was before the "accident" around about 1962  

Pete