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Police post (bricked up) on Channel 4 news just now!

Started by chunkymuscles, Mar 03, 2012, 07:03 pm

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chunkymuscles

IMG_1871.jpg

Just seen this on Channel 4 news just now, Banstead Police Station in Surrey.  Clearly looks like a police post of some kind, bricked up? 

chriskingbees

Mar 03, 2012, 09:28 pm #1 Last Edit: Mar 03, 2012, 09:30 pm by chriskingbees
About 6 years ago I posted this picture:

bricktardis.jpg

and there was a long discussion about it. It has a police post door and signs, but the lamp is from a full size met box.
If this is the same one, then a mystery has been solved :)

KB

PS Had a good look and yeah, it's the same one :)

anson

That lamp housing and the Fresnel are really gorgeous!
Well spotted sir! 

DoctorWho8

They've put a new phone on the door panel.  I wonder if they removed the panel, then.
Bill "the Doctor" Rudloff

chriskingbees

Google street view of Banstead police station.

Banstead Police Station.JPG

and there bit is. A mystery solved for me :)

KB

chriskingbees

How about another? This time, Wanstead police station

Wanstead police station.JPG

KB

Mark

So very odd these brick Police Posts. They have so many Police Post features (with of course the Police Box lamp) and yet you get the brick?

Originally when you posted this Chris I thought it might be a bricked up Police Post, but of late I am beginning to think it more likely the thing was built this way to start with.

Perhaps a cost cutting exercise as I'm sure this method would have been a lot cheaper than a real Police Post.

anson

I used to live in Wanstead too.
Lucky I'm not there anymore - imagine being arrested for nicking street furniture outside a police station... 

chriskingbees

OK, So My son and I went over to banstead in Surrey to have a closer look;

DSC_0016 (536x800).jpg

The lamp housing and fresnel are definitely from a full size met box, it's enormous. Given it's the original paint, it's very very dark blue.

KB

Mark


chriskingbees

Yes, well it was yesterday lol, but if someone nicks it anytime, having my picture taken with my hands on it, not to mention dabs and DNA, might not have been a good idea. :)

KB

whitestar2010

Chris you are a star!! Huge thanks to you and Robert for driving over to check this out.  :)

Something stuck me about the size of the lens on this image - it looks huge! Far larger than I expected it to be really. I'd been working on the fact that the lens on a met police box was 6 inches high, 6 wide. Has this ever been accurately measured?

I've done a crude bit of sizing on this image (hope you don't mind Chris) here's how - I've started with the knowledge that a standard imperial house brick is 9 inches long, I scanned a ruler using the same resolution as the police post image and scaled the ruler correctly using one of the bricks for reference. This I think gives at least 7 inch width for the lens, don't think I can determine the height accurately using this method due to the slight upwards angle the photo was taken. Am I mistaken in my working out guys?

lampsize.jpg

Maybe somebody else can come up with more accurate measurements. Would love to get this nailed down, the definite size of that lens. Also I think its reasonable to say this would have been the very same lamp housing as used on the full size boxes - can't see any reason why they would use anything different.

chriskingbees

Sounds good to me. I will return to this, and do some measuring, no fear>
here's another snap of Rob's;

DSC_0010 - Copy (800x536).jpg

KB

Mark

Well I measured the lamp housing base as 10" square by 1 3/4" high at the tramway museum. Unfortunately despite by best planning I forgot to take string (I got some out the morning of my visit!) to measure the circumference of the lens and dome  :-[

I did however make a measurement of the round lens cover distance from the edge to the start of the dome and later on at home drew up 1-1 scale sectionals. The lens came out at 6 inch high by 7 1/2" diameter.

Bear in mind my step ladder was a tad too small and my measurements may be slightly out because of  measuring at arms length, but that said very close to what you get the size to Whitestar  ;D

As I was typing I got a warning of a new post. Nice picture Chris/Robert. I notice they haven't replaced the bulb, how lazy  ::)

I have been thinking quite seriously about how easy/difficult it would be to get a cast of the lens somehow and then create a full mould. Obviously the cast would have to be from one support pole to another but is it feasible?

lost gallifreyan

Hi chaps

Sorry to butt in, but can I ask if there are three or four support bars around the lens?

When building my box, i put three support bars around my lens, but I notice lots of people use four!

Thanks