St. Enoch Square Box

[hb88banzai]

The Box at St. Enoch Square - A22.

This was one of the handful of alternate type boxes (Mark 3) installed in 1933 alongside the Trench inspired designs that predominated in Sillitoe's Police Box scheme. It's unknown if these types were the nine boxes on order when Sillitoe took charge of the Glasgow force, or if they were an alternate design contemporaneous with (and possibly in competition with) those inspired by London's Machenzie-Trench designed boxes.

Regardles, it was not replaced until at least when this Box was relocated due to the renovation of the subway which tore up St. Enoch Square in 1979. As we have no photos of it after the resiting, we still don't know whether or not it was replaced with a standard type Glasgow Box (Mark 4) when resited.

Here's a photo from between 1896 and 1925, showing the church which gave the Square its name --



And another view of the church, again before it was destroyed in 1925 --



We don't have any photos of the Box in this position, but per the 1933-1934 OS Map, when it was first installed it was place about where the steeple of the church had stood --



Some time later it was moved to the same island as the Subway entrance and the very distinctive Subway office building (where previously various structures had stood), as shown on the 1952-1954 OS Map --



Here's a photo of the Box that is tagged as being from 1955, but almost certainly dates from the previous decade --



It's the structure just behind the bus at the center of the photo.

Here's a shot of it from 1949 --



Blowup (again just behind the bus) --



From circa 1950 --



A blowup --



From circa 1955 --



Blowup --



Some time in the 1960s --



Blowup --



From April 1966 --



A blowup (where you can clearly see the PA1 lamp on its roof) --



The only colour photo I've been able to find of it, from the late 1950s --



A blurry blowup --



And the clearest photo I've been able to find of this Box, from circa 1952-1955 --



A blowup --



Notice from these last photos that like the Mark 2 cast iron boxes, these particular boxes appear to have had a rectangular floor plan instead of square. The right side appears to have had only an air vent, with the left side containing the doors to the speakerphone and first aid box. Also, they weren't painted red or even blue, but seem to have either been pained white or remained unpainted concrete except for the roof trim and possibly the speakerphone and first aid hatches on the left side.

Finally, here is how it appeared in 1975, shortly before it was resited --



Blowup --

 

[hb88banzai]

I think I've finally found a photo of this Box in its final position.

First off, here's the reason it was moved in 1979 --



The chasm in front of the Subway building is where the Box had been. The parking area behind is where the St. Enoch Railway Station and its magnificent Hotel had stood shortly before - both being demolished in 1977 despite public protests.

Here's the scene in colour from the north side --



This photo is from the 1980's (after the subway renovation was finished) and looking northeast, with the entrance to Buchanan Street on the left side of the photo --



A blowup of what looks to be the new Box Site on the west corner of where the Square meets the short street/outlet to Argyle Street and Buchanan Street beyond --



Enlarging further --



Sharpened --



What looks to be the Police Box behind a GPO Kiosk is almost exactly at the Glasgow List's specified 68 yards north of the Box Site shown in all the other photos and the later maps. It's a bit too blurry to tell for sure whether or not it's the original Box or a Trench-style replacement.

 

[realboxmike]

Proof of what the previous photograph indicates. The resited St Enoch Square Box with an attendant K8 Kiosk just south of Argyle Street: 11 Jun 91

 

[jam jar lurker]

Browsing through the catalogue the other day I remembered I used to have this book of Glasgow photographs by Oscar Marzaroli:
Sadly there was only one Police Box in the whole book, a rather moody shot of the St Enoch's Square box.
I used to pass this box regularly. As I kid I once climbed up to sneak a peak through the window... only to come face to face with two angry police officers who quickly ran out to admonish me. "Don't give me any of your Doctor Who nonsense!" Being a goody-two-shoes, I was in a dreadful state for the rest of the day!

Francis

 

[paul hayes]

Very interesting to see! The hotel I've been staying in here in Glasgow these past few days overlooks the square. A shame the box isn't still there!

 

[willgillies]

I remember this Box was the first Police Box I ever saw. I was a little boy, maybe 6 or 7 and I went up and knocked it and said "Are you in, Doctor?"

I knew this box, or one like it was Doctor Who's TARDIS. I wasn't even a proper fan. And, as the boxes were removed, I passed through St Enoch Square multiple times as a teenager and adult, I forgot it was there, thinking it must have been the Buchanan  Street box.

Even later I looked at old pictures of St Enoch Square and could not for the life of me see the box. Had I misremembered, was it a dream?

But NO I clearly remember the St Enoch Centre behind it. Thanks for posting it. I know I'm not losing my marbles, it was in St Enoch Square, it just was moved. In fact, the older pics are not of the TARDIS-style box we all know and love. Thats fascinating.
Also as a train fan, especially old Glasgow station and the Underground, it was awesome to see the torun up St Enoch Square for the renovations