Question Regarding Newbery TARDIS

[soniced-up]

I have a burning question that's been bugging me for years and despite looking everywhere, I can't seem to find the answer and I'm hoping the experts here can answer it!

Why did the Newbery prop not have any handles on the door and phone hatch?!

Was there a specific reason or was it just an oversight/indifferent attitude from the prop department?

The Newbery box was, I suppose, my box in the 70's but I never particularly liked it and loved the TYJ that replaced it.

Over the years, I've come to appreciate the Newbery, and I have often wondered what it would have looked like with the handles, as it always struck me as odd not having any.

Can anyone give help?

Lee.

[alextheyellowthing]

I have a burning question that's been bugging me for years and despite looking everywhere, I can't seem to find the answer and I'm hoping the experts here can answer it!

Why did the Newbery prop not have any handles on the door and phone hatch?!

Was there a specific reason or was it just an oversight/indifferent attitude from the prop department?

The Newbery box was, I suppose, my box in the 70's but I never particularly liked it and loved the TYJ that replaced it.

Over the years, I've come to appreciate the Newbery, and I have often wondered what it would have looked like with the handles, as it always struck me as odd not having any.

Can anyone give help?

Lee.

I'm not an expert, but if remmeber correctly, the newberry boxes where made out of wood and fiber glass polymer résine. At the time, this matérial was fairly "new" and maybe there was à fear of craking it by drilling in to it ?... Idk if it makes sens

[soniced-up]

I have a burning question that's been bugging me for years and despite looking everywhere, I can't seem to find the answer and I'm hoping the experts here can answer it!

Why did the Newbery prop not have any handles on the door and phone hatch?!

Was there a specific reason or was it just an oversight/indifferent attitude from the prop department?

The Newbery box was, I suppose, my box in the 70's but I never particularly liked it and loved the TYJ that replaced it.

Over the years, I've come to appreciate the Newbery, and I have often wondered what it would have looked like with the handles, as it always struck me as odd not having any.

Can anyone give help?

Lee.

I'm not an expert, but if remmeber correctly, the newberry boxes where made out of wood and fiber glass polymer résine. At the time, this matérial was fairly "new" and maybe there was à fear of craking it by drilling in to it ?... Idk if it makes sens

But didn't they fit a Yale lock to it? Wouldn't that have damaged it too?

[alextheyellowthing]

But didn't they fit a Yale lock to it? Wouldn't that have damaged it too?

good point. my theory falls flat. was the lock fonctionnal?

[scotland yard]

No no, the Newbery was entirely wood. The only time it had any fibreglass was when it was refitted to make it look closer to the TYJ.

And it's not only the Newbery who lacked handles, the Brachacki also lacked handles for years.
The reason why it didn't have a handle for the phone panel was because this was a dummy and so a handle was unnecessary. No idea why the door itself didn't have a handle though. I guess it was due to something like the builders thinking they could drill the handles the next day but the prop was whisked away for filming and nobody could then be bothered to drill the handle.

[soniced-up]

No no, the Newbery was entirely wood. The only time it had any fibreglass was when it was refitted to make it look closer to the TYJ.

And it's not only the Newbery who lacked handles, the Brachacki also lacked handles for years.
The reason why it didn't have a handle for the phone panel was because this was a dummy and so a handle was unnecessary. No idea why the door itself didn't have a handle though. I guess it was due to something like the builders thinking they could drill the handles the next day but the prop was whisked away for filming and nobody could then be bothered to drill the handle.

I surmised as much that the phone hatch was a dummy and didn't really need a handle, but I've been mystified why no door handle!

The Brachacki had door handle(s) from Troughton onwards, I think.

[soniced-up]

But didn't they fit a Yale lock to it? Wouldn't that have damaged it too?

good point. my theory falls flat. was the lock fonctionnal?

I *think* I recall keys being used on it in either The Deadly Assassin / Invasion of Time if memory serves me. Hopefully someone can clarify!

[alextheyellowthing]

No no, the Newbery was entirely wood. The only time it had any fibreglass was when it was refitted to make it look closer to the TYJ.

And it's not only the Newbery who lacked handles, the Brachacki also lacked handles for years.
The reason why it didn't have a handle for the phone panel was because this was a dummy and so a handle was unnecessary. No idea why the door itself didn't have a handle though. I guess it was due to something like the builders thinking they could drill the handles the next day but the prop was whisked away for filming and nobody could then be bothered to drill the handle.

Sounds more coherant.

[Volpone]

But didn't they fit a Yale lock to it? Wouldn't that have damaged it too?

good point. my theory falls flat. was the lock fonctionnal?

I *think* I recall keys being used on it in either The Deadly Assassin / Invasion of Time if memory serves me. Hopefully someone can clarify!

1) Just because a key is used doesn't mean the lock is functional.  I mean, it has to be functional to the point that a key will go in it, but you can just pretend to turn the key.  And the lock doesn't have to latch in any way or keep someone from opening the door.  (I guess you could just fake putting the key in the lock too, but that would be annoying for the actor.) 
2) During the Tom Baker era (and much if not all of Pertwee) the conventional lock was just part of the TARDIS' disguise and the "spade"/"ankh" key opened the TARDIS.  While they had a slick false keyhole for the 1996 movie, in the old TV series there was just a big ugly slot in the door. I think the best story to see this would be "The Android Invasion," where Sarah puts the key in the lock and the TARDIS dematerializes.  There's got to be at least one good still of the TARDIS with the key in the lock, but I don't feel like looking for one right now. 

[soniced-up]

But didn't they fit a Yale lock to it? Wouldn't that have damaged it too?

good point. my theory falls flat. was the lock fonctionnal?

I *think* I recall keys being used on it in either The Deadly Assassin / Invasion of Time if memory serves me. Hopefully someone can clarify!

1) Just because a key is used doesn't mean the lock is functional.  I mean, it has to be functional to the point that a key will go in it, but you can just pretend to turn the key.  And the lock doesn't have to latch in any way or keep someone from opening the door.  (I guess you could just fake putting the key in the lock too, but that would be annoying for the actor.) 
2) During the Tom Baker era (and much if not all of Pertwee) the conventional lock was just part of the TARDIS' disguise and the "spade"/"ankh" key opened the TARDIS.  While they had a slick false keyhole for the 1996 movie, in the old TV series there was just a big ugly slot in the door. I think the best story to see this would be "The Android Invasion," where Sarah puts the key in the lock and the TARDIS dematerializes.  There's got to be at least one good still of the TARDIS with the key in the lock, but I don't feel like looking for one right now. 

Looking at some pictures of the Newbery box on this site, it appears that the lock had a working latch, you can see the bracket for the latch on the inside of the left door behind the dummy phone hatch.
*EDIT* image added! What a palaver!!

[fivefingeredstyre]

I'm not an expert, but if remmeber correctly, the newberry boxes where made out of wood and fiber glass polymer résine. At the time, this matérial was fairly "new" and maybe there was à fear of craking it by drilling in to it ?... Idk if it makes sens

I used to think it was made of fibreglass, as well, but was corrected by Purple years back (It was the angled panels that made me think it was pulled from a mould).

Apparently its all wood.

Going back to the original question, I'm guessing they never got around to fitting handles....

[fivefingeredstyre]

(I guess you could just fake putting the key in the lock too, but that would be annoying for the actor.)

Pertwee did that for most of his tenure...

[soniced-up]

I'm not an expert, but if remmeber correctly, the newberry boxes where made out of wood and fiber glass polymer résine. At the time, this matérial was fairly "new" and maybe there was à fear of craking it by drilling in to it ?... Idk if it makes sens

I used to think it was made of fibreglass, as well, but was corrected by Purple years back (It was the angled panels that made me think it was pulled from a mould).

Apparently its all wood.

Going back to the original question, I'm guessing they never got around to fitting handles....

Four years that prop was in use and they couldn't get around to fitting a handle?
That puts my putting off DIY to shame!

[fivefingeredstyre]

Four years that prop was in use and they couldn't get around to fitting a handle?
That puts my putting off DIY to shame!

Yeah, I mean I'm only guessing but I cant see any practical restrictions as to why the handles weren't fitted and they were actually specified on Barry Newbery's original plans for the box (which wound up looking nothing like the finished product...)

My money's on the box being called into service before they could be fitted and they just got left off. Just like the SJA sign as well

[soniced-up]

Four years that prop was in use and they couldn't get around to fitting a handle?
That puts my putting off DIY to shame!

Yeah, I mean I'm only guessing but I cant see any practical restrictions as to why the handles weren't fitted and they were actually specified on Barry Newbery's original plans for the box (which wound up looking nothing like the finished product...)

My money's on the box being called into service before they could be fitted and they just got left off. Just like the SJA sign as well

I looked over the plans- if it had been built as per the spec, it would've looked quite authentic.
God knows how it ended up as it did!