Charing Cross Box

[chriskingbees]

Not exactly a new picture, but a slightly enhanced one;




This is likely from the forties. The first thing someone noticed when I first posted this picture, is that the window on the door (The right side as we view) is lower than the left, and may we presume the panels too. The other day I noticed (This picture rotates as my desktop) is the handle on the PULL TO OPEN panel is on the "Wrong" side . Maybe the Eighth Doctor took the train after 1996, or before, if you know what I mean

KB

[peted]

Hi Chris... the phone panel hinged on the right with the handle on the left was quite common. I'll dig out some pics that show it.

[peted]

Notice the first picture, the window frames have been painted blue, but they are clearly still white on the inside. I think when they went round repainting met boxes, they simply couldn't be bothered to take two lots of paint out, like in this pic:


I think there may have been a fair amount of mk1 redressed boxes that had a similar look, as they used leaded window panes, notcast iron types:

[chriskingbees]

Thanks Pete, I was hoping you'd pick up on this. The picture of WPC putting the key in the lock clearly shows the weather ledge above the little door too. Never tire of seeing your archive pics, isn't that Hammersmith picture a good 'un.

KB

[mordrogyn]

Interesting about that weather ledge, it appears on most of those pics if you look carefully.

[hb88banzai]

Not exactly a new picture, but a slightly enhanced one;



(snip)

KB

Current street view to match the picture (blast all ill-placed delivery vans!) --



And here is the full original picture --


Head on shot of the site location --



And in close up - front wall of Box (facing to the right) was about even with where the left hand edge of the ledge below the arched windows meets the wall (rather than where that enticing manhole cover and different coloured patch of concrete is) --



Box Site Street View URL:  http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=Charing+Cross+station,+City+of+London,+London&hl=en&ll=51.507207,-0.121922&spn=0.000027,0.021179&sll=51.419376,-0.293037&sspn=0.003466,0.008025&oq=charring,+London&hq=London&t=m&layer=c&cbll=51.507203,-0.121928&panoid=ApVb1mnGvCCXuTOAeqTd7A&cbp=12,290.91,,0,0.26&hnear=Charing+Cross+station,+Strand,+London,+WC2+5HS,+United+Kingdom&fll=51.507193,-0.121922&fspn=0.004033,0.021179&z=16

Here is the full original picture (hasn't been posted in this topic yet) --

[hb88banzai]

A couple more photos of this Box courtesy of petewilson.

Dated as from the 1960s and taken from the rail bridge just to the south of the Embankment Underground entrance --





Blowups of these --





And one of the first photo in the Topic --

[Dalekoracle]

it's in the trees...

[Dalekoracle]

A clearer version of the photo posted on Feb 18 2013

Mark

[petewilson]

Here's a re-edited version of Mark's Photo!  

I also had to change the shoe colour of the woman crossing the road...One black and one white shoe...really!!

[realboxmike]

This is a close up of A52 taken sometime early in the 1960s first time for uploading so lets hope it works!!!


Edit: Corrected Box number typo and deleted separate correction post -- hb88banzai

[lorisarvendu]

That's a superb photo, and very noticeable how the panels on the door are slightly lower than the panels on the left.

[hb88banzai]

Mike, that's a Brilliant photo of A52!

It's a late model Mark 3, like M1 (and likely most all of the other inner division boxes). The three main door hinges instead of only two is the giveaway.

Great to see another good shot of a number plate as well. Interesting that there doesn't appear to be any telephone use instructions posted on the inner phone cupboard door (under the number plate) on this particular Box, at least at this point in time.

[petewilson]

A different view from the early 1940's......

[Dalekoracle]

What a wonderful photo! Thanks for sharing!