10 Years of New Series TARDISes

[DoctorWho8]

The yellow lines show the width differences in the vertical stiles on the doors.  Now I think what I have as the 2011 might be the promotional prop.  If anyone has a good straight on shot of the TARDIS prop used in Series 6 or Series 7A, let me know and I'll swap it out.
Bill "the Doctor" Rudloff

[Kingpin]

Yikes, has it been 9 years already?  Wow.

[superrichi1a]

Interesting to see them all stacked together like this, it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking in that modern Who is must more consistent with the police box props than the classic series, but when one stops to think about it there is as much variation now as ever!

Just to sort this out in my own head, here's the list of builds since 2004 I have to mind, is it correct or have I missed anything?
(excluding refurbs and promotional boxes)

2004 - Wood Eccleston Hero Prop 1
2004-2008, 2013 - Wood Eccleston Hero Prop 2
2008-2010, 2013 - Fibreglass Tennant Prop

2010-2011 - Wood Smith Hero Prop 1
2010 - Wood Smith Hero Prop 2
2011 - Wood Smith Prop 3
2012-2013 - Wood Smith Prop 4
2013-? - Wood Capaldi Prop

This would make for a grand total of 8 props since 2004, with the Moffat years being particularly "wasteful" in terms of the props they get through.
Two queries I have, if anyone wishes to chime in, are firstly, there was some talk a few years ago of a promotional box replacing Smith Hero 2 when it went to live at the Doctor Who Experience, and a few months later the promotional box from BBC Centre cropped up during Children in Need. This stopped being talked about though when pictures of Smith Hero Prop 3 being constructed emerged, then by analysis of the lamps during series 6 one can see this, and Hero 1, were the only two in use. What do we reckon? Was a promotional box ever used and should be added to the list? The issue becomes muddled somewhat by the change from the anchor lantern to the New Haven lantern, the main distinguishing feature, but this was only during series 7, with prop 4, which had distinctly narrower panels. Surely we would have noticed if a 2010 promotional box was in the circuit?
Secondly, do we think Capaldi's box is a totally new build, or a heavily refurbished 2010 Hero Prop 2? A lot of the small details differ significantly, but the general dimensions of the panels match up, and it's interesting Hero 2 was replaced by Hero 4 in the Experience a few months before the Proms, where this new Capaldi prop likely made its debut (I think we never proved that, but the overall shape and timescale match... that and this controversial TARDIS Tour guide I met, which certain members have tried to discredit, but who turned out to be right on many details, and was fired by the Beeb for revealing too much to visitors). In which case there would have been 7 props since 2004, along with 4 "front facades", 3 going on their respective TARDIS console rooms, and the 4th being a waterproof stand-in for the flooded submarine scene in "Cold War".

[DoctorWho8]

The Series 8 box is a new build. The corner posts are narrower and doors and walls seem to be set back further on the corner posts.
Bill "the Doctor" Rudloff.

[mr mcgoo]

Where is that Capaldi/Series 8 box photo from? I don't think I've seen that one before.

[Kingpin]

Looks like it's from the filming session where were got more of a look at his new costume.

[DoctorWho8]

Kingpin is correct.  It's from last week's location filming.  Google search Capaldi TARDIS and in the search options select 1 week and you'll find it.
Bill "the Doctor" Rudloff

[willgillies]

Would it be cheeky to ask for a list of what episodes or seasons each box has appeared in? It helps noobs like me with telling them apart the more subtle changes, obviously.

[galacticprobe]

There are a lot of references pages out there, but I generally find this one to be the best and most concise for detailing all the little changes through the years:

http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/~trekker/policeboxes/props.html

Here's NotaMountainGoat's post from another thread. The link will take you to one of our members' sites where there is a detailed description of each of the TARDIS props from the Pilot Brachacki through to the 10th Doctor's TARDIS. (Just click on the link for that TARDIS version. It will give you the "name" of the version and the years that version was in use.) As to nailing down which episodes each version was in, well, that's a bit more complicated. In both the Classic and New Series, certain TARDIS prop versions were interchanged from one story or episode to the next. The best thing would be to just stick to the year a certain TARDIS version was in use. Trying to get into too many specifics with the TARDIS will drive you mad!

Dino.

[NotaMountainGoat]

Man, I guess I clearly need to work on my observational skills. If it wasn't for this site, I never would have realized there were so many different Smith and Capaldi boxes! 

I assumed they must have built exact copies for backup or 2nd unit filming or something, but I never suspected they were slightly changing the design over the years as well.

[willgillies]

Yes, read the article thanks.

I was referring to the New Series props, specifically, and the article is a bit lacking post 2005 props wise.

[superrichi1a]

Well someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but here's the sketch I have in my head:

Throughout series 1 two props were used, and I think at this early stage it would be impossible to pin down which one was which. One of them developed damage to the sign box sometime during filming, but given the episodes weren't broadcast in filming order trying to identify this throughout would be very tricky.
During series 2 and 3 one of these was retired and one was kept going, they were pretty much identical anyway so not too much to worry about (I believe this was Hero 2 in my list above). At some point the base of the prop was damaged and replaced with a wider one, although it's difficult to tell when, probably late series 3 filming.
In series 4 a new prop was built, this was darker in colour and slightly smaller. This was used in tandem with the previous box almost randomly - it would be possible to identify which is which most of the time I think, if you had the time. I think notably the new one is obvious in the first two episodes.
In the specials, this new prop was used throughout, and in the Eleventh Hour.
Finally, this build reappeared as the Hurt TARDIS, whilst the previous prop reappeared as Tennant's once again.
Smith had two prop throughout series 5, I believe one was indoor and one outdoor filming, and I believe the indoor one remained throughout series 6. In series 6 there was a second prop build for outdoor use, as the first was sent off to the DWE, there is some debate about whether the first prop was used in series 6 for a time too, you may have seen the thread. I believe it was, but can't prove it, and I'm slowly watching series 6 to try and spot it (I reckon it was used until "The Rebel Flesh" then replaced).
Series 7B and the 50th had one, new, single prop, the "7B" prop, with a different lantern, paint and panel size.
The Christmas special had a new prop too, not sure if it's the same one Capaldi's using, haven't checked, but it seems logical that it is. This prop most likely debuted at the proms.

^I throw that to the forum to improve on, that's my understanding but I could be wrong
Thanks and I hope I helped

[DoctorWho8]

The Time of the Doctor TARDIS prop is the Capaldi/Series 8 box.
Bill "the Doctor" Rudloff

[galacticprobe]

Throughout series 1 two props were used, and I think at this early stage it would be impossible to pin down which one was which. One of them developed damage to the sign box sometime during filming, but given the episodes weren't broadcast in filming order trying to identify this throughout would be very tricky.
During series 2 and 3 one of these was retired and one was kept going, they were pretty much identical...

I know Bill will correct me if I'm wrong, but at some point during Series 1 at least one of the TARDIS props was altered so the doors (and the back wall?) had narrower inset panels on them, making them less "square" than those on the side walls. (Check Bill's drawings in the Plans section to see what I mean. I think the plans on display at the DWE also show the original prop's front doors with slightly squarer panels than the later Series 1 prop.)

I heard rumors the production and props department made the changes because from the front, people complained that the TARDIS looked to "squat" due to the square door panels. One of Bill's drawings shows how they narrowed the doors without having to build a completely new prop, which also explains why from the side the Series 1-4 props (and probably the Series 5-7a props) have inset panels that are almost completely square.

So that's one way of telling the difference between an early Series 1 prop from a later Series 1 prop: narrower door panels. (I just don't know if they'd made that modification to all of the Series 1 TARDIS props, or just the hero prop.)

Standing by for corrections, Bill.

Dino.

[DoctorWho8]

I believe BOTH TV props had the narrower door panel insets.  There was at least one, maybe two promotional props made that had the doors with the wider panel insets.
Bill "the Doctor" Rudloff