Earl's Court Box

[Doctor Iz]

The cladding looks like it is router'd in the same fashion as the new series build... and the panels are more square... perhaps this was box had some influence in the design of the new series prop?

It's a shame that the phone panel door is missing! 

[chrisrowand]

Well spotted Dr Iz.
I actually did not realise the Earls Court Box was wooden. I assumed it, like the ones that preceded it, was made of concrete.
Which wood. was used.. Teak? Oak? Anybody know.

[purpleblancmange]

If anyone has collected DWM over the years, check out the issues around the time of the TV movie, there was a very small item on the box being built, showing it in a workshop half constructed.  It's claimed that the original Trench plans were used and even mentions the type of wood that it was made from.  Unfortunately all my issues are packed away, so I don't have them to hand.

If you look at the corner post beading, they're not quadrants either, they're 3/4 rounds!  Another little design variation.

[avadh]

Most of the real tardis type policeboxes were concrete and some were wood which were made from burmese teak. The concrete ones had doors which were made from teak. One of my favourite boxes which I am still yet to meet one day. Hopefully.

[throgmorton]

Heres Some more pics of the Earls Court Watch Box. 
Note its called a Watch Box and not a Police Public Call Box.


This should alleviate any doubt that this Box is made from wood.

Check out the large pozidrive screws.
Also the roofing felt thats been fold over in the corner of the roof.
Held in place with 'roofing felt' nails.
And the wood grain thats really prominent.








Brass sign with the builders company on it.
Built by Carpenters so its  wood me's a thinking.




The companies that contributed to the venture back in 1996.



Im sure it would be possible for those who wish to know what wood was used to contact Track Team Carpenters at Lillie bridge depot and ask them direct?

Chris E 

[purpleblancmange]

Interesting set of numbers there, I notice that some key numbers actually match those of the NST... coincidence?  Probably.

Not quite sure what you mean about the exhibition NST being smaller than the screen version - in what way do you mean?

[pod]

I was just expecting it to be a lot bigger, the NST version is obviousy a lot bigger than the classic version, but the exhibition NST looked to me to be closer in size to the classic. Am I mistaken here? I just assumed the exhibition version was some type of mock-up for these purposes. Can anyone clarify it's origins?

[purpleblancmange]

I was just expecting it to be a lot bigger, the NST version is obviousy a lot bigger than the classic version, but the exhibition NST looked to me to be closer in size to the classic. Am I mistaken here? I just assumed the exhibition version was some type of mock-up for these purposes. Can anyone clarify it's origins?

No it's not a mock up, the exhibition one is identical (pretty much) to the screen version as it was moulded directly off of the prop as used from The Christmas Invasion onwards.  As to where it came from, well that's easy; from a prop company in Cardiff who also sometimes employs a TARDIS Rebuilder.

[DoctorWho8]

No it's not a mock up, the exhibition one is identical (pretty much) to the screen version as it was moulded directly off of the prop as used from The Christmas Invasion onwards.  As to where it came from, well that's easy; from a prop company in Cardiff who also sometimes employs a TARDIS Rebuilder.

Said exhibition prop can be seen with said TARDIS Rebuilder in his very own Avatar complete with paint brush finishing it up for said Coronation Street episode shown within the past year.  Am I correct?
Bill Rudloff

[purpleblancmange]

Bill, almost correct.  The one in my avatar was loaned to the East Enders crew and now stands out in BBC TV Centre's audience entrance - the one at Earls Court is a much earlier build.  There's about 7 of the things dotted around the country, might even be more, I lose count these days. 

My only regret with these boxes are that each of them, while very well made, have a few details on them that aren't quite right depending on how long the build window was and what furnishings were available at the time.

Anyway - without diverting this thread further away from the original topic...

[pod]

If it's of any use to anybody, I visited the Earls Court box last week during the tail end of my UK visit (also went to the exhibition!!!) and I spent some time taking measurements, and here they are:
Door panel width including bevel: 29 cm
Door panel width without bevel: 27 cm
Door panel height including bevel: 34.5 cm
Door panel hight without bevel: 33 cm
Width of stiles above/beneath panels: 10 cm without bevels
Centre divider width: 4 cm
Base width: 143 cm
Corner post width: 17.5 cm
Corner post width without dowelled/bevelled corners: 12.5 cm
Box width: 137 cm
"Police Public Call Box" sign housing length: 122.5 cm
"Police Public Call Box" sign housing width: 17 cm
Height to topof corner post from ground (not inc post cap): 233 cm (approx)
Between centre divider and door panel: 9 cm without bevel
Door width: 47.5

When comparing these measurements when I got home to my own version which was built based on the brachaki plans, it turns out that the Earls Court box is indeed shorter and squatter.

Also, I was the only punter at the Dr Who exhibition so I cheekily measured the base width of the NST there (although it clearly was smaller than the screen version), it was 149 cm across.

[lorisarvendu]

A trip to the Natural History Museum wouldn't be complete without cajoling and persuading the wife to let me go two more stops on the tube to visit the box at Earls Court.  Hint: if you have kids, get them on your side by asking them if they want to see a real TARDIS. Reluctant wives have no chance!

Here's Amy & Andrew looking suitably underwhelmed.



Here's a closeup of the front lock.



And those non-standard windows.



The sign-box construction is interesting.  I don't know if this is original or repair-work.



Now then, this is the little plaque on the left side.



And here's the sign on the panel, same side.



A nice detailed corner shot.



Now you can see where the panel sign & plaque are.



Bye bye Earls Court Box.  I'm sorely tempted to build a model of you!

[hb88banzai]

A closeup of top sign and pillar detail -




What the phone door sign looked like before it went missing -




And the St. John Badge -




Which appears to be this one -




There is a brief but interesting tour of the box from 2006 here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kElea2qRdRs&feature=related

[Avadh]

If you look at the window frames of the box you will notice they are very similiar to the NST Eccleston/Tennant Tardis. It seems that the window frames of the Eccleston/Tennant Tardis had some influence from the Earls Court Police Box from what I can see of it anyway.

[hb88banzai]

Not just the windows - look at the sign on the Phone Door. Highly suggestive of the Eccleston/Tennant sign.

No other Metropolitan Police Box and no other TARDIS have had Phone Door signs consisting of metal plates that are riveted or screwed on in four corners like these are. Changed for Matt Smith's TARDIS, but still quite an interesting bit of cross-talk.