The Newport Police Box

[jaguwa68]

I also found this, which offers a bit more historical information, as well as a photo and a clue to the location of the third box. Interesting to note that this particular box was white, so if we assume this is the original intended colour, then it can only be in honour of the TARDIS that the council chose blue when restoring the Last of the Time Capsules!  

http://www.britishtelephones.com/pakiosk.htm

[starcross]

I also found this, which offers a bit more historical information, as well as a photo and a clue to the location of the third box. Interesting to note that this particular box was white, so if we assume this is the original intended colour, then it can only be in honour of the TARDIS that the council chose blue when restoring the Last of the Time Capsules!  

Historically speaking, there is an account somewhere on the net about that Newport Box's last days. Apparently before they were demolished someone tried to persuade council not to demolish them, as we know now, they weren't successful.

The Up shot to this is that a little Indiana Jones style rescuing of artifacts and photos were taken. One such artifact is the Lantern on top, and some of the other electrical items still left inside the box. The lantern has now since changed hands, and I don't know what collection its been hidden away in. Something like that just demands a regenerated Police box underneath.



I'll see if I can locate the account if the website is still around; It was likely part of the Tardis Library.

As for the color being blue, I imagine that the last time it was painted it was for the Tardis that Blue was chosen. Given it wore a Baker era scarf for the last 20 something years. The reason it was restored to blue was likely because it was blue when it was listed as a Grade II historical artifact.

This is amazing! Allt-yr-yn Road and only about 100 metres from my house!

If you liked that check this out, I think its the correct background, but it was the closest I could get with streetview anyway. Maybe  you can get a photo that is a better match?



~Starcross

[jaguwa68]

Went for a walk today and took this shot for comparison.

[Rassilons Rod]

Good work

It's a real shame, I think, that the old roundabout has made way for the new. The old one was still functional but far more attractive than this one. Takes some of the character away from the area, I think...

Even in the older colour shot they had some flowers in there... But anyway. Where is the box now? I wonder why they didn't chose to put it back there...

-Marc

[galacticprobe]

They probably figured it was easier this way: less maintenance. They wouldn't have to repaint the box when it started to flake (or clean it off if it had gotten graffitied), and it's easier to just cut grass without having to navigate around a box that big. (And leaving out the flowers means not having to weed, hence we return to simply cutting grass.)

All just guesswork on my part, but it does seem a plausible answer.

Dino.

[Rassilons Rod]

Yeah, but I mean it's not just the Police Box. It would be cool if it was still there, but we're used to them having gone the way of all things. But the styling of the thing in general. The old one had the cool old-fashioned chain fence and so on.

Less maintenance seems to be the way to go these days. Look at all those steel and glass buildings we have now... Oh well.

[bfg1981]

I was passing the Newport Police Box a few months ago so decided to take a picture.
Unfortunately it's starting to look unloved again 

Richard.

[galacticprobe]

After seeing that graffiti on the poor box, I'm surprised no one's scrawled "BAD WOLF" on her yet.

Time to organizing a "Painting Party" and get some friends to help you repaint the box! (Unless things like that aren't legal in the UK, in which case, forget I even suggested it.)

Dino.

[bfg1981]

It's terribly faded now. I'll see if I can get hold of someone at Newport Council.

Richard.

[lorisarvendu]

Unfortunately even though local Councils can designate objects like this as items worthy of preservation, and even allocate funds for their upkeep, they can't stop ordinary human beings from defacing and damaging them, short of putting up CCTV or paying a security firm for 24/7 protection (or even surrounding the object with an impassible fence). 

Certain local elements just see it as something with a new paint job that is just asking for graffiti.  The only real way to protect old Police Boxes is to remove them to a museum where the only access is by admission.  You don't see the Crich box covered in graffiti and smelling of urine.

[galacticprobe]

It's terribly faded now. I'll see if I can get hold of someone at Newport Council.

Good idea, just to make sure that you don't get arrested while repainting it. (They might even give you the proper color blue that they used on it.)

Unfortunately even though local Councils can designate objects like this as items worthy of preservation, and even allocate funds for their upkeep, they can't stop ordinary human beings from defacing and damaging them, short of putting up CCTV or paying a security firm for 24/7 protection (or even surrounding the object with an impassible fence).

Well, then the local Councils shouldn't object if a group approaches them to get permission to do the painting for them. If it's a volunteer project, the Councils shouldn't have to allocate any funds for the paint, though it would be nice for the volunteers if they did.

Certain local elements just see it as something with a new paint job that is just asking for graffiti.

Odd. One would think that the faded, neglected look would be what's calling out for graffiti since no one is maintaining it. (At least most times in the States that's when things get graffitied: when they've been neglected; things that are maintained usually stay clean - aside from bird droppings.)

The only real way to protect old Police Boxes is to remove them to a museum where the only access is by admission.

And the downside of that is that the general public only sees the removal of the box and will probably never see it again unless someone puts up a sign letting everyone know that they can still see the box, but only if they travel to the museum and pay money. I'm a huge believer in the preservation of historic items, but also a believer that not all of those items need to be locked away from the general public until they pay some admission.

You don't see the Crich box covered in graffiti and smelling of urine.

That box got very lucky, but not all boxes have museums willing to take them, or have room for them.

It's a nice idea, but not completely feasible.

Dino.

[lorisarvendu]

Hi Dino

Sadly my words are merely comments on what things are like in the UK.  A newly-painted wall (like a blank piece of paper) seems to be an invitation to a certain crowd to get out the spray can.  That's really how it is over here.  Nothing new stays new before somebody with no talent scrawls something unintelligible across it with a paint can.  So many things are vandalised in our town centres these days.  I agree that putting things behind walls or into museums does take it away from public view, but the alternative is as you see here.  This is what happens in this country.  I don't think you'll find a single bus stop or public phone box in the UK that hasn't had a window smashed, melted with cigarette ends, paint job scratched, or scrawled with permanent marker.  Kids as young as 11 do this sort of thing all the while. 

Trust me, repainting that box will just provide someone with a fresh canvas for abuse.  Ironically the more graffiti there is over something, the less attractive it is to anyone with a spray can.

[bfg1981]

It was actually in worse condition than the photo shows. It looks like the concrete is cracking again.
Richard.

[galacticprobe]

lorisarvendu, I'm so sorry to hear things are that bad over there. That sort of thing irks me no end. As one who strongly believes in preserving historic items, things like this make me want to stand by a repeatedly vandalized item and guard it with a 12 gauge loaded with rock salt, and warn prospective vandals to bugger off. And if they don't, pepper their backsides with the rock salt and let that burn away at them so they can't sit for a week, and think about the next time they might get that urge to deface something... and wonder if the "Salt Gun Guy" will be waiting in the shadows for them. (Hmmm... "peppering" their backsides; I'd probably throw a few pepper corns into that rock salt and really make their backsides burn - for two weeks!)

But you'd think that, after having the graffiti painted over so many times, they'd get tired of wasting their paint on that object and move on to some other object - like a bridge underpass (which could always use a little livening up), and leave the "blue box" alone.

Dino.

[bfg1981]

I passed the box again this evening. It's looking pretty patchy again. It's not being well cared for as posters are plastered on it and green moss stuff on the roof 
Richard.