Blue Police Boxes - Ten Facts on the Inspiration Behind the TARDIS
We all know the blue police phone box is iconic as the TARDIS in Doctor Who, appearing in almost every episode.
But how much do we know about the real blue phone boxes? Here are ten facts about the inspiration behind the TARDIS.
But how much do we know about the real blue phone boxes? Here are ten facts about the inspiration behind the TARDIS.
- The TARDIS is based on a 1960's version of a Gilbert MacKenzie Trench design.
The original Gilbert Mackenzie Trench design was from 1929 and was made out of concrete, with a teak wood door.
- Most police telephone boxes were blue, however those in Glasgow were red - and stayed red until the 1960's.
- Police telephone boxes first appeared in Albany, New York in 1877 - a year after Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone.
The first UK police telephone box looked nothing like the design used for the TARDIS.
It was hexagonal, cast iron, painted red, with a gas lantern fixed to the roof. - Rectangular wooden box police telephone boxes were introduced throughout London between 1928 and 1937.
They contained not only a telephone, located behind a hinged door so it can be accessed from the outside, but also a stool, table, incident book, fire extinguisher and small heater.
They even had brushes and dusters so the constable could keep the inside clean and tidy! - There were two main variations to the design, as it was expensive to make - the MK1 and MK2 - variations included the wording above the door; the MK1 stated "POLICE" and the MK2 stated "POLICE (public call) BOX".
Other changes were as a result of budget constrictions in the different areas where the phone boxes were situated. - When decommissioning started in 1959, they had to be dismantled where they stood.
This involved blowing them apart with a small explosion, as they weighed 2½ tonnes. - Some old police telephone boxes were converted into cafes and bars - especially in Edinburgh.
- In 1997 a new box based on MacKenzie design was built outside Earl's Court Tube Station.
It was equipped with CCTV cameras and a telephone.
In 2005, after previous funding ran out, the Metropolitan Police took over the restoration and maintenance of this box as, thanks to Doctor Who, it has proved to be a bit of a tourist attraction. - None of the BBC replicas have ever been faithful to the original Mackenzie design.
Changes include alterations in height, dimensions and colour, changes to the windows and positioning of the St John badge. - A Police phone box in Somerton, Newport, South Wales was saved by Dr Who fans.
The listed building has stood for 75 years and was saved by winning a grant of £10,500 to restore it.
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