Red Telephone boxes

AnthonyRail · 7 Mar 2020

Is anyone aware of a location list for remaining red telephone boxes. Ive sent myself a challenge to photo when I see one.

RailUK Forums

Peter Mugridge · 7 Mar 2020

I'm not aware of a list, but there's two between Limehouse station and the Thames, near to where the Limehouse Basin opens to the river.

Then of course there's the famous "sculpture" in Kingston upon Thames, but I suspect you're only really looking for boxes that are still "in situ" and in use?

najaB · 7 Mar 2020

I don't know of a specific list anywhere, but a useful search term is "K6 telephone box" - K6 being the 'model'.

RichT54 · 7 Mar 2020

najaB said:
I don't know of a specific list anywhere, but a useful search term is "K6 telephone box" - K6 being the 'model'.

Try: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/results/?searchType=NHLE+Simple&search=k6+kiosk

pdeaves · 7 Mar 2020

Does your red phone box have to have a phone in it? For that matter, does it still have to be red? In villages often I pass through, lots of old phone boxes are now defibrillator holders or book exchanges (the latter usually repainted).

trainmania100 · 7 Mar 2020

Used to be one opposite Brighton theatre royal, albeit not working I think it was used for art

BanburyBlue · 7 Mar 2020

najaB said:
I don't know of a specific list anywhere, but a useful search term is "K6 telephone box" - K6 being the 'model'.

You also need to add K2. These are older but still around, especially in London. They look a bit chunkier than a K6, and you can tell the difference but looking at the window panels. In a k2 all the windows are the same size, whereas with a K6 the middle pane is bigger with 2 smaller side panes. I’m not sure if any K8’s were preserved in real use? These were introduced I think in the 1970s, and were the kiosks with the single big panes of glass.

AnthonyRail · 7 Mar 2020

pdeaves said:
Does your red phone box have to have a phone in it? For that matter, does it still have to be red? In villages often I pass through, lots of old phone boxes are now defibrillator holders or book exchanges (the latter usually repainted).

Just the box is fine whatever its use now

AnthonyRail · 7 Mar 2020

RichT54 said:
Try: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/results/?searchType=NHLE+Simple&search=k6+kiosk

Thats exactly whst im after. Thanks

Busaholic · 7 Mar 2020

Come to Penzance - almost all the dozen or so that were here twenty years ago still are, and apparently in use. One day the mobile phone will get down this far. :lol:

Non Multi · 7 Mar 2020

Do visit the prototype K2 located at the main entrance of Burlington House (the Royal Academy of Art) on Piccadilly, London. It's just behind the left column of the main entrance arch.

westv · 7 Mar 2020

There is one located at the St Katherine Docks area in London.

AM9 · 8 Mar 2020

Are the ones sunk in the ground almost to the roof in the Olympic park at Stratford still there?

GusB · 8 Mar 2020

Sadly it's getting more difficult to find any phone boxes these days, red or otherwise. Where once we had two K6s in the village, we're down to one modern one (KX100, I think) and it's on BT's next "consultation" list for removal.

There are three local K6s that I can think of right away: Kingston (on Spey), Pluscarden (where?!) and Findhorn. The former is in use as a defibrillator cabinet, but I'm not sure if the others still serve their original purpose. You don't have to venture too far from populated areas before mobile signal becomes very patchy, and it's one of the reasons why I opted for a dual-sim phone.

alex397 · 8 Mar 2020

There are still many in Kent, mostly inactive or with a defibrillator box, but certainly some still operational. Sadly, many in Canterbury for example are covered in graffiti, with glass smashed, and pungent smells coming from them. There are at least 3 in the St Dunstans area near to Canterbury West Station - it is a historical area so I wonder if they have been kept there for this reason - I have seen some brave tourists going inside them for the iconic photograph.

najaB · 8 Mar 2020

GusB said:
Sadly it's getting more difficult to find any phone boxes these days, red or otherwise.

True. But the rise of the mobile has lead to the death of the public payphone. There are many phone boxes that have single digit numbers of calls made per month, and some with as many per year.

It's not fair on BT as a private company to have to spend hundreds (or if vandalised, thousands) of pounds to maintain phone boxes that very few (if any) people use.

GusB · 8 Mar 2020

najaB said:
True. But the rise of the mobile has lead to the death of the public payphone. There are many phone boxes that have single digit numbers of calls made per month, and some with as many per year.

It's not fair on BT as a private company to have to spend hundreds (or if vandalised, thousands) of pounds to maintain phone boxes that very few (if any) people use.

Oh I completely understand that they're costing money with very little use, and I can see why BT want to get rid of them. I certainly cannot remember the last time I used one, and I had to double-check that we actually still had one nearby. I had walked past it so many times that I'd forgotten it was there.

It's good that BT are allowing communities to adopt older boxes rather than just ripping them out completely.

I have fond memories of being taken to the local call box (2p and 5p coins in those days) and being made to wait outside while my mum called various family members. Occasionally a neighbour would gab to their relatives for too long, and I'd be dragged down the road to the next cluster of boxes* instead. Maybe those memories of being made to stand outside in the cold aren't so fond after all, come to think of it!

* One of the boxes down the road was actually a K8, which then seemed awfy modern compared to the boring old K6

Non Multi · 8 Mar 2020

The Avonscroft museum, near Bromsgrove is home to the national collection of telephone kiosks. Unfortunately as these are in perfect condition and full working order, it won't be the authentic payphone experience for those too young to remember using them!

furnessvale · 8 Mar 2020

There are six in a line in Market St Preston, with a 7th a few yards away. I believe the line used to be 9 strong but I understand demand has dropped a little.

brendarick778 · 10 Mar 2020

wow..good luck with the project

John Griffiths · 11 Mar 2020

There's a very rare K4 just over the road from Whitley Bay metro on Tyneside. 1932, only 50 made, incorporates stamp machine and post box.

Journeyman · 13 Mar 2020

K8s are getting very rare these days. Spotted this nice one at Worcester Shrub Hill recently.

Journeyman · 13 Mar 2020

BanburyBlue said:
You also need to add K2. These are older but still around, especially in London. They look a bit chunkier than a K6, and you can tell the difference but looking at the window panels. In a k2 all the windows are the same size, whereas with a K6 the middle pane is bigger with 2 smaller side panes. I’m not sure if any K8’s were preserved in real use? These were introduced I think in the 1970s, and were the kiosks with the single big panes of glass.

There's a functional K8 at Worcester Shrub Hill station. Can't be many of those left now. Is there still one on the platform at Earl's Court, with an LT auto-phone in it?

Bobdogs · 13 Mar 2020

If you're in West Wales;
SN505275, on the road junction, in the middle of nowhere.
SN455261 on the road junction also in the middle of nowhere.
Many more scattered around here.

robvulpes · 13 Mar 2020

One in Ravenglass, west Cumbria, on the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway platform. Still had phone equipment in it last year when I last saw it, but non-operational.

westv · 13 Mar 2020

Is Hull the only UK city with no red boxes?

najaB · 13 Mar 2020

westv said:
Is Hull the only UK city with no red boxes?

It will be one of the few to never have had any, through the GPO/BT not having inheriting the Universal Service Obligation.

Shimbleshanks · 13 Mar 2020

You could also try and have a look at Unicorn Restoration's yard in Merstham, Surrey. Not sure how many they have left now, but at one time they had hundreds. You could get a brief glimpse of them travelling by train via Redhill.
https://www.unicornrestorations.com/

Marton · 14 Mar 2020

Don’t forget the Green BT box at Fangdsld Beck Bilsdale N Yorkshire.

It’s listed I believe.

D16 · 15 Mar 2020

Seen in January 2020 is this disused and dilapidated phone box on Gorse Lane, Fradley Junction, near the Trent & Mersey Canal. Even though it's seen better days I think it still looks good.

20200119_Fradley K6 for UKRail Forum.jpg

Red Telephone boxes

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