Police call boxes

[Les Bird]

A rather obscure question perhaps but one related to a small corner of my layout featuring one of these call boxes. Does anyone know what colour the light on the top was which flashed to advise the local beat bobby to call? I know the obvious instinct is to say blue but, for some reason, i had an idea it was red.

[br2975]

Such police boxes were uncommon in the South Wales area, albeit there were a handful, generally the light was blue.

[Steamport Southport]

52 minutes ago, Les Bird said:

A rather obscure question perhaps but one related to a small corner of my layout featuring one of these call boxes. Does anyone know what colour the light on the top was which flashed to advise the local beat bobby to call? I know the obvious instinct is to say blue but, for some reason, i had an idea it was red.

 

Blue like the lamps that were outside police stations in the same era.

 

Red lights would signify something totally different!

 

 

 

Jason

 

[Les Bird]

Good point! I'll leave mine blue.

[Titan]

From what I understand is that they were white.

 

Here is some rare footage of one flashing, unintentionally caught on camera whilst filming "The Plank"

 

 

 

Edited December 12, 2023 by Titan

[Nearholmer]

The glass light diffusers were surrounded by an expanded metal mesh screen, presumably as a precaution against mischievous boys with catapults, and that was painted blue.

 

 

 

So the answer is probably a white light that looked blue when not lit.

Edited December 12, 2023 by Nearholmer

[Michael Hodgson]

 

[Nearholmer]

Messrs Meccano were clearly in doubt too, because they painted the light on the Dinky one red, despite it being made when police boxes were common …… unless the lamps on the Merseyside ones really were red.

[Nearholmer]

This is all very confusing!

 

From reading around, I’m beginning to think that in London (other cities also used them), the lamps originally had exposed glass, and that these were replaced by lamps with the mesh over the glass (Blitz precaution maybe?). 
 

I’ve also found reference to the lamps originally being red, although the glass itself seems to have been plain, not coloured, so presumably red bulbs.

 

 

 

Edited December 13, 2023 by Nearholmer

[Michael Hodgson]

16 hours ago, Nearholmer said:

This is all very confusing!

 

From reading around, I’m beginning to think that in London (other cities also used them), the lamps originally had exposed glass, and that these were replaced by lamps with the mesh over the glass (Blitz precaution maybe?). 
 

I’ve also found reference to the lamps originally being red, although the glass itself seems to have been plain, not coloured, so presumably red bulbs.

No, surely Sir Robert Peel would have installed oil lamps and used red oil.

[Andy Kirkham]

Which cities had them?

[iands]

2 minutes ago, Andy Kirkham said:

Which cities had them?

York definitely had them.

[rovex]

18 minutes ago, Andy Kirkham said:

Which cities had them?

Some towns had their own version, for example the famous one by the harbour at Scarborough.

London and Glasgow both had the classic Who type. 

In fact Glasgow still has some surviving ones.

Edinburgh still has some existing ones of its own design 

[LBRJ]

There is one on Surrey Street in Sheffield city centre, and I think it is a listed structure.

It may still be in some sort of use; it has got a POLICE light above the door.

[craneman]

Oxford certainly had them, there was one outside my grandparents' house. Sadly I don't remember what colour the light was and in fact don't remember ever seeing the light on.

[Nearholmer]

Apparently, the idea was first formalised on Tyneside.

[TravisM]

I can safely say that the Met ones were blue, because as a kid, my bedroom overlooked the one on our street and I remember (1960’s) being woken up at night on several occasions by the blue flashing light 

[Fat Controller]

On 13/12/2023 at 17:53, Andy Kirkham said:

Which cities had them?

Swansea had on outside the entrance to Bryn-y-Mor hospital.

[2E Sub Shed]

Northampton had them and the light on the one I passed regularly was white.

[Nearholmer]

Here is a City of London Police Post (as opposed to a full box) doing its stuff.

 

This, and a tardis-like box, are in our local museum, and since my children absolutely loved the big ‘telephone gallery’ there when they were younger, and would spend hours playing police telephone operators, I should have remembered this sooner, but didn’t until just now.

[Danemouth]

14 hours ago, Nearholmer said:

Here is a City of London Police Post (as opposed to a full box) doing its stuff.

 

This, and a tardis-like box, are in our local museum, and since my children absolutely loved the big ‘telephone gallery’ there when they were younger, and would spend hours playing police telephone operators, I should have remembered this sooner, but didn’t until just now.

 

I remember a box identical to this in Cardiff - junction of Greenway Road and Rhyl Road Rumney in 1950/60s

 

Dave

[uax6]

Lots of bits on Bob's telephone pages, heres some highlights:

 

https://www.britishtelephones.com/pacolours.htm

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

https://www.britishtelephones.com/lanterpa1.htm (which defines the colour of the glass as amber on the pillars, which will be correct, Bob only uses references from GPO official sources, I've inherited loads of paperwork from him in the past!)

 

Andy G

Edit: Lamps were only clear on the Met boxes, amber everywhere else.

Edited December 20, 2023 by uax6

[Derek 19B]

Just found this interesting police box in the wicker Sheffield. Photo found on the internet 

[br2975]

On 20/12/2023 at 12:33, Danemouth said:

 

I remember a box identical to this in Cardiff - junction of Greenway Road and Rhyl Road Rumney in 1950/60s

 

Dave

.

Referred to in Cardiff as a 'pillar'

.

In the days before PRs were issued (personal radios) officers would 'check in' at the pillars on their beat at set times during their tour of duty.

.

"All correct" would be their first words to the Sergeant or Inspector.

.

In fact, World War III could break out on the patch, but you'd still greet the Sergeant with 'All Correct !"

.

If the light was flashing, then obviously the officer  was required to call in, probably to be given a call to attend.

[MartinRS]

On 27/12/2023 at 17:32, Derek 19B said:

Just found this interesting police box in the wicker Sheffield. Photo found on the internet 

Here is the last of the Sheffield Police boxes in Sheffield. The Creative Commons photo is copyrighted by Sue Hayton and can be found at geograph, along with several other pictures of the same police box. I can remember that about ten years ago it was being voted for as one of the top ten attractions on TripAdvisor in Sheffield. Seeing it is stll rated as  #36 of 295 things to do in Sheffield. Don't all rush at once!