K4 phone kiosk, with post box NE26 412, Whitley Bay NE26 2RD
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Description
Seen by chance - last night we stayed with friends in Shiremoor. Next morning, we all decided to walk along the beach in Whitley Bay to blow away the cobwebs, and this was waiting for us, just outside the Metro station in Whitley Bay, in Station Square, at the end of Station Road. Understandably, I've never seen one before, so friends/hubby stood about with amused tolerance while I photographed it from every angle. Since then, I've managed to find out a bit more, thanks to other Flickr members and the Internet. Information (mainly) from http://heritage.elettra.co.uk/phonebox/" >heritage.elettra.co.uk/phonebox/: Designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and introduced in 1927, the K4 telephone kiosk was half as large again as its predecessor. Originally painted vermillian (orange-red), it combined a telephone kiosk with a Post Office; intended to be the first full-automated twenty-four hour postal service. Behind the kiosk there were two stamp machines and a postbox, illuminated by a lamp attached to an elongated domed roof. The kiosk was rectangular in cross-section, the longer side sported an illuminated sign saying "Post Office" on shorter sides, "Stamps" above the postbox/stamp machine side, and above the door: "Telephone". It was christened the "Vermillion Giant" as the K4 proved too large for many streets, the stamp machines were excessively noisy during telephone conversations and the machines were not weather-proof. Ultimately the design proved unsuccessful and only fifty were ever produced. This one has been a Grade II listed building since 1986. Only a handful remain in use in the UK, but people appear to be undecided as to the exact amount - 4, 5 or 6 (possibly). -
Owner
Post Box -
Source
Flickr (Flickr) -
License
What does this mean? Attribution License
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Further information
Link: https://www.flickr.com/photos/32159881@N03/3225089731/
Resource type: Image
Added by: Simon Cotterill
Last modified: 7 years, 10 months ago
Viewed: 1141 times
Picture Taken: Unknown -
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