Street furniture

[Vivienne14]

This is a poor image but it's interesting that this telephone box at Coleridge Passage once also had postage stamps available and letters could be posted there too. How sensible.

Viv

 

[paul stacey]

I remember something like this Viv, but in my experience there were never any stamps available!!

 

[Vivienne14]

Wish we could see the photo Paul ! I remember stamp machines attached to pillar boxes but not attached to phone boxes. Viv

 

[pjmburns]

try this

The Telephone Box | Kiosk No 4

The K4 kiosk was designed by the Engineering Department of the General Post Office. It used the successful design of the K2 kiosk, by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, expanded to include a post box and stamp machine; it was an automated mini-Post Office. The K4 kiosk was enormous and was half as big...

www.the-telephone-box.co.uk

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks Janice, that's great. I did wonder if this was one of the boxes at Coleridge Passage that was more recently converted into a takeaway coffee point. How times change. Viv.

 

[pjmburns]

Thanks Janice, that's great. I did wonder if this was one of the boxes at Coleridge Passage that was more recently converted into a takeaway coffee point. How times change. Viv.

I don't know for certain it was the same but it certainly fits the description.

 

[Richard Dye]

try this

The Telephone Box | Kiosk No 4

The K4 kiosk was designed by the Engineering Department of the General Post Office. It used the successful design of the K2 kiosk, by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, expanded to include a post box and stamp machine; it was an automated mini-Post Office. The K4 kiosk was enormous and was half as big...

www.the-telephone-box.co.uk

What a wonderful idea! I do not ever remember seeing one of those. Thank you Janice.

 

[Janet Hunt]

Found this picture of Coleridge passage 1964 from Birmingham Forum cannot see the stamp dispenser though.

 

[paul stacey]

Well done Janet! Looks the same, but unable to see the previous photo clearly on the adjacent, wall next to the door opening, looks like an inset machine?

 

[Janet Hunt]

Well done Janet! Looks the same, but unable to see the previous photo clearly on the adjacent, wall next to the door opening, looks like an inset machine?

According to Janice's site the they only produced 50 K4's. The stamp machine was noisy and interfered with telephone calls. Guess the 1930's one in #871 was very large was replaced by the one in my photo which I think is a K6...I may be totally wrong.

 

[Vivienne14]

There is no longer a phone kiosk in Coleridge Passage, just a modern pillar box. Apologies, the coffee shop kiosk I mentioned earlier was on Eden Place, not Coleridge Passage. Link here.

City's 'smallest' coffee shop opens in phone box

Jake's Coffee Box, which is said to be the smallest in Birmingham, has opened in a red telephone box.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[mw0njm.]

Stamp Machine on K4 Telephone Box​

Manufactured by Carron & Co of Falkirk, the boxes were unpopular because of their size (half as big again as the K2 kiosk) and because the stamp machines were excessively noisy during telephone conversations and were not weather-proof, which caused problems with the adhesive on the stamps. A single batch of only fifty kiosks was produced and installed

 

[mw0njm.]

GPO - KIOSK No. 4 (K4)

GPO - KIOSK No. 4

www.britishtelephones.com

 

[Richard Dye]

Found this picture of Coleridge passage 1964 from Birmingham Forum cannot see the stamp dispenser though.

Super! Thank you, Janet.......

 

[Vivienne14]

A couple of interesting signs on this 1937 photo. I don't think I've ever seen a pillar box with the sign "Air Mail" on top (right side). Were these signs bus stops (left side) ?

 

[I Am Nico]

Stamp Machine on K4 Telephone Box​

Manufactured by Carron & Co of Falkirk, the boxes were unpopular because of their size (half as big again as the K2 kiosk) and because the stamp machines were excessively noisy during telephone conversations and were not weather-proof, which caused problems with the adhesive on the stamps. A single batch of only fifty kiosks was produced and installed
View attachment 183507View attachment 183508

I had forgotten we could get stamps from wall dispensers . I am thinking about the Cadbury's chocolate ones were navy blue.

 

[paul stacey]

Were those diamond bus signs for Terminus's?

 

[Radiorails]

The diamonds were adjacent to a bus stop and signified that there was no parking allowed as far as I remember.

 

[Vivienne14]

That makes sense now Alan. I think there's a bus destination sign just visible behind the lampost. Cant say I remember the signs at all. Must ave gone out of use before my time.Viv

 

[I Am Nico]

That makes sense now Alan. I think there's a bus destination sign just visible behind the lampost. Cant say I remember the signs at all. Must ave gone out of use before my time.Viv

Your post made me remember the old bus stops, a round sign, brown here, on a pole, with a promenade type barrier.

 

[Bob Davis]

A couple of interesting signs on this 1937 photo. I don't think I've ever seen a pillar box with the sign "Air Mail" on top (right side). Were these signs bus stops (left side) ?View attachment 186057View attachment 186058

As Alan so rightly said they were indicative that this area ŵas required for the corporation buses to load and unload. They were on all the main streets in the City centre.
Bob

 

[Vivienne14]

Now this is the sort of street signage I like when driving; Kidderminster left, Coventry and London right.

 

[Richard Dye]

Now this is the sort of street signage I like when driving; Kidderminster left, Coventry and London right.

View attachment 186277

Exactly right!

 

[A Sparks]

Now this is the sort of street signage I like when driving; Kidderminster left, Coventry and London right.

View attachment 186277

Well, if you go to New Street Station on the right you can get to Coventry and London from there!

 

[I Am Nico]

What is the square box towards the bottom.? The sign is to show Vivienne the way to come & see me.

 

[Vivienne14]

Think it says 'Keep Left' Nico.

 

[Radiorails]

Thats's when Corporation Street was two-way, pre 1933.

 

[Pedrocut]

BT Group to turn old street cabinets into electric vehicle charging points

Up to 60,000 could be converted to tackle a shortfall in electric car charging points, the group says.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Richard Dye]

BT Group to turn old street cabinets into electric vehicle charging points

Up to 60,000 could be converted to tackle a shortfall in electric car charging points, the group says.

www.bbc.co.uk

I hope they have done their logistics homework. Ventures like this usually end up costing more £££ than new!

 

[Vivienne14]

But was this generally adopted? Don't think I ever saw any striped alarms. In fact I don't remember the alarm boxes.


Source: British Newspaper Archive