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Functional and durable, with improved interior visibility, the new boxes were also wheelchair friendly. Their construction allowed that the sides need not reach the ground, so litter could not accumulate inside. The supporters of the KX range were largely those who generally favour novelty in architecture and style; others felt that while the Gilbert-Scott booths actually enhanced their surroundings, the new kiosks on the block did the opposite. In Europe or North America, perhaps the new boxes would not have been so contentious. Of course, one can admire the ergonomics of the new kiosks while regretting the almost iconoclastic elimination of Kiosk 6 - sometimes being removed and not even replaced with a modern box! However, the story of the KX boxes actually starts a lot earlier - in 1959, the year before Gilbert-Scott's death. |
K7 |
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1959 The Post Office commissioned the architect Neville Conder to update the design of the British telephone booth. K7 was the result. First appearing in Cenral London three years later, K7 echoed the bold and modern office architecture around it. Interior visibility was improved with all-round glass panes, and it also featured an easy-to-use door handle. Although it maintained the easily-identified red motif of GPO boxes, its aluminium shell was considered unsightly once subjected to the British weather and K7 was discontinued. NB. According to the BT publication Britain's Public Payphones, it was K7's vertical corner panels which were red! (Left: Photo courtesy of BOBS TELEPHONE FILE) |
K8 |
 [1] Photo © Robert Ore, RED PHONEBOX INFO |
Designed by Bruce Martin, K8 was the first serious challenger to K6. Ironically, its relative success was partly due to its K6 inheritance. Although it borrowed some aspects of K7 (ie. a modern door handle, and full panes of toughened glass on three sides), with some exceptions the all-over red livery was considered too important to be dispensed with. More importantly, K8 - like K6 - was constructed of cast-iron, greatly adding to its resistance to the UK climate. However, it did not completely replace Kiosk 6; K6 and K8 survived together into the 1980's. Apparently, BT painted some K8's in Liverpool and Manchester 'Telecom Yellow', as opposed to 'Post Office Red'. The example shown (right [2]) is 'The Light Straw Kiosk'; you can read about it here (also, see LINKS). |
 [3] Photo © Ian McPherson, 2006 |
 [4] Photo © Robert Ore, RED PHONEBOX INFO |
 [5] Photo courtesy John Chenery, LIGHT STRAW |
 [3] BLUES BROTHERS Same location (2004) Photo © Ian McPherson |
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 [1] Selling-out Adverts adorn this drab KX100. Lisburn, Co. Antrim (2002) Photo © Ian McPherson |
 [2] Millenium Domes Lisburn, Co. Antrim (2002) Photo © Ian McPherson |
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[1] Any object that transmits and reflects its surroundings is likely to become almost invisible - unlike the old bright red boxes! Should phone booths be hard to spot? Adverts on the windows help... but then, so does a bright red Soanian dome [2]. Now, I wonder where they got that idea from! Mmm... Yes, these kiosks ARE easier to spot than the standard KX100....but I reckon that the domes also enhance their appearance! [3] The new blue boxes have broadband internet access - a new use for kiosks! |
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 Belfast (2002). Spot the red Interphone Kiosk in the background. Photo © Ian McPherson |
 BT Telephone box/ATM! Belfast (2005).Photo © Ian McPherson. For more info on modern British Telecom phone boxes, click HERE. |
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 BT Internet payphone. Photo © Ian McPherson 2004 |
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 Belfast (2002) That roof is non-standard, I imagine! Photo © Ian McPherson |
 With doors...Belfast (2002) Photo © Ian McPherson |
 ...and without! Dunmurry, Co. Antrim (2002) Photo © Ian McPherson |
 Photos © Ian McPherson |
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