Photo: Red boxes (K6s and K2s) of bygone times

© LSA 2000.

The G.P.O.'s first standardised telephone Kiosk No. 1 was designed in 1921. It was made of pre-fabricated concrete with metal glazing bars.





Photo: K1 at Amberley Museum © Light Straw 2008. 

Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (architect) designed the K2 for production in cast iron.

The first K2s appeared in Kensington and Holborn in 1926. At 9 feet 3 inches high the K2 was a rather grand, elaborate and expensive enclosure, and so in 1934 the Director General of the Post Office noted that they should only be erected in the Metropolitan Boroughs of London, and elsewhere close to the offices of a great municipality.  Hence there were few K2s to be seen outside of London.



Photo: K2 at Mount Pleasant © Light Straw February 2011. 

Scott's K3 went into production in 1929 and for a while it was the standard kiosk for sites outside of London. However, the concrete fabrications were both difficult to transport and did not weather well.



Photo: K3 in the Science Museum, London © Light Straw September 2000.

At one time, postage stamps could only be bought from a Post Office, so it seemed a logical idea to include both a stamp vending machine and post box on the outside of a telephone kiosk, hence the K4 'vermillion giant' was born.


Photo: K4 in Warrington © Philip Gates October 2006. 

It is said that the stamp vending machine was noisy for those using the telephone and was a liability to maintain.

Separate stamp vending machines could once be found outside Post Offices too.



Photo: K4 in Warrington © Philip Gates October 2006. 

The K5 used an improved concrete moulding of the K3 design which was more suitable for volume production. However, this was superseded by the K6 before manufacture began.

Scott's K6 was designed for mass production (in cast iron) with the aim of allowing one to be sited by every Post Office. At a height of 8 feet 3 inches it was also smaller than the K2.

This remains true to this day, albeit that many Post Offices have closed and the uneconomical payphones have been removed!



Photo: K6 on a typical Essex street © Light Straw 2000. 

The K7 prototype kiosk was designed by Neville Conder CBE (architect) in 1958 and trialled in 1962.



Photo: K7 in store at the Science Museum © Light Straw 2009. 

Kiosks which were produced before the K8 have been preserved and a majority can be found in London. In the 21st century it is surprising that the comparatively modern K8 has not been thought worthy of preservation.


Light Straw Editor: "The K8 is a design icon of its time; the materials are too old-fashioned to still be used, but the styling is too modern for it to be considered historical." 


Photo: K8s awaiting restoration © Light Straw 2000. 

In the mid-1980s when yellow (telecom) vans were all the rage, some telephone kiosks in Manchester were painted Golden Yellow too!

The Light Straw kiosk proudly sports this colour.

The original design of the K8 omitted the 'telephone' sign, but was to have a translucent fibre glass roof which would have glowed red when the fluorescent light was on inside.


Photo: Newly painted - Light Straw K8 © Light Straw 2009. 

The KX series of kiosks were designed by DCA (David Carter Associates) in 1986. This modular range KX100-400) was fabricated from stainless steel and was initially finished in black and telecom yellow. British Telecom's identity was still blue and yellow at that time.




Photo: A KX 100 kiosk displaying the BT Piper on the glass side panes © Light Straw June 2006. 

The KX + kiosk was also designed by DCA in 1994 and manufactured by GKN. The first KX+ was installed in London in August 1996. Conversion kits allowed existing KXs to be easily updated.

Additional features of the KX + were:-

A red domed roof giving extra internal light and external visibility.
Lower door handles for children and the disabled.
A seat rest.
A writing/parcel shelf.
Larger and back-lit notices.

Photo: A pair of KX kiosks (in Croydon) with Kit Kat advertising panes © Light Straw circa 1999. 

In June 2007 BT, in partnership with JC Decaux, launched the 'Street Talk 6' payphone.

The ST6 has a normal payphone on one side...




Photo: Installation in progress - A 'Street Talk 6' payphone on the high street © Light Straw Feb 2009. 

... And six scrolling advertisements on the other.

BT is hoping that the paid for advertisements will help offset falling revenue from the payphones themselves.

The first ten Street Talk 6 kiosks were installed in Richmond and Ealing, London.


Photo: A 'Street Talk 6' payphone on the high street © Light Straw Feb 2009. 

Third party revenue from conveniently sited (dual purpose) new style kiosks allows continuing use of a payphone which might otherwise be uneconomical.



Photo: An ATM (cash dispenser) payphone  © Light Straw Feb 2009. 

Chatto Curiosities of the British Street:

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