POLICE PILLARS/KIOSKS - NEWPORT (WALES)

Newport, in Wales, used to have Police Kiosks located around the local area and four remained, unused and derelict, in the early 1990's. Three of these four remaining police boxes were removed in the early 1990's, due to severe deterioration of the concrete. The remaining box, now owned by the Newport Council, is situated on the Chepstow Road (leave the M4 at Junction 24 and follow the A48 to Newport) and was painted dark blue with a `Doctor Who' scarf around it in 1990!

The picture, above left, shows a pre-cast concrete Police box in Cardiff Road, Newport, Gwent, (next to an electric sub station) whilst the picture, above right, shows the interior stripped of GPO and Police fittings. Inside you can see, to the left, a mains socket (to power the relay that activates the lantern on the roof) and the lantern light test button. A writing shelf would have also been provided.

The original Police system, PA150, used Posts with provision for a loudspeaker mounted in a triangular frame with all the electrical components and telephone equipment attached. The same loudspeaker unit was used in Police Kiosks, fitted behind a specially made door mounting (see above). This mounting also supported the telephone equipment. The left hand picture shows such a door. The right hand picture, above, shows the inside of the same Police kiosk with the door mounting exposed (centre left of the picture).

Above the mains socket the telephone door mounting, as mentioned above. It is a red painted cast iron object and in this case, has flat plate fitted to provide a mounting for a single telephone. This was probably boxed in, with lockable door to allow Police access to the telephone. On the outside of the Kiosk the Public door which allows the Public free access to the telephone.

With the introduction of Police system PA350/PA450, the loudspeaker equipment was replaced by a simple 200 type telephone and a mains relay unit. On the Newport boxes the door assembly was subsequently modified, with the speaker grill and associated equipment being removed and a mounting plate provided for the telephone (complete with cover to stop people seeing into the box, to stop theft or the possibility of finding a sleeping policeman inside!).

The mains relay was mounted on the wall and this operated the lamp on top of the Kiosk.

Kiosks were also fitted with a Lantern P.A. No.1 lamp fitting (as shown in the right hand picture). The bell cover is in fact a bell gong and a bell mechanism could fitted if needed. If a bell is installed, then there is always a switch inside the Kiosk to switch it off. The lamp was the main form of signalling as the theory is that a beat officer would see it from a distance and Kiosks/Posts were usually installed in locations where they could be easily seen, in all directions.

The lamp glasses were coloured amber, except for the Metropolitan Police district in London, when they were clear (there were never any blue lamps!). There was always a test button in the Kiosks to light the lamp - Policemen must have had long necks, if they were expected to press the test switch and check to see the lamp on during the daytime.

The Newport police boxes also had window frames on two sides and a door very similar to that of a Telephone Kiosk No 3 (in fact the side windows also looked similar to the window frames in the door).

All the Newport Kiosks had Yale locks which could be opened by the local Constabularies station key.

Chepstow Road, Refurbishment

Around August 2010 work started on the restoration of the remaining kiosk in Chepstow Road, Newport.

For more information please follow this link http://tardisbuilders.com/index.php?topic=682.45

The following 2 pictures were taken from the above site:-