Edinburgh used to have many more police boxes actually used by the police than it does now and 23 are being marketed for sale in 2014 by the Scottish Police Authority with help from the City of Edinburgh Council.
142 boxes designed by City Architect Ebenezer MacRae who died in 1951 were originally installed in 1933. These boxes were manufactured by Carron Ironworks in Falkirk.
The boxes used to have sirens on the top and were used by police officers on the beat to phone in to the station with a note of where they were and perhaps get instructions on what they might do next.
In 2012, 22 of the police boxes were put up for sale by Lothian and Borders Police. These were in Cowgate, Cranston Street, Croal Place (Albert St), Dalkeith St, Joppa, Drumsheugh Gardens, Easter Road, Hunter Square, Lawnmarket, Magdala Crescent, Market Street, Marshall Street, Melville Drive, Newbattle Terrace, Newcraighall Road (Wisp), Princes Street (West End), Quality Street, Regent Road, Rutland Square, The Shore, Leith, Whitehouse Loan, West Register Street, Whitepark and Gorgie.
On 25 May 1933 – Bailie Rutherford Fortune formally inaugurated the new Edinburgh Police Box system by speaking to headquarters by means of the loudspeaker at one of the boxes. Chief Constable Ross and Mr F J Milne Post Office Secretary were also photographed at this inauguration
In 1993 the Edinburgh Evening News reported that Edinburgh was to get its own tourist police with bilingual bobbies posted in police boxes. Eleven were to be refurbished for the tourist season. We don’t think this ever happened but perhaps you could let us know if you have more information!
There is a fairly up to date map of them here classified as to police division and use.
Other useful sites for information and photos are Tardisbuilders and Flickr photos with geotags
Below is the list of original locations. Some of these may have been moved so may no longer be there, but it would be great if you would have a look next time you are passing and if you find one then please send us a photo.
We have set up a special storyboard over here for photos of police boxes in Edinburgh. We would love it if you send us your snaps!
Abbeymount A Division 42
Albert Street B Division 6
Ardmillan Terrace at Lavatory C Division 9
Arthur Street King’s Park A Division 21
Baileyfield Road A Division (Portobello) 5
Balgreen Road at Gorgie Road C Division 11
Balgreen Road at Saughtonhall Drive C Division 29
Barnton Hotel C Division 36
Bath Street at Promenade A Division (Portobello) 6
Bath Street D Division 12
Belhaven Terrace Morningside C Division 21
Blackford Avenue at Electric Power Station A Division 17
Bonnington Toll D Division 4
Boswall Green D Division 22
Braid Hills Road at Road to Clubhouse A Division 26
This box is owned by Gail Smith who hired Angus Self a joiner to refurbish it. Angus is the great-grandson of Roderick Ross who was Chief Constable of Edinburgh. In 1933 he was responsible for installing police boxes in the capital. There is a free e-book which you can access
here which takes you through the renovation process. The box is now a police museum, but more interestingly is home to a small family.
There is a small family who live in the police box called the Swimeasys. They have a website
here with videos!
Braid Hills Road at Howe Dean A Division 27
Braid Avenue at number 55 A Division 36
Bridge Road Colinton C Division 23
Bridge Street D Division 14
Brights Crescent A Division 33
Broughton Road at McDonald Road B Division 7. You can see the Broughton Road site on RCAHMS
here
Bruntsfield Links A Division 7
Burlington Street D Division 3
Cambridge Street A Division 12
Cameron Toll on Old Dalkeith Road A Division 45
Canongate – at foot A Division 5
Canongate at Milton House School (now Royal Mile School) A Division 6
Canonmills B Division 8
Charterhall Road Blackford Hill Gate A Division 24. You can see this site on RCHAMS
here.
Clark Road (Pillar) D Division 24
Clockmill Lane A Division (Portobello) 2
Colinton Road at Happy Valley (Pillar) C Division 41
Colinton Road at Firrhill Water Filters
Comely Green Steps London Road at Stairs to Lower London Road and Comely Green Crescent – a police officer apparently died at the foot of these stairs. A Division 43
Corstorphine Road near Saughtonhall Drive C Division 31
Corstorphine Road near Pinkhill Station C Division 33
Cowgate at foot of Pleasance – Listed
Craigentinny Road at Craigentinny Avenue
Craighall Road D Division 19
Craigmillar Bowling Green A Division (Portobello) 9
Cramond School – C Division 37
Cramond Beach (Pillar) C Division 38
Cranston Street A Division 4 Listed
You can see this site on RCAHMS
here.
Crewe Road D Division 26
Croal Place (Albert Street)
Dalkeith Street at Morton Street Joppa A Division (Portobello) 7
Dalmeny Street D Division 7
Dean Terrace Stockbridge B Division 20 LIsted
Dean Street at School B Division 10
Dean Path Dean Village C Division 26
You can see this site on RCAHMS
here.
Drum Street Gilmerton between Drum Street and Newtoft Street A Division 40
Drummond Place at Dundonald Street B Division 17 Listed
You can see this site on RCAHMS
here.
Drummond Street – Pleasance A Division 2
Drumsheugh Gardens Listed
Duddingston Crescent Crossroads (Pillar) A Division (Portobello) 12
Duddingston Road West and Peffermill Road and another off Milton Road West
Duddingston Road at Woodlands A Division (Portobello) 10
Duddingston War Memorial A Division (Portobello) 14
Dundee Terrace C Division 27
East Montgomery Place B Division 5
East Preston Street A Division 30
Easter Road between Sunnyside and Albion Road
Ettrick Road C Division 40
Fairmilehead A Division 37
Fountainbridge C Division 3
Frogston Road
George Square
George Street Bridge D Division 16
George Street at Frederick Street B Division 15
Glasgow Road Maybury C Division 16
Granton Square D Division 25
Gray’s Loan C Division 20
Grassmarket A Division 9 Listed
You can see this site on RCAHMS
here.
Greenbank Terrace at Hospital Gates C Division 22
Hawkhill Avenue in Lochend Park D Division 9
Haymarket Crossing (Pillar) C Division 25
Henderson Gardens D Division 1
Heriot Row B Division 19 Listed
High Riggs Tollcross A Division 14
High School Wynd A Division 11
Hope Park Crescent A Division 29
Hunter Square/Tron Listed
Hutchison Crossway C Division 28
Inverleith Place B Division 14
James Place D Division 10
Jock’s Lodge – Restalrig Road South – A Division (Portobello) 3
Kaimes Road Crossroads A Division 47
Lady’s Wynd
Lanark Road and Baberton Avenue
Lanark Road Slateford C DIvision 13
Lanark Road opposite Fair View C Division 45
Lanark Road at Juniper Green Station C Division 46
Lasswade Road at Captain’s Road (Pillar) A Division 48
Lauder Road at Grange Road A Division 34
Lauriston Place at Tollcross
Lawnmarket A Division 1 Listed
Leamington Terrace at Gilmore Place C Division 18
Leith Walk at foot (Pillar) D Division 6
Lennie Port (Pillar) C Division 35
Liberton Gardens at Liberton Place
Liberton Crossroads A Division 39
Liberton Dams (Pillar) A Division 44
Links Gardens
Little King Street
Lochend Park
Lomond Park D Division 21
London Road Gardens B Division 4
You can see this site on RCAHMS
here.
Longstone School – Longstone Road at Kingsknowe Road East C Division 32
Lothian Road and Cambridge Street
Magdala Crescent C Division 5
Marchmont Crescent A Division 10
Marionville Road A Division (Portobello) 11
Marischal Place Blackhall C Division 17
Marshall Street near Potterrow? Has this been replaced? A Division 23
Market Street – at foot of Cockburn Street A Division 3 Listed
Maybury Road
Mayfield Road at Depot Gates A Division 35
Melville Drive Jawbone Walk A Division 18
Merchiston Avenue between Gilmore Place and Dorset Place C Division 19
Mill Lane Taylor Gardens D Division 2
Middle Meadow Walk A Division 15
Montgomery Street
Morningside Drive C Division 39
Morningside Road
The Mound B Division 13 Listed
Mountcastle Drive North
Morrison Street C Division 2
Murrayfield Avenue C Division 12
Newcraighall Road at the Wisp and Niddrie Mains Road
Newbattle Terrace A Division 20 LIsted
Newhaven Road – Victoria Park D Division 17
Newhaven Fish House D Division 23
Niddrie Mill Crossroads A Division (Portobello) 13
Northfield Broadway Portobello A Division (Portobello) 1
Northfield A Division 46
Orchard Brae at School B Division 18
Orwell Terrace (Caledonian Crescent) C Division 4
Oxgangs Road at Redford Road (Pillar) C Division 43
Parkside Street A Division 28
Portland Place D Division 15
Prestonfield Avenue West End A Division 31
Prestonfield Avenue at Peffermill Road A Division 16
Princes Street opposite South Charlotte Street B Division 16 Listed
Prince Regent Street
Quality Street
Queen Street opposite St David Street B Division 11
Ravelston Dykes C Division 6
Randolph Place at Cab Shelter C Division 7
Richmond Lane
Rose Street B Division 3
Rutland Square C Division 1 Listed
St John’s Road Corstorphine C Division 14
St Leonard’s Street
St Ninian’s Row Low Calton B Division 9
St Patrick Square A Division 25
Saughton Road near Dovecote Road C Division 34
Seafield Place D Division 11
Seafield Road D Division 18
Shandon Crescent corner of Shandon Place and Slateford Road C Division 8
Simon Square A Division 22
Sleigh Drive A Division (Portobello) 4
Smith’s Place off Leith Walk near Claremont Park D Division 5
The Shore Leith D Division 13. You can see this site on RCHAMS
here.
The Square Newcraighall A Division (Portobello) 8
Stenhouse Road C Division 30
Straiton A Division 38
Trinity Bridge D Division 20
Tron Church A Division 8
Turnhouse Road C Division 15
Union Place B Division 2
Vanburgh Place D Division 8
Waverley Market Princes Street (pillar) B Division 1
West Bow Grassmarket
West End of Princes Street (Pillar)
Wester Hailes Road at Power Station C Division 44
West Mains Road A Division 32
West Register Street B Division 12 Listed
West Port Grassmarket A Division 13
White Park Gorgie Road C Division 10
Whitehouse Loan near Thirlestane Road A Division 19 Listed. This is marketed for sale in 2014.
Here is the current list of properties which the council are marketing as at 28 August 2014. This includes 23 police boxes and gives you the details of how to go about acquiring one or more of the structures and what to do about keeping it on site or moving it.
Click to access current_property_list_28_August_2014.pdf
