Edinburgh Police Boxes

2014_07 Police Boxes 5

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
 
SONY DSC
 
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
 

Gorgie Road White Park

 
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
 

High Street

 
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
 

Pier Place Newhaven

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