Yes. I’ve photographed a couple of people actually on the phones over the last few years. So good to know they are still used. But considering how often I pass by there, they aren’t exactly over used!
I remember using them to call home when I lived in Tokyo during th 90’s. It was awesome. Parents were in Singapore at the time. Headed back to Sydney and thought how far behind the rest of the world was technilogically.
I remember how in the 90s I thought it was awesome we could roll up to a payphone with I guess an ethernet cable, plug in a laptop and send a very slow email over ASDL. Great times. I guess those still work?
That little alcove lends itself to many different scenes, and you have captured another gem here. The use of black and white is almost necessary to stop your eyes being drawn to the rightmost phone which is, if I recall correctly, lime green. The phones change, the telephone directories come and go, and all the while the phones get used less and less. I do remember a photograph you took of a Philip Marlowe character actually using one of these, so they are not quite dead.
All the phoneboxes in our village have been gutted, awaiting refurbishment for use as garden follies for £2500 a time (englishphoneboxes.com).
Yes, the colours are far too distracting. Monochrome gives it a nice retro feel too.
And yeah, photographed a few people using them over the last few years. Always interesting to see. I think some have to be left in case of earthquakes too, in case the mobile networks go down.
Those old phone boxes are iconic, but not sure they £2,500 iconic!
I saw one being removed and asked the guy if I could have it – thinking I’d be saving them a trip to the dump – and he said they sold them for a few hundred to some refurb firm. Later I saw a documentary about the firm, and the number of hours work it takes to make them presentable probably does justify what they charge, but that’s outside of my garden-curio budget.
I’d easily believe it if you told me that photo was taken 20 years or so ago…
Won’t knock those payphones though as I still use payphones from time to time when I visit Japan on account of my still having a 2G mobile phone which doesn’t work in that country and not being able to make international calls on the otherwise really good Dormy Inn hotel chain’s room phones! 😉
They definitely still have their uses. See little kids using them in train stations on their way home from school now and again too. So they should survive for the foreseeable future.
John says
They are in such good condition too! Am I right in assuming they actually work?
Lee says
They do. I pass by there regularly, and now and again I see people using them.
Coli says
Have I seen these sane phones previously? They seem familiar. Love the black and whites by the way.
Lee says
Cheers!
Yes. I’ve photographed a couple of people actually on the phones over the last few years. So good to know they are still used. But considering how often I pass by there, they aren’t exactly over used!
JJ says
I remember using them to call home when I lived in Tokyo during th 90’s. It was awesome. Parents were in Singapore at the time. Headed back to Sydney and thought how far behind the rest of the world was technilogically.
Lee says
How times change eh? And how quickly too…
Pat says
I remember how in the 90s I thought it was awesome we could roll up to a payphone with I guess an ethernet cable, plug in a laptop and send a very slow email over ASDL. Great times. I guess those still work?
Lee says
Never did the public phone internet, but remember all too well the palaver of getting dial-up in my first apartment.
And yeah, they still work. Not used often, but every now and again I see someone making a call.
cdilla says
That little alcove lends itself to many different scenes, and you have captured another gem here. The use of black and white is almost necessary to stop your eyes being drawn to the rightmost phone which is, if I recall correctly, lime green. The phones change, the telephone directories come and go, and all the while the phones get used less and less. I do remember a photograph you took of a Philip Marlowe character actually using one of these, so they are not quite dead.
All the phoneboxes in our village have been gutted, awaiting refurbishment for use as garden follies for £2500 a time (englishphoneboxes.com).
Lee says
Yes, the colours are far too distracting. Monochrome gives it a nice retro feel too.
And yeah, photographed a few people using them over the last few years. Always interesting to see. I think some have to be left in case of earthquakes too, in case the mobile networks go down.
Those old phone boxes are iconic, but not sure they £2,500 iconic!
cdilla says
I saw one being removed and asked the guy if I could have it – thinking I’d be saving them a trip to the dump – and he said they sold them for a few hundred to some refurb firm. Later I saw a documentary about the firm, and the number of hours work it takes to make them presentable probably does justify what they charge, but that’s outside of my garden-curio budget.
Lee says
Yes, way more than merely a curio at that price. But interesting to hear how much work is done on them.
YTSL says
I’d easily believe it if you told me that photo was taken 20 years or so ago…
Won’t knock those payphones though as I still use payphones from time to time when I visit Japan on account of my still having a 2G mobile phone which doesn’t work in that country and not being able to make international calls on the otherwise really good Dormy Inn hotel chain’s room phones! 😉
Lee says
It definitely has a retro feel, doesn’t it?
They definitely still have their uses. See little kids using them in train stations on their way home from school now and again too. So they should survive for the foreseeable future.