The Home of Dr Who’s Cousin
Traditional Police Box AKA The Tardis (c) 2012 Mr Thomas Nugent.
Twenty two former police boxes are being sold off by Lothian & Borders Police. Unfortunately the Edinburgh boxes aren’t quite the iconic style and shape of the Dr Who Tardis. More like the Scottish cousin – Dr McWho. The 22 for sale were designed to fit in with the architectural vernacular of the Capital by Ebenezer MacRae from 1931-1933.
Police Box For Sale at Rutland Square (c) 2012 Kim Traynor.
The Scottish cousin of the time travelling Tardis is a little bigger. Though anyone still labouring under the myth that inside one of these things is spacious will be disappointed. We did have a chat here at the Bulletin of a way that an eccentric, as opposed to unique home could be constructed and have sufficient room inside to be a functional abode, albeit still on the small side. That would be to buy four of the Edinburgh Police Boxes and layout a floorplan something along the following lines ….
However what is more likely to happen with the Scottish Tardis police boxes is a new life, many staying put, but as the humorously named “Coppaccino” coffee stops…..
Coppuccino Police Box (c) 2012 Mr Thomas Nugent.
As good a way at recycling several tons of cast iron with a big chunk of concrete on the bottom.
Edinburgh auctioneer Charles Graham-Campbell af Bonhams suggests Doctor Who devotees would expect a real police box to fetch anything between £4000 to £6000.
The sites of the cast iron boxes are not for sale – prospective buyers wanting to leave them in place would have to obtain permission from the council.
Sara Griffiths, Lothian and Borders Police property manager, said: “When these boxes were introduced they would have proved invaluable to officers, but as technology and policing methods evolved a number of them have now become obsolete. This is a great opportunity for collectors to snap up a unique piece of Edinburgh, and policing, history.”
At the time of writing this entry into our Bulletin it still isn’t clear what the tendering process is, so please check back over the next few days and weeks and we shall update you as soon as we find out. Alternatively email us via the Contact Page and we will let you know what the score is, once the tender/bid details are published and we have information back from the police, or even Dr Who.
The 22 Lothian & Borders Police Boxes up for sale are sited at:-
• Cowgate
• Cranston Street
• Croal Place (Albert Street)
• Dalkeith Street
• Drumsheuch 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, Gorgie Road
Guide: Probably £4,000 to £8,000 each.
Ground site NOT included, but may be possible to lease.
Further details: Contact Page
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Box of Signals
The Railway Signal Box (c) 2012 Haddon & Turnbull.
If a recycled Tardis is too small for you to call home, here is the next size up on the bijou scale. An interesting little gem. This former Signal Box at Shankend, Hawick, TD9 9TY in the Scottish Borders is a fascinating conversion of a former railway building that still retains the utilitarian form, but in a certain way a charm of the bygone pre Beeching cut railways that linger in the memories of many of us.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beeching_cuts
Fully compliant with the planning permission for permanent occupation, the agents suggest that the beautiful rural location and unusual nature of this former Signal Box make it ideal for use as a weekend retreat or holiday home. The building also has 2-3 acres of land.
The ground floor provides a dining kitchen, as well as accessing a shower room. A staircase then leads up to a lovely bedsitting room which takes full advantage of the fantastic views.
Tenure: Feuhold (Scottish Freehold Equivalent).
Guide: offers over £90,000.
Contact Haddon & Turnbull: 01450 372336.
Online Brochure ….
http://www.scottishbordersproperties.co.uk/property-details.asp?PropertyID=836
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Run On The Bank
Former HSBC Bank & 1 Bedroom Flat (c) 2012 Givalia & Find-A-Property.
This is a last minute Bulletin deposit, so you will either need to get your skates onand run to the auction for this bank. Alternatively if this becomes a juicy buy as one of the fail-to-sell-at-auction buildings, you may just be doing a little bank robbery, or near to it at a bargain price perhaps – well under £58,000 for an actual bank PLUS a one bedroom flat.
A little odd to think that most days when this bank traded it would have seen more than it’s worth in banknotes across the counter at this branch.
Anyway, for someone looking to buy a bank, here is a very interesting proposition. A home and a unique property all (bank)rolled into one.
You can either look at continuing the existing use, with your home upstairs and your home-office downstairs, or go for a change of use, keeping any bank vault for when the mother-in-law visits (sorry very bad jokes, can’t help it).
This former HSBC Bank and Flat is situated at 5 Hereford Street, Presteigne Powys, LD8 2AW.
Due up for auction on 10th May 2012, so for many of our readers this will be one to look at after auction. Remember even if it does sell, there is often mileage in contacting the new owner to see if they wish to make a quick five grand over what they paid at auction, and sell their purchase contract on to you. Many folk would be surprised how often this works.
Tenancies: First floor flat let at £300pcm (£3,600 pa).
Tenure: Freehold.
Fuide: £58,000.
Contact: 01597 730261.
Online Brochure ….
http://www.findaproperty.com/for-sale/property-11517511
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Lodge – Preferably No Dogs.
The Old Lodge (c) 2012 Roy Pugh & Co.
This is a stone built two bedroom former cemetery lodge with accommodation over two floors together with outbuilding’s providing additional accommodation including a former toilet block and separate detached single storey building comprising two separately accessed units. Location: Moorgate Cemetery Lodge, 22 Boston Castle Grove, Rotherham, S60 2BA.
The Old Lodge (c) 2012 Roy Pugh & Co.
As the old comedian quipped, not suitable for anyone with a Labrador. They tend to dig up old bones !
This building lies on Boston Castle Grove at it’s intersection with Boston Castle Terrace and adjacent to Moorgate Cemetery. The property lies in a primarily residential location close to Boston Park and Thomas Rotherham College within approximately ¾ of a mile from Rotherham town centre, 3 miles from Junction 33 of the M1 motorway and 2 miles from Sheffield City Airport.
Tenure: Freehold.
Auction Lot 130.
Auction Date 29th May 2012 starts at 2pm.
Auction Venue: Leeds United Football Club, The Lorimer Suite, East Stand, Elland Road, Leeds, LS11 0ES (Phone to make sure this is not “sold prior” before going all the way to the auction on the day).
Contact Pugh & Co Auctioneers: 0844 2 722444.
Online Brochure ….
http://www.theauctionpeople.co/Lot/Leeds/20120529/130
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Gatehouse Glory
Gatehouse at Glenboi (c) 2012 Peter Alan Agencies.
This former gatehouse has something special. Perhaps the fine stonework. Just a look about the place that sets it apart.
A four bedroom detached stone-built house that is finished to a high standard. Located at Glenboi, Mountain Ash, Mid Glamorgan, CF45 3DG.
The accommodation comprises: Entrance Hall; Lounge; Sitting Room; Kitchen/Diner; Conservatory; Ground Floor WC; First Floor Shower Room; Four Bedrooms; En-suite bathroom. Landscaped Grounds, with views over surrounding countryside.
Tenure: Freehold.
Guide £279,950.
Contact Peter Alan Agencies: 01443 485600.
Online Brochure ….
http://www.peteralan.co.uk/property/PONTPGP55704/
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Mill Madness
Mather Mill (c) 20012 Mr David Dixon.
Given the Gatehouse above on the shy side of £300,000 we couldn’t resist this insane amount of space for similar money: 119,730 square feet (approximately). Also it is at the extreme opposite end of the size spectrum to the Tardis which we featured in the number one spot at the start of this Bulletin !
Originally, Mather Mill was put through auction in April 2011 for £425,000 and failed to sell. The price has now been reduced by a massive £125,000, probably more as it is entirely possible an offer under £300,000 would secure this huge mill.
OK it isn’t a Turner painting, in the way the earlier picturesque water wheel mill houses was captured on canvas and featured in the Unique Property Bulletin at the start of April 2012. But this Leviathan does have a canal side location and is a site to behold, if for no other reason than the utter scale of the thing.
We have a television company keen to film any of our unique readers who would be prepared, and brave enough to take this big build on.
Mather Mill is located on Mather Lane, Leigh, Lancashire, WN7 2PW. It adjoins the Bridgewater Canal and is in a mixed-use commercial and residential area with St Joseph’s Church and Primary School adjoining the northern boundary of the property and other mill properties in the immediate vicinity.
The building is a Grade II listed property which has a basement, ground, and 5 upper floors, with an extension fronting the canal providing accommodation at basement, ground and first floor level. It is of solid brick construction with cast iron columns and beams supporting each floor. There is a yard area to the rear of the property accessed from the side of the building off Mather Lane, which provides parking and loading areas.
Tenure: Freehold.
Guide: £300,000.
Contact: Unique Property Bulletin Direct