Iconic Buckinghamshire telephone box gets Grade II listing

A public telephone box on the southbound platform of Chalfont & Latimer London Underground station in Little Chalfont has just been awarded Grade II listed status by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), thanks in part to the efforts of Buckinghamshire Council’s Local Heritage List Team, working with Transport for London (TfL).

The rare K8 phone box is one of four to be found at London Underground stations and only 50 are believed to still exist in total, as most were removed by British Telecom in the 1980s. The phone boxes, which date from the mid-1960s and were designed by architect Bruce Martin, were installed on the London Underground network and were designed for staff use only. They were painted different colours from the traditional red to denote their independence from the public phone network. Between 1968 and 1983, 11,000 K8s were installed across the UK.

The special listing status followed on as a result of the council’s Local Heritage List Team working with TfL to nominate a number of local stations for special status with Historic England. As a result of the nominations, the K8 phone box at Chalfont and Latimer station was singled out for Grade II listing status for the historic and architectural interest it represents.

Buckinghamshire’s Local Heritage Team is collating a list of locally-significant buildings and sites of historical, archaeological, architectural and cultural significance in the county. Buckinghamshire’s Local Heritage List includes a variety of locally important heritage assets which contribute positively to the local character and identity of Buckinghamshire and are valued by local people. The assets vary from buildings, archaeological remains, parks, gardens and public works of art. By being added to the Local Heritage List, it ensures their local importance is recognised and also taken into account in any planning processes.

Peter Strachan, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning and Environment said: “We are delighted that our Local Heritage List Team has in some way helped secure national Grade II listing for this iconic piece of cultural and design significance here in Buckinghamshire. It is so important that we treasure and protect artefacts like this for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.”

For more information on the listing visit the Historic England website.

Buckinghamshire’s Local Heritage List can be found on the council website.