Trying to raise funds to save what is believed to be the last two Sheffield Supertram Woodhouse Telephone Kiosks. The kiosks were manufactured by the Woodhouse Company for BT (British Telecom). They featured a unique design that was incorporated into the tram systems of Manchester Metrolink (from 1992) and Sheffield Supertram (from 1994).

The two Woodhouse kiosks, located in Castle Square, Sheffield, were removed earlier this year and are now at X2 Connect in Newark. Pictures show the pair of kiosks in September 2023 and more recently at X2. X2 are “the only BT-approved reseller of K6 Payphone Kiosks” and is the recipient of BT kiosks that are removed from service. Recovered kiosks are typically either scrapped or stripped of parts, which are then refurbished and used to keep the remaining BT kiosks operational.

It is not believed that any examples of the Woodhouse have been saved privately, and there are no examples in the National Collection of Telephone Kiosks at Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings, Milton Keynes Museum or Amberley Museum, which all house parts of the former BT “Connected Earth” collection of artefacts, including kiosks. In fact, of the approximately 138 different types of telephone kiosk, booth, or box that have existed in the UK, only about 19 different types have been preserved. Modern kiosks, lacking nostalgia, fare worse in terms of being saved.

If the kiosks can be saved, the intention is that they will go to a suitable museum. A brief discussion has been held with the South Yorkshire Transport Museum in Sheffield, which has expressed interest due to the tram and geographical connections. The Crich Tramway Village in Derbyshire and the Heaton Park Tramway in Manchester may also be potential suitors, although no dialogue has been held with either. Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings, Milton Keynes Museum or Amberley Museum have previously expressed an interest in enquiring telephone kiosks that tell the telecoms story and would be complementary to what they already have, so these museums may also be potential suitors. Again, no dialogue has been held recently, though.

The cost to save the pair of Woodhouse kiosks is around £600 as is. That excludes the cash boxes and telephones. Transportation costs for the removal of the kiosks from X2 will be upwards of £250, depending on where the kiosks go to. The kiosks will need to be moved by a HIAB-fitted HGV wagon. Remedial works, installation, etc, will further add to the cost before the kiosk is ready to be displayed.

All of this costs money, and your help is needed to raise the funds to save the kiosks! We are confident that once saved from scrap, one (or even two) of the museums will provide the kiosks with a good home and preserve a small piece of telephone kiosk history.

About

This GoFundMe campaign is being run on behalf of the Facebook page "Telephone Kiosk Preservation" (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556575286026), which is maintained by a couple of enthusiasts passionate about preserving some telephone kiosk history before it disappears forever. The Woodhouse kiosks are just one of 30 identified telephone kiosk types that can still be saved.