AA Box Challenge-The Movie

[NewcastleFalcon]

Anyone going to Jersey this summer?

Only one of the 19 AA Boxes in the FCF AA Box Challenge remains unclaimed and its at Trinity on Jersey.

In the meantime the challenge has been made into a movie of the 18 boxes so far captured with an original photograph by an FCF member. So we have original pics from Red Dwarfers, Eifion, Richard W, White Exec, Daviemck2006, Peter.N, and yours truly.



Regards Neil

[daviemck2006]

The box at Lhanbryde is really looking scruffy now.It was not bad when I took my pic of it with my activa beside it. I will have to take a pic of it the next time I go to Elgin. I wont take a pic of the car in it, as I will probably will be in something VAG, not the c1 which is not really a French citroen either.

[NewcastleFalcon]

The thread has been selected by the random hand of the FCF Archives February Ferret 2023. It links of course to the FCF AA box Challenge thread so a snippet brought forward from that (at random once more) turned out to be this contribution from Puxa.

Additional AA Box at Wythall Transport Museum.

I'm not really 'into' Buses as such, but I do recommend a visit, only a mile ish off the M42 on the South side of Birmingham (a junction or two east of Hopwood Services). I was especially surprised at the size of the place, with a 'Main' Shed and at least two other large ones containing what must be getting on for 100 Buses in all, mostly Double-Deckers. There's a static collection of Milk Floats too.

I had a fabulous couple of hours there and could've stayed all day (but I had SWMBO with me), hence an unashamed 'plug' for a fabulous place, run by friendly Volunteers, a couple of which I chatted to. In the words of Arnie "I'll be Back".

Further photos here in my Dropbox for a limited period of time, I always upload them Lo-Res online, but if anyone wants better ones feel free to ask, original Res is 3.8MP.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zrojkoqp9x1v ... MzKWa?dl=0

Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

Something new to add to the thread.

Thought the labelling was made up....but it isn't...

AA BOX 127 in real life was indeed titled Lord of the Manor, as per the Hornby Model. Thinking again being Hornby you would expect nothing less.



I indeed know where it was situated in real life its in the spoiler below....wonder why Hornby selected it.

But if anyone wants a quest to find it old AA handbooks may be a decent source and there is at least one source which has the whole listing of all the AA boxes ever sited in the UK with numbers/locations on the net.

Spoiler: show

127 Lord of the Manor Thanet 53433 Canterbury-Ramsgate A 253 / Margate-Sandwich A256

A result would be a little red circle on a map of the AA box in a nice image...its darn sarth, and south of the river probably somewhere in the Garden of England.

Not impossible to join in

Neil

[mickthemaverick]

The first image shows the box from my AA Touring Guide circled in yellow because red may get lost with the roads.
The second image is from my South Coast Saunter planning map which shows the route is intended to use that very roundabout. If and when the Saunter gets off the ground I hope to get a picture of where it was!! (The yellow sticker indicates a Shell Station for my purposes on the Saunter!)

Remember to click on the pictures to enlarge and excuse the slightly out of focus images

From the AA Touring Guide 1947

From my Landranger planning map

[NewcastleFalcon]

Nicely done Mick.

Quirky old name. “Lord of the Manor” , but not surprising why Hornsby chose that one for their Model with their HQ in Margate not being far from the original location of box 127.

Kent live tells us Hornby has returned to Margate

https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-new ... ve-2562272


Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

There is even a wiki page on the Lord of the Manor
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_of_the_Manor,_Kent




Neil

[NewcastleFalcon]

Wonder how accurate Hornby were with the AA’s rival organisation selected model




Neil

[mickthemaverick]

Hornby have been a love of my life since my first 'O' guage clockwork trainset when I was 6. The article in Neil's post about the relocation is a few years old and the company is well settled back in the original building now. Hopefully others have been following the development on the TV series ' Hornby: A Model World ' which has been running on the Yesterday channel for the last couple of years. If not it is all available on the UKTVPlay site here.

The company website is also a worthwhile view as you may be surprised at the number of Brands owned by Hornby. This link will take you to the About Hornby page which tells you all about the company's history and development up to the present day.

Just to whet your appetite:

BFTW

[mickthemaverick]

Wonder how accurate Hornby were with the AA’s rival organisation selected model




Neil

Not everyone realises that while the two organisations are generally accepted as rivals there was a reciprocal arrangement between them with regard to the emergency phone boxes. The AA and RAC keys supplied to members fitted the boxes from both organisations which was seen as a mutual benefit for all the members!!

[bobins]

The first image shows the box from my AA Touring Guide circled in yellow because red may get lost with the roads.
The second image is from my South Coast Saunter planning map which shows the route is intended to use that very roundabout. If and when the Saunter gets off the ground I hope to get a picture of where it was!! (The yellow sticker indicates a Shell Station for my purposes on the Saunter!)

Remember to click on the pictures to enlarge and excuse the slightly out of focus images

I've had a look back over the old OS maps for the area and, unusually, I can't find a T.C.B. (AA) marked anywhere near Lord of the Manor. Perhaps it was secret what with being so close to Manston

[mickthemaverick]

Just to clarify I have indicated the TCB symbols on the map with yellow arrows and you can see the biggest arrow shows the symbol for the Lord of the Manor box!
I have a few old OS maps of the area but none of them show private TCB's just public kiosks !

Own creation from AA Guide

[NewcastleFalcon]

Not everyone realises that while the two organisations are generally accepted as rivals there was a reciprocal arrangement between them with regard to the emergency phone boxes. The AA and RAC keys supplied to members fitted the boxes from both organisations which was seen as a mutual benefit for all the members!!

I have already awarded 100 points to White-Exec (Chris) back in 2016 for being the first to dig out his own AA Key, and post the pic up on the thread. Some time later when Chris and Davie did the North Coast 500 , Davie produced his own AA Key photo for the thread.

50 points on offer for new original photos of your own RAC/AA box key.

If there were points available for spots It’s quite possible I would be in the lead, but realistically there’s no chance of me getting any more. Unless,,,,,,,would I get bonus points for having one of these?

Davie, would you believe it your travelling companion for the North Coast 500 also has an AA/RAC key in his posession. What are the chances of that happening?

Sorry Neil, but my name is Amelia Fritton, and I claim the 100 points . . .



I know it looks as if it's had a lot of use, but is hasn't . . . honest . . .

(Did, though do a 27-year run with the RAC, but that's what happens when you run a lot of Rovers and BL stuff...)

The AA and RAC's keys fitted each other's boxes, IIRC.

Neil

[bobins]

Mine's still in its sealed envelope, waiting for the day I might need it

RAC key - own work