In his workshop full of period memorabilia, littered with rusty petrol pumps and enamel plaques, Carl Burge puts the finishing touches to an iconic red telephone box in the UK that is currently being restored.
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For more than 20 years, this 54-year-old man has been giving a second life to these “legendary” but aging cottages, damaged by the damp English climate.
“If you send a postcard anywhere in the world with just a photo of a red telephone box on it, 95% of people will tell you: It’s in England,” he told AFP.
AFP
Since their appearance in the 1920s, these red stands have become one of the main symbols of London and the wider United Kingdom, but most have disappeared from the landscape since the advent of mobile phones.
According to historical operator BT, only 20,000 public telephones remain operational (compared to around 100,000 in the 1990s), including 3,000 traditional red telephone boxes.
Around 7,200 additional decommissioned vehicles were recovered by communities, associations or churches. Some were salvaged by local authorities and converted into mini-libraries, information kiosks for tourists or even defibrillators.
AFP
Some disused huts can also be rented by small businesses, such as the tiramisu shop Walkmisu in central London.
On the edge of Russell Square, Daniele Benedettini has set up two red telephone boxes to sell the famous Italian dessert.
“I think it’s really cool to be able to combine the English tradition with the Italian tradition,” he tells AFP.
AFP
Opening a shop in an old hut rented from a private owner also costs less than a traditional shop, explains the 29-year-old, who started with Walkmisu before opening a cafe nearby.
The two telephone booths were renovated and equipped with shelves, a refrigerator and a coffee machine, while maintaining their iconic external appearance.
According to Carl Burge, phone booth restoration takes an average of six weeks and begins with a “careful” disassembly down to the bone.
AFP
“You never know what you will find under the paint. You can discover a true jewel just as easily as a dinosaur that has been worn out by the years, he describes.
Detailed work
This Brit has seen many red huts passing through his workshop in King’s Lynn in the east of England, often broken down, with missing glass in the windows or rotten wooden doors.
Once the cast frame has been stripped of all parts, it is sandblasted to remove paint, rust and other contaminants.
AFP
The next step is to apply resin and sand down imperfections, a laborious process that is done by hand and can take several days.
Finally, the telephone box will be sprayed with the famous “Post Office Red”, laminated glass will be installed in the windows and the door will receive a new wooden outer frame.
Carl Burge, who originally started out in automobiles, turned his passion for British collectibles into a full-time restoration business called Remember When UK.
First he came across a phone booth that was part of a property that was for sale. He bought it and restored it before displaying it in his garden.
He ended up selling it himself, which he regretted when he realized he had “missed” his cabin.
As a professional restorer, Carl Burge now works on several cabins at the same time.
Among them is a copy of the famous K2, the first model of red telephone box, introduced in 1926 and designed by British architect Giles Gilbert Scott, known for his work on other public buildings in London.
Twenty years later, Carl Burge has lost none of his passion. “I’m getting a little older, everything seems to be getting a little harder. But I think my enthusiasm is the same,” he said. “In fact, it could be even bigger.”