Earl’s Court TARDIS

Overview

The Earl’s Court TARDIS is a blue police box outside the London Underground station at Earl’s Court. Although its intended use was as a local base of operations for the police, and it isn’t officially affiliated with the popular TV show, it has become a popular site for fans of Doctor Who, which featured a TARDIS (which stands for Time And Relative Dimension(s) In Space).

The TARDIS in the show was a time machine and spaceship combination which was disguised as a blue police box. The Earl’s Court TARDIS is a quirky sight in West London and makes for a fantastic photo opportunity. It’s a great place to stop off for a few minutes during your adventures in London.

The TARDIS is free to visit and is best visited during daylight for those Instagrammable snaps.

The history of police boxes

The blue police boxes were first used in London in the 1930s, with almost 700 in use throughout Greater London by the early 1950s. They were intended for police officers to communicate with each other and for the public to contact the police.

After the personal radio was invented and brought into regular use in the 1970s, the police boxes were no longer considered useful, and most of them were removed, with the exception of a handful which were kept as a nod to their heritage.

There are fewer than 15 police boxes remaining across the country, with just two in London. The other police box isn’t accessible on foot and can only be seen from the Northern line near Hendon. Glasgow still has the most out of any British city.

Why is there a TARDIS at Earl’s Court?

Many people think that the TARDIS at Earl’s Court is a replica of the Doctor Who TARDIS. The police box was installed in 1996 as an experiment to see if returning the police box to the streets of London would help to tackle crime.

This box is designed according to the same plans as the original model, with the addition of a CCTV camera on the top. There was also a telephone in there with a direct line to Kensington police station for the public to use if needed. The construction of the police box was funded by the London Underground and local businesses.

The experiment was ultimately unsuccessful, and the police box was decommissioned in the year 2000. The Earl’s Court police box was updated to coincide with the return of the Doctor Who TV show in 2005, which became a cult classic watched by millions.

It also stands as a nostalgic reminder of times gone by and an icon of Great Britain, much like a red telephone box.

How do you get inside the Earl’s Court TARDIS?

Unfortunately, you can’t go inside the Earl’s Court TARDIS. However, you can see inside the TARDIS online on Google Street View. We won’t spoil the surprise, but the inside is perhaps more interesting than you might be expecting!

This is a fun activity to do if you’re travelling with children. You can see the TARDIS in real life, then log on to the Wi-Fi back at YHA London Earl’s Court and check out the inside.

In reality, the inside is pretty boring with just a chair, a first aid kit, and a heater in it!

Where is the TARDIS at Earl’s Court?

The TARDIS is just outside the Earl’s Court London Underground station entrance on Earl’s Court Road. It’s next to a newspaper stand. Although it is quite large and a vibrant shade of blue, many people say they’ve walked straight past it without noticing, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled.

Other Doctor Who things to do in London

If you’re a fan of the doctor, then the Earl’s Court TARDIS is just the tip of the iceberg. There’s plenty of Who-related fun to be had, including visiting filming locations and merchandise shops. Doctor Who things to do in London include:

Forbidden Planet, Shaftesbury Avenue: shop selling collectibles and replica props
The Who Shop: Museum and shop with props and costumes
Westminster Bridge: the famous bridge has featured in the show numerous times
The Stamp Centre, The Strand: shop selling merchandise including signed souvenirs
St Paul’s Cathedral: filming location for the series eight finale

How to get to the Earl’s Court TARDIS from YHA London Earl’s Court

The Earl’s Court TARDIS is literally a stone’s throw from YHA London Earl’s Court, around 0.2 miles (0.3 kilometres) from the hostel. The easiest way to get there is by walking.

On foot: It’s a quick and easy walk from YHA London Earl’s Court to the TARDIS, which should only take around five minutes. After leaving the Youth Hostel, turn left onto Bolton Gardens. Turn right onto Earl’s Court Road and continue until you come to the entrance to the tube station.

Cycling: It’s just a three-minute cycle from YHA London Earl’s Court to the Earl’s Court TARDIS.