Burglar Alarm Britain

Where vigilante culture meets vernacular design

Category Archives: Uncommon shape

Nu-Tron, Camden: big N

Leave a Comment Posted by on April 9, 2013

Nu-Tron SaffronHill nr EC1N 8QP 10523_800

“Nu-Tron Security Ltd.” burglar alarm, Camden • Ah, the oft-featured Nu-Tron: starring once again thanks to its excellent big N. • Spotted: Saffron Hill, Camden, London, EC1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Holborn and St. Pancras

1 initial, 1970s disco, 2012, Arch, Initial-based, Labour Party, Militia, One big letter, Other connotations, Retrofuturism, Science and Technology, Typographic, Uncommon shape , , , , , ,

“Day 2 Day”, Tower Hamlets: non-satirical

Leave a Comment Posted by on January 4, 2013

Day 2 Day Security Services Ltd

“Day 2 Day Security Services Ltd” burglar alarm, Tower Hamlets • A label cut out and affixed to a “UK plug” shaped box. Presumably not a reference to classic TV news satire The Day Today. • Spotted: Redchurch Street, Tower Hamlets, London, E2, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Bethnal Green and Bow

2007, Delta, Labour Party, Time, Typographic, Uncommon shape , , , , , ,

“Expo”, Islington: gun sight

2 Comments Posted by on December 22, 2012

York Way, Islington, London, N1, England, 2012

“Expo” burglar alarm, Islington • Yet another gun-sight crosshair – very James Bond. Not, presumably, named after the Stockhausen composition for three shortwave radios. Tomorrow: monograms. • Spotted: York Way, Islington, London, N1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Islington South and Finsbury

2012, Crosshairs, Illustrated, Labour Party, Oval, Shooting, Stylised graphic, Uncommon shape , , , , , , ,

“Sentinel”, Hereford: shattered

Leave a Comment Posted by on October 12, 2012

“Sentinel” burglar alarm, Hereford • Same firm as yesterday, much older sounder. Presumably that bit of shattered electronics was a strobe once upon a time. The long-established firm is still around today in Hereford – you can see their current identity here, featuring the popular shield and silhouetted figure tropes.• Spotted: Town centre, Hereford, Herefordshire, HR1, England, 2008 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Hereford and South Herefordshire

2008, Broken, Conservative Party, Decay, Favourite, Guard, Militia, Rectangle, Retrofuturism, Science and Technology, Typographic, Uncommon shape, Vintage , , , , , ,

“Krypto Security”, Westminster: turret-shaped

3 Comments Posted by on July 17, 2012


“Krypto Security” burglar alarm, City of Westminster • And so we segue seamlessly from portcullises to fortifications in general – castles, fortresses, ramparts and so on. This looks like an old-style prison, which would be apt, but because I have seen other versions of Krypto’s logo (coming soon), I know it’s a castle. But what stands out here is the turret-shaped sounder – I wonder whether the logo was designed to fit it, or vice versa? I’ve never seen any other similarly-shaped sounders in the UK, though I have abroad. I’m not sad enough to snap burglar alarms on holiday, however – well, not often – so I don’t have pictorial proof. • Spotted: New Cavendish Street, City of Westminster, London, W1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Cities of London and Westminster

2012, Building, Castle, Conservative Party, Favourite, Fortification, Illustrated, Portcullis, Rectangle, Stylised graphic, Uncommon shape, Vintage , , , , , , ,

“Swift Fire & Security”, Ealing: strangely static

Leave a Comment Posted by on May 19, 2012

“Swift Fire & Security” burglar alarm, Ealing • At last, a Swift that’s easy to find – the 1982-founded company’s website is here. You see absolutely loads of their alarms around, but nicely designed though it is, their logo doesn’t visually suggest speed in any way; in fact, it looks positively static. It’s on the same unusual soap-dish box as the Key Integrated Systems here, which I now know is called an Odyssey 4. • Spotted: Ashbourne Parade, Ealing, London, W5, England, 2006 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Ealing Central and Acton

2006, Conservative Party, Fire, Rectangle, Speed, Typographic, Uncommon shape , , , , , , ,

“Alarmfast”, Glasgow: Caledonian sail

Leave a Comment Posted by on May 16, 2012

“Alarmfast” burglar alarm, Glasgow • Here’s a more recent version of yesterday’s self-explanatory “fast” alarm. They’ve moved to the unusual tupperware box-style shape I featured here, and pruned their weird logo to simply the spindly triangle, which now looks like a hang glider sail, or perhaps an arrow. The red sandstone wall behind it shows this is from Glasgow: Alarmfast sounders are all over the place there, as befits a 20-year-old Caledonian firm. • Spotted: Merchant City area, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, G1, Scotland, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Glasgow Central

2010, Arrow, Illustrated, Labour Party, Rectangle, Speed, Stylised graphic, Uncommon shape , , , , , , ,

“Cherry Security”, Islington: ooh, fruity!

2 Comments Posted by on April 4, 2012

“Cherry Security” burglar alarm, Islington • Plant-based imagery is surprisingly popular with security firms, so this week’s theme is botanical alarms – that is, sounders featuring fruit, flowers and trees. And what better way to kick off than with this juicy pair of cherries – an image so loaded with fruity connotations that I’m simply not going there. Instead I’ll just note that the sounder is the same unusual design as the ESS box featured here, and that Cherry’s website features more flashing emergency lights than the Old Kent Road on a Saturday night. • Spotted: Marlborough Road, Islington, London, N19, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Islington North

2010, Botanic, Favourite, Illustrated, Labour Party, Other connotations, Stylised graphic, Triangle, Uncommon shape , , , , , , ,

“Westronics Ltd”, Lambeth: space-age creature

26 Comments Posted by on March 14, 2012

“Westronics Ltd” burglar alarm, Lambeth • Finally, another un-nameable shape, which is a bit like the body of a sea creature, or less imaginatively a razor. Maybe the ascendancy of these rounded, amorphous shapes over the chunky, straight-edged forms of yore is due to the advent of computer-aided 3D modelling, something achievable on a laptop today but requiring NASA-like processing power not so long ago. The Berkshire family firm behind this box has appropriately space-age roots, having been founded in 1969, year of the first moon landing. That era is reflected in their logo, which I think is a condensed version of Blippo, a font from 1969 based on Bauhaus supremo Herbert Bayer’s influential “Universal Typeface” of the 1920s. I note that Westronics no longer uses this design of sounder, as demonstrated by the up-to-date deltas on their official website here. However it remains the only example of this shape I’ve come across, and I end with it because it also pictures the next theme, a weapon popular with ancient villains and security forces alike – the arrow. • Spotted: Lower Marsh, Lambeth, London, SE1, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Vauxhall

1970s disco, 2007, Arrow, Geographic, Illustrated, Labour Party, Rectangle, Science and Technology, Stylised graphic, Uncommon shape , , , , , , ,

“Stew’s” burglar alarm, Margate: matey eco-shield

3 Comments Posted by on March 13, 2012

“Stew’s Electrical & Security” burglar alarm, Margate • This would better belong with the shield forms at the beginning of my “uncommon shapes” theme, but it’s a last-minute discovery and the only example of this box type I’ve ever found. It’s also unique in being cheerily and possessively titled for the proprietor’s first rather than last name. The box looks a bit like a cheap, upside-down version of this ESS enclosure – which, according to the commenters, was a chrome shield variation CQR Multibox. All Ramsgate-based Stew’s matey details are on a large label, atypical for a sticker in looking professionally-designed. It features tiny icons of those popular security tropes lightning and locksmithery, plus an unusually harmonious (for burglar alarms) pale blue and green colour scheme, which wouldn’t look out of place on eco-friendly washing powder. • Spotted: Market Street, Margate, Kent, CT9, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Thanet North

2012, Conservative Party, Illustrated, Lightning, Lock, Locksmithery, Sticker, Stylised graphic, Triangle, Uncommon shape , , , , , ,

“GD Security”, Southwark: un-describable wedgie

Leave a Comment Posted by on March 12, 2012


“GD Security” burglar alarm, Southwark • Another wedgie sounder with an un-describable shape, from the prolific GD Security, whose bulldog I’ve already featured here in the dogs category. While their guard mutt never changes, GD use a wide variety of box designs, usually in silver. This however is in blue and white, which I always think of as subliminal “police” colours. • Spotted: Morocco Street, Southwark, London, SE1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bermondsey and Old Southwark

2011, Creature, Dog, Illustrated, Lib-Dem Party, Rectangle, Silhouette, Uncommon shape, Unexplained acronym , , , , , , ,

“Yale”, Tower Hamlets: humdrum wedge

Leave a Comment Posted by on March 11, 2012


“Yale” burglar alarm, Tower Hamlets • Now come a few odd-shaped sounders for which I can’t find the correct geometrical terms (because there probably aren’t any). The hulking contraption above is the dummy box companion to Yale’s round sounder here – though as I commented there, if that is a gleaming Gouda, this is a mere humdrum wedge of Cheddar. • Spotted: Redchurch Street, Tower Hamlets, London, E2, England, 2006 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Bethnal Green and Bow

2006, Geographic, Labour Party, Modernism, Monochrome, Rectangle, Typographic, Uncommon shape, Yellow , , , , , , ,

“Alarm Service Group”, Bristol: constructivist classic

7 Comments Posted by on March 10, 2012


“Alarm Service Group” burglar alarm, Bristol • As I’ve never seen it used by anyone but Alarm Service Group, I must assume that this super-smart and beautifully-designed modernist sounder is proprietary to them, though they also use Eurobells. Or, I should say, once used: the firm doesn’t exist any more, though there are still lots of their boxes around in Bristol, mainly in very good condition. I love the yellow-and-green colour scheme, the broad green strobe (if that’s what it is) at the bottom, and the mysterious symbolism of the logo – part totalitarian throwback, part bow-tied chains. Whoever came up with this constructivist classic had a great eye for design. There’s a photo of one below on a massive Soviet-style building in Bristol: a perfect match. • Spotted: Wine Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West

A perfect match: Alarm Service Group's modernist sounder graces the Soviet-style Cafe Central in Quay Street, Bristol, 2011

2011, Favourite, Lib-Dem Party, Modernism, Rectangle, Typographic, Uncommon shape , , , , , ,

“Abel”, Islington: glowing logo

13 Comments Posted by on March 9, 2012


“Abel” burglar alarm, Islington • A lot of pioneering British alarm companies were swallowed up by multinationals in the 1980s, but veteran firm Abel – like Banham, featured yesterday – endure. They were formed in 1965, and according to their website are now the UK’s largest privately owned providers of electronic security systems. They certainly update their boxes regularly – compare and contrast the old red effort featured here with their current look, above. Utterly proprietary, it’s a slim silver metal square with a die-cut logo that’s illuminated from within, as shown glowing at dusk below. Slick! • Spotted: Upper Street, Islington, London, N1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Islington South and Finsbury

2012, Christian, Illuminated, Jewish, Labour Party, Monochrome, Rectangle, Religion, Silver, Typographic, Uncommon shape , , , , , , ,

“Banham Security”, Southwark”: silver-grilled

4 Comments Posted by on March 8, 2012


“Banham Security” burglar alarm, Southwark • Before Banham developed their shield-shaped sounder they used all sorts of box styles, but this is the only shiny silver-grilled one I’ve found, and in fact the only example of this type of box I’ve ever seen. It’s on an attractive old building in Bermondsey Street called the Time and Talents Settlement, home to a charity founded by local women in 1887 and still going strong today, offering locals “volunteering opportunities and numerous groups and projects to participate in”. Maybe I’ll go round and volunteer to run a burglar alarm-spotting course. • Spotted: Bermondsey Street, Southwark, London, SE1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bermondsey and Old Southwark

2011, Bulb, Lib-Dem Party, Monochrome, Rectangle, Silver, Typographic, Uncommon shape, Vintage , , , , , , ,

“Challenger”, Bristol: dull but rare

10 Comments Posted by on March 6, 2012


“Challenger Fortis Fidelis” burglar alarm, Bristol • OK, so this is a dull soapdishy shape. But it’s the only version of this particular dull soapdishy shape I’ve ever found, and the logo’s a bit of a classic – I always appreciate a shield and a Latin motto. Fortis et fidelis is a common heraldic phrase meaning “brave and faithful”, “strong and loyal”, or variations thereof; it’s also a ridiculously overpriced brand of cognac. • Spotted: Small Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West

2011, Classical, Heraldry, Illustrated, Latin, Lib-Dem Party, Militia, Rectangle, Shield, Stylised graphic, Uncommon shape , , , , , ,

“AM Security Group”, Brighton: swelling sides

3 Comments Posted by on March 5, 2012


“AM Security Group” burglar alarm, Brighton • Not a super-rare case style, but unusual and striking nevertheless with its swelling sides. You see these mounted horizontally too, and with the right design and colourway such boxes can look stylish – though this isn’t one of them. The busy logo manages to cram in references to time, a bit of a key at the end of the ‘M’, and radiating from the ‘A’ is a spiky circle that suggests a bandsaw or a gun sight, but is probably meant to be soundwaves. • Spotted: Old Steine, Brighton, East Sussex, BN1, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Brighton Kemptown

2004, Audio, Conservative Party, Illustrated, Key, Locksmithery, Monochrome, Rectangle, Soundwaves, Stylised graphic, Time, Uncommon shape, Unexplained acronym, Yellow , , , , , ,

“Response Alarms”, Camden: ladies’ shaver

12 Comments Posted by on March 4, 2012


“Response Alarms” burglar alarm, Camden • This style of Response is much more common than yesterday’s tricorder, and often has other firms’ branding (the Response-branded version being a DIY alarm, I think). In its wavy curvaceousness, the case reminds me of nothing so much as a ladies’ shaver. • Spotted: Tottenham Mews, Camden, London, W1, England, 2005 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Holborn and St Pancras

2005, Labour Party, Rectangle, Typographic, Uncommon shape , , , , , , ,

“Response Alarms”, Lambeth: convoluted tricorder

3 Comments Posted by on March 3, 2012


“Response Alarms” burglar alarm, Lambeth • Response alarms are always a convoluted shape, perhaps due to their solar panels. This old example looks like some piece of kit off Star Trek’s USS Enterprise – a tricorder, perhaps – and is the only one of its kind I’ve ever seen. • Spotted: Cornwall Road, Lambeth, London, SE1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Vauxhall

2011, Faded, Labour Party, Rectangle, Typographic, Uncommon shape , , , , , , ,

“Minerva Integrated Security”, Camden: tasteful square

2 Comments Posted by on March 2, 2012


“Minerva Integrated Security Services Ltd” burglar alarm, Camden • This is a very recent square design, so tasteful it resembles a Bang & Olufson speaker. At one point I thought such squares were going to take over the entire burglar alarm world, which would have been a bit dull; but they seem to have had their day already, and while not exactly rare, aren’t a common sight either. I don’t know if this firm is any relation to the venerable AFA Minerva of old – presumably not, as their website says they were formed in 2005. I can’t work out what the jittery circular logo is meant to suggest, if anything – certainly not the Roman goddess the firm takes its name from. • Spotted: Great Russell Street, Camden, London, WC1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Holborn and St Pancras

2011, Classical, Illustrated, Labour Party, Latin, Mythological, Rectangle, Stylised graphic, Uncommon shape , , , , , , ,

“Securicor Granley”, Hackney: tupperware box

7 Comments Posted by on March 1, 2012


“Securicor Granley” burglar alarm, Hackney • You only see this giant tupperware cheesebox – a shape that bears no relation to any other sounder – on old Securicor and Securicor Granley boxes. They’re quite rare and often pretty worn, but apart from being skew-wiff, this one is in decent condition. Some variations have the logo on a printed label affixed to the raised flat panel, but this is the most deluxe version, with the whole logo in moulded 3D type. • Spotted: Clifton Street, Hackney, London, EC2, England, 2008 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Hackney South and Shoreditch

2008, Labour Party, Modernism, Rectangle, Typographic, Uncommon shape , , , , , , ,

“Cirencester Intruder Alarms”, Cirencester: oddity

4 Comments Posted by on February 29, 2012


“Cirencester Intruder Alarms” burglar alarm, Cirencester • Another square oddity, which reminds me of a 1970s clock radio – I’m loving the big blue bulb. The name conjures up visions of American secret agents rampaging round deepest Gloucestershire (which they probably do). • Spotted: Town centre, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7, England, 2007 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Cotswolds

2007, 3 initials, Bulb, Conservative Party, Espionage, Geographic, Local, Rectangle, Typographic, Uncommon shape , , , , , ,

“Shorrock”, Bristol: mini-fan-heater

19 Comments Posted by on February 28, 2012


“Shorrock” burglar alarm, Bristol • Now we’re on to unusual square sounders, though this kind of design may be more common abroad – I’ve seen several in Belgium and Italy, for a start. The classic Shorrock is a pentagon as here, so I reckon this mini-fan-heater is older, though the logo’s the same. • Spotted: Surrey Street, Bristol, Avon, BS2, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West

2011, Illustrated, Lib-Dem Party, Rectangle, Stylised graphic, Uncommon shape , , , , , ,

“Secom Carroll”, Lambeth: wedgie dual grille

4 Comments Posted by on February 27, 2012


“Secom Carroll Security Communication Systems” burglar alarm, Lambeth • And my final Carroll for now, after being taken over by Secom – which happened in 1989, according to the comment here. This is before Secom had their current logo or weird plug boxes, but it’s still an unusual shape – a wedgey square with double grilles on each side. • Spotted: Lower Marsh, Lambeth, London, SE1, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Vauxhall

2011, Bulb, Com and Co, Labour Party, Rectangle, Typographic, Uncommon shape , , , , , , ,

“Carroll Security”, East Grinstead: badly-cut wedge

7 Comments Posted by on February 26, 2012


“Carroll Security” burglar alarm, East Grinstead • This must be an earlier version of yesterday’s Carroll, as it looks like metal and they aren’t yet a “Group”. It’s a more geometrical version of yesterday’s logo, again professional, and surely designed in the 1970s. Once again it’s an unusual sounder shape, this time like a badly-cut wedge of cheese. I used to think this was to fit the sloping roof, but I’ve seen others on flat walls since and they all have the same slanting box. • Spotted: Middle Row, East Grinstead, West Sussex, RH19, England, 2004 • Politics: In the Conservative constituency of Sussex Mid

2004, Conservative Party, Modernism, One big letter, Rectangle, Typographic, Uncommon shape , , , , , ,

“Carroll Security Group”, Camden: maggoty arch

14 Comments Posted by on February 25, 2012


“Carroll Security Group” burglar alarm, Camden • I featured one of these arched sounders a while back for Nu-Tron, but they’re pretty unusual, although I was informed in this comment there’s a cache of them around Lyme Regis. This is a good use of the shape, with a professional-looking logo that reads as an S, a C, and also a kind of Yin-Yang symbol (or possibly two entwined maggots). The firm’s name is in the font Rockwell, which is very redolent of the 1970s, though this must date from later. • Spotted: Tottenham Mews, Camden, London, W1, England, 2005 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Holborn and St Pancras

2005, Buddhist, Illustrated, Labour Party, One big letter, Rectangle, Religion, Stylised graphic, Uncommon shape , , , , , , ,

“SYS”, Islington: deep pocket

10 Comments Posted by on February 24, 2012


“SYS” burglar alarm, Islington • An even deeper pocket than yesterday, decorated with a not-very-attractive unexplained acronym logo that’s presumably meant to suggest “system”. The firm’s uninformative website is here and the actual sounder can be found here – this example is the only one I’ve come across in the flesh, so to speak. The logo is a reflected palindrome in the manner of Abba, ie it reads the same in both directions and is also physically reflected down the middle. Bizarrely, I do have an Abba alarm, which I shall post one day. • Spotted: Tollington Park, Islington, London, N4, England, 2011 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Islington North

2011, 3 initials, Initial-based, Labour Party, Monogram, Rectangle, Typographic, Uncommon shape, Unexplained acronym , , , , , , ,

“Pointer”, Derby: pocket dog

1 Comment Posted by on February 23, 2012


“Pointer” burglar alarm, Derby • I’ve already featured a couple of Pointers, but this is by far the most recent – and the only example of this slightly “pocketty” shape of sounder I’ve ever come across. I still like the cute mutt logo, now in a smart silver roundel. • Spotted: Town centre, Derby, Derbyshire, DE1, England, 2010 • Politics: In the Labour constituency of Derby South

2010, Creature, Dog, Illustrated, Labour Party, Rectangle, Stylised graphic, Uncommon shape , , , , , ,

“Key Integrated Systems”, Bristol: soap dish

5 Comments Posted by on February 22, 2012


“Key Integrated Systems” burglar alarm, Bristol • We’re moving into uncommon rectangular shapes now, which basically means boxes with fancy edges or indentations – so although rare, they’re not the most exciting of enclosures. This has a ridged clear panel beneath a curved white top, and is the only example I’ve ever seen. It’s not very recognisable however, and the best I can say about it is that it’s a bit like a soap dish, or perhaps a sea slug. I can’t argue with the disco-tastic logo though, which manages to incorporate an acronym, a star, locksmithery, technology, and the fact that K.I.S. were established in 1976. How on earth does Bristol support so many independent security firms? It suggests it’s the crime hot-spot of the western world, though I’m sure it’s not. • Spotted: Queen Charlotte Street, Bristol, Avon, BS1, England, 2012 • Politics: In the Liberal Democrat constituency of Bristol West

1970s disco, 2012, 3 initials, Illustrated, Key, Lib-Dem Party, Locksmithery, Rectangle, Science and Technology, Star, Stylised graphic, Uncommon shape , , , , , ,

← Older posts

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 419 other followers

%d bloggers like this: