This could be the chance of a lifetime for Doctor Who fans – 22 Tardises are about to go on sale in Edinburgh.
The blue police boxes have been a feature of the city for 80 years but have now been designated “surplus to operational requirements” by Lothian and Borders Police Board and put up for sale.
But before devoted Whovians start getting their wallets out, there are a few things they should probably know about the "Tardises".
The Edinburgh police boxes have sloped roofs, rather than the flat-topped design that inspired the Doctor's time machine - and buyers would be required to paint them a different colour to the classic Tardis blue.
No guide price has been given but offers must be submitted in sealed official envelopes and successful buyers are subject to a sales fee of £100 in addition to their final bids.
The new owners would then have to obtain council permits to keep the boxes in their current positions or arrange to have the two-ton cast-iron structures removed - which in many cases would require further council approval, since 12 of the boxes are listed as historically significant.
Like the Tardis itself (before its chameleon circuit malfunctioned, of course), the Edinburgh boxes were designed to blend in with their surroundings - in this case, the city's neo-classical architecture.
Malcolm Irving, author of Edinburgh Police Boxes, said of the boxes: “[They were] poky but well-designed, with a wee desk, telephone and doocots for filing papers.
“I think they are something we should hold on to," he added. "I like the fact that there are so many of them in Edinburgh, including in unexpected places.”
For Who fans undaunted by all of the potential obstacles to owning one of the Edinburgh police boxes, the closing date for bids is 12 noon on Thursday 31 May.
And for those keen to own a police box more in keeping with the Doctor Who ideal, Edinburgh Police Board convener Iain Whyte has hinted that the outcome of the auction could persuade police forces in other cities to follow suit.
“The sale will help us see if there is demand for other boxes to be sold," he said.
