Odd safe on pavement in Brighton, England

darryl.k

Hi all,

I like finding odd safes or exploring old vaults. The very helpful chap from Safehaven Security in Newhaven told me about an odd safe which had been sitting on the pavement (side walk to you Americans) in Brighton for years. So I went and had a look. Sure enough out side the guitar and amp shop in the North lanes Brighton there is a real bruiser of a safe. Looks very heavy, I knocked it with my fist and got no echo, its solid, its a banded safe. Think its been painted grey so no original paint and no makers name or plaque. You can even see it from Google earth! I have no idea what make it is. I asked in the shop who owns it and they weren’t sure, they said its been there years. The door is open a fraction, but rusted shut, so cannot open it.

Heres the pics.

Tom Gordon

here’s some I tripped over in Cuba

Russell Stoner

Hi Darryl

The safe on the pavement is non other than a Milner list 4. Made with a laminated steel door, & yes, a heavy beasty.

Looks to have been made around 1890-1910. If the serial no is visible, i’m pretty sure we can clarify.

Regards
Russell Stoner
Withy Grove (Leeds) Ltd
t:044 (0)113 2721441
www.wgsafesonline.com

darryl.k wrote
Hi all,

I like finding odd safes or exploring old vaults. The very helpful chap from Safehaven Security in Newhaven told me about an odd safe which had been sitting on the pavement (side walk to you Americans) in Brighton for years. So I went and had a look. Sure enough out side the guitar and amp shop in the North lanes Brighton there is a real bruiser of a safe. Looks very heavy, I knocked it with my fist and got no echo, its solid, its a banded safe. Think its been painted grey so no original paint and no makers name or plaque. You can even see it from Google earth! I have no idea what make it is. I asked in the shop who owns it and they weren’t sure, they said its been there years. The door is open a fraction, but rusted shut, so cannot open it.

Heres the pics.

———- Post added at 08:44 PM ———- Previous post was at 08:37 PM ———-

In answer to its door being partially open. Cant fathom why nobody has given the door a good thwack with a 4 pound hammer…seemples.

There will be loads of bolts attaching the door pan to the door, and dare I say a really nice Milners paper logo on its door.

Original colour should have been dark blue body with either a yellow or pale blue interior.

Regards
Russell Stoner
Withy Grove (Leeds) Ltd

ps. Arnt we a sad bunch of safe teks?

darryl.k wrote
Hi all,

I like finding odd safes or exploring old vaults. The very helpful chap from Safehaven Security in Newhaven told me about an odd safe which had been sitting on the pavement (side walk to you Americans) in Brighton for years. So I went and had a look. Sure enough out side the guitar and amp shop in the North lanes Brighton there is a real bruiser of a safe. Looks very heavy, I knocked it with my fist and got no echo, its solid, its a banded safe. Think its been painted grey so no original paint and no makers name or plaque. You can even see it from Google earth! I have no idea what make it is. I asked in the shop who owns it and they weren’t sure, they said its been there years. The door is open a fraction, but rusted shut, so cannot open it.

Heres the pics.

[unknown] [unknown]

darryl.k

Hi Tom - That safe in Cuba looks big and interesting, any more pics?

Russell - Thanks for the info on the Milners safe in Brighton. Not that I’ll ever own it, but it was bugging me what it was and how old it is. I’m sure if any one wanted it and obviously had the gear to move it no one would notice, probably being doing the council a favour! Would be interesting to see if the inside is original?!?

———- Post added at 10:25 PM ———- Previous post was at 10:24 PM ———-

Russell - where would the serial number be on it?

Tom Gordon

That car (in normal daily use) and parked outside someone’s house is from about 1925

darryl.k

How interesting! I guess they are trying to salvage the steel and put to other uses?!?
Great pics.

Tom Gordon

You would think so but they have been there a long time

Dean Nickel

If it was a country with the ability to melt steel then yes it would have been long gone. But as far as I know they never did import anything to do that type of industry once Castro took control. All metal parts from what I understand are imported

Billy B Edwards Jr. CML

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So it isn’t so much a safe as what is left of a vault door standing on what is left of the crane hinge. Interesting, do you think the building was the bank?
BBE.

Tom Gordon

The other safes/vaults were in a yard over the street. I think there are too many for one bank.
I did go into one working bank in a smaller town than Havana and there was a guard sitting on a plastic chair near the door, broken glass in the window, 1970’s ish computers and a lot of peeling paint.
They obviously have trouble getting new stuff because America is still, after all this time, waging economic warfare on them, but it is amazing and uplifting to see the people and the place even if they valiantly struggle to maintain stuff and can’t make the most of their old vaults.
For those seeking to import some antiques, I am afraid it is against Cuban law.

Doug MacQueen

I just looked closely at that vault door on its side and realized it is the complete door and jamb. What a shame. I do know there was at least one steel company in Cuba the time of takeover. Don’t know what became of it. Rather strange the U.S. has normalized relations with Viet Nam, trades regularly with China, but is still sticking it to Cuba. That is what happens when a small but powerful group controls U.S. foreign policy regarding Cuba.

Tom Gordon

Cuba is small and easy to bully and anyway what would become of Las Vegas if Americans could go to Cuba again?
Hmm there might be some nice secondhand vaults in Nevada that would become available.