Introducton

The UK Payphone Database is a user searchable and updatable database of UK Payphones, maintained by Bob's Basement. You can search the database for information on payphones in the UK as well as add your own information and update existing records.

Collecting data

If you go out in the field to collect data, here's a few tips:

  • Collect what you can: Don't worry if you don't have a GPS or camera or whatever, collect as much information as you can. You must have the phone number as it's a DB key field but everything else is optional
  • Respect copyright: DO NOT put copyright data into the DB as this can lead to a world of pain. This includes getting GPS data from mapping sites or data from copyright sources (eg postcodes from the RM find a postcode database
  • Phone numbers: Are usually listed on the phone. Otherwise you can stick 50p in the phone, call your mobile, hang up, get your 50p back and then read the number off the CLID on your phone
  • GPS coordinates: I just saw a way point in the GPS and make a note of the waypoint name. I use the default name, which is an incrementing number on my Garmin
  • Photos: I start with a clear memory card. My camera like most others stores the file with an incrementing file name. I just add an incrementing number agains the phone number and I can tie the two together

    Adding and updating records

    If you are a memeber of Bob's Basement or a regular updater, then place login with your Bob's Basement account as this helps us track updates and validate the data. If you do not have an account, please contact BOfH in #bobsbasement on irc://irc.hackervoice.co.uk.

  • Phone number: telephone numbers are stored in International format (+44 (0)1234 567890). Please enter the phone number without the leading zero, the +44 will be automatically added.
  • Address: Please enter the address of the payphone. BT phones have the address inside, so please use this.
  • Postcode: Please enter the postcode in captial letters with a space between the two halfs.
  • Model: If you know the model of the payphone, please enter it.
  • GPS coordinates: If you have the GPS coordinates of the payphone, please enter them in decimal format. If not, the database will guess the approximate coordinates, based on the postcode.
  • OS grid reference: If you have the OS grid reference, please enter it, in eight figure format, including the two-letter area code. If you only know the six-figure grid reference, please add a 0 to the end of the northing and easting.
  • Photo: If you have a photo of the payphone, you can upload it. You can upload as many photos as you like.

    • If the phone already exists, please enter any information you have. This is used to validate the data.

    Editing records

    When updating records, first select the feilds that need to be udpated. If you can positivly confirm that the field is currently correct, then select the radio button on the right. If you need to change a field, select the radio button on the left. If you do not have any updated information for a field and cannot confirm if the current data is correct, then select neither button.

    Licensing

    This site and it's content is licensed under the Creative Commons, attribution and share-alike (CC-BY-SA) license. Broadingly speaking this means that you can do pretty much whatever you like with the data however, you must attribute it to Bob's Basement and you must share it under a similar license. More information is available from the Creative Commons guys.

    Credits

    In keeping we the above license, we need to tell you that the guys over at Open Street Map helped us make it happen. Thanks guys.