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seamusuk

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 26, 2006
Messages
1,559
Location
Dover Kent UK
Hey Guys
This is a link to a fantastic series about the everyday lives of operators in a 1950s Telephone Exchange. This episode shows how difficult it was to trace a call on Strowger equipment....
Seamus

 
Strowger

I've traced calls on Strowger equipment.... Kept one fit in a multi-floor exchange. Those were the days!!!

I still have a couple of Strowger switches. ;-)

All best

Dave T
 
More Strowger

Sadly, I can't edit my posts... :-(

Having now followed the 'link' (which I won't normally do) and having watched the video, I was surprised that the Engineer was able to read out the caller's number without visiting the Uniselector racks or Linefinder records... Maybe things were different in Derby, or perhaps I'm just nit-picking.... ;)

Nice bit of nostalgia, though.... Thanks Seamus

All best

Dave T
 
I did wonder...

Hi Dave
I did wonder if that bit was strictly accurate...
Also they just so happened to have the address for that number handy hmm...........
Seamus
 
Not Strowger....

Hey Dave
You might find this interesting- It documents the conversion of the last manual exchange in the London telephone area (Upminster) to automatic operation. It was the 1st in the London region to use Crossbar. I would love to have been one of the guys pulling those fuses out!!
Seamus

 
Check Out An American "Toll Office"

I was lucky enough to work at two phone companies during high school and college as a toll operator "long distance." Worked the old cord boards just before the transition to automated toll service desks. This is what it was like although I remember it being a bit more fast-paced. I loved that job!

 
So When

I had the opportunity to pick up a Western Electric 556a PBX switchboard, I grabbed it. Totally functional and works the phones on the first floor on night service. This was a board that was in trading firm on LaSalle street in Chicago during the 60's. Hooked up as a manual auxiliary to a 556 crossbar PBX. Direct inward dialing and 9+ outside dialing. Caught the calls to the main number, assisted with calls and also had a set of manual circuits, which are the ones I use. Set up for conference service as well. Amazingly still works with the current central office with dial service.

compactelectra++9-9-2013-19-09-46.jpg
 
Thanks, Seamus

For the new link..... I never had much time for 'Crowbar' equipment.... Fast, efficient, and reliable it may have been, but it lacked the 'animation' of the Strowger racks. All our exchange changeovers ocurred at night, when traffic was at a minimum, and I was never on a changeover team (overtime went to the most senior).

Re: first video.. Assuming the record cards were up-to-date, it would only have taken a few seconds for an engineer to match an address to a number.

Thanks again

Dave T

P.S. Been working away for a week, just got back....
 
Crossbar/Strowger

Hi Dave
I was lucky enough to visit a large Strowger exchange in Canterbury in about 1985 when BT had an open day (Something that would never happen now with Health and Safety, security etc). I was 12ish at the time and remember being absolutely fascinated by both the noise and watching the selectors. The engineer who showed us round was great and also talked about how things would be changing in the future as electronics took the place of what then in use.
Our local exchange(Dover)was built in 1968 and was equipped with the same Plessey equipment as Upminster from what I have been able to find out. It lasted until 1989 when we went digital.
There is a series of recordings Andrew Emmerson made in 1971 of various tones on You tube. One thing he mentions and which I remembered as soon as I heard it is that the ringing tone on Crossbar exchanges was different in that there was an initial single tone before the double tone started. He says it was to reassure the subscriber that the call was connected as soon as they finished dialing?
Seamus
 
Ringing tones

Not listened to your 'link' yet, Seamus, but can confirm that 'Crowbar' exchanges sent a single 'long' burst of ringtone before commencing the regular cadence. I made a sound recording of the last Strowger exchange of any size in my local area, but unfortunately the tape has 'disappeared'.... I have never lent it or taken it out of the house at all, but now only have the empty reel box. The reel of tape has mysteriously vanished.....

I still have my recording of the rolling mill at the local (now defunct) steelworks. ;-)

All best

Dave T
 
Rubber Butt

Yes, I think I still have one somewhere. I still use my 'Blue Butt' (Chesilvale Tele 284A) as my domestic telephone. Regular use for 30 years and has only needed a new tone caller.

Loving the thread

Dave T
 
Broken Link :-(

The 'link' in Reply#13 doesn't work (not for me, anyway ;) ) I have now listened to the 'tones' recording... It appears that this is only 'part 1' of a longer recording. It seems to be VERY comprehensive, covering a number of private installations as well as the public G.P.O. exchanges. Some memories there!!!

Re: G.P.O. goes to Poland... This doesn't surprise me at all. Most redundant mechanical exchanges were sold on to other(mainly 'third World') countries as 'going concerns'. The cabling was cut at the top of the racks, so that they could be simply (???) 'stitched' back together at their destination.

Most 'mobile' exchanges (yes, they did exist!!) were sold as scrap :-( . A few were bought by collectors (mainly ex-engineers) and I assume that recordings/videos will be 'out there' somewhere.

I think I have a '2000 type' Group Selector and a '4000 type' 2-10 Final Selector in the back of the garage, along with several Uniselectors. Unfortunately I have no contact banks for them, so can't assemble a working 'mini-exchange'.. :'(

All best

Dave T

P.S. While on Yt after listening to the tones recording, I did notice a short video featuring three 'Pre-2000' type selectors (rounded fronts to the relay covers). I only ever saw a few of these in one local exchange, and never worked on any.
 
More......

Still been unable to listen to 'part 2' of sounds.... It needs some weird player which I don't have installed... :(

The info on mobiles is interesting... None of ours in the '70s and '80s had their own names, they just extended the switching capacity of the exchanges which they served. All were MNDX types.

The Poland video brings back audio memories, though the arrangement of equipment is weird to me. So... Here's what I can see....

First minute - Group selector racks. One in close-up at approx 0:30 steps and then drops out, without obvious interference from the Engineer.

Next minute - Ringing machines. The Engineer changes over machines.

Then in fairly quick succession there appear to be Group selectors, 11/- Final Selectors, and some relay sets, which may be incomers from somewhere else.

At around 5:00 he's at the Uniselector racks, then moves on to some Final Selectors at around 5:50

When the camera re-enters the room (6:30 ish) it looks at the back (wiring side) of some racks.

********************************
Since this IS a 'Vacuum-related' site, does anyone recognise the Vacuum Cleaner at approx 9:58-10:03?????
********************************

Sadly, there is no footage of the rectifiers, batteries, and power distribution systems, including the generator (which are probably the most interesting bit of ANY exchange) ;) :-(

All best, and thanks again, Seamus

Dave T
 

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