My GPO Rotary Telephone Collection

[vacerator]

cool phone, wagon's;

Yeah, that's a nice one Alex.
Delaney, Didn't Sid Fairgate get killed in his blue Mustang?
I used to transfer up to 25 cases of 8 and 10 size cantalopes, and anything else between stores with that Colony Park. Occasionally, heavy shopping traffic in a store, or an inexperienced person doing ordering caused a light supply, so we were allowed to transfer merchandise a.s.a.p.. rather than wait for the next warehouse delivery trucks.
The following year, the company downsized to the even smaller than the former '77 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cruisers. They had the 260 cubic inch V8, and no power.
By 1984 we got the Ford LTD wagons. Not Crown Vic's, but the Fairmont type LTD's with 6 cylinders. They still had more power than the Olds 260 V8.
In 1987, it was Taurus wagons, which hardly held anything due to their jelly bean shape and sharply raked rear lift gate.
By the 90's, no one got wagons. We had a choice of a 4 door Grand Prix, or Cutlass sedan, or a Dodge Dynasty. A&P was tighter with the transportation budget than the original family owners of our chain.
I had to add any bulky shortage add on's for my stores piggy backed onto the afternoon grocery trucks, room and weather permitting it wasn't too hot, or freezing. Dry goods trailers had no refer units.

 

[midcenturyfan]

I have decided to start collecting telephones and, so far, I have acquired these two. The black example is a 746 model, dating from 1971, and the ivory phone is a 706 model, from 1966.

Fortunately, both phones were in good condition and only needed a thorough cleaning. The previous owner of the ivory one was a heavy smoker, and it took several hours of work to remove the grime.

I have converted both telephones so the they will work with a modern British Telecom socket. The conversion was extremely easy to do, and the parts cost less than £10 per phone. Obviously, those of you in other parts of the world should check with your phone provider before buying an old phone, and do some research into what conversion work might be required.

Robin.

 

[delaneymeegan]

 


 


A lot of these phones remind me of the Benny Hill show.


 


The hand sets look like they weigh a lot, compared to newer phones.  We inherited a black rotary 1950s phone (U.S.) from a relative.  The handset was considerably heavier than a more modern phone.  


 


Video starts at 20:27



http://https//youtu.be/eRO3qs8RfII

 

[alexhoovers94]

They are not heavy but they have a certain feel of quality to them certainly

 

[midcenturyfan]

These telephones definitely have a tactile quality to them.

 

[delaneymeegan]

 


This is what we inherited.  Those sharp corners, and the apparent concrete weights inside, make the handset an excellent murder weapon.  


 


Perhaps, just...  perhaps, it was the inspiration for the movie Dial M for Murder.  (wicked laugh) But seriously....  



http://https//youtu.be/JWP_hrNHSN4

 

[delaneymeegan]

Some Favorite rotary dial phones

 


 


have to be certain Western Electric, modularized, and in certain colours.

 

[alexhoovers94]

Hmmm

Ahh, but those are yank phones, lol

 

[delaneymeegan]

Yes they are !

 


 


And you would love them, cutey. 


 


They aren't as sophisticated as a certain someones <span style="font-size: 12pt;">"</span>[COLOR=#6a6a6a; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18.2px]White [/COLOR][COLOR=#545454; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18.2px]slim line [/COLOR][COLOR=#6a6a6a; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 18.2px]telephone[/COLOR][COLOR=#545454; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18.2px] with last number redial at one-touch facility"[/COLOR]<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> , but rotary dial phones are more interesting, whether in the UK, or US. </span>


 


<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Service changes- Back in 'the day', one could make phone calls and there was <span style="text-decoration: underline;">no caller ID</span>. A situation that would, no doubt, be of interest to you. lol</span>


 


<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I'm wondering if US phones were compatible with BTs network, and if UK phones would have worked on US Bell Networks.</span>


 


 

 

[alexhoovers94]

They do, just have to change the plug from the BT type plug to the modular type plug and vice versa.

There is an American collector that has a GPO 746 and it works just fin in the US, he has an adapter to change the plug into modular...What is interesting, is that when it rings it doesn't go ring ring like the 700s normally do, it did the US style single long ring.

 

[mcrabbitman]

The ring type is controlled by the Telco - their systems send out what is known as 'ring voltage' across the line to jingle the telephone. BT sends out 2 relatively short bursts at a time, resulting in the ring ring you are familiar with, whereas the US Telcos send out one longer burst at a time.

 

[delaneymeegan]

 


 


I like the U.K. ring tone.  


 


 


....and for that matter, the traditional two-tone siren on the patrol units.  So much more dignified compared to the obnoxious "American" siren.



http://https//youtu.be/tBtFTo322-0

 

[vacerator]

always wondered

why the BT system had the double ring tone.
I've heard the British siren around here within the last decade, and I've heard our long wailing American type sirens on British detective shows on Netflix.

 

[alexhoovers94]

The double ring tone was always used and still is, in the UK...I like the American single tone too, but it just seems like it doesn't ring for as long, lol.

 

[delaneymeegan]

 


 


Oh Alex, admit it.  You want so badly to come to the U.S.  We know it.  lol


 


But, I don't know if you could get through border patrol.  Something tells me you may have... restrictions......


 


I've this suspicion maybe you were a child arsonist, or you pushed your mother down a stairs when you were 8 for the fun of it.  I don't know what it is.   lol. 

 

[alexhoovers94]

What? What on earth are you talking about?!

 

[air-waycharlie]

Trimlines and Princesses

I wanted to share a few pics of my favorite phone. I really like the rotary Trimlines and Princess phones. The lighted handsets are so interesting.

Several of these require an external power transformer. After about 1974 the phones no longer needed them.

 

[air-waycharlie]

Off the cradles:

 

[air-waycharlie]

The 75th Anniversary Imperial 202, (gold plated), and the classic 302:

 

[air-waycharlie]

Some Princess models and an Ericophon: