midcenturyfan
Well-known member
I like some of those slightly strange 1970s colours.
My GPO Rotary Telephone Collection
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delaneymeegan
Well-known member
Alex need your help in AW forum
Alex, our dapper lad, what type phone did Hyacinth have?
Alex, our dapper lad, what type phone did Hyacinth have?
alexhoovers94
Well-known member
I just posted on there, take a look 
We had one in our kitchen a few years back...BT Minstrel.
We had one in our kitchen a few years back...BT Minstrel.
sebo_fan
Well-known member
Actually those Princess phones were available in the UK. Wild n Wolf have also done similar ones but not half as good quality.
When I was growing up my parents had Trimphones, including the garish one in leatherette. Here's the Wild n Wolf Princess
Wild n Wolf also brought out a repo Trimphone a few years ago. I have a white one.
http://https//www.amazon.co.uk/Wild-Wolf-Princess-Telephone-Cream/dp/B001LM5XBW
When I was growing up my parents had Trimphones, including the garish one in leatherette. Here's the Wild n Wolf Princess
Wild n Wolf also brought out a repo Trimphone a few years ago. I have a white one.
http://https//www.amazon.co.uk/Wild-Wolf-Princess-Telephone-Cream/dp/B001LM5XBW
alexhoovers94
Well-known member
That is a replica princess phone, not a Western Electric, the original princess phone was never sold, or should I say, rented, in the UK.
What we had that was similar, was the GPO Trimphone. We never got the Trimline phones either, we did get varients of them in the late 80s and 90s.
What we had that was similar, was the GPO Trimphone. We never got the Trimline phones either, we did get varients of them in the late 80s and 90s.
sebo_fan
Well-known member
Thats interesting to know Alex. So in theory since we didn't have those GPO Princess phones, I guess the replica REPO ones that Wild n Wolf sell must be pretty unique.
alexhoovers94
Well-known member
Here are some more additions to my phone collection...
GPO 782, a Touchtone, push button version of the GPO 746.
Here it is in Ivory.
GPO 782, a Touchtone, push button version of the GPO 746.
Here it is in Ivory.
alexhoovers94
Well-known member
BT Snoopy And The Woodstock rotary dial telephone...This was a part of the BT "Telephone Special Range" which I believe the TRS range came out in 1978...This Snoopy phone is a little later, from 1981.
alexhoovers94
Well-known member
finally (for now) my Trimline based phone...
My BT Minstrel 5011 Slimline telephone, incidentally, this was the same phone Hyacinth had in "Keeping Up Appearances" in Series 1...She had the Minstrel plus in Series 2 and then a different one for the rest of the series, not sure what that was though, but this was her original phone (bellow) only, Hyacinth had it in "pearl white" and not "Coral pink".
My BT Minstrel 5011 Slimline telephone, incidentally, this was the same phone Hyacinth had in "Keeping Up Appearances" in Series 1...She had the Minstrel plus in Series 2 and then a different one for the rest of the series, not sure what that was though, but this was her original phone (bellow) only, Hyacinth had it in "pearl white" and not "Coral pink".
alexhoovers94
Well-known member
Of course, can you spot it? Last number redial!!! hahaha.
vacerator
Well-known member
What does the smaller
redial button do, or rather, the large bottom R button?
Love the Snoopy phone.
I have a Mickey Mouse phone somewhere packed away in my dads things he left me.
I don't know who made it. I don't think Western Electric, or AT&T.
redial button do, or rather, the large bottom R button?
Love the Snoopy phone.
I have a Mickey Mouse phone somewhere packed away in my dads things he left me.
I don't know who made it. I don't think Western Electric, or AT&T.
alexhoovers94
Well-known member
The "R" button...
Is a recall button, used when on a phone call to some one to bring back the dial to make another call which basically puts the other person on hold.
The Snoopy and Woodstock phone, as well as the Mikey Mouse phone, in the UK were suplied by British Telecom and made by the EET company for BT, in the very late 70s and early 80s, they were part of BTs TSR phones (Telephone Special Range) also named "Design line" by AT&T which these were part of in the US...Not sure what comapny made them in the US, but they were suplied by AT&T.
The only difference between the UK and US MM phone and the S&WS phone is the dial and internals.
The US one had a gold finish Western Electric 500 type dial, where as the UK one had a regular GPO type dial, the US one had a Trimline bell ringer, where as the UK ones had a Trimphone electronic ringer.
Also, both companies in both countries made them in push button varients as well as rotary dial...Although the UK push button model was pulse and not DTMF, like the US push button one, not sure why, I think many exchanges didn't supprt the digital tones back then, although the 782 phone, shown above, ^^ is DTMF and from around the same kind of time, so, who knows.
Here is the base of my BT Snoopy and Woodstock phone.
Is a recall button, used when on a phone call to some one to bring back the dial to make another call which basically puts the other person on hold.
The Snoopy and Woodstock phone, as well as the Mikey Mouse phone, in the UK were suplied by British Telecom and made by the EET company for BT, in the very late 70s and early 80s, they were part of BTs TSR phones (Telephone Special Range) also named "Design line" by AT&T which these were part of in the US...Not sure what comapny made them in the US, but they were suplied by AT&T.
The only difference between the UK and US MM phone and the S&WS phone is the dial and internals.
The US one had a gold finish Western Electric 500 type dial, where as the UK one had a regular GPO type dial, the US one had a Trimline bell ringer, where as the UK ones had a Trimphone electronic ringer.
Also, both companies in both countries made them in push button varients as well as rotary dial...Although the UK push button model was pulse and not DTMF, like the US push button one, not sure why, I think many exchanges didn't supprt the digital tones back then, although the 782 phone, shown above, ^^ is DTMF and from around the same kind of time, so, who knows.
Here is the base of my BT Snoopy and Woodstock phone.
vacerator
Well-known member
Ok,
they call the recall feature call waiting here. Older phones used the star or asteric keys. Now you just touch the hang up button to switch over.
they call the recall feature call waiting here. Older phones used the star or asteric keys. Now you just touch the hang up button to switch over.
alexhoovers94
Well-known member
Yep, do that hear too, just tap the switch hook and it restores dialtone.
I was WAITING for the "automatic redial".
because, "I won't have it if it doesn't have automatic redial". lol LOVED that show. I've been called, "the male version of Hiacynth". Also been called "Jackie Kennedy". I figured, others have been called WORSE!
great phone collection there.
because, "I won't have it if it doesn't have automatic redial". lol LOVED that show. I've been called, "the male version of Hiacynth". Also been called "Jackie Kennedy". I figured, others have been called WORSE!
great phone collection there.
alexhoovers94
Well-known member
My Current Telephone collection!
It has grown a bit since the start of this thread! Lol.
It has grown a bit since the start of this thread! Lol.
davetranter
Well-known member
GPO Telephones
Nice to type at you again, Alex
It's nice to see a thread about something I understand!!! ;-)
I'm an Ex-GPO Engineer, and am familiar with all the types of instrument you have in your collection. I have a fair collection of spare parts, internal diagrams, etc. as well as exchange equipment parts.
Reading this thread (apart from the digression into automotive territory) has been a bit of a 'trip down Memory Lane' for me. It's nice to see that a few of the rising generation are still collecting this old junk... Ahem.. I mean desirable equipment.
All best
Dave T
Nice to type at you again, Alex
It's nice to see a thread about something I understand!!! ;-)
I'm an Ex-GPO Engineer, and am familiar with all the types of instrument you have in your collection. I have a fair collection of spare parts, internal diagrams, etc. as well as exchange equipment parts.
Reading this thread (apart from the digression into automotive territory) has been a bit of a 'trip down Memory Lane' for me. It's nice to see that a few of the rising generation are still collecting this old junk... Ahem.. I mean desirable equipment.
All best
Dave T
very nice stuff.
Isn't it nice to hear, "you have nice equipment"?
Isn't it nice to hear, "you have nice equipment"?
alexhoovers94
Well-known member
David...
I find these old telephones facinating and how they were once such an over used item of the home that is now becoming almost completely unused. I think they deserve to be well preserved in a collection.
I think it is fascinating that they still work on the same old system as they always have, with just a slight switching around of the line cords to have the latest BT fitting. Fortunately BT and Sky which we keep juming between, (due to costs increases/decreases) still accept pulse dialing! So fully functional in my house. 
John, you have seem it yourself? Do you like my equipment?!
I find these old telephones facinating and how they were once such an over used item of the home that is now becoming almost completely unused. I think they deserve to be well preserved in a collection.
I think it is fascinating that they still work on the same old system as they always have, with just a slight switching around of the line cords to have the latest BT fitting. Fortunately BT and Sky which we keep juming between, (due to costs increases/decreases) still accept pulse dialing!
So fully functional in my house. John, you have seem it yourself? Do you like my equipment?!
alexhoovers94
Well-known member
Here is a very iconic phone..The Tone Ring Illuminated model
Named the Trimphone...With the infamous radioactive glowing dial and the very shrill cricket chirp electronic ringer. (First phone to do aways with a traditional bell ring)
Never the less, still a very nice phone and VERY 60s/70s!
This one is converted and ready to plug in and use.
Named the Trimphone...With the infamous radioactive glowing dial and the very shrill cricket chirp electronic ringer. (First phone to do aways with a traditional bell ring)
Never the less, still a very nice phone and VERY 60s/70s!
This one is converted and ready to plug in and use.
