THIS IS A GENERAL INFORMATION GUIDE ONLY AND SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS DEFACTO

CURRENTLY CONTAINING INFORMATION RELATED TO BRITISH POST OFFICE EQUIPMENT

WHAT TO LOOK FOR AND WHAT TO AVOID

NOTES FOR NON UK READERS

TELEPHONES INSTALLED (RENTED) OR PURCHASED IN THE UK AFTER 1980 (APPROX) & / OR WIRED FOR THE CURRENT BRITISH PLUG AND SOCKET SYSTEM (TELEPHONES LISTED AS (CONVERTED) ON EBAY IN THE UK) OBTAIN THEIR RINGING (BELL) CURRENT EXCLUSIVLEY FROM A DEVICE WITHIN THE SUBSCRIBERS MAIN SOCKET. IN MOST CASES ( ALMOST EXCLUSIVLEY ON NEW BUILD TELEPHONES AFTER THIS DATE) THESE TELEPHONES WILL NOT FUNCTION CORRECTLY IF CONNECTED TO NETWORKS OUTSIDE THE UK, THAT IS, THEY WILL NOT RING. SIMPLY CHANGING THE LEAD (LINE CORD) OR FITTING AN ADAPTOR PLUG WILL NOT RECTIFY THE PROBLEM

THE BEST SOLUTION IN THESE CASES IS TO OBTAIN AND FIT A U.K. MASTER SOCKET AT THE LOCATION WHERE YOU INTEND TO USE THE PHONE

IMPORTANT! FITTING SUCH A SOCKET MAY VIOLATE YOUR NATIONAL TELECOMMUNICATION REGULATIONS YOUR TELCO USER AGREEMENT OR BOTH!

NOTES ON BUYING ORIGINAL TELEPHONES

DON'T RUSH IN TO BIDDING JUST BECAUSE IT LOOKS NICE, ASK AS MANY QUESTIONS AS YOU WANT & KEEP COPIES OF THE ANSWERS AS YOU MAY NEED THEM LATER. REMEMBER ALSO THAT SOME SELLERS MAY WELL BELIEVE THEIR ITEM IS ORIGINAL WHEN IN FACT IT MAY NOT BE (YOU ARE BUYING SO YOU FIND OUT). YOU WILL PROBABLY BE LOOKING AT SPENDING ANYTHING BETWEEN £100 & £300 FOR AN ORIGINAL. IF YOU ARE BUYING FROM A DEALER EXPECT TO PAY MORE ESPECIALLY ON 'BUY IT NOW' & REMEMBER THAT DOES NOT GUARANTEE IT'S ORIGINAL. OTHER POINTS TO LOOK AT: BLACK METAL IS GOOD, HEAVY IS GOOD (PROBABLY OVER 2KG THE SELLER WILL KNOW THE EXACT WEIGHT FOR POSTAL REASONS), PLAITED (TWISTED) CLOTH WIRING IS GOOD, OLD THINGS LOOK OLD AND USED, ALSO TRY AND GET NUMBERS, DATES & MANUFACTURER INFORMATION FROM THE PHONE, JUST BECAUSE IT MAY HAVE A DIAL DISK WITH SOMETHING LIKE 'UPTONSNODSBURY 23' DIAL '0 FOR OPERATOR' ON IT, IS NOT, EVIDENCE ENOUGH TO PROVE ANYTHING.

ANOTHER SELLERS ITEM 11002095****  IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF AN ORIGINAL

(I WILL COMPLETE THE NUMBER WHEN THE ITEM HAS FINISHED)

EARLY GPO CANDLESTICKS

MOST EARLY CANDLESTICK TELEPHONES HAD NO DIALS, NO INTERNAL RINGER (BELLS) AND A VERY BASIC INTERNAL WIRING SETUP, THESE ARE IDEAL AS AN ORNIMENT BUT PERFORM POORLY AS A FUNCTIONING TELEPHONE, IF COMPLETE WILL ALSO HAVE A BELL BOX USUALLY WOODEN TYPE No 1

Other GPO types

I WILL PROVIDE INFORMATION ON OTHER TYPE AS TIME PERMITS

Telephone No 72

THESE STICK OUT LIKE A SORE THUMB AS THEY HAVE A MERCEDES TYPE DIAL (LOOKS LIKE THE BADGE ON THE FRONT OF A MERCEDES CAR) THESE COME UP RARELY ON EBAY AND I THINK SHOULD BE GRABBED AT ALL COSTS

Telephone No 150

THE MOST COMMON VERSION YOU WILL FIND IS TELEPHONE NUMBER 150, THESE CAN BE IDENTIFIED BY THE NUMBER 150 STRUCK INTO THE SIDE OF THE BRASS BRACKET AT THE REAR OF THE TRANSMITTER (MICROPHONE). IT IS NOT UNCOMMON TO FIND AN EARLIER NUMBER STRUCK OUT IN THE SAME PLACE. EARLY VERSIONS HAD A MAINLY METAL TRANSMITTER PART (MICROPHONE) & LATER VERSIONS (MORE COMMON) HAD AN ALL BAKELITE TRANSMITTER PART. THERE ARE ALSO TWO MAIN VERSIONS REGARDING THE DIALS, THE CB VERSION WITH NO DIAL BUT HAVING AN AREA ON THE BASE WITH A BLANK TO ACCEPT A DIAL & THE AUTO VERSION WITH A DIAL.

REPRODUCTION TYPES

THERE ARE SOME REALLY NICE REPRODUCTION TYPES OUT THERE AND THERE IS ALSO A LOT OF RUBBISH. JUST TO PUT IT INTO PERSPECTIVE, IF YOU JUST WANT ONE AS AN ORNAMENT IT REALLY DOES NOT MATTER IF IT WORKS AND IN THAT CASE JUST ABOUT ANYTHING GOES, HOWEVER, IF YOU WANT TO ACTUALLY USE IT THEN OF COURSE IT DOES MATTER.

INDIAN REPRO

IDENTIFY THESE TYPES BY A BRASS MOUTHPIECE TRUMPET RATHER THAN BAKELITE, POORLY FITTING PARTS, ODD WIRING & THE DIAL, IT WILL BE AN 'ITI' No24 MORE INFORMATION ON THE DIAL CAN BE FOUND ON MY GUIDE ON BAKELITE TELEPHONES

THESE ARE FINE AS AN ORNAMENT AND ARE MAINLY ALL BRASS WITH A HEAVY CAST BASE AND DO POLISH UP WELL, HOWEVER, THEY ARE OF POOR CONSTRUCTION QUALITY EXTERNALLY AND OF APPALLING INTERNAL CONSTRUCTION, THEREFORE I WOULD SUGGEST NEVER BUY ONE TO ACTUALLY USE

GPO/PO/BT SR 1005B

IDENTIFY THESE IN PROFILE THE REAR IS ALMOST FLUSH TO THE STALK WHILE THE FRONT PROTRUDES OUT A LITTLE GREATER THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE DIAL, THE DIAL IS THE SAME AS YOU WOULD EXPECT TO FIND ON 1970'S GPO/PO TABLE PHONES, BRASS EFFECT TRIM AROUND THE BASE OF THE STALK & THE RIM OF THE EARPIECE ALSO THE HINGE SECTION BEHIND THE TRANSMITTER (MICROPHONE) IS BRASS EFFECT. COLOURS SHOULD BE IVORY OR BLACK, THE BASE SHOULD ALSO BE MARKED 1005

NICE TELEPHONE OF MAINLY ALL PLASTIC CONSTRUCTION CAME OUT IN THE LATE 1970'S, THESE PHONES ARE WELL MADE TO TELECOM STANDARDS WITH A PROPER DIAL (CLEAR PLASTIC) AND SHOULD IF LOOKED AFTER LAST FOR YEARS. IF THE PHONE HAS A BT TYPE PLUG YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO PUG IT IN USE WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS, IF NOT SOME CONVERSION WILL BE NEEDED. THESE PHONES DO NOT RING AS THEY HAVE NO RINGER BUILT IN BUT COULD BE USED WITH AN EXTERNAL PLUG IN RINGER

ASTRAL (DIAL TYPE)

IDENTIFY THESE BY A LARGE DIAL NUMBER WINDOW (POSSIBLY HAVING ASTRAL PRINTED ON THE PAPER),DIAL HAS A BLACK BACKGROUND WITH WHITE FIGURES, A PLASTIC BASE WITH SIX RUBBER FEET & HAVING 'ASTRAL ENGLAND' MOLDED INTO THE PLASTIC & A THREE PIECE BRASS FINISH RECEIVER

THESE ARE TELECOM APPROVED (S/1214/3/H/500 865) & HAVE A BUILT IN TONE RINGER (NOT A BELL), THEY ARE OF REASONABLE QUALITY, HOWEVER, THE METALWORK IS QUITE THIN SO THEY TEND TO DENT EASILY & THE METALWORK IS ALSO VARNISHED, AS THESE PHONES ARE NOW IN REGION OF TWENTY YEARS OLD EXPECT TO FIND SOME PITTING ON THE METALWORK ESPECIALLY IN AREAS WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN HELD AS THE VARNISH MAY HAVE RUBBED OFF. OTHER KNOWN PROBLEMS ARE:  NOISE & INTERMITTENT DISCONNECTION (DUE TO MICRO SWITCH FAILURE), EXCESSIVE NOISE / SIDETONE IF HANDLED WHILST CALLING (CAN BE IRRITATING TO CALLED PARTY, CAN BE ADDRESSED BY CHANGING THE FOAM INSULATION AROUND THE MICROPHONE) ,DETACHED OR LOOSE MOUTHPIECE TRUMPET (THIS CAN BE RE-GLUED) & LOOSE OR LOST DIAL TELEPHONE NUMBER COVER (IT IS HELD IN BY TWO PLASTIC LUGS ONE OF WHICH CAN BREAK OFF.

CONCLUSION: NICE LOOKING PHONE IF LOOKED AFTER, SOME POSSIBLE PROBLEMS MOST OF WHICH CAN BE FIXED 

NOTES ON CLEANING

THE VAST MAJORITY OF EARLY ORIGINAL CANDLESTICKS WERE NOT ACTUALLY MADE TOTALLY OF BRASS, BRASS WAS MORE OR LESS LIMITED TO THE SWITCH HOOK AREA (THE BIT WHERE THE RECEIVER RESTS) AND IN SOME CASES PART OF THE TRANSMITTER (MICROPHONE), THE RECEIVER BEING MADE OF BAKELITE OR EBONITE & THE BODY OF THE PHONE PRESSED STEEL OR OTHER METALS, THESE WERE USUALLY PAINTED BLACK TO PROTECT THE METAL FROM RUST ETC. THEREFORE RUBBING OFF THE PAINT WONT REVEAL BRASS AND JUST MAKE LOTS OF EXTRA WORK IN PUTTING IT BACK THE WAY IT WAS AND POSSIBLY SPOILING IT ALL TOGETHER.

AVOID REMOVING AND RE-FITTING THE EARPIECE COVER, THIS CAN EVENTUALLY DESTROY THE THREAD ON THE COVER MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO RE-FIT

MODERN REPRODUCTION CANDLESTICKS WILL BE BRASS, BRASS PLATED, PLASTIC

AND IN A FEW CASES WOOD (YUCK)

IN MANY CASES THIS BRASS OR BRASS PLATE WILL HAVE BEEN TREATED WITH LACQUER, LACQUER AGES, CHIPS AND GETS SCRATCHED OFF GIVING AN UNEVEN LOOK, IF YOU DECIDE TO CLEAN THE PHONE EXPECT A LONG JOB, AS ONCE YOU START YOU'VE GOT TO DO THE WHOLE THING.

IF THE PHONE IS JUST PLATED YOU'VE GOT AN EVEN BIGGER PROBLEM BECAUSE IF YOU POLISH YOU MIGHT FIND IT ALL STARTS TO TURN SILVER AS YOU GET TO THE BASE METAL, THIS BASE METAL MAY BE SUBJECT TO CORROSION IF UNTREATED

I SUGGEST IF YOU MUST POLISH, THEN TAKE THE BASE OFF AND TEST YOUR TECHNIQUE ON THE INSIDE OF THE PHONE SO IF IT TURNS OUT TO BE A PROBLEM IT WON'T SHOW, OTHERWISE, TRY A SMALL PATCH AT THE REAR.

SORRY JUST STARTED CONSTRUCTION MORE TO COME GPO/REPRO ETC.

PLEASE NOTE I HAVE WRITTEN THIS GUIDE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THOSE WHO HAVE NO OR LITTLE UNDERSTANDING OF TELEPHONES, I WELCOME ANY SUGGESTIONS RE ERRORS OR FURTHER INFORMATION, HOWEVER, PLEASE DON'T GET ALL TECHNICAL AS THIS IS NOT ITS INTENSION.

A LINK TO AN IMPARTIAL AND GOOD QUALITY THIRD PARTY TELEPHONE WEBSITE OF A MORE TECHNICAL NATURE IS AVAILABLE ON OUR 'ME' PAGE

REGARDS, PAUL