Yarnfield -bit of nostalgia for Gods Poor Orphans
 

Spotted this on another site and thought it bring some memories back
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42vx...WKMhCyWHRtx5OM[/QUOTE]

Re: Yarnfield -bit of nostalgia for Gods Poor Orphans
 

I remember that place well, although when I went it was just TTC Stone. I did 2 TXK1, 3 TXE2 and some NorStar courses there back in the late 60s, early 70s through to early 80s era.

Re: Yarnfield -bit of nostalgia for Gods Poor Orphans
 

Crikey, didnt realize so much had been built-on. Last time I was there was as a teenager, at the invitation of a chap called Earl Heggie, who gave me and dad a little tour, very exciting place for me, old buildings full of manual switchboards, shelves with rubber stamps for the dial labels, old parts, lots of dust and general relics. Had the air of an old repurposed army camp, at least where we were taken.

Re: Yarnfield -bit of nostalgia for Gods Poor Orphans
 

I've just dug out of my desk my copy of the Post Office Electrical Engineers Journal for April 1947 with its description of the Central Training School, Stone.

I've not been there since the mid 1990's when I did a VV&T course.

Re: Yarnfield -bit of nostalgia for Gods Poor Orphans
 

Oh ! what a memory and how different it look from above. Easily place Howard Hall and was it Duncan Hall the sports club ?
Cliff.

Re: Yarnfield -bit of nostalgia for Gods Poor Orphans
 

TTC Stone - ahh nostalgia !

I was there from 1969, starting with :
Basic radio 2
Microwave 1
Microwave 2
TV Principles
Each was 3 weeks or a month - and truly excellent training. No corners cut then !

This was in the days before the first renovation was finished; we were still in the WW2 huts and accommodation. The later, full rebuild was much smarter (and warmer), but it seemed to lack that certain period charm.

It wasn't just limited to BT students - the courses had a regular contingent from all sorts of other organisations (Cable and Wireless, F&CO, Overseas governments etc.)

The mischief and mayhem caused by 700 or so young blokes away from mum/wife/boss was legendary...

Re: Yarnfield -bit of nostalgia for Gods Poor Orphans
 

BT/Openreach employees still get a chitty/ ticket for free grub.
My old supervisor said it was called BT Stone, because that’s how much heavier you were when you came back from a course there. ��

Re: Yarnfield -bit of nostalgia for Gods Poor Orphans
 

I was last there about 6 years ago I think, worked for BT Wholesale then, didn't get fed and my fairly high level of security pass wouldn't even give me access to the Openreach training rooms. It was a safety compliance event and as the course was being conducted the bulldozers were busy just outside the windows demolishing the old training blocks.

Re: Yarnfield -bit of nostalgia for Gods Poor Orphans
 

I had many visits there and a few 6 week courses, did all the system x courses one after the other. the last night drink-ups every week, and the infamous replacement for the magician in the bar one night ( never to be repeated). I was doing txk1 courses while they were building the training blocks.

they used to have an exhibition of old telecom stuff near the canteen in the new training blocks that included an eight armed mercury arc rectifier.

Re: Yarnfield -bit of nostalgia for Gods Poor Orphans
 

Cable and Wireless college Porthcurno for me, but I'd guess very similar. Reggae anyone?

Re: Yarnfield -bit of nostalgia for Gods Poor Orphans
 

For the transmission blokes on here - I had a nostalgic trip round Stone a good few years ago ,and the old ancient ( possibly WW2 ) huts and the equipment block had gone to be replaced by a housing estate . Anyone who remembers what CEL6 or 12Mhz coax system is will remember the walk from the training block to the canteen three times a day .
Someone mention Mercury Arc rectifier - I had one on one station I was sent on relief to .
I did my basic Transmission two courses at Didsbury, but the rest at Stone ( never in my day called Yarnfield- that was where the Labour in Vain Pub lived).
Rest of my FDM courses were at Stone. I always remember on each successive course seeing diagrams of a ( ex - a coax system) where the system was shown in boxes. Ask what was inside the box. Answer was always the same- "come back on next course and find out".
But I never did find out the answer to one question "difference between CEL 6 & CEL6A).