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Old 28th Apr 2019, 11:50 am   #12
Pellseinydd
Heptode
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Flintshire, UK.
Posts: 707
Default Re: When was the No 12 dial introduced?

Quote:
Originally Posted by russell_w_b View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by giraffenigel View Post
'So, would a 200/300 series telephone made in the early 1950s have had a dial No 12 fitted as a matter of course or were they still making/fitting No 10 dials then?'
I don't know. But telephone parts were manufactured to be interchangable for economy reasons and if there were vast stocks of 'new-old stock' No:10 dials kicking around, wouldn't be surprised if they were fitted with those until the stocks were used up.

As an aside, I once purchased a 'new-old stock' Bell-type receiver, the type used on candlestick telephones, still in its original plastic bag with Government phaeon arrow and bag of desiccant in 1981 at a Leeds radio rally. It looked like these receivers were still being manufactured at a time when polythene was used for packing - 1940s/1950s? So there's a bit of inertia with manufacturing. I don't think the manufacturers would suddenly stop producing No:10 dials and start producing No:12 dials with vast stocks of No:10 dials still in existence, especially immediately post-war and when the country was getting back on its feet again.

Are you a member of the THG (Telecommunications Heritage Group)? There's a vast pool of knowledge on there you can tap into and I'm sure someone would hve the answer you are looking for.
There were a lot of ex-GPO items - Tele 150's, Tele 332's and component parts - for sale in the early 1960's all well packaged in 'poly bags' with desiccants - but they were ones which had come from Army sources having been repackaged over the years by the Army. It was only the part numbers on the packaging which identified them as Military rather than GPO but the markings on the items were all GPO. In those days I wore two hats - GPO and Royal Signals - so knew the difference.

I remember buying 'as new' Tele 150's and Tele 332's for the horrendous price of ten shillings each in 1961/62! A lot when your wage was £4.19s.6d in 1961! ]

I remember going with the guy who owned the ex-Govt surplus store in Chester to a sale at the Government Storage Depot at Wem in Shropshire. Ended up with a Tele 59 and a couple of Tele 11's - again at 10 shillings each in a lot that he bought. They had been recovered from the Army ranges at Shoeburyness. Those were the days!

Ian
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