Quote:
Originally Posted by AC/HL
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A picture of my 'Pliers Wiring No 2' (previously known as Tools Instrument No 81) as issued to me in 1961. The handles were definitely insulated from new - I ordered a number of them for my staff over the years. The 'plastic' covering on the earlier ones often cracked and spilt off so lack of 'insulation' now isn't evidence it wasn't originally covered. The No 2 didn't have any 'stripping' facility as adjustable 'Strippers Wire No 2' (still available!) were issued as part of the 'personal tool kit' back in those days. The Pliers Wiring No 5 (with both the 'cut and strip' for 0.5mm wire only but with care other gauges could be stripped)) came out in the mid 1980's. See copy of the 'Vocabulary of Engineering Stores dated 1982 but not updated by the time it went 'on line' on BT's Intranet in 1985. Also see picture of 'Pliers Wiring No 5' from 1990's. If you look the list of 'Tools Instrument' taken from a 1929 GPO Technical Instruction that I have, you'll notice that the term 'Tools Instrument' covers a wide range of tools including pliers, screwdrivers, gauges etc. 'Tools Inst 81' were part of a list of 'personal tools' rather than this list which was issued for use in a particular type of Telephone Exchange for maintaining it. Note that the Tools Inst 91, 93 and 96 by coincidence have the same measurements as what were later 'Screwdrivers Instrument No 1, No 3 and No 6' !!
To say "
Apparatus Terminating 1= AT1= 81 " is the reason for the Pliers No 2 being called 81's makes a mockery of the Forum!
No truth whatsoever in the statement !!
I worked (when I first started with the GPO) with engineers who had worked with the GPO since the days of WW1 and had used the term '81's' when they were 'Tools Instrument No 81'.