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Old 25th Mar 2020, 10:13 pm   #1
Graham G3ZVT
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Default The Queen's telephone.

I have no desire to encourage any discussion about the subject of this news story, I just want to raise a smile about Her Majesty's choice of instrument.
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Old 25th Mar 2020, 10:18 pm   #2
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Default Re: The Queen's telephone.

Well, they last forever (telephones, that is, not Queens).
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Old 25th Mar 2020, 10:29 pm   #3
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Default Re: The Queen's telephone.

She's turned the phone away from the camera in case someone with a zoom lens tries to read the number on the dial.
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Old 25th Mar 2020, 10:36 pm   #4
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Default Re: The Queen's telephone.

I would have liked to have seen if it was fitted with a dial or a keypad. I wonder if the Windsor Castle phone system supports pulse?
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Old 25th Mar 2020, 10:44 pm   #5
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Default Re: The Queen's telephone.

Apparently the palace PBX is 'computer-based' according to a job advert for palace telephonists not long ago. I would imagine IP based as it said the palace routed all the calls for all the royal residences, I think it mentioned 7000 calls a week.
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Old 26th Mar 2020, 7:42 am   #6
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Default Re: The Queen's telephone.

I don't know about now but in the 1980's my manager was the person who 'approved' the phone installation at the palace, and he had to ensure the then new system worked with various older phones in certain rooms, so i'm not surprised there is a 700 there, He had to approve 200's and 300's.
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Old 26th Mar 2020, 11:14 am   #7
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Default Re: The Queen's telephone.

I read about the BT Buckingham Palace installation in the BT Magazine in the 1980s. As well as some old phones being adapted because The Queen liked them, including one given to George VI her father, the Monarch(?) (aptly enough!) PABX had to be adapted to cope with a large number of manual extensions that dialled the operator on lifting the handset.

I'm a little surprised as the ventilation slots suggest a 746 but the cord suggests an 8746 or ... an illicitly converted 746?

Apparently when connecting the Queen Mother to The Queen the telephonist had to say "Your Majesty? Your Majesty, your Majesty".

Twitter link at
https://twitter.com/10DowningStreet/...96686122504192
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Old 26th Mar 2020, 11:35 am   #8
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Default Re: The Queen's telephone.

Well I would have thought she'd have had someone to untangle the cord for her!
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Old 26th Mar 2020, 11:51 am   #9
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Default Re: The Queen's telephone.

Yes, I liked the choice of 'phone, too.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sparks View Post
Well, they last forever (telephones, that is, not Queens).
Well, the Queen has lasted longer than this phone, so far!

Interesting set of comments on this thread, concerning the PABX.

Last edited by kalee20; 26th Mar 2020 at 11:52 am. Reason: Last sentence
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Old 26th Mar 2020, 4:00 pm   #10
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Default Re: The Queen's telephone.

Quote:
Originally Posted by OscarFoxtrot View Post
or ... an illicitly converted 746?
I think one could argue that GPO assets belonged to one!
Quote:
Originally Posted by OscarFoxtrot View Post
Apparently when connecting the Queen Mother to The Queen the telephonist had to say "Your Majesty? Your Majesty, your Majesty".
Maybe
"Your Majesty? Her Majesty, Your Majesty".
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Old 26th Mar 2020, 4:31 pm   #11
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Default Re: The Queen's telephone.

I think the Queen is at Windsor Castle not Buckingham Palace.
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Old 26th Mar 2020, 4:50 pm   #12
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Default Re: The Queen's telephone.

Quote:
Apparently when connecting the Queen Mother to The Queen the telephonist had to say "Your Majesty? Your Majesty, your Majesty".
Yes the Queen mum never dialed anyone she always had an operator to do that, they had an operator on standby (in shifts) in case she got lonely and wanted a chat with someone. The operator had to be able to answer as soon as the old queen got the handset to her ear, I forget how many seconds that was but my manager was the one who tested that too.
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Old 30th Mar 2020, 8:36 am   #13
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Default Re: The Queen's telephone.

Quote:
Originally Posted by dominicbeesley View Post
Well I would have thought she'd have had someone to untangle the cord for her!
Very often, the first thing I would do whilst discussing a fault with a subscriber, was to let the handset dangle and spin to take the excess turns out of the cord. The other failure more was a kink caused by over-stretching the H/S cord. This was easily remedied with nimble fingers.
I'm afraid that Her Majesty 's handset cord would not benefit from my treatment and needs replacing. It's old and worn out like me.
I think if we could see the dial label, it would read "QE2" .
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Old 30th Mar 2020, 8:47 am   #14
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Default Re: The Queen's telephone.

Or more likely "EIIR".
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Old 30th Mar 2020, 11:28 am   #15
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Default Re: The Queen's telephone.

The handset cords and line cords are all made from tinsel cable (is there a more technical term?) so should, in theory, be able to withstand repeated flexing, bending, twisting and so on.
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Old 30th Mar 2020, 12:26 pm   #16
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Default Re: The Queen's telephone.

She wouldn't look quite right holding a modern DECT cordless in that classic period room setting!
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Old 30th Mar 2020, 1:05 pm   #17
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Default Re: The Queen's telephone.

Its nice to see things aren't replaced for the sake of it, and made to last, the Queen has reputation for being thrifty and it fits the setting nicely.
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Old 2nd Apr 2020, 9:23 am   #18
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Default Re: The Queen's telephone.

Quote:
Originally Posted by whiskas View Post
She wouldn't look quite right holding a modern DECT cordless in that classic period room setting!
She doesn't look right holding a modern 746 in that room setting.
You might- just- get away with something wooden...
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Old 2nd Apr 2020, 10:15 am   #19
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Default Re: The Queen's telephone.

I wonder how she answers the phone?

"The Windsor residence, Lady of the House speaking" ??
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Old 2nd Apr 2020, 10:49 am   #20
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Default Re: The Queen's telephone.

I would have thought that a Telephone 150 and a bell set 1A would have looked correct in that sitting room.

Trevor.
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