Is this a railway trackside phone ? - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

GrimJosef · 19th Jul 2024, 9:21 am

I intercepted this heavy thing on its way to the scrapyard yesterday. It consists of a box with a lid-and-front section which lifts to reveal a phone inside. The handle has the STC logo on it. The phone has a bar on the front which, when rotated and released, sets what sounds like a clockwork mechanism running, perhaps to generate some sort of 'ring' signal ?

The labelling mentions a signalbox so I'm wondering if it's a railway item (I live in Didcot, which is a railway town of course, although we're a little way from Bletchley which is also mentioned inside the box).

Can anyone confirm what this is and give me some idea of its date ?

Cheers,

GJ

Nickthedentist · 19th Jul 2024, 10:01 am

Very interesting! Not something I've encountered before.

Have a look here: http://www.samhallas.co.uk/railway/stc_selective.htm

Hope you're keeping OK, Graeme.

Best wishes,

Nick.

Station X · 19th Jul 2024, 10:16 am

BY 129. Bletchley signal No. 129.

Bletchley PSB. Bletchley Power Signal Box.

GrimJosef · 19th Jul 2024, 10:26 am

Thanks Nick. That looks like the chap - there are pictures of one under 'Variations' in the link you posted. Mr Hallas speculates that "the coiled cord is probably not original" but the set I have looks like it has the same cord as his.

Thanks for the kind thought too.

Cheers,

GJ

sentinel040 · 19th Jul 2024, 11:53 am

The 45 degree stripes tell you it is a Signal Post Telephone, when viewing from a distance. There are different 'phones for different purposes.

Ian

(Signalling Schemes Designer...)

factory · 19th Jul 2024, 5:30 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrimJosef

Thanks Nick. That looks like the chap - there are pictures of one under 'Variations' in the link you posted. Mr Hallas speculates that "the coiled cord is probably not original" but the set I have looks like it has the same cord as his.

Thanks for the kind thought too.

Cheers,

GJ

The cord is a commonly replaced part, I used to work on similar units from trains, for driver/guard & passenger communications, some units had the more vandal resistant metal armoured cord, which often had the handset smashed instead.

David

19th Jul 2024, 9:21 am	#1
GrimJosef Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Oxfordshire, UK. Posts: 4,344	Is this a railway trackside phone ? I intercepted this heavy thing on its way to the scrapyard yesterday. It consists of a box with a lid-and-front section which lifts to reveal a phone inside. The handle has the STC logo on it. The phone has a bar on the front which, when rotated and released, sets what sounds like a clockwork mechanism running, perhaps to generate some sort of 'ring' signal ? The labelling mentions a signalbox so I'm wondering if it's a railway item (I live in Didcot, which is a railway town of course, although we're a little way from Bletchley which is also mentioned inside the box). Can anyone confirm what this is and give me some idea of its date ? Cheers, GJ Attached Thumbnails __________________ http://www.ampregen.com

19th Jul 2024, 10:01 am	#2
Nickthedentist Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Oxford, UK. Posts: 18,207	Re: Is this a railway trackside phone ? Very interesting! Not something I've encountered before. Have a look here: http://www.samhallas.co.uk/railway/stc_selective.htm Hope you're keeping OK, Graeme. Best wishes, Nick. Last edited by Nickthedentist; 19th Jul 2024 at 10:10 am.

19th Jul 2024, 10:16 am	#3
Station X Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK. Posts: 21,770	Re: Is this a railway trackside phone ? BY 129. Bletchley signal No. 129. Bletchley PSB. Bletchley Power Signal Box. __________________ Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron.

19th Jul 2024, 10:26 am	#4
GrimJosef Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Oxfordshire, UK. Posts: 4,344	Re: Is this a railway trackside phone ? Thanks Nick. That looks like the chap - there are pictures of one under 'Variations' in the link you posted. Mr Hallas speculates that "the coiled cord is probably not original" but the set I have looks like it has the same cord as his. Thanks for the kind thought too. Cheers, GJ __________________ http://www.ampregen.com

19th Jul 2024, 11:53 am	#5
sentinel040 Hexode Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Near Lichfield, Staffordshire, UK, most of the time and Crystal Palace, S London, some of the time.. Posts: 335	Re: Is this a railway trackside phone ? The 45 degree stripes tell you it is a Signal Post Telephone, when viewing from a distance. There are different 'phones for different purposes. Ian (Signalling Schemes Designer...)