|
Vintage Telephony and Telecomms Vintage Telephones, Telephony and Telecomms Equipment |
|
Thread Tools |
26th Feb 2017, 3:30 am | #1 |
Tetrode
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, UK.
Posts: 57
|
Atlantic Telegraph Cable.
Just thought I'd show you all something I picked up a year or two ago, a mounted section of cable from the 1881 cable from England to Newfoundland, the ship that laid it in 1881 and the ship that recovered it for repair in 1909.
The coordinates are virtually mid Atlantic with a mean depth of around 3 miles (16000 feet) Upon looking this up on the net I discovered a great site all about cables laid at sea. Very interesting. Check it out www.Atlantic-cable.com Last edited by Osiris69; 26th Feb 2017 at 3:38 am. |
26th Feb 2017, 8:30 am | #2 |
Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Fife, Scotland, UK.
Posts: 22,801
|
Re: Atlantic Telegraph Cable.
An excellent find.
Well, you know where it's been for 28 years of its life, the mystery is where it's been since. Yours was a much more successful cable than the 1858 one, the tale of which resembles a Marx brothers performance and discouraged investors for many years. A certain Mr Thomson was the only one to come out of that debacle with any respect. David
__________________
Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done |
26th Feb 2017, 10:15 am | #3 | |
Heptode
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Flintshire, UK.
Posts: 707
|
Re: Atlantic Telegraph Cable.
Quote:
It is the oldest 'telecoms' item I've gathered so far and the cable is listed in a book 'The Electric Telegraph' published in the late 1860's that I have in my collection. |
|
26th Feb 2017, 12:45 pm | #4 |
Rest in Peace
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: West London, UK.
Posts: 665
|
Re: Atlantic Telegraph Cable.
Hi Osiris, truly a treasured possesion.
Thanks for sharing. Hi Pell, any chance of some photos of yours? Regards - Mike |
26th Feb 2017, 6:10 pm | #5 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Leominster, Herefordshire, UK.
Posts: 16,527
|
Re: Atlantic Telegraph Cable.
I've just read through the somewhat hair raising description of the Agamemnon's battle with the North Atlantic weather. Real "Boy's Own" ripping yarn stuff!
__________________
....__________ ....|____||__|__\_____ .=.| _---\__|__|_---_|. .........O..Chris....O |
26th Feb 2017, 9:36 pm | #6 | |
Octode
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Manchester, UK.
Posts: 1,872
|
Re: Atlantic Telegraph Cable.
Quote:
|
|
26th Feb 2017, 10:04 pm | #7 |
Dekatron
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: West Cumbria (CA13), UK
Posts: 6,118
|
Re: Atlantic Telegraph Cable.
If it's only four digits, the list can't be very long - with only sixteen distinct combinations!
__________________
Mending is better than Ending (cf Brave New World by Aldous Huxley) |
26th Feb 2017, 10:21 pm | #8 |
Dekatron
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Derby, UK.
Posts: 7,735
|
Re: Atlantic Telegraph Cable.
The semaphore telegraphs could indicate 9 distinct symbols plus "blank" and the positions were fixed, so allowing for 9 999 codes (0000 would be indistinguible from the idle condition).
__________________
If I have seen further than others, it is because I was standing on a pile of failed experiments. |
27th Feb 2017, 9:30 am | #9 |
Octode
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Manchester, UK.
Posts: 1,872
|
Re: Atlantic Telegraph Cable.
I was going to be cheeky and suggest the system may have used 4 bit hex words - but getting back on-topic (phew) the atlantic cable website referred to above has a nice explanation of the coding system
http://atlantic-cable.com/Article/Holyhead-Liverpool/ - you have to read down a bit. My mate's house looks just like the ones in the pictures, though it has been extended several times - they're an odd square plan, 4 equal square rooms, with a single square chimney up the middle and a distinctive kind of roof gable which you can make out in the pictures. |
27th Feb 2017, 10:38 am | #10 |
Octode
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Carmel, Llannerchymedd, Anglesey, UK.
Posts: 1,498
|
Re: Atlantic Telegraph Cable.
I live near Cable bay on Anglesey, where a cable once came ashore from Ireland. I have several times scoured the area in the hope of a find of some sort, but zilch. Even the old keeper's cottage has long gone, without even a trace of the footings.
|
27th Feb 2017, 5:41 pm | #11 |
Octode
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Manchester, UK.
Posts: 1,872
|
Re: Atlantic Telegraph Cable.
My mate's place is on a hill behind church bay, near LLanrhuddlad (sp?). If you study the pictures on the link and then go looking for it, you'll find it.
|
27th Feb 2017, 5:54 pm | #12 |
Octode
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Carmel, Llannerchymedd, Anglesey, UK.
Posts: 1,498
|
Re: Atlantic Telegraph Cable.
I think you may be thinking of another place. Cable Bay is close to Rhosneigr - Chruch Bay is quite a way off.
Les. |