Any help identfying this GEC Wooden Wall Phone

[Millay_2010]

I picked this up locally today, and am rather excited by it, unfortunately it has no model markings etc and has no details other than the previous owner leaving a note inside saying it came from GEC Portsmouth and dates from the 1930s'

Its more than double the depth of standard 121 wall telephones has a non auto return call switch and in the bottom box two plug sockets similar to phono sockets! is it some kind of PABX etc? Im really confused by it.. But the one thing is i would say it is in museum condition.

[russell_w_b]

Looks like there's a local battery required, as it has a 'Z' terminal (Zinc) and a 'C' terminal (Carbon). It also has a + and - terminal (Hmmm...). And that looks like a d.c. bell on the top. Is there a trembler on it? I wonder if 'XB' stands for extension bell?

Looks like it might be part of a'plan **' equivalent multi-station set up to me, at a very rough guess. Anything marked on the keyswitch on the front?

[Dave Moll]

It looks as though the Z/C and +/- pairs are connected to the respective battery jacks at the bottom.

One possibility would be separate batteries for the transmitter and the bell. I have a 'phone with separate tappings for these two functions, so independent input seems a believable progression from there.

[russell_w_b]

The THG (Telecommunications Heritage Group) are well on the case, by the looks of things over there ... Looking like it was used at electricity power control or railway control premises.

[vosperd]

Where is "Cheston Dubbit"?
Don m5aky

[Dave Moll]

The general opinion in the "other discussion" (referred to above by Russell) seems to be that "Cheston Dubbit" is a made-up name.

[Millay_2010]

Hi all sorry so long for updating, illness came and lurked its ugly head, Yes Cheston Dubbit is made up and the reason for it being there will be forever lost in time..

I have since found out the following, it was a special type of telephone used by electricity companies and railways for the transmission of urgent messages. It was known as a way station telephone, and produced just before the war. probably used on the southern line.

[HamishBoxer]

Can I say it's a great name.

[AC/HL]

Possibly an Omnibus circuit, they all rang and the ring code indicated who/what was the intended recipient.

[Millay_2010]

I think you are possibly correct AC/HL it does though have a selector in it, so the phones would have a two digit number and it would route these I believe!

[Pellseinydd]

Originally Posted by Millay_2010

I picked this up locally today, and am rather excited by it, unfortunately it has no model markings etc and has no details other than the previous owner leaving a note inside saying it came from GEC Portsmouth and dates from the 1930s'

It is a GEC phone made for use on Railway omnibus circuits - terminated on a switchboard. Great Western Railway used them. I've got several acquired over the years plus the switchboard they terminated on - the old Barmouth exchange on the Cambrian Coast line. Luckilymy switchboard is the smallest in the range and contains the relay sets rather than needing a separate rack. One day I'll get around to get it working. For more information see http://www.samhallas.co.uk/repositor...telephones.pdf

Ian