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Vintage Telephony and Telecomms Vintage Telephones, Telephony and Telecomms Equipment |
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25th Mar 2020, 10:13 pm | #1 |
Dekatron
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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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25th Mar 2020, 10:18 pm | #2 |
Heptode
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Re: The Queen's telephone.
Well, they last forever (telephones, that is, not Queens).
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25th Mar 2020, 10:29 pm | #3 |
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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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Kevin |
25th Mar 2020, 10:36 pm | #4 |
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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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25th Mar 2020, 10:44 pm | #5 |
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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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Kevin |
26th Mar 2020, 7:42 am | #6 |
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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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"Oh yes I love television, all those wiggly lines"! |
26th Mar 2020, 11:14 am | #7 |
Heptode
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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 |
26th Mar 2020, 11:35 am | #8 |
Octode
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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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26th Mar 2020, 11:51 am | #9 |
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Re: The Queen's telephone.
Yes, I liked the choice of 'phone, too.
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 |
26th Mar 2020, 4:00 pm | #10 | |
Dekatron
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Re: The Queen's telephone.
I think one could argue that GPO assets belonged to one!
Quote:
"Your Majesty? Her Majesty, Your Majesty".
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26th Mar 2020, 4:31 pm | #11 |
Hexode
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Re: The Queen's telephone.
I think the Queen is at Windsor Castle not Buckingham Palace.
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26th Mar 2020, 4:50 pm | #12 | |
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Re: The Queen's telephone.
Quote:
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"Oh yes I love television, all those wiggly lines"! |
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30th Mar 2020, 8:36 am | #13 | |
Tetrode
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Re: The Queen's telephone.
Quote:
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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30th Mar 2020, 8:47 am | #14 |
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Re: The Queen's telephone.
Or more likely "EIIR".
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Mending is better than Ending (cf Brave New World by Aldous Huxley) |
30th Mar 2020, 11:28 am | #15 |
Heptode
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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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30th Mar 2020, 12:26 pm | #16 |
Octode
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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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...where on earth did that spring/screw go?? |
30th Mar 2020, 1:05 pm | #17 |
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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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Chris Wood BVWS Member |
2nd Apr 2020, 9:23 am | #18 |
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Re: The Queen's telephone.
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2nd Apr 2020, 10:15 am | #19 |
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Re: The Queen's telephone.
I wonder how she answers the phone?
"The Windsor residence, Lady of the House speaking" ?? |
2nd Apr 2020, 10:49 am | #20 |
Hexode
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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. |