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Vintage Telephony and Telecomms Vintage Telephones, Telephony and Telecomms Equipment |
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21st May 2016, 7:09 pm | #1 |
Pentode
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Churchill war room equipment - identification
All
Attached is a picture of "equipment" in Churchill war room can anyone tell me what it is? THX Nick
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21st May 2016, 7:34 pm | #2 |
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Re: Churchill war room equipment - identification
PA or intercom system??
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21st May 2016, 8:14 pm | #3 |
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Re: Churchill war room equipment - identification
Line amplifiers for broadcast work
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21st May 2016, 8:40 pm | #4 |
Nonode
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Re: Churchill war room equipment - identification
Certainly looks like vintage BBC kit.
Martin
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21st May 2016, 8:50 pm | #5 |
Tetrode
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Re: Churchill war room equipment - identification
This is the BBC OBA/8 outside broadcast equipment comprising a four channel mixer in the middle with the monitor loudspeaker on top. The outer units are power supply, peak programme meters, line drive amplifiers and ancillary cueing and talkback equipment (and a field telephone on the left).
Bob Dunbar |
21st May 2016, 8:55 pm | #6 |
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Re: Churchill war room equipment - identification
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21st May 2016, 10:23 pm | #7 |
Pentode
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Re: Churchill war room equipment - identification
Bob,
Thanks for the clarification. Seems like Churchill had a lot of "toys" in that bunker Regards Nick
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"If we are not going to make things, what are we going to do?" Fred Dibnah |
22nd May 2016, 9:22 am | #8 |
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Re: Churchill war room equipment - identification
Is this a later acquisition I wonder? Can't recall seeing anything other than the secure transatlantic comms. stuff when I visited around 1993.
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22nd May 2016, 10:09 am | #9 |
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Re: Churchill war room equipment - identification
Not strictly related to the War Room perhaps [or maybe it is?]. I exchanged a Radio Set for an elaborate Wavemeter with a local electronics buff here in Bexhill [Home Counties proximity to London]. It's in a substantial wooden case, painted in "Military" green, dated 1953 and significantly, it's marked Chequers! I've just confirmed that Churchill was PM from 1951-4 despite suffering a stroke in 1953.
Dave |
22nd May 2016, 10:47 am | #10 |
Tetrode
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Re: Churchill war room equipment - identification
It looks as if the equipment was donated in late 1982.
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22nd May 2016, 10:51 am | #11 |
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Re: Churchill war room equipment - identification
Apparently there really was a small OB setup installed during the war, but it's not clear why or if it was ever used. Maybe the idea was that Churchill could address the nation directly from the bunker.
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22nd May 2016, 11:01 am | #12 |
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Re: Churchill war room equipment - identification
I'm sure I've read about that somewhere Paul-in fact it would seem to be an essential requirement...thinking about it! Although there seemed to be a number of alternative Government refuge locations available [apart from BH] it would not be inconceivable [in fact perhaps quite likely at one stage] that the PM and his staff might be trapped within the War Room re bombing or other events!
Dave |
3rd Jun 2016, 1:17 pm | #13 |
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Re: Churchill war room equipment - identification
The brown box at the left is a 250 linesman's 'phone. Beyond that I've no idea.
— Joe |
9th Oct 2016, 5:00 pm | #14 |
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Cabinet / Churchill War Rooms
I did go to the Cabinet War rooms a few years ago and noticed that many of the 162/232 telephones in the Map Room "Beauty Chorus" seemed to have the mkII style cradle where the part between the forks protrudes from the body rather than flush which is the case of the original design.
I had always understood the 2nd type cradle was made post war. In view of this does anyone know whether any of the Cabinet War Room phones are the originals or where they possibly all sourced when it was decided to open as a museum? Which ever era they date from, I would love some of these in my collection! |
11th Oct 2016, 7:44 pm | #15 |
Pentode
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Re: Churchill war room equipment - identification
Being a bit of an historian I'm not that keen on saying things without a reference but I have it in mind I read somewhere that all the equipment was removed from the war room after the war - when it was used for something else.
Hopefully someone can add the full story? Nick
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12th Oct 2016, 12:03 pm | #16 |
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Re: Churchill war room equipment - identification
My mum was a wireless and line operator 'under Whitehall' during the war. From her account, there were a number of rooms and floors. 'Churchill had an office nearby' but they (dozens of operators) didn't see him. Must have been a lot going on down there.
Tony |
12th Oct 2016, 1:40 pm | #17 |
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Re: Churchill war room equipment - identification
There is a maze of tunnels and bunkers under Whitehall, many of which date back to before WW2. Much of the tunnel network is still classified.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milita...s_under_London |