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Old 21st May 2016, 7:09 pm   #1
tis your junk
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Default Churchill war room equipment - identification

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Attached is a picture of "equipment" in Churchill war room can anyone tell me what it is?

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THX

Nick
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Old 21st May 2016, 7:34 pm   #2
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Default Re: Churchill war room equipment - identification

PA or intercom system??
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Old 21st May 2016, 8:14 pm   #3
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Default Re: Churchill war room equipment - identification

Line amplifiers for broadcast work
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Old 21st May 2016, 8:40 pm   #4
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Default Re: Churchill war room equipment - identification

Certainly looks like vintage BBC kit.

Martin
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Old 21st May 2016, 8:50 pm   #5
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Default 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
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Old 21st May 2016, 8:55 pm   #6
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Default Re: Churchill war room equipment - identification

for more information see:

http://www.bbceng.info/Eng_Inf/EngInf_16.pdf
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Old 21st May 2016, 10:23 pm   #7
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Default 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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Old 22nd May 2016, 9:22 am   #8
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Default 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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Old 22nd May 2016, 10:09 am   #9
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Default 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.
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Old 22nd May 2016, 10:47 am   #10
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Default Re: Churchill war room equipment - identification

It looks as if the equipment was donated in late 1982.
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Old 22nd May 2016, 10:51 am   #11
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Default 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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Old 22nd May 2016, 11:01 am   #12
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Default 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!

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Old 3rd Jun 2016, 1:17 pm   #13
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Default 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
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Old 9th Oct 2016, 5:00 pm   #14
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Default 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!
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Old 11th Oct 2016, 7:44 pm   #15
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Default 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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Old 12th Oct 2016, 12:03 pm   #16
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Default 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.
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Old 12th Oct 2016, 1:40 pm   #17
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Default 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
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