Telephone history: Telephone Service in Birmingham

[nickcc101]

My goodness how times have change when you think back over the past 10 or 20 years!
20 years ago we did not know what a smart phone was. 1969 I started to work in the US for a company that I would spend over 25 years with. When I went for my first interview waiting in the lobby there were three ladies in a cubby pulling and plugging chords every time a call came in. They kept that in place for another 10 years!
What is also missing for the most part are the beautiful buildings in Pedros piece.
Another change as I was writing this on my iPad, when I wrote piece it wanted to substitute pixel!

Have a wonderful rest of the weekend everyone!

As you say predictive text can be a real pain which makes it important to preview your post, you can take It off but it can be useful when your brain stops working.

 

[Richard Dye]

As you say predictive text can be a real pain which makes it important to preview your post, you can take It off but it can be useful when your brain stops working.

Absolutely, it is very useful! And I have tried to learn the lesson that you share.

 

[cookie273uk]

I remember my early days as a PO Engineer (late 50's) removing candlestick 'phones and fitting the more modern replacement, disposing of the candle stick. I should have kept a few, collectors are now paying ridiculous prices for them. Eric

 

[Astoness]

I remember my early days as a PO Engineer (late 50's) removing candlestick 'phones and fitting the more modern replacement, disposing of the candle stick. I should have kept a few, collectors are now paying ridiculous prices for them. Eric

yes eric they are worth a bob or two now but back then we just did not think...

lyn

 

[Richard Dye]

And Lyn how many times do we not think

yes eric they are worth a bob or two now but back then we just did not think...

lyn

 

[Richard Dye]

And Lyn how many times do we not think

yes eric they are worth a bob or two now but back then we just did not think...

lyn

 

[sospiri]

Lyn,

It's just a matter of having the hoarding space to store these things, and then having the time and inclination to sell them on eBay or at auctions many years later. When I came out of the RAF in 1957 I had hundreds of valves, mostly new, and the value of each at that time was a few shillings. Now very much in demand and worth a small fortune, and most are now made in Russia or similar countries. I've moved house many times and finally, nearly 16 years ago, made the move out to Crete. This final move made me get rid of almost everything of value that I hadn't already disposed of - international moving is not cheap. I'm glad at this age that I don't have dispose of a lot!

Maurice

 

[Richard Dye]

Lyn,

It's just a matter of having the hoarding space to store these things, and then having the time and inclination to sell them on eBay or at auctions many years later. When I came out of the RAF in 1957 I had hundreds of valves, mostly new, and the value of each at that time was a few shillings. Now very much in demand and worth a small fortune, and most are now made in Russia or similar countries. I've moved house many times and finally, nearly 16 years ago, made the move out to Crete. This final move made me get rid of almost everything of value that I hadn't already disposed of - international moving is not cheap. I'm glad at this age that I don't have dispose of a lot!

Maurice

Absolutely Maurice...........Its the space, and most of us want different stuff!

 

[Radiorails]

Maurice, I got rid of lots of 'bottles', a few years ago, at a Ham Show.

 

[Pedrocut]

I've got a pair of old 81's, would they be worth anything ?

 

[sospiri]

Alan,

I haven't frequented those since just after I got demobbed. At the opposite end of the scale, there's no market at all for old technical books. Not even the cardboard recycling bins want them here, so I think they will just go in with the household rubbish as we can't burn now before the next heavy rains in October/November.

Pedro,

81s? You mean ECC81s? still only just over £3 each new, I think.

Maurice

 

[Pedrocut]

I'll leave it to Eric to explain. I wouldn't be surprised if he had a pair much older than mine !

 

[cookie273uk]

Yes Pedrocut, 81's are small round nosed pliers, part of my tool kit I received in 1956, I had to hand all my tools in when I left BT in 1987, I did keep my watch makers eye glass (still have it) and they let me keep my ladders, my van was kept at home because I was on emergency call out, so took the ladders off before returning van, still have them too. Eric

 

[Richard Dye]

Maurice, $8.95 on Ebay...........

Alan,

I haven't frequented those since just after I got demobbed. At the opposite end of the scale, there's no market at all for old technical books. Not even the cardboard recycling bins want them here, so I think they will just go in with the household rubbish as we can't burn now before the next heavy rains in October/November.

Pedro,

81s? You mean ECC81s? still only just over £3 each new, I think.

Maurice

Alan,

I haven't frequented those since just after I got demobbed. At the opposite end of the scale, there's no market at all for old technical books. Not even the cardboard recycling bins want them here, so I think they will just go in with the household rubbish as we can't burn now before the next heavy rains in October/November.

Pedro,

81s? You mean ECC81s? still only just over £3 each new, I think.

Maurice

 

[Pedrocut]

Post 252 mentions the gas explosion at Telephone House on the 4th January 1962. The details are in the thumbnails.

 

[Dave89]

Post 252 mentions the gas explosion at Telephone House on the 4th January 1962. The details are in the thumbnails.

View attachment 145869View attachment 145870View attachment 145871

Hi,

Many thanks for the newspaper cuttings. The lady was blown through the carpark which was then in the
middle of Newhall Street into that wooden fence which had been erected to enclose the building
works of the GPO Tower which was being built by Tileman's. We all thought she was lucky to survive that,
but I wonder if longer term she recovered?

I worked at the Westminster Bank on the other corner of Lionel Street, and the place reeked of gas,
so we had to evacuate.

We were sheltered for a while by the Midland Bank just up the road on the corner of Great Charles Street,
and then went on to our local head office where we were able to process the morning's clearing.

It all seems a lifetime away now,

Kind regards
Dave

 

[Pedrocut]

November 1938 Birmingham Gazette
“At the third stroke...”
The inauguration was carried out by Major Gilbert Dennison of the Dennison Watch Case Co. Details of the Company and family appear in the thread...

Dennison’s Birmingham's first light switch

I came across this amusing however very dangerous set up in a old copy of Practical Mechanics Magazine, June 1937. Thank the Lord we now have modern Wiring Regulations in place. I am sure this is obvious, but please, don't try this at home!

birminghamhistory.co.uk

 

[mw0njm.]

I've got a pair of old 81's, would they be worth anything ?

not a fat lot

 

[brummy-lad]

NTC (National Telephone Company) this answers a query I had regarding a building on Alfred Street, Aston.
The building is still there, NT above the door.

 

[Radiorails]

It does explain the initials NT. Another BHF query solved.