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Looking for pams: Tele Set D Mk V and 7 port GEC switchboard serial no 733 circa 1939


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Hi All,

 

anyone got any pamphlets for old British telephone set D, MkV and a GEC Universal 6/7 line switchboard, serial no 733? The switchboard and phones have been in my garage for a few years and all the gubbins seems to be there so thought it would be nice to see if I could get them working. If no pamphlets then any advice on how to get them working would be much appreciated. I know the phones take a 3 volt battery but not sure what size of battery to use in the switchboard, anyone know?

 

Rgds

 

Pete

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  • 3 weeks later...

Apologies for the delay in coming back to this thread, I moved house a couple weeks back and it's been manic ever since!

 

Anyways, herewith those pictures of the Switchboard? Anyone recognize this switchboard?

 

Can anyone give me a brief over view of connecting two Set D Mk V phones direct to each other, or is this not possible?

 

 

switch-1_zps4drekwqh.jpg

 

switch-2_zpss1m47w2t.jpg

 

switch-3_zpsyhqcnmss.jpg

 

switch-4_zpsmxqytpxx.jpg

 

switch-5_zpsq2bpiaqy.jpg

 

switch-6_zpsf0yb5uit.jpg

 

switch-7_zpsjd4ssgzs.jpg

 

switch-8_zps1syhf9u2.jpg

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  • 9 months later...
Anybody know what this 7 line Switchboard and 5 Mk V Tele Sets, plus ancillary bits, are worth at the moment?

 

The telephones look in quite good condition, the exchange (Switchboard, Universal Call, 6-Line) is missing the battery compartment (I think), and most of the ancillaries out of the accessory tin.

 

I can find you an original (but scruffy) manual for the telephones, don't think I have a spare for the switchboard.

 

Standard batteries for most line equipment were made up from 1.5 volt 'X' os 'S' cells (square with two 4BA terminals on the top). The telephones require 3 volts to run the microphone, the switchboard 4.5 volts tapped at 3 (I think) for the buzzer and lamps plus the microphone.

 

Missing parts from the exchange: 3 x red and 3 x black patch cords (2-wire with 1/4" jack plug on the end) in use you alternated red and black to make the connections easier to distinguish in a hurry. 6 cord weights (with pulleys), possibly a buzzer for the 'night alarm', I can't remember offhand.

 

The exchange can be screwed to the edge of a table, so the the front flap is off the edge, then the patch cords can be inserted through the holes in the front plate (plugs upwards) and the pulley weights hooked onto the cords. Plug your headset in (or a handset), and you're all set (assuming batteries and telephone lines are connected). :-D

 

"Universal Call" means it will work with both buzzer call (Telephone Set 'D') and magneto call (Telephone Sets F, J, L, etc.) pnones and switchboards.

 

Telephone Set 'D' and the Switchboard UC (6 or 10 line) were the standard 'front line' telephone equipment during WW2. The Telephone Set 'F' and Switchboard F&F were usually for higher formations - office telephones! There is some confusion over what F&F actually stood for, it's not explained in the manual, and some people claim it's "Field & Fortress", others that it's "Field & Fixed" - I favour the latter meaning. :-D

 

Hope this is useful, or at least interesting.

 

Chris.

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Hi Chris,

 

thanks for that mate, both interesting and useful!

 

Any idea on current prices for these? My wife is giving me grief about getting rid of some of the "stinky old kit" laying about the place and these may well be on the list of things that "take up too much space and need to go"...before I find myself on that self-same list ;-)

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