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Vintage Telephony and Telecomms Vintage Telephones, Telephony and Telecomms Equipment

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Old 2nd Jun 2017, 1:13 am   #1
Tellingbone
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Default Recent Purchase. Multi-coloured Telephone 746.

Hi new to this forum so bear with me.
Whilst browsing through a local junk (sorry collectors) shop I came across a phone which caught my eye as it was in a colour I hadnt seen before, it has a pink body with a cream handset and cord, cream dial surround and cream line cord terminating with a usual BT plug.
The markings on the bottom are 746F SERIAL No.EET 80/2 which I believe means it was manufactured by Plessey - Beeston, Notts. (formerly Ericsson) in 1980.
It is in very good condition but required some attention as the dial was loose (top fixing screw was missing) and one of the wires had become disconnected from its terminal, on putting these right and reassembling the phone works as it should when plugged in.
I have searched the internet but can find no information on this coloured phone, all components appear to be genuine GPO/BT ones.
Has anyone come across one like this or have any info on it please.
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Old 2nd Jun 2017, 11:02 am   #2
ThePillenwerfer
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Default Re: Recent Purchase

The GPO/BT didn't make pink ones but these days the plastic parts are made in all sorts of weird and wonderful(?) colours.
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Old 2nd Jun 2017, 11:13 am   #3
Cobaltblue
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Default Re: Recent Purchase. Multi-coloured Telephone 746.

From what your saying it's probably started as a cream coloured genuine 746 phone and a new case was purchased such as one of these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/REPLACEMEN...gHC7IJnql_dckA

Cheers

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Old 2nd Jun 2017, 5:24 pm   #4
TonyDuell
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Default Re: Recent Purchase. Multi-coloured Telephone 746.

As others have said, it doesn't appear to be an original GPO telephone. The telephonesuk site (and others) show all the colours that were available for the 706, 746, etc. And, although there were, say ivory handset bodies, blue telephone bodies and red mouthpiece and earpiece caps, you couldn't have rented a telephone from the GPO with that mix.

But of course the 746 is pretty modular, and equivalent parts of different colours will interchange. I've seen (for example) a red body, ivory handset, ivory dial ring, red mouthpiece and earpiece caps advertised as being an item for football supporters of whatever team it is that plays in red and white kit.

I don't think the pink body you have is original, the rest of the telephone quite likely is.
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Old 2nd Jun 2017, 9:30 pm   #5
high_vacuum_house
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Smile Re: Recent Purchase. Multi-coloured Telephone 746.

Good evening,
I have a feeling that this telephone was once part of a 1970's toy telephone/intercom set. I remember a remarkably long time ago my gran had one which consisted of 2 GPO telephones connected permanently together with a 4 core cable. One unit had a battery compartment to drive the earpieces. The other had the cable going directly to the handset. There was no remote call bell mechanism for simplicity, but the rotary dial tinkled a little bicycle bell situated behind the dial when turned and released.

I expect the case and handset was moulded directly from the GPO telephone moulding presses and the microphones and earpieces were standard items. A simple chassis plate with a battery holder added (no amplifier needed) and a cable between the 2 telephones would made a decent toy intercom.

With the toy chassis and dial removed, a standard 746 chassis could be simply added to the case and the handset wired up to make an unusual colour working telephone.

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Old 2nd Jun 2017, 9:38 pm   #6
AndiiT
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Default Re: Recent Purchase. Multi-coloured Telephone 746.

Quote:
Originally Posted by TonyDuell View Post
...... you couldn't have rented a telephone from the GPO with that mix........ I've seen (for example) a red body, ivory handset, ivory dial ring, red mouthpiece and earpiece caps advertised as being an item for football supporters of whatever team it is that plays in red and white kit.
One of my (now retired) ex work colleagues who used to work for the GPO/BT once told me that he would occasionally swap cosmetic parts on phones for customers so that Sunderland football club supporters could have a red phone with an Ivory handset and dial ring, for example and similarly Black and Ivory phones for Newcastle supporters. So it was done but not in an "official" way.

Andrew
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Old 2nd Jun 2017, 9:39 pm   #7
Tellingbone
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Default Re: Recent Purchase. Multi-coloured Telephone 746.

Thanks for the info guys, thought it must be something like that, didn't realise you could buy replacement bodies.
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Old 2nd Jun 2017, 10:10 pm   #8
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Default Re: Recent Purchase. Multi-coloured Telephone 746.

I musn't show this to SHMBO!
 
Old 4th Jul 2017, 1:46 pm   #9
Graham G3ZVT
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Default Re: Recent Purchase. Multi-coloured Telephone 746.

Quote:
Originally Posted by merlinmaxwell View Post
I musn't show this to SHMBO!
Hoo?

Seriously though, "Tellingbone" better not lift that handset, it looks like it's wired direct to Donald Trump's war-room.
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Old 4th Jul 2017, 2:03 pm   #10
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Default Re: Recent Purchase. Multi-coloured Telephone 746.

A well known acronym (comes from Rumpole of the Bailey) http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/SHMBO
 
Old 4th Jul 2017, 2:27 pm   #11
Station X
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Default Re: Recent Purchase. Multi-coloured Telephone 746.

It should be SWMBO. John Mortimer who wrote Rumpole probably got it from "She" by Rider Haggard.
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Old 4th Jul 2017, 3:02 pm   #12
Graham G3ZVT
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Default Re: Recent Purchase. Multi-coloured Telephone 746.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Station X View Post
It should be SWMBO. .
I know! it's just that I had never seen an H in place of the W, but I'm prepared to believe it was ironic rather than a typo. Lets move on...
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Old 4th Jul 2017, 3:17 pm   #13
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Default Re: Recent Purchase. Multi-coloured Telephone 746.

From the same "Free Dictionary":-

http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/swmbo
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Old 4th Jul 2017, 4:01 pm   #14
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Default Re: Recent Purchase. Multi-coloured Telephone 746.

My cock up, well it's still so true!
 
Old 4th Jul 2017, 7:37 pm   #15
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Default Re: Recent Purchase. Multi-coloured Telephone 746.

Should it not be "HWMBO" in the accusative?
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Old 4th Jul 2017, 8:23 pm   #16
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Default Re: Recent Purchase. Multi-coloured Telephone 746.

In these enlightened times it could be "Soul mate Who...", I wouldn't dare to "disobey" out of sheer household peace!
 
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