Vintage money-transfer systems. - Page 3 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Tractorfan · 26th Apr 2020, 9:55 pm

Hi,
I worked in a large power station which had a vacuum system to carry documents between various offices, stores, admin and the main control room.
The unit operators could rarely leave their posts for any length of time when we were on load and so telephoned the mess room to have some food sent up.
Usually it would be sent up in the lift but, occasionally, some smart a

e would stuff a sandwich in the 'missile' complete with mayo, ketchup or whatever and send it up the tube!
Quite a mess when it arrived. We were just thankful that the cap didn't unscrew en route!
Cheers, Pete.

Radio Wrangler · 26th Apr 2020, 10:39 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Moll

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brigham

Until about ten years ago, I could still remember her divi number.

That caused me to spend a few seconds recalling ours, which was 39121. At first I had all the right digits, but not necessarily in the right order (as Eric Morecambe might have said).

Good grief! I wouldn't have thought I'd have remembered... 27804 popped straight out of nowhere, and the coop butchers along the road was run by George. memories are peculiar things. How many Gb? just not very reliable.

David

Trevor · 26th Apr 2020, 11:03 pm

have a friend Phil who used to install these things He worked out of a facility at Snow hill Shelton Stoke on Trent During the mid 70,s He traveled all over the uk doing these I thought even back then that these are old fashioned
Having said that I would have loved to see them myself
Trev

Uncle Bulgaria · 27th Apr 2020, 12:05 am

That's incredibly cool! I've only seen them in monochrome pictures and had no idea they were still going. It makes a lot of sense in many ways. Whoever wanted the cashless society, I'll just say there are a number of younglings who are very concerned about Big Data collected through card payments, and the environmental impact of always-on technology such as card machine connectivity and associated servers and databases.

The satisfying mechanical attraction of the pneumatic systems is obvious (much like many people who are otherwise entirely uninterested thoroughly enjoy when a steam engine goes by) and I don't imagine there will be many forum-goers in 50 years who will reminisce about Visa systems!

Dual Standard · 1st May 2020, 5:12 pm

I think these systems are far more widespread than you would expect. At one time a member of staff from the cash office would perform a cash lift from the tills with the aid of one or two burley 'security' guards, or failing that with the help of a friendly IT engineer (me!) if one was in the store.

Over time the pneumatic tube systems slowly replaced this rather risky procedure and as new stores were built or rebuilt the tubes would be hidden away either under a checkout or in the same ducting used for cabling. Today often the only clue you will see is perhaps a checkout operator stuffing notes into a plastic cylinder or an empty one sat on a checkout like the one I spotted at Tesco earlier this week.

Cash is vital privacy tool in the war against surveillance and essential to the many who are unable to access bank accounts.
Long live cash and long live these amazing pneumatic tube systems.
Mike

26th Apr 2020, 9:55 pm	#41
Tractorfan Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: St. Frajou, l'Isle en Dodon, Haute Garonne, France.(Previously: Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, UK.) Posts: 3,182	Re: Vintage money-transfer systems. Hi, I worked in a large power station which had a vacuum system to carry documents between various offices, stores, admin and the main control room. The unit operators could rarely leave their posts for any length of time when we were on load and so telephoned the mess room to have some food sent up. Usually it would be sent up in the lift but, occasionally, some smart ae would stuff a sandwich in the 'missile' complete with mayo, ketchup or whatever and send it up the tube! Quite a mess when it arrived. We were just thankful that the cap didn't unscrew en route! Cheers, Pete. __________________ "Hello?, Yes, I'm on the train, I might lose the signal soon as we're just going into a tunn..."

26th Apr 2020, 11:03 pm	#43
Trevor Octode Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, UK. Posts: 1,082	Re: Vintage money-transfer systems. have a friend Phil who used to install these things He worked out of a facility at Snow hill Shelton Stoke on Trent During the mid 70,s He traveled all over the uk doing these I thought even back then that these are old fashioned Having said that I would have loved to see them myself Trev

27th Apr 2020, 12:05 am	#44
Uncle Bulgaria Nonode Join Date: May 2016 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 2,329	Re: Vintage money-transfer systems. That's incredibly cool! I've only seen them in monochrome pictures and had no idea they were still going. It makes a lot of sense in many ways. Whoever wanted the cashless society, I'll just say there are a number of younglings who are very concerned about Big Data collected through card payments, and the environmental impact of always-on technology such as card machine connectivity and associated servers and databases. The satisfying mechanical attraction of the pneumatic systems is obvious (much like many people who are otherwise entirely uninterested thoroughly enjoy when a steam engine goes by) and I don't imagine there will be many forum-goers in 50 years who will reminisce about Visa systems!

1st May 2020, 5:12 pm	#45
Dual Standard Hexode Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Cheshire, UK. Posts: 263	Re: Vintage money-transfer systems. I think these systems are far more widespread than you would expect. At one time a member of staff from the cash office would perform a cash lift from the tills with the aid of one or two burley 'security' guards, or failing that with the help of a friendly IT engineer (me!) if one was in the store. Over time the pneumatic tube systems slowly replaced this rather risky procedure and as new stores were built or rebuilt the tubes would be hidden away either under a checkout or in the same ducting used for cabling. Today often the only clue you will see is perhaps a checkout operator stuffing notes into a plastic cylinder or an empty one sat on a checkout like the one I spotted at Tesco earlier this week. Cash is vital privacy tool in the war against surveillance and essential to the many who are unable to access bank accounts. Long live cash and long live these amazing pneumatic tube systems. Mike