Glasgow's former telephone exchanges are an example of a type of building which all look very similar because they were all built in a very short period of time. It demonstrates how the timing of technological advances can create an industry-specific architectural look purely due to the fashions of the time they occured, rather than any required functionality of the new technology.

#glasgow #glasgowbuildings #glasgowarchitecture #architecture #telephoneexchange

Former Telephone Exchange on College Street in Glasgow.

Designed in a modern Classical style by C.J.W. Simpson of the Office or Works, it was built in 1922.

Cont./

#glasgow #glasgowbuildings #glasgowarchitecture #architecture #telephoneexchange

#speakingClock done!

Hmm. Except… I’ve only just noticed a bug that puts it in 24hr mode, when it should be 12hr

That bug has been there since I wrote this in 2017 - how has no one ever noticed this?

It’s also a bit quiet on the internal speaker, but I’ll be using the headphone jack when I install it in the #strowger #TelephoneExchange at the #DeanForestRailway #museum display (next time I’m there)

I recently scored three dell thin clients for under £8 each.

Spec is similar ballpark to a raspberry pi, but with an x86 chipset and so much cheaper!

One of them will become a standalone #speakingClock system for the #DeanForestRailway #strowger #telephoneExchange (replacing a #museum exhibit that went offline in ~ 2019)

One of them will probably become a remote control host for my #icom #ic7300

The last one is likely to be kept as a spare for now, unless I can come up with another project.

I've spent a happy couple of hours running 4 new #phone lines from one side of the #telephoneExchange shed to the other.

There's not a lot to see (just some new outlets on the wall behind the #isdx) but I think this is the first bit of #telephony I've done in the shed in months.

It means I don't have to drape the #modem cables across the doorway any more!

An interesting telephone anniversary being celebrated today! #telephones #telephoneexchange #stddialling

Now that Lil is allowed outside, she’s discovered my workbench in the #telephoneExchange #shed - so I gave in and put a blanket down for her.

All projects will now include 100% more kitty, and I have to be that bit more mindful when I’m closing up for the day

#CatsOfMastodon #hamShack #strowger #PhoneExchange

Got some dirty #telephone #switchboard plugs you need to clean up? You need a Bell System Plug Polisher 497A!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=PtGYEqkrYxw

I don’t think we had an equivalent in the UK, but now I really want one!

#TelephoneExchange #PhoneExchange #TelecomHistory #phone

I’ve spent over a year been looking for a Mk1 operators console for my #isdx #TelephoneExchange…

I finally got one a few weeks back, but before I start trying to wire it up to the #PhoneExchange I wanted to give it a once over, and #GetTheBatteriesOut if needed!

It all looks good, no obviously leaky caps, no battery to remove, most of the chips are date coded 1986.

I’ve put it back together, and now I can proceed with sorting out the exchange end!

#phone #telephone #telecoms #vintagePhone

Former telephone exchange on Centre Street in the Tradeston area of Glasgow. Built around 1935, it's in the Neo-Baroque style, which seems to have been quite common for Glasgow telephone exchanges.

#glasgow #telephoneexchange #architecture #glasgowbuildings #glasgowarchitecture #neobaroque #buildingsphotography #architecturephotography

Woohoo! I now own the right vintage kit to operate an AC-14 signalling link (UAX “out of area” exchange lines)

This signalling system relied on in-band 2280Hz tones, and although its design wasn’t quite as open to abuse as the American 2600Hz equivalent signalling, this equipment did have vulnerabilities

So, once I’ve got it working in captivity I intend to have lots of fun trying to #phreak it!

#telephone #TelephoneExchange #TelecomHistory #Telecoms #PhoneExchange #phone #strowger

The acrylic insulators are held in place by a pair of roll pins.

I’ve just spent a satisfying half an hour or so using a vice, a nail, and a socket set (as a spacer) to push the pins out of one side. I could then remove the insulator, and move it over to the other broken card puller.

I’ve now got one fully working card puller instead of two broken ones!

Not that I’ll ever use it, the cards come out just fine without the special magic tool!

2/2

#isdx #TelephoneExchange

These devices are “card pullers” for removing PCBs from an #isdx #TelephoneExchange

The pins locate in holes on the card, and the acrylic insulators press against the chassis. You then squeeze the handle and frame together, and the card unseats from the backplane so you can remove it.

The acrylic bits are prone to snapping off as they rattle about in the back of the van, and it’s rare to find a complete one of this style these days!

I have collected two broken ones...

1/2

I'm in the process of moving a small #strowger #TelephoneExchange demonstration rack on to its next home.

Before I say goodbye to it, I thought I'd video a short tour...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EarxXwMvjKw

#Telephone #TelephoneHistory #Phone #PhoneExchange #Telecoms #TelecomsHistory

Behold! The majestic rarity that is the ED 2.88MB #floppyDisks used by my #ISDX #TelephoneExchange

There are even some diagnostic disks in here that “might” work with the firmware revision mine is running!

This is beyond exciting!

Combined with the spare drives I scored today, these will allow me to back up my running config before I lose the lot by fiddling with it!

Oops! I appear to have come home with the operators console, and an enormous quantity of spare PCBs and cables for my #isdx #TelephoneExchange

More importantly, there are also two spare 2.88Mb ED #FloppyDrives in there, it’s taken nearly a year to track some down!

Another day at the #DeanForestRailway working on the #UAX13 #strowger #ElectroMechanical #TelephoneExchange … today I was changing the strapping on the vertical marking bank (VMB) for some group selectors.

The VMB is used when the selector moves vertically, to allow/deny access to certain levels.

Here I converted a selector that allowed (89)xx to allow (34567890)xx

This changes it from serving our museum demo phones to be suitable for use as an incoming selector from a distant exchange.

I spent today at the #DeanForestRailway working on their #UAX13 #Strowger #PhoneExchange

We’re increasing the junction capacity between Norchard and Parkend (about 3 miles away) and I needed to trace out how the existing junctions are cabled, find the existing terminating equipment, run new cables, prepare new terminating selectors…

Yesterday was leg day at the gym, so I only got about 75% done before I couldn’t cope with the step ladder any longer!

#phones #telephone #TelephoneExchange

I spent today doing maintenance on the #DeanForestRailway #PABX4 #strowger #ElectroMechanical #TelephoneExchange

We cleaned, lubricated and adjusted all the group and final selectors and cleared all but one fault.

This is a poorly group selector, that refuses to operate to dial pulses. For some reason the K relay doesn’t operate. We cleaned all the contacts in the operate chain, checked the coils, spent well over an hour on this one selector!

It beat us today, but it won’t beat us entirely!

I’m giving this small, 8 extension electronic #TelephoneExchange a bit of a once over before it goes to its new owner.

Works fine, but I don’t know the password for the config, the default (and obvious variations) don’t work and I can’t find an obvious way to reset it

So I slapped together an old modem and some really shoddy python and am brute forcing my way through all the possible PINs.

This may take a while…

#Telephone #modem