1959 GPO 706 in Concord Blue

[Hotline]

Around a year ago I bought a 1959 GPO 706 telephone in Ivory. 1959 was the first year of 706 production and therefore rare to find, especially with the type 12 all figure dial and metal finger wheel.

The problem was that it had a small chip on the Diakon Perspex case. Diakon is not easy to replace as it was only used on the very early 706 phones from 1959 to 1962 and is quite brittle, so a lot of the Diakon phones had their cases and handsets replaced over the years with the later ABS plastic versions. However, Diakon is much glossier than ABS and when polished looks so much more attractive, also it does not fade or discolour like the later ABS plastics.

What I really wanted to do was find a replacement Diakon body and handset in the rare and sought after Concord Blue colour, I thought it would be difficult and it has taken some time. I bought two separate early Concord Blue 706 phones on eBay in need of restoration, luckily they were Diakon and from these I was able to use the body from one and handset from the other.

I also fitted the very rare Grebe Grey cloth handset and line cords, these cords were fitted to very early issues of the 1959 706 phones, although most of the 1959 phones had a colour matched curly cord and line cord.  I was fortunate to find a batch of new old-stock Grebe Grey cords on eBay a few months ago.

It is interesting to note that Diakon Concord Blue is quite different compared to the later ABS Concord Blue, the Diakon version is much more blue in colour whereas the ABS is more blue-green.

I am very pleased with the end result and attach some photos below and on the next couple of posts.

[Hotline]

More Photos...

[Hotline]

Final batch of photos...

[Pourme]

I have never seen one of those "in person", truly a very nice looking phone.

It looks brand new!

Congrats, on a nice project!

[tubaman]

That looks great!
The ABS versions of Concorde Blue are a nightmare as they fade very easily to green.
I have a 1963 model that is all still blue except for the handset caps, which are now green.
The case does have a small chip where it screws on by the hook-switch so perhaps it is Diakon - I'm not sure how to tell.

[HarrySmith]

Very Nice!

[Doug Rose]

Stunning phone! Is the chrome finger wheel or the matching color finger wheel more desirable? ....Doug

[david@london]

hotline -

great photos of a great phone.
to me, the 706 in diakon is one of the most attractive GPO models. no fading of the colour and a more translucent appearance than the later ABS.
i do have a 1962 green one to which i'm very attached.

tubaman -

if your phone's shell is diakon, there should be a code number 12 in relief inside the shell.

http://www.britishtelephones.com/t706case.htm

[Hotline]

Thanks to all for your kind comments.

Stunning phone! Is the chrome finger wheel or the matching color finger wheel more desirable? ....Doug

I suppose it depends on your preference, but the chrome finger wheel is certainly much rarer.

[RotarDad]

Hotline - Excellent job on a beautiful phone!  I appreciate your sharing the specifics of your efforts to restore it - I learned quite a bit there.  Sounds like this early Diakon version is like the Western Electric 500 models in Tenite - sought after, and harder to find.

[tubaman]

....
tubaman -

if your phone's shell is diakon, there should be a code number 12 in relief inside the shell.

http://www.britishtelephones.com/t706case.htm

david@london

Thank you for that.
Yes, my '63 Concorde Blue does have a Diakon case, but the handset caps are ABS - perhaps because it was the transition year and mixed parts got used?
My '61 ivory 706 is Diakon too, but I always knew that was different as it's always seemed whiter than other ivory GPO phones I've seen.