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Help me ! -> ID my GPO 332

Started by pvtucker007, April 11, 2014, 04:40:34 AM

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pvtucker007

Hi can anyone tell me what this is exactly?
It was my fathers and I absolutely love it!
I remember it being in my grandads house.
Any replies appreciated. I think it's given me a new hobby!

LarryInMichigan

Welcome to the forum, PV.  What you have appears to be a British GPO 300-series telephone, probably a model 332.  There are probably markings on the bottom with the model number, manufacturer, and date.  These phones were very common in the UK from the 1930s into the 1960s.  You can find plenty of information about GPO phones here: http://britishtelephones.com.

Larry

pvtucker007

Thanks for the reply I opened it up took the base off
And it's says 332f I think ? It is really interesting to look at.
Nothing on the underneath but there is a little square looks
Like it could have been something. I'll keep digging

twocvbloke

Yep, it's definitely a GPO 332, looks to have been slightly updated in with that handset cable and a line cable from a 700 series, but that's just cosmetics, the function of the phone is the same... :)

If you want to convert it, assuming it hasn't been done already (though I can't see a 3.3k resistor so I would guess not), to work on BT or VirginMedia (or other company) phonelines, then the procedure is fairly easy as detailed on the aforementioned website:

http://www.britishtelephones.com/pstconv1.htm#332

And there are ebay sellers offering conversion kits too, though for this phone as it has been updated by the GPO, a 700 series kit would suit it better:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/291110484198

Just be aware that a lot of non-BT lines don't support pulse-dialling, so you can receive calls on this phone but not dial out (though there are solutions to this if you want to be able to dial out), and the sound quality for the call recipient would not be as clear as a modern phone due to the carbon granule transmitter (microphone) in the handset... :)

It looks like it used to have a tray on the base, they removed those and blanked them off on the refurbs as they were made to hold small telephone number directories based on the area where they were initially issued, but the GPO ended up issuing separate telephone directories (which the current BT Phonebook is a descendant of) which made the tray version redundant... :)

david@london

#4
pvt -

you have a nice phone there. i was recently given a (damaged) 300 series and refurbed it a bit.

when you have your phone working, you may want to get a replacement dial label for it.
there should be a circular metal clip to keep this in place - if yours is missing, spares can be bought.
new transmitters are also available if the sound quality isn't good.

the markings on the handset are interesting.
i think it's a very old handset ......... S 34, i believe, indicates it was made by siemens in 1934, which is 3 years before the 300 series was introduced.
this info is all on the britishtelephones.com site - you can also find clear instructions on dismantling/repairs there. 

david

info from bob's telephone file.........

No. 162 - the telephone number
S - made by Siemens
32 - manufactured in 1932
F - with a dial that had figures on it
234 - mark 234

Matilo Telephones

Beautifull phone. A real classic.

A good dial label would do it a world of good.
Groeten,

Arwin

Check out my telephone website: http://www.matilo.eu/?lang=en

And I am on facebook too: www.facebook.com/matilosvintagetelephones

twocvbloke

Quote from: david@london on April 11, 2014, 05:14:12 PMi think it's a very old handset ......... S 34, i believe, indicates it was made by siemens in 1934, which is 3 years before the 300 series was introduced.

I would guess that the handset originally started life on a 162 or 232 Pyramid, and later got re-used from a parts bin when the GPO put together this phone... :)