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What kind of phone? -> Northern Electric Centurion

Started by ldj1002, November 25, 2011, 10:47:44 PM

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ldj1002

I've had this phone about 15 years. What kind is it and where were they used. I never saw one like this

Phonesrfun

It's a rotary dial single slot payphone, probably from the '70's or '80's.  I have no clue as to the manufacturer.  As you can see from the photo, it is mounted in a glass/aluminum phone booth, also very common at that time.  Occasionally, you still see a glass and aluminum phone booth in use.

Are you really saying you have never seen a pay phone, or are you saying you have never seen one exactly like the one shown?

When deregulation happened in the '80's payphones were also deregulated and lots of companies got into the business.  Most pay phones have now gone by the wayside due to cell phones.
-Bill G

ldj1002

I was saying I never saw a payphone like this one. The phone is not original to the booth. I bought the booth and later I found the phone. It works, it is right next to my shop and it is used regularly when I am outside.

DavePEI

#3
Quote from: ldj1002 on November 25, 2011, 10:47:44 PM
I've had this phone about 15 years. What kind is it and where were they used. I never saw one like this

That is a dial Northern Electric Centurion, used throughout Canada and in many states in the U.S. It is a Fortress type phone and dates from the 70's. Many are still in service all these years later.

http://www.islandregister.com/phones/centurion.html

I have a set of Centurion schematics posted at:

http://www.islandregister.com/phones/centuriondrawings.pdf

The plastic outside case comes off to reveal a bright red-orange internal body. I don't have the dial version here, but do have two (and a half - long story) TT versions.

I may as well tell that long story, as it is really funny. Years ago when I was lobbying Island Tel/Aliant  to get a booth. After months, I finally got a call from my contact there.

He told me he had a booth for me, but I would have to pick it up at a motel/cabin place which had shut down.

My son and I went to have a look to see what we would need to remove it - when we got there, we realized that the phone was still in the booth, and that the coin box was still there, partly full. So, I called the fellow at Aliant and told him the phone and coin box was still in the booth. He told me he would send someone out the next day to retrieve it.

Two days later we took the truck there to get the booth. We discovered the coin box, front cover and chassis had been removed from the phone. Fine, we then continued on with the removal. All of a sudden the police pulled up.

Now, as I mentioned above, these phones have a plastic cover on top of the red chassis inside. These covers were available in black, brown, and blue [and dark green]. Of course the phone company had taken the cover along with the coin box, and the front chassis. The owner of the motel had called the police to say we had vandalized the phone and sprayed it red! A call to Aliant straightened that out, but it was embarrassing. When their tech had gone to get the phone, he couldn't get one of the mounting bolts out, so took the parts they felt they might need from it.

So, along with the booth, I inherited half a phone  :)

Later on, I received another MD9021 booth in even better shape and complete with the door, and stocked them with two Centurions. Centurions still remain in a few locations on the Island, though the Nortel Millenniums are now more common.

This second one was truly complete, including its concrete base, and doors. Over the years when doors had been vandalized, the company had not replaced them, and the MD9021 Superman booths had been left open at the front. When I got this second call, they were in the process of scrapping older booths, including the last of the full booths. The result was that I have the only complete MD9021 on PEI.

The second one was brought base and all to the museum, and kindly set in place. Photo with Centurion posted below.

Dave
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

Phonesrfun

Quote from: ldj1002 on November 25, 2011, 11:12:27 PM
I was saying I never saw a payphone like this one. The phone is not original to the booth. I bought the booth and later I found the phone. It works, it is right next to my shop and it is used regularly when I am outside.

Sorry if I sounded insulting.  When I re-read what I posted, it sounded condescending.  Dave at PEI seems to have some good information on it.
-Bill G

AE_Collector

That was a few years ago now wasn't it Dave! Time flies when you're havin fun.

You didn't mention the dark Green covers for Centurions.

Terry

DavePEI

#6
Quote from: AE_collector on November 26, 2011, 12:57:28 AM

You didn't mention the dark Green covers for Centurions.


Oh, and they also made dark green covers :-) I knew there was another colour but just couldn't think what the other colour was!

Here is another Centurion document. the listing for the Centurion from the Northern Electric T-9 catalogue. A PDF copy of it is posted immediately after this message:


Dave
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

liteamorn

One thing I am quickly learning here is that no matter what it is we talk about or ask about, Dave has one and a fine example of it to boot!

DavePEI

Quote from: liteamorn on November 26, 2011, 07:19:08 AM
One thing I am quickly learning here is that no matter what it is we talk about or ask about, Dave has one and a fine example of it to boot!

Don't I wish! You guys have some incredible stuff! What I have been specializing for years in, though are Northern Electric phones, so it gives me an advantage there.

If I only had some of the AE phones you guys have :)
The Telephone Museum of Prince Edward Island:
http://www.islandregister.com/phones/museum.html
Free Admission - Call (902) 651-2762 to arrange a visit!
C*NET 1-651-0001

ldj1002

Thank for the info.
My booth had a heavy coil spring at top of door center fold. It was broke when I got the booth and I haven't been able to locate one. Where might I find one?