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List 31 Enclosure?

Started by mentalstampede, July 20, 2017, 01:06:52 AM

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mentalstampede

I found a local seller who happened to have a like new payphone enclosure and pedestal for sale, and it was too nice to pass up. Very minor wear from storage, but it's obviously never been installed. I believe I have heard or seen this style referred to as an L31, but I don't really know anything about it. Was this a type used by Bell, or what? I was planning on hanging my AE 120 in this, but now I'm thinking this enclosure might be more appropriate with my SWB branded 1D2 instead. In any case, here's a photo. The new pedestal is on the left.
My name is Kenn, and I like telephones.

"Progress isn't made by early risers. It's made by lazy men trying to find easier ways to do something." --Robert Heinlein

Jim Stettler

They made SW Bell lenses for that style of enclosure.
Jim S.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

mentalstampede

Hmm... Sounds like I know what I need to find now! Thanks Jim!

Quote from: Jim S. on July 20, 2017, 02:07:07 PM
They made SW Bell lenses for that style of enclosure.
Jim S.
My name is Kenn, and I like telephones.

"Progress isn't made by early risers. It's made by lazy men trying to find easier ways to do something." --Robert Heinlein

Alex G. Bell

Quote from: mentalstampede on July 20, 2017, 01:06:52 AM
I found a local seller who happened to have a like new payphone enclosure and pedestal for sale, and it was too nice to pass up. Very minor wear from storage, but it's obviously never been installed. I believe I have heard or seen this style referred to as an L31, but I don't really know anything about it. Was this a type used by Bell, or what? I was planning on hanging my AE 120 in this, but now I'm thinking this enclosure might be more appropriate with my SWB branded 1D2 instead. In any case, here's a photo. The new pedestal is on the left.
L or "list"numbers were typically used by the Bell System to identify specific equipment items which all shared a common root or base KS or J number.  Few other organizations used this style of designation.

Pedestals are documented in BSPs 508-3xx-xxx amd 508-4xx-xxx. 

Here is a list of the BSPs matching this spec. available on the TCI site.  If you download and go through them you might find the item and be able to identify the root KS # and learn who made this item for the Bell System. 

41. 508-300-100 I1:
http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/10343-508-300-100-i1

42. 508-301-100 I1:
http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/10344-508-301-100-i1

43. 508-352-100-i5-Booth-Outdoor-KS-14611 Tl:
http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/3071-508-352-100-i5-booth-outdoor-ks-14611-tl

44. 508-401-100 I1:
http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/10345-508-401-100-i1

45. 508-402-100 I1:
http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/10346-508-402-100-i1

46. 508-430-100 I1:
http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/10347-508-430-100-i1

47. 508-451-100 i1 Nov72 - Walk-up Drive-up Public Telephones:
http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/10348-508-451-100-i1-nov72-walk-up-drive-up-public-telephones

48. 508-452-100 I1:
http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/10349-508-452-100-i1

49. 508-460-100 I3:
http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/9274-508-460-100-i3

50. 508-460-100-se:
http://www.telephonecollectors.info/index.php/document-repository/doc_details/343-508-460-100-se
 
I may have a compatible Pacific Bell version, which is not for sale but could be scanned and reproduced.

Payphone installer

Unit on the left I believe was made by enclosures inc, it is known as a bath tub. This style of encloursue was used by Bell companies but not that brand. The bell enclosures were a very heavy gauge of aluminum. Many were made by Clark Specialies or Adco. The enclosure on the right were only used by COCOT companies and were made by a company in Texas called Mernydine I think, may not be the correct spelling.

mentalstampede

Thanks for the input! I've put my SWB 1D2 in the "Bathtub" enclosure, and my AE120B in the COCOT enclosure. That will do until I can find a nice GTE branded enclosure for the 120.
My name is Kenn, and I like telephones.

"Progress isn't made by early risers. It's made by lazy men trying to find easier ways to do something." --Robert Heinlein

tallrick

My L31 enclosures (sardine cans) all had the vandal resistant aluminum lens instead of the plastic one you have. As I was told the other was L31A and I have one of those although beat up, hit by car. I have been looking for a pattern so I can make a silk screen and put the old Bell System bell logo with the word Phone like I remember. Any originals would be impossible to find in my opinion.

Jim Stettler


Quote from: tallrick on December 23, 2017, 01:50:53 AM
. Any originals would be impossible to find in my opinion.
Replacement lenses aren't that hard to find. I have come across new and used lens for these types of booths at telephone shows. A lot of NOS replacement lenses ended up  in the hands of collectors after the break-up. You can check with the collector clubss.
Good-luck,
Jim S.
You live, You learn,
You die, you forget it all.

Sigmaz

Sure wish I could find an L31 on a pedestal .
I'm in North East PA and this area is flooded with NYC transplants. Only 8 miles from the NJ border.
You'd figure they would be on every rummage sale site.

But alas, my phones sit on the bench....

Sigmaz

#9
Quote from: tallrick on December 23, 2017, 01:50:53 AM
My L31 enclosures (sardine cans) all had the vandal resistant aluminum lens instead of the plastic one you have. As I was told the other was L31A and I have one of those although beat up, hit by car. I have been looking for a pattern so I can make a silk screen and put the old Bell System bell logo with the word Phone like I remember. Any originals would be impossible to find in my opinion.

I'm going to try to cut out the "Phone" and Bell logos for my L31A out of vinyl.k(yeah, I finally found an enclosure)

I've already fabricated new windows with a diffusion panel from a damaged LCD television.
see here..

The word "Phone" is written with what appears to be the font "Ariel Black" and the Bell can be found online if you search for it but add .SVG to the search to make sure you get a vector based version.
That way you can resize it any way you want without losing any sharpness.
...or just use one of the logos I have attached to this post.

compubit

Original Text would most likely be in a Helvetica (or Swiss - Bitstream's "clone") font variant, vs. Arial - as Arial wasn't developed until 1982.  If you're looking to (re)build for Authenticity, then I'd look at Helvetica.

The two fonts look similar, but experts can tell the difference, and Arial is not Helvetica!!!!

Jim
A phone phanatic since I was less than 2 (thanks to Fisher Price); collector since a teenager; now able to afford to play!
Favorite Phone: Western Electric Trimline - it just feels right holding it up to my face!

Sigmaz

#11
Quote from: compubit on January 20, 2018, 01:47:40 PM
Original Text would most likely be in a Helvetica (or Swiss - Bitstream's "clone") font variant, vs. Arial - as Arial wasn't developed until 1982.  If you're looking to (re)build for Authenticity, then I'd look at Helvetica.

The two fonts look similar, but experts can tell the difference, and Arial is not Helvetica!!!!

Jim
Good eye Jim.
Thanks for the info I'll give it a try.


Sigmaz

#12
Wow.. the difference is so minuscule, I wonder just who would, or could notice.
I have Helvetica over Ariel in this photo.. (Ariel-red, Helvetica-gray)
I guess I would need an actual example of an original sign to match up what font they use for sure.

My final was helvetica.
See my other thread to check it out.