British GPO 162

[FABphones]

...One of the rear cradle ears had unfortunately had broken off and was glued back with ugly brownish epoxy, and the ugly cracks in the handset did not really improve after plenty of soaking in oxygen cleaner and then chlorine bleach....
Larry

Could you add some photos so we can take a closer look.

[LarryInMichigan]

Could you add some photos so we can take a closer look.

Of the broken cradle or the ugly cracks in the handset, or both?

Larry

[LarryInMichigan]

Here are some pictures showing some of the cracks in the handset and in the cradle.  I decided to experiment using paint from a creme colored Elmer's brand paint marker on the cracks to see if some of the paint will seep into the cracks and hide some of the ugliness.

Larry

[Jack Ryan]

I assume that, at least the handset, is made from urea formaldehyde.

What is the code in the circular mark on the front IC mounting block?

Thanks
Jack

[Owain]

The 232s stayed in production until 1957 and continued in service for much longer. Many people consider them to be one of the most attractive telephones ever made. I don't think good repro cords would seriously adversely affect the value of an otherwise original piece. The GPO repaired and recycled phone parts continuously.

Now all you need is the matching bellset :-)

[LarryInMichigan]

I assume that, at least the handset, is made from urea formaldehyde.

What is the code in the circular mark on the front IC mounting block?

Thanks
Jack

I am not sure which code you mean.  There are codes all over.  They are all:

PL
--- B
LR

except for the one on the bottom of the base which is:

PL37
--- B
LR



Larry

[FABphones]

...I don't think good repro cords would seriously adversely affect the value of an otherwise original piece...

Absolutely. I have several repro cords which I purchased before I built up a stock of originals.

———-
Just double check dimensions first as some can be somewhat thicker, and stiffer, than the originals.

I am not sure which code you mean...

Jack is asking for what is written inside the circle next to the coil mounting.

[tubaman]

Shame about that cradle - especially as it is the early type (the later ones have a protruding lip to made it easier to lift the phone with your hand).
The cracks on the handset are quite common with early coloured ones - I think the 'plastic' shrinks with age, and with metal inside all it can do is then crack.
If it's all PL (and 37) marked that is good as the dates and manufacturers match.
I do wonder if someone has 'converted' it to a 232 in the past, but that would not have been done officially as all of the other markings and diagram would have been changed to reflect.

[LarryInMichigan]

The code inside the shell next to where the coil was mounted is the same "PL/LR B" as the rest of the parts.  I gave up trying to do anything more about the cracks, and I gave everything a bit of sanding and polishing.  I wiped some automobile polish over the parts, and is a short while, I plan to rub it down and then put the parts back together.  Hopefully, the polish will give some nice shine to the plastic.  The plastic definitely does shrink with age, and that leads to cracks, especially when it shrinks around metal.  Something has to give, so the plastic cracks.  I have many old electric clocks, many plaskon and some catalin.  The catalin really shrinks, so nearly all of them cracked as they shrunk around the metal parts.  If I like the way the phone is after the reassembly and some testing, I will probably be interested in cords.

Larry

[Jack Ryan]

I am not sure which code you mean.  There are codes all over.  They are all:

PL
--- B
LR

except for the one on the bottom of the base which is:

PL37
--- B
LR

I meant the code circled in red in the attached but I guess it is (PL/LR)B

A bit of a coincidence that a bitsa would end up with matching parts - it might be that it was upgraded. Possibly someone has done a "guts swap" with a 232 as the 232 has terminals 7 and 8 that the 162 does not. The screw slots bear the marks of an amateur.

The code means that the telephone was made by Plessey (PL) and the case was moulded by Thomas De La Rue Ltd (LR). Some say that the B means that the material is Bakelite but as the material is not and cannot be Bakelite (phenol formaldehyde), I think the B means the moulding material (urea formaldehyde) was supplied by the Bakelite company.

A urea body indicates an early one - possibly pre WW2 so PL 37 (1937) may be the date of the telephone itself, not just the base.

Regards
Jack

[LarryInMichigan]

I reassembled the phone with temporary cords, the line connected to T1 and T3, and a capacitor between T2 and T3.  My Dialgizmo does not like the dial pulses and either fails to dial or gets the number wrong, and the sound from the transmitter sounds weak and like it traveled down along metal tube.  I suppose that something may be wired incorrectly, and/or the pulsing contacts on the dial may need adjustment.  The phone looks a bit better than it did.

Larry

[HarrySmith]

Looks great! Nice clean up.

[Doug Rose]

Wonderful job Larry. Definitely a deal....Doug

[tubaman]

That look really nice - you've done a great job and got quite a bargain!
The dial contacts probably just need a gentle clean as these are generally a robust and reliable dial. You may need a bell in circuit too for it to work fully as intended (or a 1k resistor in its place).
If the transmitter is the original one (should be dated) then you'll be lucky if it's usable. In my experience they always sound a bit hollow, and old and well used examples usually crackle well too.

[LarryInMichigan]

The dial problem was much more complicated that I thought.  There were grooves worn into the trigger lever where it contacts the pulse wheel, and therefore the lever was not moving into the proper position, resulting in the pulsing contacts open while the dial was being turned.  I think that I managed to remedy the problem by cutting and bending a tiny piece of thin steel (expropriated from a dental floss container) and carefully fitting it over the worn metal of the trigger lever.  The dial seems to be working reliably now.  The transmitter is probably a replacement.  I will try to post pictures of it later.  It does work, but the sound is weak and hollow.

Larry