Two Red Trimlines

FABphones · September 04, 2019, 07:51:31 AM

I don't collect Red phones ( see my footnote below

), but I thought these two Trimlines would sit nicely alongside the rotary and push button British Trimphones I bought recently.

Still in transit, but it looks like they haven't been refurbed as no stamps on the bottom. Am very pleased as these don't come up too often in the UK. Not the earliest rotary but the other has round buttons and still with its paper insert.

Am looking forward to cleaning these up. I like the feel of Trimlines, a good weight, nice in the hand and like the ad says, no need to reach over to the body of phone to dial. Clever marketing.

My understanding is these won't light up unless on their original 4 pin wall plugs?

HarrySmith · September 04, 2019, 09:36:54 AM

Cool! That will make a nice display Euro & US side by side. I like it! They can be wired to work without the 4 pin plugs, at least on our wiring system, not sure about yours. Most likely the braintrust here will be able to work it out.

Stormcrash · September 04, 2019, 01:12:57 PM

Those may have been lightly refurbished. Trimline refurbs didn't get stamped but instead seem to have gotten a sticker with R m-y on it. Most of the ones I've seen had the original date stamped in black, these have stickers but no R (remanufactured) so its hard to say. The rotary one has a spot on the base where it looks like the paint was touched up so I'd guess it was very lightly refurbished, and they were likely converted to the newer small modular cords from the originals. The tell on the cords will be if the handsets have a big opening with a modular jack adapter in them, or a small opening sized for RJ modular plugs

The round button will probably not light without an adapter, but on the rotary rotate the dial slightly and see if LED is written between the 0 and 1 on the dial plate. If it has LED then it will light from the line, if not it would also need the adapter/transformer

poplar1 · September 04, 2019, 02:38:21 PM

Both Trimline bases appear to be conversions (AD1 to AD3) ~~or refurbs~~. The round button Trimline can still light up whether hardwired to a 42A connecting block, with a 4-prong plug, or modular. 6-8 Volts AC connects to 2nd pair of wall block/jack for dial lamp.

FABphones · September 04, 2019, 03:24:44 PM

This thread has already taught me quite a bit about Trimlines. I knew none of this. Thanks guys.

One label definitely has AD3 written on it, and 2-79. The other I can't see, but very likely says AD3 too. However being from Blighty, I have no idea (but I'm learning) what AD1 or AD3 on a Trimline means. The other label says 'Property of New York Tel Co' 'Not for Sale'.

I realise these are probably a bit mundane to you chaps over the pond, but I'm really glad to have found these, I'm rather fond of Trimlines.

*Stormcrash, whilst I wait for these to arrive I checked out the two (Black and Ivory) Trimlines I already have, neither of those have LED written on the dialplate, so I'm guessing they are older models than the ones with. Was the light swapped over to LED during a refurb?

poplar1 · September 04, 2019, 04:04:00 PM

Trimline Telephone Base, Desk Type

code: handset cord: mounting cord: original manufacture:
AD1 1965-1975
H5AA
H4DB D5AL mounting cord (plug to spade)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AD2 H4DB D4BU mini-modular mtg. cord 1973-1977
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AD3 H4DU D4BU 1977-1984?

AD1 was the original configuration: Handset cord with large plugs on each end. Mounting cord with plug on base end, spade tips for connecting block or for 505A 4-prong plug on other end.

AD2 kept the large-plugs for the handset cord, but substituted the new mini-modular 623T jack inside for mini-modular cords.

AD3 used modular cords for both.

19and41 · September 04, 2019, 05:09:51 PM

If you should find it necessary to open the handset portion, a note of caution on the flexible printed wiring in it. I have found them to be delicate. Printed circuits on solid board can fracture with any board torsion or flexion. I have had a couple of trimline flex circuits open with careful handling.

Jim Stettler · September 04, 2019, 05:47:41 PM

Typically both of these phones would use a transformer for the light.
If you remove the nameplate piece , you can usually see the board date thru the hole.
The round button set could have an tone generating IC chip. I have seen several variations of the IC type.

I have an old trimline that has a line powered incandescent lamp. It seems to of been a factory mod.
Typically both of these phones would use a transformer for the light.
Newer "fat mod" housings may have a LED Dial . It would be marked LED.

Many times the handset and base will have different dates. They were not stocked as complete phones.
They were stocked as separate handsets and bases.
Jim

FABphones · September 09, 2019, 08:25:31 AM

Update on the two W.E. Trimlines:

Both labelled 'AD3'.
The rotary has LED written between 1 and 0.

When they arrived they were both quite grubby. I used anti-bac wipes, T-Cut and Paste Polishing Cream to tidy them up. Both coiled cords have some staining on them that is proving difficult to remove. At first I thought the marks might be oil, now - possibly black ink which at the moment I have no idea how to remove. One cord also needed recoiling (photo 3 shows this cord afterwards) for this I used my hot bath method.

Photos show the Trimlines on arrival, during cord recoil, and both phones after their tidy up.

Jim Stettler · September 09, 2019, 05:49:36 PM

Quote from: FABphones on September 09, 2019, 08:25:31 AM
possibly black ink which at the moment I have no idea how to remove.

Try hairspray to remove the ink.
Jim

Stormcrash · September 10, 2019, 11:54:13 AM

Those Trimlines cleaned up nicely. And I have to find out more about this hot bath method for recoiling cords, the before and after are stunning! Is there a thread on this forum on the topic/method already?

Nice that the rotary is LED, it should light up no problem from just the line current, and now you have one of each style of backlight

And I can see in picture 3, which I'm guessing is the touch tone one, that indeed an adapter has been installed to go from the large plug, to the RJ style plug. Do both phones have that? I'm guessing that the LED rotary one doesn't and was factory built with RJ jacks

FABphones · September 10, 2019, 12:15:44 PM

Quote from: Stormcrash on September 10, 2019, 11:54:13 AM
...I have to find out more about this hot bath method for recoiling cords, the before and after are stunning! Is there a thread on this forum on the topic/method already?...

...And I can see in picture 3, which I'm guessing is the touch tone one, that indeed an adapter has been installed to go from the large plug, to the RJ style plug. Do both phones have that? I'm guessing that the LED rotary one doesn't and was factory built with RJ jacks

Thank you.

I detailed my cord recoil method here on another of my tidy ups, on reply 2:
http://www.classicrotaryphones.com/forum/index.php?topic=21890
You can see the finished cord on reply 5.

-----

I'll add a couple of photos of the Trimline RJs to this thread.

FABphones · September 11, 2019, 10:05:56 AM

Rotary on left, Touch Tone on right:

Cole · September 12, 2019, 11:34:50 PM

Nice phones and lots of info here. I like the cord recurling method, mine so far have been in good shape but it's nice to know they can be restored.

Also interesting to find they made both AD1 and AD2 models concurrently for a few years. I guess with modular jacks slowly being phased in, it makes sense that they were making them with both styles of line cord.

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Two Red Trimlines