GPO wallset 711

[gpo706]

Another bargain fixer upper, its the wall version of the 706 sets, it has the button blanking panel missing but I have one from the 741 that arrived in bits (bet you the colours don't match)!

Also missing the dial card cover, got plenty of those.

Nice two tone grey, came back from work expecting to outbid, so a pleasant surprise and a nice price.

I've colour balanced the attached pic, on the listing it's too blue.

Notice how the dial fingerwheel has bleached very badly or its an ivory replacement.

Bit of TLC and a new line cord and should be good to mount (it even has the "T" mounting bracket with it, unlike most of these wallphones where they get left in situ and forgotten about - these brackets are going for silly prices this side of the bay).

Its coded GNA 67/1, nearest I have to a "birthday phone" made by GEC-AEI Telecommunications
Newton Aycliffe, County Durham in 1967.

I have ran out of deskspace anyway...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=290479990776&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT

http://www.britishtelephones.com/t711.htm

[McHeath]

That's a really nice phone.  I see these on Brit shows from time to time, always wondered what they were and now I know.

[gpo706]

McHeath - the 711 is the wall version of the 706, the 741 is identical shell but 746 insides.

I manged to dig out the blanking plate from the shattered 741 I got and a well worn grey finger dial, so I'm ready!

(That took about 2 hours of raking about though).

[gpo706]

Arrived today just before I went to work, so not anything as yet but a quick examination.

The seller knew how to pack it OK handset and body seperately bubblewrapped and the handset tucked down the side of the box.

It has a slight tan, and I popped in the blanking plate from the trashed 741 and it matches perfectly, don't you love it when that happens for a change!

The fingerwheel is grey, but very very blanched, strange the effect the sun has on different plastics, I have a slightly scabbier match, or I could just leave as is, it kinda sets it off from the darker case.

I have a problem with the dial label, its a sticker, so if I wanted to change the dial I'm gonna have to destroy the centre with a screwdriver to reach the retaining screw!

Its also quite unusual, it doesn't have "100 OPERATOR" printed in the centre bar as with every other one I've seen this blank on this one, and the "100 OPERATOR" is typed in the space on the same typewriter as the exchange details "PEACEHAVEN 3437", Peacehaven is on the South coast near Brighton, imagine this dial label with its former name on it "NEW ANZAC-ON-SEA"!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peacehaven

Quite bizarrely it was named so in a competition, I think a spare "NEW ANZAC ON SEA" label would add a bizarre twist.

In the box when I unpacked was a tiny screw and washer, which may be from the interior, I put it safely aside in case.

Anyhow if I have to destroy the dial sticker, I'll get a decent picture of it first so at least I can make a replica.

[gpo706]

Just wired it up, no problems, tried on linesmans phone.

Put the resistor and dual-diode rectifier in, all good.

Then tried the "official" rewire, straps between 8 and 9 disabled the linesman ringback, so back they went in.

Then internal calls through the Pana 616 all good, then an outside line - good again.

Its a dirty machine - the handset grommet at the base is covered with greasy sludge, guess it was a kitchen phone, also the ends of the handset cord are turning a light shade of green?

Moisture, grease, I don't know but something has been attacking the rubber, it looks in good shape so hoping it will clean up fine.

Put the blanking plate in and its a perfect match to the body, haven't cleaned anything or removed the dial as yet as I said its a sticker and will have to be destroyed to get the fingerplate off.

I think I'll put this in the Kitchen, quite fitting as it appears to have spent it working life in one, so I'm gonna have to buy some cable and rip up the floorboards to get a line downstairs to a PST socket, now - where did I leave my toolbag again?