Telephone Manufacturing Company (TMC) Type 851

[tubaman]

This curiosity arrived on my doorstop today. It was £7.50 (best offer) + £3.50 P&P from eBay - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Telephone-By-Radio-Intercom-Ltd-Unusual-dial-see-pictures/333580808115
( dead link 04-09-21 )

Telephone - By Radio Intercom Ltd - Unusual dial - see pictures.
Condition is Used.
It has a rotary dial but the finger holes are filled with a numbered spring return.  See last picture.
You still have to turn the dial.
Dispatched in the UK with Royal Mail 2nd Class.

With the 'Radio Intercom' dial label I wasn't even sure it was a proper phone when I bought it, but it was unusual and the right price so I took a chance.
The dial is bizarre, with each number having a spring loaded insert for no other reason than 'style'. The bell is also a bit unusual and sounds rather like a cow bell - clanky with little persistence to the sound.
The only other reference I can find on the net is to a copy of the diagram so I don't think there are lots of these about.
I haven't done a direct comparison but the circuitry looks suspiciously like that used in a GPO 706 - especially the terminal block arrangement.
I can't find any dates on it but guess it's '60s from the internal parts. Edited - I've just popped the transmitter out and it has '9.64' on it so my '60s guess was correct.
Not as impressive as Doug Rose's A1 for $30 but I like it all the same!

[tubaman]

More pictures