Retro telephones
Retro telephones are a great way to make a style statement. The fantastic and surprising fact is that most telephones from the 1920s onwards will still work in a modern home. A little rewiring is needed, but the technology has not changed that much. Of course, they may be a little more crackly and take longer to dial.
If you want a retro look, but the reliability of a modern phone, you can go one better and get a reproduction phone which has the look and feel of the original. The Wild and Wolf telephones, in my opinion, are the best replicas of of the original. In fact, although I'm a real fuss pot when it comes to originality, I'm happy to use a Wild and Wolf Trimphone.
However, for some people, nothing beats the real thing. So I thought I'd do a quick guide to some of the most iconic phones from the 60s to the 80s.
Introduction
Phones in use in the 50s and the 60s varied enormously from Bakelite and Art Deco style to the up to the minute Trimphone designed by Martyn Rowlands in 1964 . It was quite common, even in the sixties, for subscribers (as the GPO's customers were called) to be using telephones first used in the 30s. By the end of 60s though, the design the GPO called the "modern telephone", the 706, was the phone most people used. This design is still recognised today as the definitive telephone shape.
Little changed in the 70s. The GPO still offered basically the same range of designs and colours as in the 60s. The 700 series telephone got a facelift and become the 746 and the demise of lettered telephone exchanges were reflected in the disappearance of letters from the telephone dial. A new innovation in the 70s was the push-button or PB phone. You could get these both in the 700 series and as a Trimphone.
In the 80s the GPO became BT, and BT became a private company instead of a state monopoly. A new range of telephones soon appeared and people got the chance, for the first time, to own the phone in their house. The first range of phones people could buy was a revamp of the Trimphone range in bright colours chosen by Lord Snowdon. Later BT stamped its own corporate personality on a new range of phones called the 'In Phones', which were advertised with a take on the original 60s mod classic, 'The In Crowd', by Dobie Gray.
The 200 series telephone
The earliest telephones still in common use in the 60s were known as the 200 series. They were usually in black Bakelite, although other colours were available and are highly prized by collectors today. The phones were pyramid shaped with the handset on the top. They needed an external bell. GPO thinking at the time was that several telephones would be connected in a single house to a central bell. You can see these telephones in many period films. The telephone used in 'Dial M for Murder' is one of these and Edward Fox had a white one in 'The Day of the Jackal'.
The 300 series
Another phone in common use in the 50s and 60s was the 300 series, which followed the 200 series in 1936. These were, once again, generally black Bakelite, but red, green and white versions were also made. The 300 series had an internal bell and was originally designed for business use. These phones can be seen on many 50s police dramas, such as 'The Blue Lamp'. You can see a huge collection of these phones in different colours in the police control room in 'Robbery' (1967), based on the Great Train Robbery.
The phone, left, has a braided cord. Sometimes these were replaced by the GPO by the curly cord used on the 700 series phones. Two versions were common, the 332 (left) and the 312, which had and additional button marked "Call Exchange".
The 700 series
The GPO's next development was the 700 series telephone. This was the first phone to genuinely offer the customer a real choice of colours. It was available in seven different colours.
The first incarnation of the 700 series was the 706. These phones were originally supplied with lettered dials. Some of the very early ones has steel dials similar to the 300 series.
In 1967 the 706 became the 746, with a mild restyle and a clear dial. This was the phone most people had in the 70s.
The Trimphone
The Timphone was the GPO's attempt at a modern phone and a product that would truly be in tune with the technological advances of the 60s: the decade that saw the first man in space and the advent of colour television.
The design, by Martyn Rowlands, was a miracle of packaging of clunky electronics into a sleek, modern form. The wedge-shaped Trimphone looked futuristic. It also sounded futuristic, with its electronic warbler replacing the traditional bell.
However, it was a big ask for the technology of the time. Most design books will tell you that the design was from 1964. However, the GPO took many years to go from prototype to commercial product. Although first trialled in 1965, the Trimphone was not available to all subscribers until the end of the 60s. Even then it was not without its problems.
Nevertheless, the Trimphone became a desirable accessory in the 70s. With the limited choice available, those prepared to pay a premium rental could enjoy a touch of modern style in their homes. The Trimphone was the perfect prop for status conscious estate agent, Laurence Moss, in Abigail's Party (1977).
Tips on collecting retro telephones
A good place to buy old telephones is the National Vintage Communications Fair held twice a year at the NEC (usually April/May and September/October). There are usually a selection of dealers and you can compare prices before making a selection.
Telephones installed by the GPO generally carry a stamp or sticker on the base which gives three letters, two digits, a slash character and a further digit. e.g. 706 TSD67/1. "67/1" is the year and month of installation. That makes them easy to date. "706" is the type of telephone. In this case, the red telephone above it is a 706. Later telephones made in the 70s are 746s.
Most 1960s phones are relatively cheap. You shouldn't have to pay more than around £20 to £40 for the 700 series phone shown above. Trimphones are also around this price. The black Bakelite phones are much more expensive. £50 would be bargain - from a dealer expect to pay £80 to £100. Be careful before parting with money on these. There are many phones around with reproduction parts and many foreign copies of more recent manufacture. This is especially true of coloured versions of the 300 and the earlier 200 series phones which can sell for hundreds of pounds. If in doubt buy from a reputable dealer.
More on retro telephones:
The Telecommunications Heritage Group
A society devoted to vintage telecommunications and the preservation of vintage telephone equipment. www.thg.org.uk
UK Telephones
This site has a vast quantity of pictures of all types of vintage telephones and plenty of additional information. www.telephonesuk.co.uk
British Telephones
A superb site containing a wealth of detail about all types of British telephones, including circuit diagrams and extracts from original GPO publications. www.britishtelephones.com
Telephone dealers
antiquetelephones.co.uk has a large selection of telephones from the 20s to the 80s, as does www.telephonelines.net; their shop in Cheltenham is well worth a visit.
Retrowow
Retro style and the mid-century era