Don't miss the next Conference and AGM in 2008 - Date and location to be advised.

At the 1997 AGM, it was agreed that the THG have a website and in January 1998 a test page was launched into cyberspace. In March 1998  the Telecom Heritage Web (THW) went live and it's steadily growing.

Ivor Flint, chairperson welcomed everyone and as is customary held a minutes silence of respect for those members whom had sadly died during the year. Membership of THG is predominately those whom remember the older technology, but as systems in general become obsolete so quickly these days, there is a stronger reason to attract younger members and to broaden the aims of the Group. Ideally, a task suited to a dedicated publicity/education officer. Candidates apply here.

Peter Walker (Director of Technology from OFTEL) described the evolution, development and deployment of Crosspoint Switching, in the guise of the 'Crossbar Switch.' His talk covered the full history from 1913 when the first patent was registered, following through its manufacture in many countries throughout the world, leading to its use in the UK between 1964 and 1995, as it became a recognised alternative to Strowger.

Click here to review the slideshow.

Xerxes Mazda was our host and again we were able to explore the Science Museum during our lunch break.

Barry Staggs gave an exposition of TELCONSULT-the consultancy business of the Post Office/BT which specialised in selling its expertise, skills and knowledge abroad. This started, during the Sixties, as secondments of jointers and technicians, as advertised in the Post Office Gazette, to places abroad. It culminated (in the mid-Nineties) in the letting of contracts worth millions of pounds, to plan, develop and indirectly operate telecoms systems in countries such as Kenya, Portugal, Malaysia, Slovakia, Romania and Russia to name but a few.  The 60 strong team effectively promoted the skills of BT throughout the world. Today, BT bids for licences to directly operate overseas telecommunications networks.

Continuing on the theme of modern technology, Bob Fastner presented a detailed overview of the main switching networks, PSTN, Telex, Teletex, Leased Lines, Packet switching e.t.c. And their convergence into the first Integrated Digital Access, in June 1985, leading to the concept of an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) with examples of the early digital phones, which were somewhat ahead of their time. As the technology evolved so rapidly (and interface devices became obsolete so quickly) only a few examples of telephones, sockets or cards have survived. However, even with the new standard ISDN2e and the forthcoming ADSL, the early IDA was a milestone in telecoms history and deserves to be preserved and studied every much as the analogue systems. 

Bob Freshwater's CD ROM 'The Telephone File' was available at cost price. Andrew Emmerson's Speaking Clock project is due for completion by the end of October.

When asked about a future BT Museum, Neil Johannessen explained his current position under BT Openworld in which it is hoped that a virtual museum will be established. This is might encompass various private collections around the UK, overseen by a trust fund, guided by BT and operated by all partners in the scheme.

The session ended with a Post Office Telecommunications film 'No Ordinary Cargo' which showed the work of HMS ALERT cableship in laying the first Spain to UK cable;  landing each shore end and paying out the 500 miles of ocean spanning cable as well as splicing in the repeaters (amplifiers) at various intervals along its length.

Our host John Liffen, new curator of the Telecoms Section of the Science Museum began the AGM by explaining that part of the telecoms galleries, including the Speaking Clock was 'off display' as room was needed for other collections, but not to worry, as this was a normal process in the rotation of gallery space. However, the tele no.162 'Neophone', which was featured in a recent article, could be seen in the "Making the Modern World" display on the ground floor.

Richard Lloyd gave a candid insight into BT's 'Connected Earth' project, an all encompassing heritage policy to devolve telecom artefacts to 'partner museums' and to create an innovative on-line database accessible via the Internet. Richard explained that a 'window of opportunity' had brought together, the ideas, budget and incentive to make it all possible and that the team was working to very tight schedules to achieve a major launch at key sites by April 2002. Successful implementation was to have structured participation, being open to suggestions, with everyone taking part.

The Connected-Earth Model

· Distributed national collection

· Museum on the Internet hub

· Extend scholarship and profile

· Tie-in with Schools' National Curriculum

BT's Liz Bruce was on hand to answer questions and take feedback to the project team.

The meeting then split into syndicate groups to generate ideas as to how the THG could actively participate in 'Connected Earth.' The result was that the group have a wide knowledge base of experience to offer. As it is possible that only 25% of the UK's collection will be used, it was suggested that members might visit one of the storage depots and tie ID labels to items, thus saving time and preventing historically valuable equipment being discarded.

During lunch, John Liffen lead tours around the Science Museum.

Ivor Flint reported that the 'workshops' held at the Telephone Museum, Milton Keynes had proved popular and that further events were planned for 2002. The THG was formed in 1986 with the first meeting hosted by Telecom Technology Showcase on 28th November 1987, so we have been established for 15 years! It may be possible for members to visit the BT Museum one last time before it is cleared.

Further 'break-out' groups then looked for ideas to make our 15th anniversary a memorable year. Suggestions ranged from commemorative issue journals, photo competition, open days, members to recruit new members, railway visits and extended events at the NEC and Milton Keynes. Full details will be reported in due course.

John Liffen then gave a wonderful talk, illustrated with diagrams and photos, about the various pneumatic tube systems, their implementation and uses in the UK and America, proving that their use was not restricted to London. In fact 19 towns had 'street tubes' more than ¼ mile in length. The extensive Post Office Tube system, was said to have been last used in 1963, but very few components have been preserved.

Professor John Griffiths showed a video transcribed from a film shot by Bernard Ash- 'TAT1 Across Newfoundland.' This showed in detail the digging in, jointing and testing of this early transatlantic cable, which carried just 26 circuits, but was 'state of the art' in its day.

In summary, the AGM was very much a 'taking part' event with everyone offering excellent ideas to shape the next 15 years of the Group.

Our host John Liffen welcomed everyone to the Science Museum and reminded us that there is still a working Strowger demo, located on the first floor, which is maintained by a THG member. The main telecommunications gallery is closed pending new displays coming via BT's Connected- Earth project which should also include a research post. Admission to the Science Museum is now free and for the more serious researcher, there is a dedicated library nearby, which is open 6 days a week.

· Overlapping, made possible by chargeable time clocks

· Wing & monitorial training

· Coaching supervisors

· Remote observations

· Cordless switchboards

· Team staffing

He also showed the evolution of charging from the use of flimsy paper tickets, which could be despatched via pneumatic tubes, to the early MATS tickets and use of Hollerith machines, through the ISOCC system to ACRE. Comparisons were made with the growing Trunk Mechanisation as the operators workload changed with the introduction of STD and the procedural changes needed to keep pace with demand.

As always, Ivor's enthusiasm for the subject made it a very enjoyable presentation.

This was followed by "Chips with Everything", a publicity film explaining that ACRE was being introduced to help the operators give a better service to the subscriber.

Afterwards, Paul Ash, an ex-Blackpool operator was on hand to explain exactly how the CSS1 (Cordless Switchboard System 1) was operated with ACRE. Dialling procedures and effective and non-effective calls were discussed, as well as Lightning Calls. These were (usually) originated via known numbers by members of the Royal Family and would take precedence over other calls on the board. Ivor also displayed a variety of sample tickets and training books, which reinforced the theme.

During the break for lunch, our members were encouraged to seek out the computing displays on the 2nd floor and the Strowger demo on the 1st floor.

The business of the AGM will be minuted as normal. On a special note, Ivor suggested that we each try to recruit one new member during the coming year.

The group carried out a Finance & Event Mapping Exercise. This entailed voting with red and green coloured stickers to indicate how to allocate the available resources on the most popular events. It was confirmed that members preferred the bulk of money to be spent on publications, followed by events, the website and training. The most requested activity was a swapmeet combined with an event. Museum visits were popular too, followed by study days and conferences & lectures.

For the 'Planning Workshop' the group split into three teams and discussed the pros and cons of amalgamating the Journal and the Newsletter, as there is a need to achieve long term cost savings (printing & postage) unless we can recruit a substantial number of new members. With few exchange conversions or closures these days, there seems to be less newsworthy items to fill the stylish A4 Newsletter. It was thought that the content rich A5 Journal was less eye catching, but nonetheless a convenient pocket sized publication. Above all it was stressed that any publications must be produced regularly and on time. Watch your letterboxes!

Mike Tyrell gave us an insight into Railway Communications as to how the extensive ETD (Extension Trunk Dialling) network developed from the very early times of the Cooke & Wheatstone Telegraph and the signal post telephone. Mike showed that in later years this growth was related to key legislation in the industry:

· 1948 Nationalisation

· 1960 First national BR Plan

· 1962 Transport Act

· 1966 Start of ETD Network

· 1984 Telecoms Act

· 1988 Exhaustion of original ETD codes

Similarities were given between the PSTN and the railway network. The amazing thing is that the original numbering scheme is still operating in sections of the country where agreement could not be reached on changing the codes.

Show and Tell

Andy Emmerson showed us two, almost antique items, which were 'fit for the purpose'. A three way switch and a LTU (Line Termination Unit) both of open construction with brass contacts and mounted on wooden blocks. Andy explained that the use of quality materials governed the design, which was purely functional, it being unnecessary to hide the workings or to apply any aesthetic or commercial markings. He went on to explain that you wouldn't need any instruction manuals or special tools to make connections to the units. He compared these to current day technology, the function of which is mostly hidden, requiring specialist tools and knowledge and produced in different versions and brandings dependent upon the market.

John Goldfinch showed us a pocket sized tester which he had adapted and could be used for checking the ringing and speech circuits of either a modern plug ended telephone, or an older, hard-wired type. An essential item for swapmeets.

Ivor finished by thanking everyone for making it a lively and enjoyable AGM.

Details of the AGM held on 4th October 2003 are in Telecoms Heritage Journal No. 46

Details of the AGM held on 25th September 2004 are in Telecoms Heritage Journal No. 50

The next AGM was 30th September 2006.

The last AGM was 8th September 2007.

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