Information

The THG has information available to its members only and some that is for non-members.

THG members only resources

Our members services offer facilities where they can; Manage their membership, join the the email group, access the members document repository and access the group resources for diagrams, technical documents, parts lists and so on.


Information for the non-member

There are museums and websites with information on telecommunications. There are also dealers who sell vintage items and other memorabilia. and there are numerous places to visit. Scroll down to see this information. Owners of legacy systems can join together in a virtual network call CNET.

Places to visit

At one time BT (and its predecessor) had a museum and archive, now they only have an archive and the museum collection was dispersed amongst a number of other technology collections.

Milton Keynes Museum has a connected earth exhibition of a working exchange and telephone collection.

Avoncroft Museum of Historic Buildings in the Midlands has the working collection of public telephone kiosks as well as two working telephone exchanges.

Another part of the connected earth collection is at Amberley Museum, with vehicles, phones, poles.

The Science Museum in London has an exhibition dedicated to communication.

Web sites

britishtelephones.com‘Bob’s Telephone File’ – which is packed with diagrams, TIs, EIs, marketing leaflets, pictures, and loads of information about the majority of GPO/Post Office telephones & Sub’s Apps
Light Straw ATEJohn Chenery’s Light Straw ATE – Exploring the history of the UK Telephone Service, with reminiscences from operators, engineers and staff.
Retrowow – TelephonesSteven Braggs’ useful source of information about historic telephones, particularly for collectors who are less technically minded. The price guide is useful. The site ‘Retrowow’ includes many interesting non-telephone related period items too.
telephonecardcollector.comThe website currently covers Phonecards, from the cardphone payphone to the cards themselves. Over time I plan to include other UK issues including Mercurycard, New World Payphones etc.
James.
Telephones UK
and
TelephoneUK.org.uk
and
telephone-exchanges.org.uk
Mike Fletcher’s site has been around since February 2002. It contains in excess of 1500 pictures and information on a wide range of old telephones, new telephones, cordless telephones, telephone kiosks, telephone systems, public telephone exchanges, answering machines, sockets and other miscellaneous pieces of equipment that have been supplied by the General Post Office, Post Office Telephones or by British Telecom. There is also a section about old dialling codes, with particular emphasis on the Birmingham area as well as three pages which contain around 300 old dial labels.
The BT Digital ArchivesTheir catalogue can be used to search the thousands of documents, books, objects, images and films on subjects spanning the development of telecommunications, from the birth of the electric telegraph in the 1830s to the explosion of the internet and the rise of broadband Britain.
uax.me.ukThe UAX Project – everything you wanted to know about Unit Automatic Exchanges.
viewdata.org.ukIt’s over 30 years since the GPO launched Prestel on the unsuspecting public.  Over the fifteen or so years of it’s existence, it became everything that the Internet is today, and spawned an entire industry of competing and complimentary services, plus more than a few hobby based systems, not to mention a multitude of companies dedicated to supporting those publishing or using the services.  For the most part, outside some specialist applications, these have all now disappeared without trace.  Our aim here is to celebrate the heyday of this industry, and not let what was a revolutionary concept be totally forgotten.

Dealers

Abdy Retro Telephones

Abdy Retro Telephones – Genuine fully refurbished vintage/retro 746 telephones for sale
email sales@oldvintagetelephones.co.uk
Tel: 01709 578008

Antique Telephones

Antique Telephones is run by Neil Carpenter, a THG member and collector of telephones. I specialise in quality fully restored telephones and give a lifetime of ownership guarantee –www.antiquetelephones.co.uk

Britphone

www.britphone.net is an online retailer of compatible, replacement parts designed for use with the classic GPO 700 series of telephones. The website is regularly updated and aims to be a comprehensive one-stop-shop for dealers and collectors.

Simon Mitcalfe

Simon Mitcalfe’s www.antiquegpophones.co.uk specialising in sales of antique GPO telephones.

Telephone Lines

Telephone Lines have been trading in antique, retro, designer, kiosks and fun telephones since 1972 and have a vast range of new telephones and old telephones available to buy online – telephonelines.net

Furnace End Fires

FURNACE END FIRES sell Ex GPO/Royal Mail Post Boxes and associated equipment and collectables. Contact for lists and availability by email to info@fefbadges.com or in writing with sae to Furnace End Fires, Ersthaus, Atherstone Road, Furnace End, Birmingham B46 2LP stating interest.

Glen Call International

GLEN CALL INTERNATIONAL, SCOTLAND UK., Tel; + 44 1592 840853   Fax; + 44 1592 840005 e-mail enquiries@glencall.co.uk Suppliers of letter boxes and other novelty items. Web site www.glencall.co.uk