Identify age of this socket?

[ericmark]

The party line I remember, but not sure exactly how wired, but know with parents house an electrician connected the main house earth to the party line earth wire which was around 3 mm² bare copper, and was clipped to outside of house with a steel earth rod.

I realised when I came to work on the house there was no earth, but I also remember as a young lad blowing the fuse when I shorted line to earth (in error of course) so at one point there must have been an earth, but when I came to work on the house could find no sign of one.

The old Wylex fuse box had been changed to a consumer unit when the wet room was done, so the earth could have been lost then, but could not find any sign of an earth which had been disconnected.

We should I know has an EICR every 10 years or change of occupant which ever sooner, but I have never done one on my own house, yes tested some section which I have worked on, but not methodically worked through the house testing all electrical items.

There was a report when we bought this house, but it said there was an old disused fuse box in the ceiling void, it was in fact the main board for the house, the consumer unit only covered the lower floor which had been a garage and is now a granny flat.

This is of course the problem, when some one does a proper EICR he/she may find things which look OK, but test out as faulty, this house had a borrowed neutral on the stairs lighting, and not because only 2 core cable used, the neutrals were all in the 4 gang switch, some one had simply selected the wrong one, so easy to fix. Found when moving to all RCBO protection.

 

[bernardgreen]

The reason for installing telephones away from "earthed" items ( such as wall lights ) came from the concern about overhead telephone lines being struck by lightning. In the early days lightning protection was provided where the line entered the property. The Earth rod provided a path to Ground for the energy of the lightning strike.
This was the typical fused connection box with fuses and spark gaps.

Further information can be found here https://www.britishtelephones.com/overhead/termination.htm

When the demand for telephone service outstripped the number of cables the concept of party lines was created, This required an Earth to provide a means for the exchange to send ringing current to the correct telephone and a means of telling the exchange which subscriber wanted to make a call.

 

[SUNRAY]

The reason for installing telephones away from "earthed" items ( such as wall lights ) came from the concern about overhead telephone lines being struck by lightning. In the early days lightning protection was provided where the line entered the property. The Earth rod provided a path to Ground for the energy of the lightning strike.
This was the typical fused connection box with fuses and spark gaps.
View attachment 296419

Further information can be found here https://www.britishtelephones.com/overhead/termination.htm

When the demand for telephone service outstripped the number of cables the concept of party lines was created, This required an Earth to provide a means for the exchange to send ringing current to the correct telephone and a means of telling the exchange which subscriber wanted to make a call.

I don't have any documentation to back it up but my experience is all OH SS lines were fitted with such protection at the point where the pair and the earth terminated and changed to internal cable in the subs premises, which was pretty much always at the window or door frame. Similar protection on standard lines just seemed to fade away.

I was never aware of any location requirements for telephone apparatus, however I'm not in any way disputing it, afterall it was 50 years ago I did my TIT YIT TTA A, B & C courses at Bletchly Park.

 

[Taylortwocities]

I was never aware of any location requirements for telephone apparatus, however I'm not in any way disputing it, afterall it was 50 years ago I did my TIT YIT TTA A, B & C courses at Bletchly Park.

ah. I didn’t know you were TTA (=YIT/TIT).
Me too!
Although I did my A B and C at Paul Street in London.

 

[SUNRAY]

ah. I didn’t know you were TTA (=YIT/TIT).
Me too!
Although I did my A B and C at Paul Street in London.

1972 intake.
I could never work out why I had to go through London to Blecthley ( and some of ours to Stone) when training facilities were available in London, and I believe in Hampshire too.

Spent 3.5 years on loan to LTR for 'Big Bang' 1986-90, mostly at Monument then rerouting PW's for Wood Street decommissioning.
Also bussed in to Lee Green for the strikes a few years before.

 

[Taylortwocities]

A youngster!

I joined 1967. It was still Post Office then.
LTR SW. Block release at Brooklands College Weybridge. T2A then TOIT mostly carrier stuff (valves!!) at GSC Esher and up and down the carrier route. Mostly routines playing with the test desk and sitting in the sunshine.
Tried to get transfer to London for something more exciting but told I was too useful…so I left. Joined US company in London setting up early transatlantic circuits for banks etc. Much more fun!