What is this?

[Marvo]

Can anyone identify this please? I think it's some sort of timer that's driven by an external pulse. Not sure what it might have been used for though...

 

[Marvo]

Had that unfortunate experience yesterday, the clocks now turning again for the next one!!! Grrrr!!! ....lol!!!

Belated happy birthday from me as well :17:

 

[Stuuk1]

Not sure how good a quality upload this pic may be but this one is apparently worth a fortune and a guy I was speaking to has had his eye on it since he started working for BT 20 years ago..

This runs all of the clocks in the buildings, although none of the clocks are used or working correctly etc.

They used to have these in all large BT exchanges however over the years due to modernisation and the fact the building are no longer manned (digital age). The clocks are redundant but a few of these master clocks are still installed.

 

[Marvo]

Thanks for the picture Stu. I'm not sure about putting live warning tape on surface run conduits though, are they for real or is someone being funny?

 

[Stuuk1]

Haha, it's a telephone exchange, over the years all sorts of stuff happens as the suits see fit... And when changes happen, the old stuff usually stays where it is as it costs money to recover it!

Unless of course April is around the corner and they have money to use up, then there is a huge rush to spend spend spend.

We juat had a £500k job come in a few days ago to complete a load of work before April..

Edit: just noticed it's also on the trunking with the MEM boards. A lot of busy bodies in these places and someone has no doubt found a bit and stuck it on as they thought it should be there. Get this sort of stuff all the time.

 

[snowhead]

They are the ones I used to fit, in GPO (now BT) and Post Office sorting offices.

Incredible timekeepers.

 

[Stuuk1]

They are the ones I used to fit, in GPO (now BT) and Post Office sorting offices.

Incredible timekeepers.

They are fantastic to see working.

I have only seen two, one in the huge exchange in Bournemouth tucked away in a small office on the 3rd floor (pretty sure they built the office around it to keep it safe.

The other is the one I posted and unfortunately can't remember where it was. I remember taking a pic of the Bournemouth one but sadly can't find it.

 

[snowhead]

They are fantastic to see working.

I have only seen two, one in the huge exchange in Bournemouth tucked away in a small office on the 3rd floor (pretty sure they built the office around it to keep it safe.

The other is the one I posted and unfortunately can't remember where it was. I remember taking a pic of the Bournemouth one but sadly can't find it.

It used to take weeks to adjust them perfectly when new.
The GPO were obsessed with not showing the wrong time when viewed by the public.

 

[Marvo]

I read some info earlier about these systems and apparently they automatically synchronize all the clocks on the system every hour. The synchronization sequence takes place over a minute or so and sounds like a complex mechanical operation.

 

[worzol99]

Great thread, beautiful pieces of kit.

 

[Stuuk1]

I've left my laptop at work again! Wish I didn't do that.

I'm sure I took the photo on my old iphone, and when I got my new phone I'm sure I too all of the pictures off, hopefully I can find the other one as that was a real gem!

 

[Geordie Spark]

wouldn't be surprised to find one in your shed, tony. LOL.

......... along with the machine to stamp his card.

 

[Knobhead]

I've never clocked on so didn't need one.

I do know of a guy that had a clocking in machine at home. He was never late, wonder why?

 

[Engineer54]

Thanks Tony, my guess wasn't an educated one, I've no experience whatsoever with these old master/slave clock systems. I was guessing much later because of the PVC wiring and the general condition of the brass etc.

The early ones weren't that reliable, so your unit may of had 2 or 3 lot's of guts from when it was first installed!! Most i think are now RF controlled

Belated happy birthday from me as well :17:

Thanks Marvo, but these days i prefer to forget birthdays rather than celebrate them...lol!!

 

[Silly Sausage]

Who is this 54 year old Engineer...

 

[grantr37]

Thanks for the picture Stu. I'm not sure about putting live warning tape on surface run conduits though, are they for real or is someone being funny?

that is normal practice with telecoms workers to mark mains items, so that they don't open them...