The automatic telephone exchange is an important if little-known aspect of the activities at Alresford station. The small but extremely active Signal and Telegraph group describe the system.

The equipment forming the Alresford telephone system is an ex-Post Office UAX 12 exchange purchased in November 1974 from Hursley, when it was replaced by a new exchange. Two units, termed an ‘A’ and a ‘C’ were installed at Alresford and brought into service early in 1975, providing for 25 lines.
At present only ten of these are used, linking the main parts of the station. Despite its age it was built in 1944 and the bumpy ride on delivery, the equipment has given relatively trouble-free service.
One headache in early days was the power supply the batteries being used had seen far better days and wouldn’t hold their charge for long. However, two kind donations put us straight: one was a set of good batteries, and the other a mains rectifier. A power unit was designed and built, and this allows the equipment to run from the mains or from batteries in the event of a power failure. The unit has provided fault-free service since installation nearly a year ago, and a similar unit has recently been completed for eventual installation at Ropley.
The exchange tones are generated by a Set of vibrating relays, and although the system works extremely well some of the tones produced are a bit erratic — one in particular has been likened to the death throes of a rattlesnake!
Unfortunately, spares are impossible to obtain, so experiments are now taking place with a transistorized tone generator for the ‘busy’ and ‘number unobtainable’ tones. If successful as seems the case the other tone relay sets will be similarly modified.

Expansion

A further two A and C units were transported to Ropley during July, for a second 25-line installation. However, the go-ahead has not yet been given for installation. eventually, it is hoped to install our own cable between Alresford and Ropley, possibly of ten lines to cater for signal and telecommunication purposes. In the interim, it is planned to rent a Post Office private line to link the two automatic exchanges, and possibly include a second circuit for a signalling code phone. In the long term, our own lines would be the quickest way to provide communication, and remove the responsibility of maintenance from a third party.
In the future, spare parts are likely to present difficulties, as only one UAX 12 remains in Post Office service in southern England, and that will have gone by the New Year. The spare equipment in store at Alresford will hopefully keep us going for many years yet, but a replacement will eventually be needed perhaps in the shape of a UAX 13.

Issue 21 September 1978  Report

In the Mid-Hants News No. 1 7, a brief description of our automatic telephone system was included, with a mention of the proposal to rent a Post Office ‘private wire’ to provide communication between the two stations. However, this eventually proved to be impracticable as the P0 cable routing would have meant the line passing via Winchester or Alton, resulting in unacceptable line losses.
Back to square one, and at that time with re-opening looming close, the only practical solution was to install our own circuit (the idea of a communications satellite over Bishops Sutton having been ruled out).
Sufficient ‘drop wire’ was purchased and in early April 1977, a start was made—the first wire was run over the existing pole route to Ropley during the course of one week-end (and in the days before the Group had its own rail transport ). This provided a telephone at Ropley connected to the exchange at Alresford, the inaugural call being made to the General Manager. In conjunction with the installation of this wire five telegraph poles had to be replaced and a start was made on tree cutting, an operation that continues to this day, volunteers always welcome.

May 1977 saw the introduction of a signal box to signal box code telephone using a second overhead wire. Despite the exposed nature of some oh the pole sections, the wires have given trouble free service over the past 14 months. Indeed, only one fault has developed, this was on the automatic telephone circuit and luckily occurred during the lines closed period.
This year, the automatic exchange handled an average of 40 answered calls per weekend during the closed season, and over 150 answered calls per weekend since March.
A recent development has seen the introduction of emergency telephone points at strategic locations along the line, the engine crews carrying plug-in telephones which allow direct communication with signal boxes should the need arise.
As these notes are written (July 1978), a third wire is being provided to be used in conjunction with the Sykes No. 6 single- line tablet machines, which are expected to be fully operational in time for the 1979 season.
One additional piece of telecommunications equipment is a valve 1 plus 4 carrier system. Originally used on the Southern Region Southampton main line, it will allow us to connect five separate circuits to one pair of wires. It was purchased from the Festiniog Railway in April. At present in store, it will form part of a long term project to increase the Alresford - Ropley circuits and eventual lines to points east.
Finally, to end with the highest traditions a MHN article an appeal. We are
Looking for some extra army held telephones, known as “Tele L”, also the usual scrap batteries!

Issue 24 Summer 1979  All lines from Ropley are engaged please try later!

During the first two seasons of operation, telephone communications at Ropley only consisted of one telephone (later two) connected to the private exchange at Alresford. With the continued expansion of work at Ropley, the need for a separate exchange rapidly became apparent.
Late Autumn 1978 saw work start on an exchange at Ropley, basically similar to the existing Alresford exchange (see MH News No 17) two UAX12s form a 25 line exchange, the two exchanges linked by a single junction circuit which can handle calls in either direction.. access to the junction is by a single digit code.
As work on the exchange, plus associated station wiring was done single handed, it wasn’t until February 1979 that the exchange was working. After several weeks testing to remove any faults Ropley exchange was opened on Friday 2nd March, this date being chosen to allow staff three weeks to get used to the new system before the new operation season opened.
It was noted during the 1978 season that there were on average 200 calls per month being made from to Alresford to Ropley and as the Ropley receiver was not conveniently located, for many people it could be seen that the new exchange (with an initial eight lines) would handle far more traffic — the majority of the calls being to or from Alresford. As previously mentioned, this increased number of calls would have to be carried by a single exchange-to-exchange circuit and accordingly, the following modifications were made.
The junction relay sets at both exchanges now operate as follows:

A- Unanswered junction calls are automatically released after a predetermined time:
B - Ring tone is connected to an answered junction call when a further caller wishes to use the circuit;
C On junction calls the number dialled is checked to see if it is spare at the distant end — if spare the junction is freed for further calls and number unobtainable tone given to the local caller.
An indication of the use of this junction is that in the first month of the 1979 season over 500 calls between Alresford and Ropley have been made in either direction.

Finally, thanks go to Mark and his merry men of the Building Group for the excellent job done to the room which now houses exchange at Ropley.

Issue 28 Summer 1980 THE IMPORTANT LINK

The unobtrusive cabinet which stands near Ropley station rarely gets a second look from passengers — or even from Mid-Hants members!
In fact it contains a bank of lead-acid batteries, which power the railway’s signalling and telecoms equipment and there is a similar installation at Alresford.
At a recent ceremony at Ropley, the Managing Director of Chloride Automotive Batteries Limited, Mr. D. S. Clark, formally handed over these batteries — worth over £400 to General Manager David Vidler. The event was witnessed by representatives from Chloride arid their families, as well as Chris Hall from the line’s Signal and Telegraph Department and other members of the railway’s staff.

There have been a number of examples since the railway re-opened of this close spirit of co-operation with industry. They include donations of equipment, financial assistance with specific projects, and sponsorship of transport of newly-acquired locomotives. Without this kind of support. it is doubtful that we would have achieved so much in developing the railway. So, I’m sure Mid-Hants News echoes the sentiments of all our volunteers in expressing our gratitude to Chloride and many other organisations for their valuable support with the hope “Long may it continue!”.

Issue 31 Spring 1981 Telephone Exchange

A recent arrival at Alresford is a complete automatic telephone exchange of a type known as PABX 4. This was kindly donated by Plessey Connectors of Northampton.
As it is a modern exchange, it will be used to replace both existing exchanges with sufficient equipment left to cater for the Alton extension. The new exchange equipment has been placed in the Down waiting room at Alresford so that work can commence to bring it into service. The old Alresford exchange, situated on the first floor of the main Alresford station building, will be going to the Dart Valley Railway. A good home has to be found for the Ropley exchange.

We would like to hear from anyone with a knowledge of Post Office relays and diagrams who would be prepared to take home a relay set (or two) and modify them for use in the new telephone system.

Many thanks to Mr. A. Robinson of Plessey Connectors, Mr. W. Gibbons of British Telecom and Steve Bradbury of the Severn Valley Railway for their help; thanks also to those members of the S & T Group who assisted in the dismantling and transporting from Northampton, especially Jeff whose lorry windscreen was smashed by a kamakazi pheasant on the outward journey!

P.S. We have some cans containing about
20 relays, P.O. Type 3000 for disposal
— any offers? Contact, S & T Alresford.

Issue 33 Autumn 1981 “WOT MORE TELEPHONES?”

Members and regular visitors to the Railway might believe that the S& I Group have taken up the collection of telephone exchanges on a grand scale after the arrival last year of the Plessey exchange from Northampton earlier this year and now several items from Ferranti Computer Systems of Bracknell.
A lot of queries have been raised as to why so much equipment has been obtained and what the new exchange at Alresford will do. The following may help to put matters straight.
The existing auto equipment is over 40 years old, spares are difficult to obtain and soon the stage will be reached when it sill not be possible to repair it. The donation of the Plessey exchange has allowed us to do two main things: I) replace the old equipment, 2) design a system which will allow for the extension to Alton.

The new Alresford exchange (which should be in service by the time this is read) replaces the UAXI2 and will deal with local calls; any calls for Ropley or the Alton Extension will be routed to Ropley using common junctions; also several new facilities will be added later. The new exchange uses the power unit from Ferranti’s. Most of the telephones at Alresford have been replaced by modern types, these being kindly donated by a member.

Ropley exchange will be replaced this winter (the old UAXI2 being destined for a museum) using parts of the Plessey exchange and a ringer rack from Ferranti’s.
The new equipment will deal with all local calls plus all ‘tandem’ calls, i.e., Alresford to Alton, Four Marks to Alresford. Various selectors from the Brockenhurst equipment have been used as these were not available from the Plessey equipment.

From past experience. it would seem that any wok planned on the Railway involves a telegraph pole being in the way. The latest pole to fall foul of this was the one which used to stand in Alresford yard. it could be instantly recognised by a least half a dozen different wires running to it from the main station buildings a sort of aerial spaghetti. Deemed to be in the way of car park improvements, it had to go. A new pole has been provided, with a distribution point fitted together with a single cable feeding the main Station buildings. This has also allowed for the external lines to be moved, as before they were always in the way of cranes used to unload stock. The new pole looks far neater than the previous mess, but then I could be biased. On cutting down the old pole it was found that only the outer inch was sound, the interior having rotted away.

Thanks go to Mr. Girling and Ferranti Computer Systems and all those who got in touch after appeals in the last two editions of Mid Hants News.

Issue 35 Spring 1982  Report

The close season has been busy for the Telecom side of the group.

At the end of October the new exchange at Alresford was successfully commissioned. General tidying up needs to be done but the equipment is working well.

On the 1st January the UAX 12 at Ropley was disconnected and work started that same day installing the new exchange. This is a definite Heinz Variety using equipment from the Ferranti and Plessey equipment also several other sources. It was a tight deadline to have the new equipment working by the start of the ‘82 season, there being insufficient room in the exchange for the old and the new racks. With the two new exchanges in service it has been possible to delete all exchange dialling codes, all phones now having a four digit number. This numbering arrangement will enable easier extensions to the system as further exchanges are added.
The next stage will he to u provide a small Reliance PX5100 PAX at Fours Marks. The equipment has been donated by Reliance Systems of Bracknell, many thanks to Mr A.L. for the kind donation, thanks also to Geoff Marsh, Ray Newton and Davey Preston for their assistance

Issue 46 Summer 1995 A close run thing

The weekend before the Alton extension opened saw the completion of the Alresford to Alton cable laying scheme. The final section from Medstead had caused many problems, simply because of the difficulty of raising mole ploughing teams. The signals side of S & T had been able to help on previous sessions but were busy with their own work.

Appeals to Groups brought help from Alton and Woking & Guildford and the loco department provided drivers. Thanks! Special thanks must go to Bill Baggs who one day made the mistake of saying that he knew how to joint cables; since then Bill has been solely responsible for joint-ing the entire Alresford to Alton cable route as well as installing the new key and lamp telephone system at Alresford!

Plans for the future include installing a new exchange at Alton. - This will be made from a PABX3 exchange from Winchester which was only five years old when withdrawn from service, thus making it some of our latest equipment. Also planned is the replacement of common equipment at Medstead exchange for which we have no spares.
The exchange monitors show that Alresford 3810 received 2,531 calls between April 6th and June 9th with approximately the same number coming in on Alresford 4200.

Issue 49 Spring 1986 Report

Early 1985 saw the completion of the burying of the underground cables now linking all four stations. These cables carry the railway’s telephone and signal circuits and have brought a remarkable change to communications — no longer are hours wasted in locating faults as in the days of overhead wiring. The cables are all fitted with alarm circuits and should damage be caused accidentally or otherwise (several cases of deliberate damage have occurred) an alarm is given indicating the section of cable concerned.

The Alton exchange was brought into service just in time for the Santa Specials — up to this point the phones had been working from Medstead, four miles away. The basis of the new exchange is a five year old PABX3 which had been destined for the scrapheap. Following adaptation to suit our requirements, the equipment became some of the most modern in use on our system and was installed in the purpose built exchange next to the signal box.
The four exchanges are connected to form a “linked numbering” scheme and by using this system the need for dialling codes has been removed. A dozen codes would have been needed if linked number working had not been introduced. A caller need only dial the four digit number of a phone and the exchange equipment determines the destination of the call by examining the first and in some cases, the second digit of the number dialled and then routes the call accordingly, be it to a phone at the same station or ten miles away.

To give an indication of the intensive traffic handled, 16,000 calls were made between the three exchanges in service between April and October 1985. During the same period one of the main external phones at Alresford received over 8,600 incoming calls. Information phones have been fitted at Ropley, Medstead and Alton and by lifting a handset the customer is automatically connected to the Information Office at Alresford. The prototype phone was in service at Ropley for most of 1985 and passengers found it helpful if station staff were busy or thin on the ground.
To ensure quick action when needed, two easily remembered phone numbers have been introduced, terminating at Alresford. One is for use should emergency services be required and the other for reporting telephone system faults.
Two projects which are both 75% complete are the provision of standby power for the exchanges and the centralisation of all telecoms alarms at Alresford. The future will see the consolidation of the present system and no major new work is planned. It is envisaged that the main activities will be routine maintenance and the provision of extensions or alterations to those already in service. As the system is nearly complete and successfully switching hundreds of calls a week it is hoped that things will become a little quieter than they have been.

Issue 70 Summer 1991 Report

It is now some considerable time since an article on the telephone activities has appeared in the magazine - Spring, 1986, to be exact. During that time a tremendous amount has been taking place but in one respect there is not a great deal to be seen; that is our intention,— a lot of time has been spent concealing telephone cables from view as far as is practicable. An example is at Alresford where, in conjunction with the forecourt improvements, an underground cable has been installed for the external telephone lines which, as well as improving the appearance of the station area, eases the fault liability. It seemed that no matter which way the overhead wiring used to be routed, some piece of mechanical plant which was passing would collide with it!

In that No. 49 issue I wrote that there was no major work envisaged but as soon as things seemed to be quiet, new opportunities arose. The small exchange at Medstead has from some time been giving a poor service as it is located in a small, damp room which is also very cramped. The equipment is not standard to the rest of the system and one needs to be a contortionist to work in it. With the new S & T depot being built from some of the ex-Steeple Langford huts, the chance has arisen to install a new exchange in part of one of these buildings. In the highest tradition of the department, another mongrel has been designed, using equipment from numerous sources. This exchange breaks new ground in that it is being built and tested off site which should speed up its eventual installation
.
I also wrote in 1986 that the underground cables has transformed the reliability of the telephone system. This remains the case except for a small section at Chawton where the cables have been chewed by rabbits, the severity of the damage defying fault location using several sophisticated methods.

As the telephone system is now in use seven days a week, several modifications have been introduced to improve the reliability of the network and ensure that the failure of an item of equipment does not seriously degrade the service. One feature with Strowger equipment is that during periods of less telephone activity a call will always use the same items of equipment and if one of these becomes faulty the exchange could become isolated. To overcome this problem selectors and relay sets now bring themselves out of service after a call. When the last item in a group is taken into use the earlier equipment is restored to service which also has the advantage of evening out wear. More modern telephones are being installed, older selectors have been replaced and purpose built relay sets made to replace ones adapted in earlier days.
One thing learnt from bitter experience is that when things go wrong you are usually on your own and two circuits have been installed to improve the maintenance man’s job. A problem was reported that on occasions, when calls between Alton and Alresford were answered, a series of clicking noises prevented conversation. To try and reproduce this fault three people were needed — one at Alton to make the call, another at Alresford to answer it and a third at the exchange at Ropley to see what was going on; it was here that the fault existed.
The method of using three people was impracticable so a new circuit has been designed and installed in our exchanges, except at Medstead. By using a phone at Ropley an ex-directory number at Alton is dialled and one is connected to the new equipment which returned a dial tone. The person at Ropley can now make a call from Alton to Alresford and watch its progress and by using this system the intermittent fault was quickly found and repaired by one person. It eases the task of maintenance by
allowing one to make calls from one exchange whilst being in another. It has the advantage of needing no additional wires between exchanges, the normal exchange junctions being used.
A second circuit allows one to busy and un busy junctions at a remote exchange by dialling ex- directory numbers which can save a site visit.
These two circuits will be provided at the new Medstead exchange where space has been reserved to provide new facilities and room for future development.
It is not only for ourselves that we try and make life easier. One day while working at Ropley it was noted that when staff went to the Up platform on the arrival of a train, the phone would ring in their office on the Down platform which would not necessarily be occupied as personnel were engaged on platform duties. Now, by using any convenient phone and dialling a prefix code followed by the number of the ringing phone, it can be answered remotely. Safeguards have been built in to prevent interfering with calls already being answered. Similar equipment has now been
installed at Alresford and Alton and at a later date will be available at Medstead when the new exchange is placed in service.
A system of clocks has been installed at the four stations, controlled by a master clock at Alresford. The clocks were donated by British Telecom when their main Southampton office was being renovated. The initial master clock was mechanical and although looking very impressive in its oak case, did not prove to be very reliable. It has been replaced by an electronic version in its plastic box which has turned out to be very accurate. One job still to be completed is to set all clocks to the same time.
Another task that is still taking place is sorting out the spares. At one stage this was comprised of a room with everything in a pile nearly three feet high! If you were not lucky enough to spot what you wanted several hours could be wasted but now things are better organised.
This gives a small insight into what we have been doing all these months — an all-volunteer department with 71 years of telephone experience.

Issue 71 Autumn 1991 THOSE CARAVANS

Interest has been expressed in the large green vans that have appeared at different locations on the railway.

The following notes should help to explain what they were, what they were used for and what their future use will be in their new ownership. Donated to the railway by British Telecom five of the vans were known by their previous owners as MXE ‘s (Mobile eXchange Electronic), a portable version of a TXE2 (Telephone eXchange Electronic No.2) approx 27 ft long, 12 ft high and 10 ft wide. One is shown in the photograph.
TXE2 exchanges were introduced into service in 1966 and over 1000 are in use throughout the country; using reed relays for switching and controlled by transistor circuitry they provided a superior service to that of the old electro-mechanical exchanges they replaced, but are now themselves being superseded by digital exchanges.
An exchange needs two vans. One contains switching equipment for 1000 customer lines, the second the control equipment and power plant. If required a third van could be added to double capacity to 2000 lines.
The vans had two main functions, the first being in the case of an emergency
such as when two of our vans were used at Long Sutton after the existing exchange was damaged by fire. The other use would be if an exchange was running out of capacity pending a new building or equipment the MXE could provide temporary relief. The other 3 vans were used for this purpose at Reading.
Questions have been asked if any of the equipment is of any use to the railway and the simple answer is no — with this type of exchange one needs nearly the same amount of equipment whether one is providing one line or 1000. We have emptied the vans and the money raised from the scrap has made a useful contribution for Steam Aid.
A sixth smaller van contained telegraph equipment. What its intended use was is not known at present but it appears never to have been used. All six vans are circa 1973.
The small van is to be used partly for storage and the remainder by the railway letter Service. Of the larger vans, two are being converted to become Santa’s grottos and a third a store for his presents. The S&T and C&W departments have one each, again for storage.
It is hoped that at least one of the grottos will become a seasonal museum display at Ropley. Our grateful thanks to British Telecom for their kind donation and also to Bill Baggs of Mid-Hants fame for making the original enquiries which resulted in their acquisition.

Issue 72 Winter 1991-1992 Report

Thanks to the generosity of B.T. we now have two old style telephone boxes (K6 model); one is currently being restored and has been placed on the new platform extension at Alresford, with the old type A and B coin box.
Although I am not involved in the physical restoration which has been undertaken by the building group, I and others have made numerous phone calls in an attempt to track down original internal fittings. Any information on the location of such items will be gratefully received.
The second box may be used at Medstead.

Changes have been made to the P.A. systems at all stations — the method of operation has been standardised and at three stations announcements can be made from a second location. Also, by using discreet numbers, access can be gained to the system from a remote telephone. Additional platform speakers are planned for all stations except Alton.

A new Talking Timetable tape machine has been installed at Alresford and is giving a far more reliable service than the previous equipment. It also allows us to count the number of calls incoming to the recorded message. While on the subject of telephone calls, during 1991 there were over 25.000 between our four exchanges. Local calls, i.e. Ropley to Ropley, are not counted. The largest number of calls made was 4,577 from Alresford to Ropley, the least number being 789 from Alton to Ropley.
The contents of the ex-B.T. caravans raised over £1,000 in scrap money for Steam Aid.

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