Alarms
Telecom related alarms from the three stations are connected back to Alresford on dedicated circuits as well as giving a local on site indication.
It has been found that alarms are not normally acted upon resulting on more than one occassion of exchange isolation when the batteries expired some time after the mains had failed, "Oh we noticed the alarm went off but ignored it" is a common remark.
For availability and ease of use PO 3000 type relays have been used, originally equipment with PO type 23 relays was built but was not a success and replaced.
Shown below is the Medstead relay set, difficult location to take a picture, the set is upright!.
With a simple modification the alarm relay set could make a call to an off site location to notify an alarm had been raised, this was called OSAN - Off Site Alarm Notification.
A further addition allowed for an incoming call from outside the system to get an indication if there was an alarm present.
Alarm relay sets at Ropley, the 2 meters count the number and duration of mains failures.
Two further OSAN relays sets, one for Medstead and the other Alton.
One of two alarm panels at Alresford, this was installed in the days before remote alarms could be displayed on VDUs.
A more simple alarm panel is used at the 3 other stations Mid Hants 21st Century Network?
BBC outside broadcast for "Going Live"- microwave link to a water tower near Medstead then onwards to London - pre footbridge days.
External phones - ancient and modern
Two external phones at the Alton West ground frame, one is extension 3426 and the other a direct circuit to the signal box. Both long since removed.
With the intoduction of the Norstar system dial phones were not suitable and a cheap and cheerful alternative was provided, shown below.
This type of phone has been used for SPTs, it was calculated that for the price of one railway type SPT nearly 150 of these could be purchased.
Platform phone at Alresford
Recorded messages
These old but reliable machines are located at Alresford. One is used for the talking timetable, a second gives a message out of hours advising callers of the regular office hours, people call at the strangest of times.
The third machine was intended to give a message to callers during the day who had been un-answered for some time, the circuit was set up but never used.
Platform bells
These are looked after by the Telecoms Department, originally all four station used ex telephone exchange 50 volt floor bells and were powered from the exchange power supply.
During 2010 Alresford and Alton station had installed ex Southern Region bells that worked on 12 volts so a separate power supply had to be fitted, a 50 volt to 12 volt converter is used.
The bell shown below was fitted outside at Medstead station by an unknown person many years ago, it is an internal bell with a wooden cover, why it still manages to work outside is a mystery.
Bell for Alresford above and Alton below.
Old back board from a previous bell at Alresford, the hand gives an idea of the size of the fixings.