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Occasional thoughts and views on the trials and tribulations of running a telephone system. May 2008, very little to report at present, at least the lunatic fringe on the railway seem to have curtailed their activities of interfering with telecom department matters, one hopes they continue to refrain but one does not feel too optomistic. Mention was made earlier this year of what occured but the piece had to be removed as certain individuals got upset about what was written, poor souls. The list of what phone/equipment list is located is in the process of being updated as it is getting a little out of date, phones shown as being at Alton are found at Ropley. December, luck prevented another exchange isolation, a chance site visit found an alarm for Alton raised due to the mains failing. The normal 3 I alarm procedure had been followed - Instigate alarm, Inhibit alarm buzzer and finally Ignore alarm, the problem was discovered before the batteries went flat. One day the message might sink in that an alarm means there is a problem. November, informed that the Alton station office is going to be altered in the new year, this is a good opportunity to tidy up the wiring there, the main connection point for the phones was fitted in 1984 and needs replacing with a modern equivilant, plus redundant cables can be removed. This is one of only 2 solder and screw connection boxes left on the entire line. All quiet so some time was spent deciding on the programming of a Norstar Compact Plus, this was undertaken as some advice was requested from another railway. The exchange in question was originally going to be used at Ropley then placed in store when a Modular exchange was used instead, the documentation, now required, has gone missing. Temporary connected to the rest of the system for testing. Mention of a second hand report the new Ropley shop was opening at the end of the week. Nothing had been said by the shop management about what was required where or when so a phone line and swipe machine line were installed. The proposed opening never took place. Submitted proposals to replace more exchange batteries next year, hopefully some money will be available. October, I have just read a letter from a group concerned about the lack of trained people able to maintain Strowger exchanges on preserved railways, they are even considering setting up training courses for new "apprentices". It seems a couple of railways are now down to a single trained volunteer, this vindicates the decision to replace the old Strowger system on the Mid Hants for a modern one. Mid Hants News issue 133, it seems that the mention of hiding the Norstar phone in a box in the new Ropley signal box has struck a nerve with the Traffic Department. In something called Traffic Department News as well as running down other railway departments it records a timepiece is being created in the signal box, a piece of research shows that the original BR Ropley signal box didn't have the luxury of a dial phone, maybe this one should be removed before it causes the down fall of Western civilisation..
.Again it confirms my views that a number of people on the railway prefer something ancient that does not work properly, preferably with a brass bit one can polish, to a modern item that performs it intended function correctly. Before criticising the provision of a modern phone the author should have enquired why it was installed, individuals will pass comment on matters that they do not have the knowledge or understanding of, it reminds me of a saying of my old primary school teacher "Empty vessels make most noise". September - saw the successful move of the Ropley power unit into the house cellar. For the first time we are using new batteries instead of the second hand ones that we have been relying on for a number of years. Originally a two stage move of the unit was planned but after the temporary fuse panel was removed by a member of the idiot fraternity of the railway, the shift was performed in one go, now I know it was a big mistake putting a very large label of the fuse panel stating "not to be removed".
Later it was found by chance hidden in a cupboard. |
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