Alton and Alresford have ex UAX13 racks fitted in the exchanges for the SPT relay sets, lack of space at Ropley and Medstead exchanges means the equipment is fitted in the signal boxes, here we have used cut down UAX13 racks, thanks to the railway Building Department for doing the metal work.
Originally the Medstead equipment was in an external cabinet but suffered from relay coils going faulty despite having a heater installed.
Medstead - old equipment in external cabinet
Original Medstead SPT equipment under test in the S and T workshop
Relay sets
1 and 2 - telephone line circuits 4 per can
3 - common circuits
4 and 5 - main and standby ringers
On the right are the electronic ring tone generator and connection strips.
Modified Bakelite phone fitted in Medstead signal box for local SPT circuits.
The bakelite phone was not compatable with the existing circuitry so new inners were fitted from a 700 series phone and the modern handset cord replaced, now in service.
The changes will not impress the purist.
Shown below is a similar model in Alresford signal box.
Thanks to the Telecoms department of the Festiniog Railway for supplying the phone.
Alresford SPT concentrator and associated phone, it now has an approriate period handset cord
Alton has a requirement that when the box is closed the SPTs are diverted to Medstead signal box. The equipment that had been stored for this was removed from secure storage and dumped 6 miles away in the open, nobody had told us this was happening so by the time the items were discovered they were ruined.
Being old technology it was not easy to replace it so a mixture of old and modern equipment has now been used.
For a the time a direct circuit via the two Norstar exchanges was installed and tested should it be required to give the diversion service.
Alresford, Ropley and Medstead use vibrator ringers but Alton has an electronic one.
On two occassions Norstar switches have been used to give temporary SPT service, first at Alresford when the Strowger exchange was recovered and a new SPT rack was being installed. Second at Ropley, the relay sets from the old installation were required to be used during testing of the new system.
Alton - showing the start of installation of the SPT rack also shown is the PP2040
The SPT rack at Alton with all the relays sets in position, a quick count shows there are around 130 relays plus some more at Medstead.
During the 2009 Spring steam gala the system was placed in service for testing, a phone acting as a SPT was installed in Alton signal box for these tests. The idea was to see if there were any unforseen problems.
Several hundred calls were made during the three day event.
Apart from a noisy cable pair, which there was not sufficient time to sort out, there were no problems experienced, thanks to the Traffic Department staff for giving the system intensive use, over 100 calls were made in 3 days
Relay sets that are required to extend the SPT circuits from Alton to Medstead when Alton signal box is closed, 2 relay sets either end.
First and fourth sets for Alton and second and third sets for Medstead signal box
Medstead - new equipment - bottom shelf 2 spaces reserved for Alton circuits
Concentrator at Medstead signal box where the circuits terminate when Alton box is closed.
At the bottom of the wooden box are the keys for the Alton SPTs and the associated handset on the side. Modern equipment is being used as someone decided to throw out the older style keys, very thoughtful of them.
Before building the parts for the Alton circuits a poll was conducted amongst the signalmen and the few who bothered to reply were happy with modern items.
The top row of keys are for the Medstead SPTs.
Medstead - new relay sets fitted - March 2009
Ropley (old box)- the SPT relay sets were located under the desk
Ropley (new box)- replacement SPT equipment, it is now enclosed in a cupboard shown below.
It will be noted on top of the cupboard is a Norstar phone, this is for emergency use for incoming calls from off site callers. When fitted it caused certain people to go into a state of apoplexy, there would have been less reaction if the box had been painted pink and covered in neon lights. It seems modern phones are a no no but modern 13 amp electrical fittings, just out of shot, are alright.
After this item was added there was a view of Swanage signal box on the local TV news, in a very prominent position could be seen a Norstar phone, in no way hidden, they must be made of stronger stuff in Dorset.