| Name | No. 1 Auto Wall PT- corner type telephone |
| Date | 1935 |
| Manufacturer | Sydney Workshop |
| Usage | Booths- in experimental British style booths. A shame that these failed as the booth and the unit were very attractive. |
Development of the No 1 Auto-Wall payphone
| CORNER TYPE PUBLIC TELEPHONE: In 1940 in conjunction with the introduction of a new telephone cabinets (see Fig. 6 P.T. Cabinets) which had glass on three sides and a glass door, a new instrument was designed for corner mounting (Fig.21) in this particular cabinet. The local call instrument was finished in vitreous enamel for resilience and featured an enlarged dial ring which formed part of the case, and an enlarged coin chamber to overcome past faults associated with overflowing coin receptacle. The instrument also featured a handset with flexible metal cord.  This public telephone along with its associated cabinet, although used in N.S.W. between 1939 and 1945 was quickly discontinued. The cabinet was based on the British Post Office pattern but unlike the British cabinet which was made of concrete and later cast iron, it was decided that the Australian model would be built of sheet steel, with hollow walls, which proved disasterous in our climate. Unfortunately the specially designed and in many respects quite advanced instrument was also abandoned.  No obvious reason for this instruments discontinuance has been discovered. The instrument itself was known as No.1 Auto Wall, and it may have been that its adaptability to tarrif change and inadaquate protection from vandalism caused it to be phased out so quickly. The nature of the exchange network of the day may also have presented problems. In any case a clear decision seems to have been made in favour of the Variable Tariff (or Long Tom as it was sometimes known), which seems a pity in view of its obviously advanced design and additional features. |
Leave a Reply