BPO Coin Telephone No. 700

BPO Coin Telephone No. 700

The CT700 was a coin collector designed to be paired with a wall or table set. It was a development of the previous AB Button Box (by the same manufacturer) but the buttons were activated electronically. It was for use in supervised locations.

Name	Coin Telephone No. 700
Date	1960-1982
Manufacturer	Associated Automation
Usage	Supervised locations (pubs, boarding houses, etc)

Use of the BPO Coin Telephone No. 700

The BPO Coin Telephone No. 700 was the standard British coin-operated telephone introduced in the late 1950s, pairing the familiar No. 700 handset with an integrated AB coin system.

Overview
Developed under the British Post Office for nationwide public use
Designed for robustness, ease of maintenance, and standardisation

Design & operation
Based on the standard No. 700 bakelite handset and dial telephone
Worked with the AB Button Box and coin mechanism
Calls were connected before payment; coins were collected (Button A) or returned (Button B)
Entirely electro-mechanical—no electronics

Coins & period
Accepted pre-decimal British coins (typically 1d, 3d, 6d)
Remained common through the 1960s
Gradually phased out around decimalisation (1971) and replaced by newer payphone designs

Significance
The No. 700 defined the classic British payphone experience: tactile, mechanical, and reassuringly solid—an icon of mid-20th-century public telephony design.

Associated Automation/Elliot Automation, British Payphone, Hall Mechanism, Supervised, United Kingdom, Wall Mounted

July 15, 2025

Pay phone Story