Comments on: 5th September 1959: The UK’s First Direct Dial Long Distance Call from a Phone Box

By: college loan

college loan — Wed, 26 May 2010 15:37:51 +0000

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By: James Green

James Green — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 18:08:55 +0000

Thanks for that Ian. It doesn’t really surprise me that the BT info may be wrong. I remember the celebrations when the “new” BBC Radio Nan Eilean studio opened in Portree (above the Clydesdale Bank). They “forgot” that I’d broadcast live from the studio several weeks earlier on the BBC World Service. Still, I suppose that didn’t count as it was in English rather than Gaelic.
Actually it was quite funny. I was self-operating the broadcast and talking with a presenter in Bush House, London when we both heard a strange knocking sound. I turned around and say the window cleaner rapping on the glass (triple glazed) with a coin. When the broadcast ended a few minutes later I went downstairs to see what he wanted – you guessed it, he was asking for his money. Not sure if I ever got that three quid back now I think about it!

By: Ian Jolly

Ian Jolly — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 22:28:46 +0000

Re Message 13.
Soay did actually have a telephone exchange on it. It was a 10 line system which worked over a radio link to Mallaig Radio then on to Mallaig exchange. I have the mainland end of the system in my collection of old telephone exchanges. Sadly the info from BT is not always accurate! For instance their Archives website states that the last electro-0mechanical exchange in service was Crawford which ceased on 23rd June 1995 – I was present on that occassion. However I was also present at the changeover of a tiny 20 line electro-mechanical exchange on the island of Foula (Briatain’s most remote inhabited island) to the west of the Shetland Islands, on 12th July 1995 ! I make that AFTER Crawford ceased in service by several weeks! The ‘subscribers’ on the island were until then, dialling two digits to get each other and could talk between each other all day for less than 5p ! Again the exchange is in my collection.

By: James Green

James Green — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 19:32:02 +0000

Thanks for the info about Opera. I’ll have a word with the tech guys and see what can be done. It seems a bit of a problem nowadays with several different browsers to be aware of.

By: Flaboobre

Flaboobre — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 07:13:12 +0000

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