Telephone No 15

This basic CB wall phone was imported from Western Electric in the United States from 1900. It was also introduced to Britain about that time. It became a standard British Post Office model (the BPO's Tele No.1). Western Electric Model 312.

BPO Tele No. 1 was also applied to an earlier Western Electric phone, shown below. This earlier phone was produced in Britain and possibly Antwerp, and was used in the late 1890s by the National Telephone Company of Britain in large numbers. It was retained by the BPO when they took over the National in 1912. It was simplified and updated to become the model at left.

Similar phones were built by other companies.

The earlier version, WE Model 265. A similar model was also built by Peel Conner. It was imported by some of the pre-Federation colonial administrations, under both brands, but appears to have been taken out of service by the new PMG as the later Model 312 (above) became available. Possibly dates from around 1896 to 1900.

The circuit drawing in the 1914 technicians manual also shows a table set with the same number. The diagram shows a separate bell box, so it may refer to the early candlestick phone.

To Tele No 17

To Tele No 13

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