TELEPHONE MANUFACTURING Co. (TMC)
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This is a wall mounted, single line, intercom telephone. They are fitted with a press button, switch hook, buzzer and terminal board. The terminal board is labelled A, B, C, D and 3. The handset is connected with a 2 way cord, which means it is fitted with an electrostatic receiver and is therefore the telephone is polarity concious. These were probably connected to a central switchboard, as they have no dial or buttons to communicate with other telephones. There is little information on these telephones but it appears that there were two types; a standard version and a ships version: the ship version having a metal handset retaining clip (see pictures below). Many of these were recovered from the RMS Windsor Castle when she was broken up and they are ivory in colour. A brochure shows these wall telephones fitted in Class cabins, with standard ivory Bakelite table phones for Deluxe cabins and no telephones in the Tourist class cabins. The RMS Windsor Castle was flagship of the Union Castle Line and built the Cammel Laird & Company. Launched in 1959, she made a total of 124 round voyages and carried around 270,000 passengers, steaming over 1.6 million nautical miles. The Royal Mail Ship Windsor Castle of 1959 was the largest passenger and cargo mail ship operated by the Union-Castle Line on their ‘Cape Mail’ service to South African ports. The new vessel was notable for the high standard and design of her public rooms in a “traditional” first class and “contemporary” tourist class configuration, which afforded both classes public rooms and deck space facing forward. The spacious passenger lounges and dining rooms were designed by eminent British architects. RMS Windsor Castle was air-conditioned throughout the passenger and crew areas. 1977 was the final year of the Union Castle mail ship run from Britain to South Africa.
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Last revised: January 27, 2026FM2 |
