The Old Telephone Company,  Essex, England
Established in 1986
Exclusively old telephones and parts for 25 years
I have personally restored and sold over 3000 old telephones

 Click here to go to British 300 1930's to1960's Ring back memories with Up Home Page    an old Bakelite telephone Click here to go to British Candlestick 1900's to 1930's       

For Spare Parts Click Here                            For Repairs and Conversions Click Here

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Contact        How to find me

All telephones are available to buy by mail order
£15 post and packing to all parts of the UK.
Smaller parts post and packing is from £3.50 to UK only
You can collect from my shop at weekends by arrangement

 

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GPO Bakelite Bell Sets

Click to see a large image of Type 26 bellset

Which models?   The most commonly encountered types are:

The No 25    This was mainly used with the Candlestick telephone or the Bakelite 162 pyramid telephone.

The No 26    This was mainly used with the 232 telephone or as an extension bell.

The No 31    This was mainly used with a battery powered telephone. It can also be used to replace a No 25 bell set for a candlestick or 162 pyramid telephone.

The No 59a  This was used as an extension bell.

Any of the above bell sets could be used just as an extension bell

SPECIAL OFFER

 Original GPO black Bakelite No 26 Bell sets

Were from £90

Click to see a large image of Type 26 bellsetNo 26 Bell Set      Click to see a large image of Type 232 with bellset 26Shown here fitted to a 232 telephone

 I have located a forgotten stock of complete original Bakelite No 26 and 59a bell sets in my store. They were made from the early 1930's to the 1960's. They all have the standard late Bakelite oval cable entry bush.  They are graded as below. Most have no cracks and only very minor chips (if any). These are original GPO bell sets from the 1930's to 60's. They do not have reproduction parts. First come, first served at these bargain prices. No choice of date.

At these prices only while stocks last.

All working.

Fully converted with a 3 metre cord and ready plug into a BT socket, £10 extra.

Plus £9.00 post and packing These are not normally stocked at the shop, but you can order and collect by arrangement.

Grades A+ to C do not have any cracks. Chips (if any) will be minor.

 

Grade A+  £59 plus £9.00 post and packing SOLD OUT

Complete. Fully restored and polished

The special fixing screws to attach the bell set to a 232 telephone are available at the special price of £14 pair extra when bought with a No 26 bell set. These are the correct type which enables the 232 base to be re-fitted under the bell set.


They are also available separately at £16 a pair either in the shop or by mail order plus £2 post and packing.

     Fully converted with a 3 metre black cord and ready plug into a BT socket, £10 extra.

Black cloth covered fork terminated 3 core 8" cord. When the No 26 bell set is fitted to the base of a 232 telephone, this cord is needed to connect them together.  This is in mint condition and is fairly thick cord more like the original, not the thin cord offered elsewhere.
Note: This cord is circular in section like the original cord.
 
£8.00

 

Grade A   £39 plus £9.00 post and packing

Complete. Clean condition, minor paint splashes, easy to polish off with "T cut".  Sold out

The special fixing screws to attach the bell set to a 232 telephone are available at the special price of £14 pair extra when bought with a No 26 bell set. These are the correct type which enables the 232 base to be re-fitted under the bell set. See below for more information


They are also available separately at £16 a pair either in the shop or by mail order plus £2 post and packing.

     Fully converted with a 3 metre black cord and ready plug into a BT socket, £10 extra.

Black cloth covered fork terminated 3 core 10" cord. When the No 26 bell set is fitted to the base of a 232 telephone, this cord is needed to connect them together.  This is in mint condition and is fairly thick cord more like the original, not the thin cord offered elsewhere.
Note: This cord is circular in section like the original cord.
 
£8.00

 

Grade B Now SOLD OUT  

Complete.  Up to 70% paint covered

The special fixing screws to attach the bell set to a 232 telephone are available at the special price of £14 pair extra when bought with a No 26 bell set. These are the correct type which enables the 232 base to be re-fitted under the bell set. See below for more information


They are also available separately at £16 a pair either in the shop or by mail order plus £2 post and packing.

     Fully converted with a 3 metre black cord and ready plug into a BT socket, £10 extra.

 

Black cloth covered fork terminated 3 core 10" cord. When the No 26 bell set is fitted to the base of a 232 telephone, this cord is needed to connect them together.  This is in mint condition and is fairly thick cord more like the original, not the thin cord offered elsewhere.
Note: This cord is circular in section like the original cord.
 
£8.00

 

Grade C £28  plus £9.00 post and packing

Complete. 90-100% paint covered.
Quite often these are in mint condition under the paint, but of course this cannot be guaranteed

The special fixing screws to attach the bell set to a 232 telephone are available at the special price of £14 pair extra when bought with a No 26 bell set. These are the correct type which enables the 232 base to be re-fitted under the bell set. See below for more information


They are also available separately at £16 a pair either in the shop or by mail order plus £2 post and packing.

     Fully converted with a 3 metre black cord and ready plug into a BT socket, £10 extra.

Black cloth covered fork terminated 3 core 10" cord. When the No 26 bell set is fitted to the base of a 232 telephone, this cord is needed to connect them together.  This is in mint condition and is fairly thick cord more like the original, not the thin cord offered elsewhere.
Note: This cord is circular in section like the original cord.
 
£8.00

Grade D  £20 to £55 plus £9.00 post and packing

Various small chips, cracks, paint, with or without Bakelite cable entry bush etc. Call for details 

Fitted with rare early 2 hole Bakelite cable entry bush £10 extra

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Minor paint splashes can usually be removed with "T Cut". Heavier paint covering can often be removed by soaking the cover in hot water and then carefully peeling it off or by using paint stripper with care.

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Type 26 or 59a Chassis   £15 plus £9.00 post and packing

Ideal if you already have  a suitable cover, cable bush and fixing screws. In used condition as taken out of service, but fully tested working.

Fully converted with a 3 metre black cord and ready plug into a BT socket, £10 extra.

 

Bell set type 26 was designed as an extension bell inside the house. It was also custom made to fit under and to be attached to a type 232 telephone as in the picture above. 

The standard plain cover fixing screws are supplied.

Two way BT socket adaptor £1.75
Simply unplug your existing telephone, plug in the two way adaptor and then plug your telephone and bell set into the adaptor. It could not be easier.

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Bell Set type 25

 Working order Grade A only

Converted with 3 metre black cord fitted with a BT plug and in full working order £10 extra.

 Rare Bell set 25 for candlestick and type 162 telephone.
 

Black only

£180 plus £9.00 post and packing

These are very hard to get. Very limited stocks.

 

Bell set 31

 Grade A only

Complete and converted with 3 metre black cord fitted with a BT plug and in full working order.

 

Basic instructions* included on how to connect to a candlestick or 162 telephone as a fully functioning replacement for bell set 25.

See below for connecting cord for a type 162 telephone.

Ideal economical replacement for Bell set 25 for a candlestick or type 162 telephone.
Fully restored and polished.

*Basic instructions refer to which connections to use only. No further advice is given.

Black only £120 plus £9.00 post and packing

 The special fixing screws to attach the bell set to a 162 or 232 telephone are available at the special price of £14 pair extra when bought with a No 25, 26 or 31 bell set. These are the correct type which enables the 162 or 232 base to be re-fitted under the bell set.
They are also available separately at £16 a pair either in the shop or by mail order plus £3 post and packing.

     These are the special screws that I supply at extra cost.

 

 

  
The left hand screw is the type I supply, and the right hand screw is an original.

You can see that the left hand screw has a slightly slimmer shank at the bottom, and if you look carefully you can see that the internal screw thread extends into the slotted area. This is intentional. The screw fits into in the 25/26/31 bell set and is set in a sleeve. The sleeve has often been distorted in the manufacturing process making it difficult or impossible to readily fit the screw. The slimmer shank makes it less likely to jam in the sleeve.
I have also extended the internal screw threads almost to the end of the screw (nearest end to you in the picture). This makes it much easier to screw the 232 or 162 base fixing screws onto the underside of the bell set.

Black cloth covered fork terminated 3 core 10" cord. When the No 25 or 26 bell set is fitted to the base of a 162 or 232 telephone, this cord is needed to connect them together.  This is in mint condition and is fairly thick cord more like the original, not the thin cord offered elsewhere.
Note: This cord is circular in section like the original cord.
 
£8.00

Small parts have a standard £3 post and packing charge

Click here to visit the Battlesbridge Antiques centre website

Click here to see the Battlesbridge Antiques Centre web site

Credit/Debit Cards are the preferred method of payment. I no longer accept cheques.

If you wish to place an order, or have an enquiry, please read all below.

Please call me (Gavin Payne) by telephone if you wish to place an order for a telephone, spare parts, or have an enquiry.  I can usually be reached 9.00am to 5.45pm any day, including weekends. Calls in the evening are not appreciated and could make me very grumpy. The number is 01245 400601.

I am in the shop most Saturday and Sunday mornings between 10.00 and 12.00. These are the only times I am in the shop for the sale of spare parts, conversions and repairs.  Conversions and repairs can often be carried out while you wait.

If you have a telephone that you want to know more about, or have it repaired or converted, please have it right next to you when you call. Please also have a selection of small flat bladed screwdrivers to hand.
 I do not give advice for DIY repairs or conversions or valuations of any kind over the telephone or by email. Please bring the telephone to my shop for assessment, but always call me first before bringing it in.

Emails to gp@theoldtelephone.co.uk or copy and paste gp@theoldtelephone.co.uk into your email programme or app .

By post to The Old Telephone Company, The Old Granary, Battlesbridge Antiques Centre,
 Battlesbridge, Essex SS11 7RE.
 

The Old Telephone Company respects your privacy, and will not divulge any information about you to a third party.
Copyright © 1996 to 2013 by The Old Telephone Company
 

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