The Connected Earth building houses a special collection on the theme 'Living and working in the telecommunications age' and features the development of the telephone itself, along with the stories of the people involved, particularly the operators and engineers. Phone boxes, switchboards, telephone poles, manholes and vehicles are all included, with many working items and displays.
You can see some of the major artefacts on display at Amberley by clicking the selections on the left. The team at Amberley looks forward to your visit in the near future.
Albion utility van (c1936) : a different sort of cable carThe telecommunications network spread rapidly through the first half of the 20th century and this in part was thanks to the heroic efforts of the men who installed the poles and cables.
The Albion van is a perfect example of the transport used by the men who installed and maintained telegraph and telephone lines. It was a home from home for a four-man team, and housed all the equipment needed for them to complete the job.
This van was registered in 1936 and was used in Gloucestershire, where it would have been used on the lines in both the county town and in the beautiful Cotswold hills.
After 14 years service the van was sold to a farmer who left it in a paddock pretty much untouched for the next 20 years until it was bought back by the Post Office to be restored and preserved.
Lineman's motorcycle (c1933) : a neat way to get to workBack in the 1930s the Post Office were busy installing telephones deeper and deeper into rural Britain. And with all the kit to carry, a bicycle just wouldn't do.
One answer was this motorcycle and sidecar. The sidecar wasn't for anyone to sit in, but held the tools of the trade. A toolbox and spares (and frequently a lunchbox) lay in the top with a ladder folded and nestled into the bottom.
This BSA 595cc bike was used in London for a number of years before being sold. It was bought back by the Post Office in 1979 to be fully restored.
