TELEPHONE No. 59

Bells below writing board version	Bells above writing board version
With modern style handset	With modern style handset

Designed by British Ericsson, the Telephone No. 59 was originally used by the National Telephone Company (known as their Telephone NT 1).  There were two different versions of this phone, one with the bells above the writing desk and one with the bells below the desk.

This telephone was inherited National Telephone Ltd stock and has the standard N.T. switch hook.

Originally the GPO named many N.T.C. telephone models as "Instruments, Subscribers, Wall, N.T. No's 1, 2, 8, 11 and 12, without Generator, Modified" and later rewired them and renamed them all as the Telephone No. 69.

 This telephone supersedes the "Instrument, Subscribers, Wall, N.T. No. 1".

The telephone was used in C.B.S. and Magneto exchange areas, and had a generator and batteries (two Leclanche cells) in the lower compartment.

Circa 1930 the Telephone No. 59 was fitted with a Telephone No. 164 for a handset and this was an interim modification as the original handset, Telephone No. 28, was a source of complaints about faint speech.  It was eventually decided to replace the whole set instead offering the customer the choice of a Telephone No. 4 or Telephone No. 11.  If the customer would pay the extra rental charge then they could opt for the Telephone No. 162.

Behind the logo at the top of the telephone are 5 terminals.

A special version with a high output generator was also available for use on magneto Coastguard circuits.  This was the Telephone No. 59A (Diagram C.B.S. 203).

There was also a version of the this telephone, without the generator, called the See Telephone No. 69.

See also the Telephone Efficiency Committees Report on Local Battery Area telephones, where many GPO telephones were recommended to have the modern Bakelite handset fitted to give but transmission quality and improve efficiency.

Introduced circa 1899 and also found in the GPO Stores Catalogue 1913, 1914, 1915 and 1928.

Telephone includes (1928):-
1 x Bell, Magneto, 500 + 500 ohms (Mark 234).
1 x Generator No. 12A (Mark 234). 
1 x Plug No. 406 or No. 501 (Mark 234).
1 x Plug No. 406 or Plug, Instrument, N.T. No. l (Marks N.T. Nos. 1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 11 and 12).
1 x Telephone No. 28 when Plug No. 406 fitted.
1 x Telephone No. 28 with Cord No. 421 when Plug, instrument, N.T. No. 1 fitted.

Frames, Notice No. 2 or Labels No. 53 will not be maintained in these instruments.

Circuit Diagram - CBS 203 and N159.

Last revised: October 30, 2025