STROWGER Type 2000 SELECTOR, 1970's

Type 2000 Strowger Selector for automatically connecting up to 100 telephone circuits to one.
The type 2000 Strowger selector is part of a 'Final' type selector, although many types of Selector are used together to establish a final connection, each one having a specific task. The way the call is finally connected is to complicated to explain here. This unit is used in the museum to demonstrate the Strowger principal. Almon Brown Strowger conceived his idea in 1888 and obtained a Patent in 1891. He was an Undertaker whose business was being deprived of customers due to a manual operator lessening in to his calls. She being the wife of a competitor whose husband was stealing his work, Strowger was so upset by this he decided to find a way of eliminating the position of manual switchboard operator.

This item can be demonstrated.

• Watch the multi-selector in operation on E2BN
  

Your comments:

• This is a 100 outlet UAX13 Final selector with 2-10 hunting & TKO facility. Relay TO bottom left is proof.
  .......... Graham Showell Eng Tech., Newcastle Emlyn, Wales, 27th of June 2013
  
  
• I dropped one of these from the top of a ladder in Grantham ATE in about 1983. The LTO made me replace all the bust parts (most of them) and readjust it. Took me about 40 hours.
  A high level of expertise was required to work on this equipment and it required constant maintenance.
  .......... Richard Moulding, Ipswich, 25th of November 2012
  
  
• Early during the change to solid state exchanges, selectors like this were available in the London technical junk shops, and I bought one for £7 to play with. All the wiring was the same colour, brought out to a multiple plug at the bag, so I had no option but to strip it all out and make up my own circuit. I got it to work as a 100-line exchange with some extra relays.
  .......... Tony Barker, Petersfield, Hampshire, 18th of May 2012
  
  
• The last in the chain of First, Group and Final selectors. It is shown here on a test stand for faulting when removed from its working rack. It has ten levels and ten rotary steps thus giving access to 100 subscriber no.s, however, although difficult to see from the photo, if it has a WS (wiper switching) relay, it could access 200 subs. I was a TO (Technical officer) working on these and other Strowger kit throughout the 70's and early 80's.
  .......... David Ames, Southampton, 18th of June 2011
  
  

A0559