Remember these.? All our yesterdays

[bobins]

Retrieved from the depths of my photography collection, gen-u-wine old skool HMSO semi-carbon (sorry, couldn't find full carbon ) paper. But it is extra sensitive

Semi carbon paper - own work

[Peter.N.]

I used carbon paper in my invoice books up until I retired about 20 years ago.

Peter

[CitroJim]

I remember during my GPO days we had various forms in use which were all supplied in pre-printed books with varying number of copies in each form set.

Just like our fault docket and stores requisition pads... Original and a carbon copy... Happy days.

Then it went paperless and computerised...

[bobins]

I'm guessing you might have come across these bits of paper once or twice over the years, Jim ?

Teleprinter No7 paper - own work

F. Sigs 52 - own work

[CitroJim]

Oh gosh yes - on both counts... Running rolls of 2-ply and even on occasion 3-ply through a teleprinter was hard work for the machine and a good test of how well maintained and set up they were!

Many's the time I composed upon the form and then transcribed it onto a teleprinter with a reperforator attachment to make a 5-unit punched tape ready for transmission...

Happy days

[bobins]

Many's the time I composed upon the form and then transcribed it onto a teleprinter with a reperforator attachment to make a 5-unit punched tape ready for transmission...

Happy days

5 unit paper coils - own work

[CitroJim]

Many's the time I composed upon the form and then transcribed it onto a teleprinter with a reperforator attachment to make a 5-unit punched tape ready for transmission...

Happy days

Wow! You're coming up with some superb treasures today Robin And bringing back some great memories for me too

We used to use special pink reperforator tape to indicate the contents punched thereon were classified...

[bobins]

A question mainly for Jim - if 2 and 3 ply was hard work for the teleprinter, what was 4 ply like ? I can only assume this was intended for Type 7 machines or were there other machines that ate 4 ply ? The date on it is 1962. There were crates of this stuff all intended for Govt. use.

4 ply teleprinter paper - own work

[NewcastleFalcon]

You'll never find any of this sort of stuff on any other "car" forum

Enjoy it viewers, and posters its pretty unique

Probably made more intriguing by not asking the question why? The random odd behaviour, which could even have involved "I'm just going to photograph those boxes and packages I have stored from 1961 for the French Car Forum....", is enough for me.

Neil

PS ah yes, not necessarily photographed at Bobins' Towers...

[CitroJim]

if 2 and 3 ply was hard work for the teleprinter, what was 4 ply like ?

4-ply I could never see a Siemens T100 being able to manage it - they struggled with 3-ply unless perfectly set up - and no way a Creed 75 but I could well see a Creed 7B being able to handle it - They'd handle anything - noisily!!! And they were still widely used right up until the mid 80s to my knowledge...

The Siemens T100 was a very fine teleprinter but not the most sturdy and needed regular, skilled maintenance, especially when running at 75 bauds... Against that, they were quiet, refined and produced excellent print quality... And fairly light and compact... German precision engineering at its finest...

All the Creed machines were just about the opposite... Tough, sturdy, bombproof, heavy, big, smelly and as I said, noisy...

I'm wondering now if a Creed 444, the staple of the GPO/BT Telex network, would... Possibly, they were also big, chunky and built like brick outhouses...

[bobins]

We used to use special pink reperforator tape to indicate the contents punched thereon were classified...

I will have photos of the pink tape, but finding it might take some time. In the meantime, have a selection of various classifications

Confidential form - own work

Confidential paper - own work

Restricted paper - own work

Secret paper, so don't tell anyone - own work

Top secret, so don't look at it - own work

And you can stick them all in an envelope and seal it with an old school gummed seal

Gummed seal - own work

[bobins]

4-ply I could never see a Siemens T100 being able to manage it - they struggled with 3-ply unless perfectly set up - and no way a Creed 75 but I could well see a Creed 7B being able to handle it - They'd handle anything - noisily!!! And they were still widely used right up until the mid 80s to my knowledge...

All the Creed machines were just about the opposite... Tough, sturdy, bombproof, heavy, big, smelly and as I said, noisy...

I'm wondering now if a Creed 444, the staple of the GPO/BT Telex network, would... Possibly, they were also big, chunky and built like brick outhouses...

It would have almost certainly be for the 7B's then as they were plentiful. Not sure if the 444's were ever in place - never saw any anyway. Having handled a few 444's over the years I can only assume they were filled with lead to stop them vibrating or something. Stupidly heavy for what they were.

Edit:
Never trust your memory !
An abundance of 444's.

Some manky 444s - own work

[CitroJim]

We used to use special pink reperforator tape to indicate the contents punched thereon were classified...

I will have photos of the pink tape, but finding it might take some time. In the meantime, have a selection of various classifications

It always used to amuse me when looking at classified documents with pages marked SECRET top and bottom and the only text on the page reading 'This page left intentionally blank'

Those 444s seem to have seen better days Robin!

[bobins]

It always used to amuse me when looking at classified documents with pages marked SECRET top and bottom and the only text on the page reading 'This page left intentionally blank'

Or as a mate used to write it 'This page left intentionally vague'

Presuably you've just committed an offence under the OSA by revealing the contents of a secret document

Those 444s seem to have seen better days Robin!

Presumably now at the irrecoverable stage

One careful owner, needs recommissioning. 444 - own work

[CitroJim]

It always used to amuse me when looking at classified documents with pages marked SECRET top and bottom and the only text on the page reading 'This page left intentionally blank'

Or as a mate used to write it 'This page left intentionally vague'

Love it!

Presumably now at the irrecoverable stage

No, they're Creeds... They can be got going again All you need is a selection of hammers, screwdrivers, a pair of adjustables and a quart of oil after giving them a bath in paraffin

Might need one of them as a spares donor though....