Sometime previous to starting the PABX 3 project I had already acquired quite a few relay sets and a bank of line finder uniselectors, then a ringer rack became available to purchased from another THG member.  Good fortune struck once again, with the opportunity to purchase a PABX 3 rack complete with shelfs and relays for 50 extensions  along with another rack for the ringer and other misc relay sets, which I went to fetch in Feb 2016.  I decided that I would keep a record here of my progress with the rebuild.

11th Feb 2016

I bolted together the frame of the larger rack and. gave it a good clean before giving it a first coat of light straw paint.

12th Feb 2016

Second coat of paint applied.  I also found a rack ID plate from a UAX14 that I gave two coats of paint, quick dried on the AGA, and I ordered a vinyl letter label ‘PABX No.3’.

16th Feb 2016

Today we bolted the shelfs on the rack and loaded them up with relay sets.  Not having anything to really follow it was a bit hit and miss where they went, I assumed that the finals went at the top and the 1st group Selectors underneath, having worked out the height I realised that I had to mount the groups two rows down.  At the bottom of the rack I mounted the shelf that was to hold the cord circuits and the exchange line relay sets.  There were three cord circuit relay sets (9 circuits) and five exchange line relay sets, I was able to make this up to seven exchange lines. I realised that the line circuits. are part of the second rack which I was hoping not to use as I wanted to use my exsisiting ringer rack which is narrower.  Whilst going through the relay sets I found the foot plate ID’s so I need not have done the one I did, ‘that’s life’.

10th May 2016

I am concious that I have not done anything with the PABX 3 rack for three months, so I sat down and had a go at wire wrapping some of the wires onto the rack, I started to make a complete mess of it so have stopped to rethink my plan.

1st Oct 2018

Yes it has been a while.  Earlier in the year we started to clad and insulate the ceiling of the PABX room, only to find we have a  little woodworm problem, we need to treat that problem this autum so that we can finish the cladding.  At the same time we are going to install heating, at the same time we are going to install heating so we will be able to work in there all year round.