Telegraph
Production date
1845
Object detail
Accession number
2006.303
Production period
Description
A single needle telegraph from British Rail, also known as "Ting/Tang (Tong)". The needle strokes against small metal pipes that emit sounds in different pitches. That "two tone melody" represented a code of the telegram. On the single-needle instruments, the Cooke & Wheatstone and other complex codes were abandoned and instead messages were sent morse code. The needles no longer required to be observed visually to be read - metal sounders were provided so that deflections could be identified by ear as a "ting" and a "tong". These sounders were, in fact, often enhanced by signalmen by the placing of a tobacco tin tightly on the sounders, producing a sharp "click" and "clack".
Media/Materials
Credit Line
1845. Telegraph, 2006.303. The Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT).
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