Specimen of the first transatlantic telephone cable, deep sea type, 1956

Made:
1956 in Erith
maker:
Submarine Cables Limited
Specimen of the first transatlantic telephone cable Specimen of the first transatlantic telephone cable Specimen of the first transatlantic telephone cable Specimen of the first transatlantic telephone cable Specimen of the first transatlantic telephone cable Specimen of the first trans-Atlantic telephone cable

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Specimen of the first transatlantic telephone cable
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Specimen of the first transatlantic telephone cable
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Specimen of the first transatlantic telephone cable
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Specimen of the first transatlantic telephone cable
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Specimen of the first transatlantic telephone cable
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Specimen of the first trans-Atlantic telephone cable
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Specimen of the first transatlantic telephone cable, deep-sea type, made by Submarine Cables Limited, Erith, London, England, 1956.

Also known as TAT-1, the first transatlantic telephone cable was laid between Oban, Scotland, and Newfoundland. The project was announced by the Postmaster General on December 1953, and was a joint venture between the General Post Office of the UK, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, and the Canadian Overseas Telecommunications Corporation. Between 1955 and 1956, two cables were laid - one for each direction of speech. The deep sea part of the cable had a lighter, high-tensile steel armouring compared to the shore ends. TAT-1 remained in use without failure until 1978, being withdrawn from service because of the installation of much higher capacity cables across the Atlantic.

Details

Category:
Telecommunications
Object Number:
1960-136
Materials:
steel (metal), copper (alloy), plastic (unidentified) and wax
Measurements:
overall: 229 mm x 39 mm diameter, .25kg
type:
cable
credit:
Donated by Submarine Cables Limited