How it started

[Jane]

Do you see that bit in the front of the phone that sticks slightly up ? If that's depressed it will cut the call.

Then there are two ways of cutting off a call.

[lookout]

There also used to be a metal button which when the handset was replaced it also cut out the call,but I don't see a metal button. It depends on the age/style/make of the phone probably.

[guest2181]

Do you see that bit in the front of the phone that sticks slightly up ? If that's depressed it will cut the call.

Yes, there's an automatic cut off when the receiver is replaced on the cradle.

Okay, so not too different to a normal modern telephone, the call could have been disconnected by depressing the button before the hand set was put down on the counter?

[lookout]

Yes.

[Lucy522]

Yes.

But the line would still be open until the other end cut it off?

[Kaldin]

I can't remember old phones like that, is there a button to disconnect the call? Or is it automatically disconnected when the hand piece gets put back on the cradle?

I think you have to press those black things on the top of the phone. When the receiver is put back it presses the black things down and disconnects the call.

[Jane]

But the line would still be open until the other end cut it off?

It would, but didn't Jeremy say the line went dead. I seem to remember thinking that the call had been cut off, rather than someone had just put the receiver down.

[guest2181]

I think you have to press those black things on the top of the phone. When the receiver is put back it presses the black things down and disconnects the call.

Which is a bit awkward to do it without using the hand set?

[Kaldin]

Which is a bit awkward to do it without using the hand set?

You got used to it.

[Kaldin]

It would, but didn't Jeremy say the line went dead. I seem to remember thinking that the call had been cut off, rather than someone had just put the receiver down.

The line was still open wasn't it? An operator was listening in to see if anything could be heard.

[Jane]

I think you have to press those black things on the top of the phone. When the receiver is put back it presses the black things down and disconnects the call.

Yes, exactly right.

[Lucy522]

So if it was still off the cradle how did he phone the police? Wouldn't it of still been open his end?
Or was this when Neville could of got off the phone to Jeremy and called the police?

[Kaldin]

Actually, you only had to press one of the black things down to disconnect it. I have one of those old phones and I just tried it.

[Jane]

The line was still open wasn't it? An operator was listening in to see if anything could be heard.

In which case the receiver had simply been left off the cradle without the call being terminated.

[guest2181]

You got used to it.

If you were say ending a call and then immediately making another,  you just press down those two black bits.