INTERNATIONAL TELEGRAPHS
This web site is to remember Post Office and BT services and people who provided these services from the 1950's to the 1980's

 

THE CARDINAL HOUSE MESSAGE RELAY CENTRE

The International Telegraphs Message Relay Centre (MRC) was located in Cardinal House next to Smithfield Meat market in Central London. Opened in November 1967 as the first real step towards mechanisation (non -emotional buzz word for automation) of the international telegraph services

The MRC was intended to replace the Torn Tape Relay Unit (OTRU) on the seventh floor of Electra House, however after initial experiences with the MRC, the OTRU was re-opened rather than proceed with the planned extension of the MRC. The MRC was designed to switch International Telegrams to and from the UK London and provincial delivery offices as well as handling transit traffic. It made use of format CCITT F31 designed to support the automatic handling of telegraph traffic. The unit was manufactured by Philips Telecommunications Industry (PTI) and the installation was managed by MEL Ltd

A view from the roof of Cardinal House with the old ‘square block’ looking Daily Mirror building (now demolished) being very difficult to miss.

Click here to see more of the Operations aspects :

MRC OPERATIONS

Click on the four following links to see more aspects of the MRC:

MRC ENGINEERING 1

MRC ENGINEERING 2

MRC ENGINEERING 3

MRC REVISION COMPUTER

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