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Bletchley Park has many connections with telecommunications that have set the standards for the way we communicate today. These pages will look at just some of the General Post Office (GPO) and Government history associated with the Park. |
Introduction
In the 1940s the covert activities at Bletchley Park were said to have shortened the war by several years as well as forming the foundations of modern communications.
The Post Office was involved from the very beginning by supplying telephone lines and teleprinters for the vital communications to and from the Park. The Colossus (code-breaking) computer was engineered and developed in conjunction with Tommy Flowers of the Post Office Research establishment. And almost every electromechanical device had parts sourced from GPO supplied relays, valves, lamps, uniselectors, racking and wiring, some of it manufactured especially by the Post Office Factories.
After the war, the Park was home to many Post Office training departments where apprentices, telephonists and clerical staff from all over the country learnt their trade. In fact the GPO history in the Park spans the period 1939 right through to 1993. And with projects such as the Tunny rebuild, old GPO technology is once again returning to the Park, so continuing the Post Office theme.
| Post Office Regional Training Centre (RTC) | |
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After the war, Bletchley Park was used as a Regional Training Centre for all departments of the Post Office, especially telephone engineers who learnt about Strowger telephone equipment, line plant and pole climbing... |
| Kents Hill Park | |
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After British Telecom vacated Bletchley Park, a new local training centre was established at Kents Hill Park. |
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