Gathering Update
These folks have been keeping me soooo busy, I haven't had a chance to follow up on some questions. It's Sunday morning and I just got back from dropping Terry off at the train station. Everyone else is sleeping.
Louis - That blue mettalic vacuum is a Lewyt Big Wheels. Lewyt in the 40s and 50s was somewhat like Oreck is today - big advertising. It's funny you should mention that machine because yesterday Charlie totally dismantled, cleaned and rebuilt it with a new cord and hose to match. I'll post pictures in the album.
Mike - The Dyson wasn't broken, but us vac folks cannot help but take machines apart and see what makes them tick. That's what the folks were doing. With a certain notable exception, Dysons are somewhat looked down upon by us vintage vac folks. I wouldn't have this one, but someone gave it to me. We don't think that they clean to well. Would definitely lose to a Hoover convertible.
Pete - Look's like you're well on your way to our level of insanity with vacuums - it only gets worse.
Robert - You must come down and join us for one of these gatherings - never a dull moment. Greg was going to join us but, unfortunately, had a serious conflict at the last moment. Oh well, next time. That blue handled Lux is a Hospital G - it has a filter cage on the front. Rather unusual.
Austin - Thanks! That one at the end is either an R or an S. I'll check and post later.
Rinso - Very close on that switchboard. It's actually a 556A manual auxilliary to a 756A Crossbar PBX switch. Don't have the 756A but thankfully, the switchboard came with 10 manual station circuits and, of course, the trunk circuits. Got the manual circuits up and running and connected to phones around the house (use on night service mostly) but couldn't get those darned trunk circuits to work. After six months of trying I figured out it was the dial. Put in a new #6 dial and all works perfectly. Stepped down AC/48V DC power supplied and I have voice, lights and ringing. What a blast to play with!!
I'll add some more photos later.