Just found your site. Very interesting. I am looking for any information I can obtain about the early wireless in the Falkland Islands. I read that a station was there in 1911 and again in 1916. Also researching anything on the Islands railroad,. about 3.5 Miles long I think, that served the W./T station I am a retired lifelong commercial wireless
operator so I still find the subject fascinating.
Any any info or advice you can furnish at your convenience will be much appreciated. Thank you.
Correspondence about the provision of a wireless installation in the Falkland Islands, 1911-14
Shelfmark: MS. Marconi 214
Extent: 1 box
CABLE & WIRELESS
For over 130 years has been providing countries throughout the world with their national and international telecoms networks.The early years of Falkland Islands communications tell of hardship and struggle. Correspondence from West Falklands to Stanley could take up to three months as it was carried by horseback and sailing vessels.
The first telephones were installed by the Falkland Island Company in 1880 by Mr Boyson, the manager at the time. The Falkland Islands Government were slow to see the advantages of telephones and it was not until February 1897 that a telephone was installed at Cape Pembroke Lighthouse and connected to the Police Station to improve the response time to rescue vessels damaged whilst rounding Cape Horn.
By 1907 telephone lines were being erected to all the main settlements outside of Stanley, telephones were also installed at this time into business buildings and Government Departments. The Falkland Islands Police were responsible for the installation and maintenance of the lines until 1927. In 1911, Marconi built a 5 kilowatt wireless telegraphy station, allowing telegram's to be sent to Montevideo in Uruguay. A further 150kw station was built in 1916 at the Falkland islands (some remains on site as also at Ascension Isl
The Camber Railway was a 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge railway in the Falkland Islands, in the South Atlantic; it was one of the most southerly railways in the world. The Camber Railway was constructed to support the Admiralty wireless station, supplying coal to generators; it ran along the north side of Stanley Harbour for about 3.5 miles (5.6 km).[1][2] There were two Kerr, Stuart and Company "Wren" class 0-4-0 engines.[1][2] The system fell into disuse after the wireless station was modernised. Partsof the infrastructure were used in the Falklands War; rails were taken for use in some defensive structures.[2]
References
^ a b "11ACamberRly". Railways of the Far South. 6 May 2011.
http://railwaysofthefarsouth.co.uk/11acamberrailway.html.
Retrieved 16 May
2011.
^ a b c "The Camber Railway, Falkland Islands".
Britlink.org - British
Overseas Territories. http://www.britlink.org/camber.html.
Retrieved 16 May
2011.
