Kabelschaltstellen (Switching Post) N24. Jersey

[M19 MADMAL]

Hi all,

Here on Jersey we have around 40ish 'bunkers' of various types for junction points in the Fortress telephone network which can consist of small brick constructions running up to several 'St' constructions inc. 3 x 617's

N24 is a Kabelschaltstellen (switching post) of a standard type and consists of a single room for the switch gear with a trapdoor entry hatch on the roof along with a raised roof section containing a recess for a 6 line connection box.

N24 is located on the east side of Ouaisne Bay in St. Brelade (on private land) and although it was mostly buried except for the raised roof section its exsistance is known and it was not investigated until a short time ago.

Here are some photos

Regards,
Malcolm

[M19 MADMAL]

Some more....small can be beautiful

[M19 MADMAL]

Some more views of the junction boxes still with their original lids
All the internal wiring of the boxes has been removed but N24 is the most complete Switching post left on Jersey and the land owner is happy to see it preserved!

The junction boxes are near mint condition

Regards,
Malcolm

[grappener]

Hi M19

Nice to see you today (and congrats on your personal discovery of N21!!!!!)

Just to add that with this find we also now can add that that this post was called "D8", it starting point being all the way back at post "D" (N9) in St. Peters Valley. Of course N24 is also a perfectly acceptable naming convention (as you know I'm pushing for this "dual view" approach to keep all parties happy!), some great leaps forward in understanding have been offered via this find

But it doesn't stop there. In my mind there is very little information out there on Fortress Signals Networks. So perhaps we can use this opportunity to cast a wider net over the rest of the Atlantic Wall......whats happening in your own areas? does anyone have any network maps? how were your posts numbered or labled (letters or numbers?). Does anyone have any nice pictures from surviving "Belegung" (allocation) paperwork that was kept in K.E.V. box lids?

One massively important question. In your local areas do you have a "main spine" of telephone switch points? Were they all lettered "A", "B", "C", "D" etc. And if lines ran off from them were they labelled "A1", "A2", "A3" etc.... of were they labelled "Aa", "Ab", "Ac" etc.

In Guernsey it appears on one side of the main spine "letter + number" was used on the other side of the spine "Letter + Letter" was used.

Jersey (at present and thanks to this discovery) it looks like it was "Letter + numbers" either side of the main spine

Alderney, main spine ran arond the south coast and "letter + number" convention was used.

Anyone have any info from their areas?

Cheers

Grappener

[jopaerya]

Hello Malcolm and Grappener

Thanks for the photo's and the information , sure a very nice Kabelschaltstelle .

Regards Jos

[TSC]

But it doesn't stop there. In my mind there is very little information out there on Fortress Signals Networks. So perhaps we can use this opportunity to cast a wider net over the rest of the Atlantic Wall......whats happening in your own areas? does anyone have any network maps? how were your posts numbered or labled (letters or numbers?). Does anyone have any nice pictures from surviving "Belegung" (allocation) paperwork that was kept in K.E.V. box lids?

Hi Grappener

Here are some plans from "Infanterie-Stützpunkt Söndervig" in Denmark:

First the big "Lageplan" where all the bunkers are, they are marked with the number of the bulding, between the bunkers is there some lines (telephone kables) marked for exampel 5p or 5+2p this means that there are 5 pairs of wiers in the kabel or two kabels, one whit 5 pers and one with 2 pairs of wiers.

Then we have the "Schaltplan" for the entiere "Stützpunkt" On the plan are there many infomations about the kabels
like the number of the kabel, what the wier pers are used for and lokal numbers on the switchboard ect.

At last we have the "leitungsskizze" it's a much more simpel version of the "Schaltplan" where only the lokal switchboard numbers are written.

Gretings
Tommy Cassøe

[TSC]

And some more...

First a "Schaltplan" from a R666 (at Hvide Sande DK) it shows the internal wiring of the bunkers telephonesystem

Then a more detailed drawing of a "Verteiler" in the R636 at Kryle DK

At last there's a map of kabels between citys of Denmark

Gretings
Tommy Cassøe

[SES]

What is very odd, however, is that we have found very, very few KSS in Denmark. Part of the explanation can be that the Wehrmacht made extensive use of the civil network and added military lines to the civilian poles.
bregds
SES

[grappener]

Hi TSC and SES,

Thanks for your replies, TSC those are some excellent diagrams of part of your Nachrichtennetz, I'm not sure if I'm reading this right, but were you "kabelschaltstellen" labled VB1, VB2, VB3, VB4? If they are was "M.V." your "Netzknotenpunkte" in a Type 617 bunker?

I've not come across any "schaltplan" maps before, infact I didn't know that is what they are called, can I just ask what "leitungsskizze" actualy means?

I'm also very much liking the bunker telephone layout diagram, very interesting and again havne't seen anything like that. Also the maps of your bunker locations in the Infantry Stutzpunkt are excellent......if we only has them for here!!!!

all the best

grappener

[TSC]

Hi grapperner

Yea those are some excellent diagrams, they have been a great help for us. We are lucky to have plans for other locations.

As SES wrote, we don't a lot of KSS ("kabelschaltstellen") in Dk. So VB1, VB2, VB3 end VB4, are not KSS, but I can't remember what they are at the moment.

In Dk we have KB ("Kabelbrunnen") They have the same equitment as KSS, but with connection to the danish civil telephone network. The Germans had their own network, but for long distance call they used the danish network.

M.V. is "Fernmeldeknotenpunkte" in a very rare bunker, the only one build, V194.

"leitungsskizze" means (in electrician techinal terms) "one line diagram" in this case, it's an easy way see a bunnkers local telephorne number.

all the best
Tommy Cassøe

[AvB]

Wow great detailed diagrams. Can these be found in Danish archives or in Koblenz?

Btw, for the Jersey N24. Shouldn't we call this a Kabelschaltbrunnen according to its building characteristics?

[grappener]

Hi Tommy,

Great...I've just checked what a V194 is, looks like you've got a rare one there! Your network is similar to ours. The "Festung" network was integrated with the local civillian telephone exchanges, some parts of the Island have a much "denser" nachrichtennetz than others, in the low density areas it is believed the civillian network was used more extensively, but would be less resilient should attack occur.

Hi Arthur,
Hope you are keeping well.

I've not heard of a "Kabelschaltbrunnen" before, I've only ever known posts such as N24 to be called KSS. However, locally Water Storage Bunkers (especially at St, Ouen) were referred to in the "Festung Jersey" Books as "Brunnenstand".

What is the difference between a KSS and a KSB? You've got me really thinking on this one now!

all the best

Grappener

[AvB]

The term Kabelschaltbrunnen refers, like a Brunnenstand, to something like a well, a pit in the ground.
So anything looking like this is a Kabelschaltstelle


And constructions like yours are a Kabelschaltbrunnen

[grappener]

Hi Arthur,

This is great to find out, we've been under the impression that they were both KSS. But makes total sense what you are saying (especially whe a Brunnenstand for water is a very accurate description).

Now how to educate everyone over here of the difference.....not easy LoL!

thanks for the info.

grappener

[jopaerya]

Please see also here http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic. ... &p=1456106

Regards Jos