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Description
Keywords: GoTonySmith,HotpixUK,@HotpixUK,press,floor,levels,Passenger lift,control,controls,in,medium,level,block,of,flats,electric,electronic,panel,button,buttons floors,bell,alarm,lifts,elevators,service,servicing,safety,electrics,floors,lock,locked,red,yellow,alarms,door,passenger,lift
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy 2KF15BP - . An on-location photograph from Great Britain, UK in 2022, showing the named subject as part of a wider social, commercial, cultural or physical setting rather than as an isolated object. At the centre of the view is Passenger lift controls, in medium level block of flats. A broader reading of the photograph includes canal heritage, industrial waterway story.htm Target=_Blank>history, contemporary social history, local history, local character, community identity, waterborne transport, managed navigation, before-and-after reference, regional identity, period detail, inland navigation, archival record, and public realm. In present-day coverage, the subject reaches into biodiversity and public access, not least because of how navigation heritage coexists with modern flood and environmental management. The image fixes street furniture and boundaries within Great Britain, UK at one identifiable point, providing a benchmark against changed technology. The wider setting retains connections with blue-green corridor, canal infrastructure, heritage boating, navigation engineering, changing land use, visual archive, documentary photography, and changing streetscape. The combination of controls, block, flats, medium, and Passenger anchors the frame to a recognisable activity, place or moment. By fixing the subject within Great Britain, UK, the image preserves more than the headline object or building: it records part of the locality's everyday history. The setting also helps illustrate biodiversity and how navigation heritage coexists with modern flood and environmental management within the specific setting of Great Britain, UK. The image also provides a reference for biodiversity and how navigation heritage coexists with modern flood and environmental management as part of the longer story of Great Britain, UK. The scene captures evidence of earlier appearance as part of Great Britain, UK's history. The period view preserves period character for future local research.
Great Britain, UK
Description
Keywords: GoTonySmith,Hotpixuk,@Hotpixuk,England,UK,old,style,1950s,1940s,GB,British,phone,with,button,buttons,history,communication,telecoms,GPO,BT,British Telecom,OpenReach,old fashioned,1900s,press,to be heard,coins,coin,return,returned,Scotland,Wales,London,phonebox,antique,tech,technology
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy 2K244BY - How to make a phone call from a button A and button B public phone
In order to make a call from a public phone box, you had to have the right coins. This was not too onerous because coins were in everyday use as there were no credit cards. Nevertheless, it was not at all unusual to be stopped in the street and asked if one had change for a phone call. People always tried to oblige each other in this respect, and I never knew of anyone getting mugged when they got out a purse or delved into their pockets for money.
Callers put their coins into the coin slot, dialled the number they wanted and pressed Button A to be heard or Button B to get their money back if no-one answered.
Great Britain
Description
Keywords: GoTonySmith,HotpixUK,@HotpixUK,England,North West,UK,traffic,road,signal,for,pedestrian,to,stop,go,OK,lit,human,couple,double,Signal-controlled,PEdestrian LIght CONtrolled,Signal controlled,button,safety,vehicle,cars,Walk on the wild side,Walk on by,walking,the,cross,Pelicon,stop-go,stop go,red-green,red green
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy 2JGM7A9 - . Made at England, UK in 2022, this photograph records a real place and moment, preserving details that may later be altered by redevelopment, rebranding, changing ownership or different public use. The principal subject is UK traffic signal for pedestrians - Red to stop, Green to go. The setting additionally reflects public realm, city-centre activity, pedestrian environment, contemporary social history, period detail, street-level documentary, urban social history, local identity, historical comparison, before-and-after reference, local history, local character, social landscape, and archival record. The modern context includes continuing discussion of local identity, public-realm change and the documentary importance of recording everyday urban environments. For later comparison, the photograph preserves signage and branding at England, UK, details that may look very different after new construction. The wider setting retains connections with changing streetscape, everyday life, regional identity, everyday street life, townscape record, community identity, urban change, and contemporary city life. The combination of Green, traffic, pedestrians, and signal anchors the frame to a recognisable activity, place or moment. The period setting at England, UK helps place the main subject within real social and physical surroundings rather than isolating it as an abstract object. The image also provides a reference for local identity and how ordinary street scenes become valuable records as businesses and infrastructure change within the specific setting of England, UK. Another useful connection is regeneration and the documentary importance of recording everyday urban environments as part of the longer story of England, UK. The scene further reflects street safety and the relationship between public space and local social life when considered against later change at England, UK.
England, UK
Description
Keywords: GoTonySmith,HotpixUK,@HotpixUK,England,North West,UK,Britain,green,for,go,walking,the,OK,to,cross,now,Walk on by,Walk on the wild side,pelican,lit,human,moving,flowing,cars,puffin,button,road,safety,traffic,vehicle,Signal controlled,vehicles,flow,fast,walk,PEdestrian LIght CONtrolled,crossing,Signal-controlled,crossings,driver
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy 2JGM7AA - . Photographed at England, UK in 2022, this detailed editorial image records the subject within its real surroundings and preserves a specific stage in the life of the location. The scene records Green Man, walk ,traffic signal, Green Cross Code, England, UK. The wider scene also brings together public realm, local information board, operational signage, regional identity, community noticeboard, social history, visitor guidance, public-facing notice, instructional sign, before-and-after reference, documentary photography, changing streetscape, orientation signage, and street furniture. In present-day coverage, the subject reaches into navigation and accessibility, not least because of how small pieces of street furniture can become useful historical evidence. The image fixes materials and architectural details within England, UK at one identifiable point, providing a benchmark against new ownership. The wider setting retains connections with period detail, changing land use, archival record, community identity, route marker, local history, everyday life, and local character. The recorded references to signal, traffic, Cross, and Green preserve clues about how the subject was presented, used or understood at the time. By fixing the subject within England, UK, the image preserves more than the headline object or building: it records part of the locality's everyday history. The location additionally provides evidence of navigation and how clear signs help people navigate complex public places within the real-world context of England, UK. A further contemporary connection is visitor experience and how small pieces of street furniture can become useful historical evidence within the specific setting of England, UK. The wider significance includes visitor experience and how small pieces of street furniture can become useful historical evidence as part of the longer story of England, UK.
England, UK
Description
Keywords: GoTonySmith,HotpixUK,@HotpixUK,England,North West,pedestrian,dont,light,cross,PEdestrian LIght CONtrolled,pedex,crossings,crossing,green,now,go,walk,Signal-controlled,Signal controlled,signal,puffin,driver,vehicle,vehicles,cars,button,traffic,flow,flowing,road,safety,fast,moving,pelican,lit,human,Walk on the wild side,OK
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy 2JGM7AC - Signal-controlled crossings
A puffin crossing with nearside signals in Aviemore
A staggered set of pelican crossings with farside signals in Greenwich
Pelican crossings, puffin crossings and pedex crossings are all types of controlled crossing controlled by traffic signals for pedestrians and drivers. These types of crossings can be used where vehicle speeds are high, where there are a lot of vulnerable pedestrians, where vehicle flows or pedestrian flows are high or where the road layout could cause uncertainty.
At these crossings, there will be at least two signal heads facing each direction of vehicular traffic, as well as signal heads and call buttons for pedestrians. The crossings can be staggered to shorten crossing times, mainly for the benefit of vehicular traffic flow.
While pelican crossings are no longer permitted to be installed in Great Britain (they are in Northern Ireland), pedex crossings allow the continued use of farside pedestrian signals
England, Great Britain , UK
Description
Keywords: GoTonySmith,HotpixUK,@HotpixUK,England,North West,pedestrian,dont,light,cross,PEdestrian LIght CONtrolled,pedex,crossings,crossing,red,stop,dont walk,stay,Signal-controlled,Signal controlled,signal,puffin,driver,vehicle,vehicles,cars,button,traffic,flow,flowing,road,safety,fast,moving,pelican,lit,human
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy 2JGM7AT - Signal-controlled crossings
A puffin crossing with nearside signals in Aviemore
A staggered set of pelican crossings with farside signals in Greenwich
Pelican crossings, puffin crossings and pedex crossings are all types of controlled crossing controlled by traffic signals for pedestrians and drivers. These types of crossings can be used where vehicle speeds are high, where there are a lot of vulnerable pedestrians, where vehicle flows or pedestrian flows are high or where the road layout could cause uncertainty.
At these crossings, there will be at least two signal heads facing each direction of vehicular traffic, as well as signal heads and call buttons for pedestrians. The crossings can be staggered to shorten crossing times, mainly for the benefit of vehicular traffic flow.
While pelican crossings are no longer permitted to be installed in Great Britain (they are in Northern Ireland), pedex crossings allow the continued use of farside pedestrian signals
England, Great Britain , UK
Description
Keywords: England,UK,road,safety,travel,transport,RTI,car,accident,accidents,dusk,evening,morning,clocks,putting,back,forward,BST,Clock,safe,cross,button,indicator,indicate,signal,std,standard,set,of,traffic,light,lights,Putting Clocks back,Putting Clocks Forward,Road Safety,GoTonySmith,@HotpixUK,Tony,Smith,PEdestrian LIght,CONtrolled,oncoming,vehicle,vehicles,pictogram,PELICON,United,Kingdom,GB,Great,Britain,English,Scottish,British,pedestrian,walk,dont,Buy Pictures of,Buy Images Of,Images of,Stock Images,Tony Smith,PEdestrian LIght CONtrolled Crossing,Green Cross man,Green Cross Code,Dont Walk
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy H04FYT - A pelican crossing (previously Pelicon Crossing “ PEdestrian LIght CONtrolled Crossing) is a type of pedestrian crossing, which features a pair of poles each with a standard set of traffic lights facing oncoming traffic, a push button and two illuminated, coloured pictograms facing the pedestrian from across the road.
These are a red, stationary person to indicate that it is not safe to cross, and a green, walking person to indicate that it is safe to do so. Pelican crossings also provide non-visual indication that it is safe to cross, such as a beep, vibrating button or tactile rotating cone in order to assist visually impaired pedestrians.
Grappenhall, Warrington, Cheshire, England, UK
Description
Keywords: night,shot,nightshot,transport,travel,safety,Greencross,traffic in background,redman,traffic,in,background,road,caution,danger,do,not,cross,pedestrian,push,button,pushbutton,Greencross man,red man,Pelican Crossing,Traffic in Background,Road safety,pedestrian crossing,Push Button,GoTonySmith,@HotpixUK,HotpixUK,United,Kingdom,GB,English,British,Pelicon,lights,lighting,head,lights,headlights,stationary,person,street,furniture,illuminate,illuminated,lighted,up,town,city,cross,accident,accidents,RTA,RTAs,safe,Buy Pictures of,Buy Images Of,Images of,Stock Images,United Kingdom,Great Britain,Pelicon Crossing,street furniture
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy GGWH4Y - A pelican crossing (previously Pelicon Crossing “ PEdestrian LIght CONtrolled Crossing) is a type of pedestrian crossing, which features a pair of poles each with a standard set of traffic lights facing oncoming traffic, a push button and two illuminated, coloured pictograms facing the pedestrian from across the road. These are a red, stationary person to indicate that it is not safe to cross, and a green, walking person to indicate that it is safe to do so. Pelican crossings also provide non-visual indication that it is safe to cross, such as a beep, vibrating button or tactile rotating cone in order to assist visually impaired pedestrians.
Grappenhall, Warrington, Cheshire, England, UK
Description
Keywords: night,shot,nightshot,transport,travel,safety,Greencross,traffic in background,redman,traffic,in,background,road,caution,danger,do,not,cross,pedestrian,push,button,pushbutton,Greencross man,red man,Pelican Crossing,Traffic in Background,Road safety,pedestrian crossing,Push Button,GoTonySmith,@HotpixUK,HotpixUK,United,Kingdom,GB,English,British,Pelicon,lights,lighting,head,lights,headlights,stationary,person,street,furniture,illuminate,illuminated,lighted,up,town,city,cross,accident,accidents,RTA,RTAs,safe,Buy Pictures of,Buy Images Of,Images of,Stock Images,United Kingdom,Great Britain,Pelicon Crossing,street furniture
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy GGWH55 - A pelican crossing (previously Pelicon Crossing “ PEdestrian LIght CONtrolled Crossing) is a type of pedestrian crossing, which features a pair of poles each with a standard set of traffic lights facing oncoming traffic, a push button and two illuminated, coloured pictograms facing the pedestrian from across the road. These are a red, stationary person to indicate that it is not safe to cross, and a green, walking person to indicate that it is safe to do so. Pelican crossings also provide non-visual indication that it is safe to cross, such as a beep, vibrating button or tactile rotating cone in order to assist visually impaired pedestrians.
Grappenhall, Warrington, Cheshire, England, UK
Description
Keywords: City,triode,capitals,cities,dial,illuminated,life,news,radio,talk,drama,station,stations,still,tube,tune,valve,war,wartime,wireless,pentode,program,old,fashioned,oldfashioned,radiogram,frequencies,frequency,brown,Berlin,Touluse,Budapest,GoTonySmith,broadcast,brussels,button,communicate,communication,country,countrys,dial,electric,electrical,electricity,electromagnetic,energy,entertainment,frequency,gramaphone,illuminated,illumination,light,listen,listening,london,long,medium,message,power,prague,radio,radiogram,radiowave,receive,receiver,scottish,short,sound,transmit,tune,tuner,uk,valve,wave,wavelength,Buy Pictures of,Buy Images Of
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy F7DCX4 - . Recorded at the recorded location in 2015, the image fixes a recognisable subject and its environment at one point in time, giving later viewers a reliable basis for comparison. The scene records Valve radio vintage wireless station guide cities. The broader subject matter reaches into archival record, contemporary social history, social history, rail modernisation, railway branding, local history, urban rail transport, integrated transport, trackside heritage, passenger railway, rail corridor, public transport network, mass transit, and period detail. The wider contemporary story combines integrated transport, decarbonisation and the reshaping of Britain's passenger railway in the mid-2020s. The image fixes period objects and surrounding context within the recorded location at one identifiable point, providing a benchmark against new ownership. Other useful contextual ideas include visual archive, community identity, before-and-after reference, changing streetscape, transport interchange, documentary photography, historical comparison, and changing land use. The combination of vintage, wireless, station, cities, and Valve anchors the frame to a recognisable activity, place or moment. Around the recorded location, apparently routine details can become historically useful once businesses close, buildings change use or familiar features disappear. A further contemporary connection is integrated transport and the reshaping of Britain's passenger railway in the mid-2020s as part of the longer story of the recorded location. The wider significance includes integrated transport and the archival value of railway branding and infrastructure as operators change when considered against later change at the recorded location. Another strand within the photograph is rail reform and the archival value of railway branding and infrastructure as operators change without losing the local specificity of the recorded location.
Description
Keywords: City,triode,capitals,cities,dial,illuminated,life,news,radio,talk,drama,station,stations,still,tube,tune,valve,war,wartime,wireless,pentode,program,old,fashioned,oldfashioned,radiogram,frequencies,frequency,brown,Berlin,Touluse,Budapest,GoTonySmith,broadcast,brussels,button,communicate,communication,country,countrys,dial,electric,electrical,electricity,electromagnetic,energy,entertainment,frequency,gramaphone,illuminated,illumination,light,listen,listening,london,long,medium,message,power,prague,radio,radiogram,radiowave,receive,receiver,scottish,short,sound,transmit,tune,tuner,uk,valve,wave,wavelength,Buy Pictures of,Buy Images Of
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy F7DCX7 - . A grounded documentary photograph made at the recorded location in 2015, combining the immediate subject with evidence of the surrounding streetscape, public realm, business activity or local character. The defining feature is Valve radio vintage wireless station guide cities. Other connected aspects include railway branding, documentary photography, local history, place identity, transport interchange, rail corridor, social history, local character, historical comparison, regional rail, public realm, station environment, rail modernisation, and regional identity. The modern context includes continuing discussion of decarbonisation, integrated transport and how rail stations anchor city-centre mobility and regeneration. The image fixes commercial use and occupation within the recorded location at one identifiable point, providing a benchmark against new construction. The wider setting retains connections with period detail, community identity, passenger railway, changing streetscape, visual archive, rail mobility, trackside heritage, and commuter travel. The recorded references to vintage, radio, cities, guide, and Valve preserve clues about how the subject was presented, used or understood at the time. The dated record from the recorded location makes the broader context more tangible. The image also provides a reference for decarbonisation and how rail stations anchor city-centre mobility and regeneration in a form that can be compared with future views of the recorded location. Another useful connection is public ownership and the archival value of railway branding and infrastructure as operators change within the real-world context of the recorded location. The scene further reflects decarbonisation and the role of public transport in reducing congestion and emissions within the specific setting of the recorded location. Image F7DCX7 also preserves another period-specific detail for later comparison.
Description
Keywords: original,wireless,receiver,tech,technology,short,long,wave,old,analogue,valve,solid,state,dial,welsh,London,button,buttons,colored,colour,coloured,tune,tuning,tuner,frequency,band,retro,style,icon,wire,less,brown,cream,creme,ivory,third,Brussels,MED,radio,GoTonySmith,radio,dial,model,R500,long,knob,Athlone,Vienna,Third,North,Allouis,49m,41m,metres,metre,Buy Pictures of,Buy Images Of,Model R500
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy F7DCXE - . An identifiable period record of the recorded location in 2015, retaining practical detail and local context that distinguish documentary photography from a generic illustration. The defining feature is Antique Roberts Shortwave, Mediumwave, Longwave radio dial model R500. Other connected aspects include city branding, capital-city heritage, capital landmark imagery, metropolitan identity, place identity, everyday life, period detail, local character, before-and-after reference, contemporary social history, London cityscape, documentary photography, social history, and historical comparison. Today's relevance is strengthened by public transport, tourism and the continuing question of how iconic streets and landmarks change while retaining strong visual identity. Future viewers can use this scene from the recorded location to compare public access and movement with whatever follows after closure or conversion. The surrounding story also includes changing land use, community identity, urban tourism, Thames city view, historic London streetscape, changing streetscape, regional identity, and visual archive. Details involving model, Shortwave, Antique, radio, and Roberts make the image more specific than a generic view and strengthen its local or historical value. The particular scene at the recorded location gives that point a stronger documentary anchor. Another useful connection is public transport and how familiar London symbols function as global shorthand for Britain in a form that can be compared with future views of the recorded location. The scene further reflects urban mobility and how familiar London symbols function as global shorthand for Britain within the real-world context of the recorded location. Its period value extends to air quality and how familiar London symbols function as global shorthand for Britain within the specific setting of the recorded location.
Description
Keywords: original,wireless,receiver,tech,technology,scale,old,analogue,valve,solid,state,solidstate,dial,welsh,London,Hilversum,button,buttons,colored,colour,coloured,tune,tuning,tuner,frequency,band,retro,style,icon,wire,less,brown,cream,creme,ivory,third,Brussels,MED,radio,GoTonySmith,dial,Buy Pictures of,Buy Images Of
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy F7DCXK - . Photographed at the recorded location in 2015, this detailed documentary image records the subject within its real surroundings and preserves a specific stage in the life of the location. The location is represented through Antique Roberts Shortwave, Mediumwave, Longwave radio dial. Other connected aspects include regional identity, London cityscape, historical comparison, visual archive, Westminster landmark, archival record, social history, metropolitan identity, local character, iconic London transport, everyday life, changing land use, local history, and urban tourism. In present-day coverage, the subject reaches into housing pressure and heritage conservation, not least because of the mix of working city infrastructure with heritage tourism. The archival value lies partly in recording building condition and alterations around the recorded location before refurbishment alters the character of the place. Other useful contextual ideas include before-and-after reference, place identity, capital-city heritage, city branding, contemporary social history, documentary photography, London visitor economy, and historic London streetscape. Details involving Roberts, Mediumwave, Shortwave, radio, and Antique make the image more specific than a generic view and strengthen its local or historical value. The photograph from the recorded location links the broader issue back to a specific real place. Another useful connection is housing pressure and the pressure of visitor economies and housing costs on central neighbourhoods within the real-world context of the recorded location. The scene further reflects housing pressure and how iconic streets and landmarks change while retaining strong visual identity within the specific setting of the recorded location. The scene captures evidence of earlier appearance before later change alters the scene. Image F7DCXK also preserves another period-specific detail for later comparison.
Description
Keywords: buttons linked to bells apartments doorbell chime,chimes,control,pushes,original,dirty,tenement,edinburgh,glasgow,Scotland,england,london,typical,estate,agent,agents,Flat1,Flat2,Flat3,Flat4,Flat5,GoTonySmith controls,Buy Pictures of,Buy Images Of,flat,button,buttons,intercom,brass,plate,leaseholders,renters,tenants,tenant,block,scheme,renters rights act,England,eviction notice
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy ED4M2R - . A brass plate with buzzers for flats 1 to 5 with buttons linked to bells. The photograph was taken on 26 December 2014. This editorial stock image documents the subject as it appeared at that time, preserving a clear record of the place, its appearance and the everyday details surrounding it. Signage, lettering, logos, numbers or other visible information form an important part of the record, helping identify the subject and capture contemporary branding or public messaging. The scene is closely associated with brass, plate, buzzers, flats, buttons linked to bells apartments doorbell chime, chimes, control, pushes, original and dirty, adding specific subject detail and useful search context without losing the documentary focus on the main subject. The photograph gives particular emphasis to signage, lettering, public information, branding or graphic communication in a real-world setting. It can support editorial features about wayfinding, advertising, local identity, warnings, public information, business branding, typography, street design and the visual language of towns and cities. Words, symbols, colours, materials and the physical setting of the sign provide useful documentary detail for researchers interested in how information was presented at the time. Because signs and branding are frequently replaced, repainted or removed, the image also has useful archive and social-history value. Search themes include signs, lettering, typography, advertising, wayfinding, public information, warnings, branding, street graphics and local identity. Because signs are frequently replaced or repainted, a clear dated photograph of wording or graphics can acquire strong archive and social-history value. The combination of a named subject, precise location and capture date gives the image particular value to editors who need a real, identifiable place rather than a generic illustrative photograph.
Description
Keywords: showing,numbered,button,keys,machine,antique,finance,counting,device,buttons,maths,math,mathematical,addition,adding,Gotonysmith,black,push,calculator,contraption,keyboard,rows,digit,computer,pushers,numbers,desktop,computing,digits,columns,row,key,four,three,two,one,five
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy ED4KYR - . Comptometer - key-driven mechanical calculator showing numbered button keys. Photographed on 20 December 2014. The recorded location is England. The comptometer was the first commercially successful key-driven mechanical calculator. Looking at the subject's development, mechanical calculators, time clocks and electronic valves belong to successive generations of office and industrial technology before solid-state electronics and networked computers became dominant
Their keys, dials, circuits and mechanisms make visible tasks that modern digital systems perform almost invisibly. In the longer view, technical artefacts show how innovation changes daily life: office machines reduced clerical labour, telephones reshaped communication, cameras altered image-making and electronic components enabled broadcasting and computing
Close-up photographs preserve interfaces and designs that quickly vanish from use. Looking at the subject's development, clothing details record both craftsmanship and evolving taste
Tailoring, buttons, fabrics and formal dress can reveal manufacturing quality, social conventions and fashion cycles that move between bespoke production and mass-market clothing. For the 2026 context, calculation, payroll, attendance and communications are largely software-based, while vintage office and electronic equipment survives mainly in museums, collections and specialist restoration
Such objects are increasingly useful for illustrating the material history behind modern digital work. Current 2026 relevance comes from the fact that technology is dominated by connected devices, cloud services and rapid product cycles
Historic hardware therefore provides a useful counterpoint to contemporary debates about electronic waste, right-to-repair, data dependence and the speed with which once-common devices become obsolete. Additional high-relevance terminology includes vintage technology, thermionic valve, vacuum tube, and pre-digital technology.
England
Description
Keywords: showing,numbered,button,antique,finance,device,maths,math,adding,monochrome,black,and,white,Gotonysmith,Buy Pictures of,Buy Images Of,numbers,push,pushers,desktop,calculator,computer,computing,contraption,digit,digits,key,keys,keyboard,rows,columns,row,one,two,three,four,five,1,2,3
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy ED4KYX - . Comptometer - key-driven mechanical calculator showing numbered button keys in monochrome. Photographed on 20 December 2014. The recorded location is England. The comptometer was the first commercially successful key-driven mechanical calculator. From a heritage perspective, pre-digital equipment provides a physical record of how calculation, attendance recording and electronic control were once mechanised
Comptometer keyboards, clocking-in machines and thermionic valves each represent specialist technologies that required training, maintenance and hands-on operation. The historical context is that everyday technology provides a compact history of design and changing behaviour
Rotary dials, thermionic valves, mechanical keypads, film cameras and early televisions were once ordinary equipment but now illustrate obsolete standards, manufacturing methods and patterns of work or communication. From a heritage perspective, textiles and clothing form part of material culture, linking personal appearance with skilled trades, manufacturing and retail
A close-up can therefore illustrate not only fashion but the techniques and labour behind a garment. As of 2026, calculation, payroll, attendance and communications are largely software-based, while vintage office and electronic equipment survives mainly in museums, collections and specialist restoration
Such objects are increasingly useful for illustrating the material history behind modern digital work. The subject remains topical in 2026 because smartphones, digital services and AI-enabled devices make older mechanical and analogue technologies appear even more distant, increasing their value for editorial comparisons about technological change, repairability, planned obsolescence and digital dependence. Further subject-specific language includes vintage technology, office machine, time clock, vacuum tube, electronic component, pre-digital technology, computing history, and business machine.
England
Description
Keywords: 43,forty,three,fortythree,number,numbers,no,nos,number43,integers,integer,series,button,buttons,lift,hipstamatic,hipsta,square,cell,phone,cellphone,iphone,app,apps,tonysmith,tony,smith,hotpix
Description: Tony Smith image Flickr 1022337089 - 'View this whole set here. If you do Twitter add me here.
Forty-Three 43 is the fourth term of Sylvester's sequence, one more than the product of the previous terms (2 \u00d7 3 \u00d7 7).
Its a centered heptagonal number. 43 is a Heegner number also a repdigit in base 6 (111).
In my local takeaway 43 does not come with rice or chips as it is a dish already with noodles in it.
The chemical element with the atomic number 43 is technetium. It has the lowest atomic number of any element that does not possess stable isotopes. George W. Bush, another unstable isotope, was 43rd President of the United States. Following his father he earned the nickname 'Shrub'.
Cuarenta y tres is a tasty Spanish liqueur, reputedly distilled with 43 different herbs and spices.
In a film by Pixar called Cars, the champion racecar in the film, Strip 'The King' Wheathers is racecar number 43 based on Richard Petty's car. Petty also provides the voice of 'The King' in the film.Interstate 43 is a freeway in Wisconsin.
(c) Hotpix / HotpixUK Tony Smith - tone@Hotpix.freeserve.co.uk WDCC',
Description
Keywords: @hotpixuk,Hotpixuk,GoTonySmith,telephone,box,phone,BT,GPO,phonebox,coins,1940,1950,public telephone,telephone engineer,engineer,slot,coin slots,slots,historic,history,old-fashioned,insert,cash,money,technology,public telephones,public,communication,communications,phoneboxes,boxes,black,button,A button,B Button,old,fashioned
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy 2BGRC2C - A new type of coin-box was introduced, the well-known Button A and Button B prepayment equipment, and for over 25 years its design remained unchanged despite various developments in the design of kiosks. It was usually installed in both automatic and central battery manual exchange areas. To make a call in automatic areas, users inserted the appropriate fee which prepared the circuit for dialling. In manual areas, callers were connected to the operator on insertion of the call fee and, in both cases, the caller then depressed Button A. This allowed the coins to be deposited into the cash box and the call to be transmitted. If a call could not be connected for some reason, or if there was no reply, Button B was depressed, the line was disconnected for five to seven seconds and all the coins were returned to the caller.
Although 6d (2p) and 1/- (5p) slots were available for other calls, the minimum fee necessary to make a local call at the time was 2d. The mechanism was originally designed to check the presence of two pennies by a weighing operation. It was set to a minimum and maximum acceptable weight for the coins as a safety margin, but as the fee was gradually increased to 3d and then 4d the safety margin became smaller and eventually unacceptable. A mechanical counter was considered too expensive as the modifications needed would have been too many and too complex. To overcome this problem a new mechanism was devised by Hall Telephone Accessories Ltd and was in effect a combination of the two basic methods: three pennies were checked by weight and the mechanism waited for the insertion of the fourth penny before allowing the call. The system required the smallest amount of additional equipment and could be easily fitted. A limitation was that it could not be easily adapted for an increase beyond 4d.
In 1959 the first versions of the new Pay-on-Answer payphones were being introduced and at the end of the 1950s began to supersede the 'Button A and B' models.
Great Britain, UK
Description
Keywords: Indulgence,Chocolates,coffee,tea,drinks,machine,intelligent,button,screen,England,dispense,refreshment,hot,UK,Blue,stillife,stilllife,still,life,hotpix!
Description: Tony Smith image Flickr 4276794647 - 'Yes, the question on everyones lips.
I would personally go for button one, indulgence.
Intelligent drinks machine, somewhere along the lines of the Red Dwarf 'Talkie Toaster' (the machine that could only engage you on a conversation about bread products and methods of toasting).
For students of vending and related arts, this model did actually do tea &
coffee too to everyone in the office.
A more industrial type of machine can be found here www.flickr.com/photos/hotpixuk/3834522449/
(2010 week 1)
(c) Hotpix / HotpixUK Tony Smith - Hotpix.freeserve.co.uk WDCC 07092182899',
Description
Keywords: bell,confess,confessional,press,home,every,box,secrets,punishment,luxury,punishment of luxury,best,friends,tony,smith,tonysmith,hotpix,hotpixuk,TDKTony,Laughing,academy,Laughing academy,Punilux,post,punk,post-punk,group,The,Three,Tuns,Gateshead,button,St,Wilfrids,Church,Northwich,Cheshire,England,UK,GB,britain,Europe
Description: Tony Smith image Flickr 4207436982 - 'Every home or workplace should have one.
'Curtains moving, Door handle turning, the next room is empty but theres someone jumping up and down, Secrets, I thought they were my best friends....'
As always in life, theres a twist, you need to placate this guy first... www.flickr.com/photos/hotpixuk/4001962813/
(c) Hotpix / HotpixUK Tony Smith - Hotpix.freeserve.co.uk WDCC 07092182899',
Description
Keywords: Catholic,Confessional,bell,at,St,Wilfrids,Catholic,CW9,5NP,CW95NP,push,bell,Parish,of,St,John,Vianney,brass,with,white,button,gotonysmith,gotonysmith,confess,sin,sins,push,bell,Buy Pictures of,Buy Images Of,the,priest,your,142,Witton Street,Northwich,Cheshire
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy CEYA94 - Catholic Confessional bell at St Wilfrids Catholic Church, Witton Street Northwich Cheshire, England UK CW9 5NP
The church is in the Parish of St John Vianney. The Church is a Grade two listed building dating back to 1865, one of the architectural gems adding character to the inner landscape of the town.
It has been refurbished to make it a more fitting place for the celebration of the Liturgy in accordance with the norms of the Second Vatican Council. The Church is open at times outside of community prayer and worship, providing a welcoming oasis of calm for those seeking a quiet moment.
142 Witton street, Northwich, Cheshire, England, UK CW9 5NP
Description
Keywords: Four,buttons,on,a,quality,suit,Tailor,tailoring,garment,manufacture,China,Bangladesh,India,cheap,clothing,clothes,suits,button,buttons,gotonysmith,traditional,city,hes,my,hes,hes,called,Simon,I,know,its,going,to,fit,Matalan,Primark,Marks,Spencer,gotonysmith,Buy Pictures of,Buy Images Of
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy CET142 - . Four buttons on a quality suit Tailor tailoring. Photographed on 16 September 2009. The recorded location is England, UK. As background, fashion is often best understood through small details such as buttons, cuts, textiles and finishes
These elements show how garments are constructed and can distinguish bespoke tailoring, formalwear, uniforms or the distinctive styles of a particular decade. From a heritage perspective, industrial heritage links machinery and architecture with the lives of workers who operated mines, mills, potbanks, foundries and factories
As production declined or modernised, many sites were demolished, adapted or preserved, making photographs an important record of manufacturing landscapes and engineering culture. Against the 2026 backdrop, current discussion of clothing often contrasts disposable fast fashion with quality, longevity and skilled manufacture
Tailoring details can therefore support stories about craftsmanship, sustainability and consumer choice. As of 2026, industrial heritage is increasingly tied to regeneration, tourism, conservation and skills education, particularly in former manufacturing towns seeking new uses for historic sites
Preserved machinery and redundant industrial buildings also provide evidence for debates about adaptive reuse and local identity. From a heritage perspective, textiles and clothing form part of material culture, linking personal appearance with skilled trades, manufacturing and retail
A close-up can therefore illustrate not only fashion but the techniques and labour behind a garment. Looking at the subject's development, clothing details record both craftsmanship and evolving taste
Tailoring, buttons, fabrics and formal dress can reveal manufacturing quality, social conventions and fashion cycles that move between bespoke production and mass-market clothing. Useful alternative terminology includes menswear, fashion history, sartorial, garment construction, and quality clothing.
England, UK
Description
Keywords: Help,point,train,information,at,Slateford,Scotrail,railway,station,near,Edinburgh,an,un-manned,station,unmanned,un,manned,lonely,BR,British,rail,example,UK,great,britain,british,inconvenient,working,automated,connected,to,control,remote,remotely,CCTV,Portrait,format,button,press,gotonysmith,Buy Pictures of,Buy Images Of
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy DANJMR - Passenger help point at Slateford ScotRail railway station near Edinburgh, Scotland, photographed beside a white picket fence and leafy platform boundary in bright daylight. The image shows a yellow circular Help Point sign, a red and white assistance symbol, an orange and grey intercom unit, speaker grille and push button, with clear wording telling passengers to press the button and speak clearly for train information or emergency contact. The notice also warns that CCTV control is connected to the system and that misuse may result in prosecution. This is a strong editorial stock image for unstaffed railway stations, passenger safety, rail accessibility, help points, emergency communication, suburban transport, public information systems and the everyday infrastructure behind Scotland's railway network. Slateford is a suburban station in the west of Edinburgh, served by ScotRail trains on routes linking the city with Glasgow, Shotts, Carstairs and other parts of central Scotland. The help point is particularly relevant because smaller stations may not have staffed ticket offices or a visible member of staff on site, so passengers rely on signs, public address systems, CCTV, intercoms, live information displays and mobile travel apps to get assistance. The photograph can illustrate stories about public transport access, passenger confidence, lone travel, station security, disability support, service disruption, railway modernisation, transport funding and the tension between cost-saving staffing models and the need for reassurance at quieter stops. Visible details include the bold yellow sign, warning text, ScotRail reference, tactile height position, metal post, trees, gravel, fencing and clean platform-side setting. The image is useful for railway, safety, infrastructure, accessibility, customer service and Scottish transport themes, especially where a generic visual is needed for station assistance rather than trains themselves.
Slateford railway station,, Slateford Road, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK EH14 1BX
Description
Keywords: original,receiver,tech,technology,medium,wave,scale,old,analogue,transistor,valve,solid,state,solidstate,dial,welsh,London,Hilversum,button,buttons,colored,colour,coloured,tune,tuning,tuner,frequency,band,retro,style,icon,wire,less,brown,cream,creme,ivory,third,Brussels,GoTonySmith,dial,light,Buy Pictures of,Buy Images Of
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy F7DCXB - Antique Roberts Shortwave, Mediumwave, Longwave radio dial has the strength of a real-world scene: ordinary enough to be believable, but specific enough to support precise editorial use. An antique Roberts radio dial evokes the era when shortwave, medium wave and long wave listening brought news, music, shipping forecasts and distant voices into the home through a single portable set. The object suits stories about broadcasting history, analogue design, domestic technology, nostalgia, radio collecting and the shift from tuning knobs to streaming platforms. The location wording gives the subject enough geographic context for local and regional editorial use while avoiding a generic studio feel. It can work both as a straightforward location record and as a wider editorial illustration of the habits, services, buildings, symbols and small commercial details that shape everyday life.
England, UK
Description
Keywords: England,UK,road,safety,travel,transport,car,accident,accidents,evening,morning,clocks,putting,back,forward,BST,Clock,safe,cross,button,indicator,indicate,signal,std,standard,set,of,traffic,light,lights,Putting Clocks back,Putting Clocks Forward,Road Safety,GoTonySmith,@HotpixUK,Tony,Smith,PEdestrian LIght,CONtrolled,oncoming,vehicle,vehicles,pictogram,PELICON,United,Kingdom,GB,Great,Britain,English,Scottish,British,pedestrian,walk,dont,Buy Pictures of,Buy Images Of,Images of,Stock Images,Tony Smith,PEdestrian LIght CONtrolled Crossing,Green Cross man,Green Cross Code,Dont Walk
Description: Tony Smith image Alamy H04FY7 - A pelican crossing (previously Pelicon Crossing “ PEdestrian LIght CONtrolled Crossing) is a type of pedestrian crossing, which features a pair of poles each with a standard set of traffic lights facing oncoming traffic, a push button and two illuminated, coloured pictograms facing the pedestrian from across the road.
These are a red, stationary person to indicate that it is not safe to cross, and a green, walking person to indicate that it is safe to do so. Pelican crossings also provide non-visual indication that it is safe to cross, such as a beep, vibrating button or tactile rotating cone in order to assist visually impaired pedestrians.
Grappenhall, Warrington, Cheshire, England, UK
