Model 78 Production Dates

[Dave Hughes]

I've been approached by Matt Harvey, who is a Social History Curator at a museum on the island of Guernsey.

He's keen to find out some more info on a linecaster he's about to acquire:

We are about to acquire a Linotype machine that bears a Maker's Plate with the follwing information:
"Manufactured at Altringham, Cheshire, England by Linotype & Machinery Ltd., London. LINOTYPE. Model 78  No 18839".

Do any of your members have an idea of the production date for this particular machine?

Also, another Makers Plate was discovered ( not attached to any machine ) which says "Model 4 No. MCXXPR".
Can anyone shed any light on this?

Were older Linotype Models "upgraded" with more modern parts additions and then re-issued with a newer Model No.??

Anyone any ideas?

[Dan Williams]

Production dates for American Linotypes seems to be well documented. Perhaps thats because some of Mergenthalers records were preserved. I wonder whether anything remains of Linotype & Machinery's records.

[Dave Hughes]

John Nicholson contacted me from New Zealand on this matter, saying:

Our newest 78 was Serial No. 18621, Shipped on the 2nd March 1968.

That machine will have been shipped from the UK.

I think it safe to say, then, that the machine in question on the island of Guernsey, with a serial number about 200 higher, would date from the late 1960s, possibly early 1970s.

Not sure about the maker's plate from the Model 4 though. Are we looking at Roman numerals?