Query

[#1]

In the context of a landline phone line, does anyone here know what "Earth A" means?
TIA

[#2]

If you think of the telephone circuit coming from the exchange the positive (+) is called the B leg and the negative (-)  is the A leg, so earth A means that the negative is in contact with earth somewhere on the line
HTH

[#3]

Thanks, 2u2me. So that sounds like a fault to me.

[#4]

Yep its a fault, electric`s lazy, it will always take the shortest path, so you will not be getting the full 50 volts

[#5]

For the record, under quiescent conditions the 'B' leg will normally be at -50V (negative leg), and the 'A' leg is earthed at the exchange (positive leg).
So, as 2u2me advises, 'Earth A' is a fault, and will be a greater or lesser problem depending on its location, and whether it's a full or resistive earth.

[#6]

As engineers we always spoke of EARTH A, BATTERY B.,exchanges work +ve earth so effectively the A leg is earth thus the B(battery) leg is -50v with respect to earth.Testing towards an exchange will show earth on the A leg.
sorry for any confusion.