Telephone Exchanges

CONTENTS OF
TELEPHONES UK

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BRITISH TELECOM TELEPHONE EXCHANGES

BRITISH TELECOM TELEPHONE EXCHANGES IN THE BIRMINGHAM 0121 TELEPHONE AREA


The following 47 Telephone Exchanges comprise the Birmingham Director Area - click on name for further details

Acocks Green	Druids Heath	Kings Norton	South [Moseley ]
Ashfield [Walmley]	East [Aston]	Midland [City Centre]	Springfield [Hall Green]
Aston Cross	Edgbaston	Northern [Handsworth]	Stechford
Beacon [Great Barr]	Elmdon	Priory [Northfield]	Stone Cross [West Bromwich]
Bearwood	Erdington	Rectory [Sutton Coldfield]	Streetly
Birchfield [Perry Barr]	Four Oaks	Rubery	Sutton Coldfield
Blackheath	Great Barr	Selly Oak	Tipton
Broadwell [Oldbury]	Halesowen	Sheldon	Victoria [Small Heath]
Calthorpe [Edgbaston]	Harborne	Shirley	Wednesbury
Castle Bromwich	Highbury (Kings Heath]	Smallbrook [City Centre]	West Bromwich
Central [City Centre]	Hillside [Barnt Green]	Smethwick	Woodgate [Quinton]
Chelmsley Wood	James Bridge [Darlaston]	Solihull


ACOcks Green ATE, Birmingham		ASHfield ATE, Walmley, Sutton Coldfield



Acocks Green Telephone Exchange is located in Station Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham. This ATE also serves parts of Sheldon. Acocks Green exchange went automatic on 21/01/33. The first exchange opened in 1899 probably at 1 Warwick Road, by 1903 it had 33 subscribers.. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-700, 0121-706, 0121-707, 0121-708, 0121-764, 0121-765. CMACO		Ashfield Exchange is located in Fox Hollies Road, Walmley, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands. Ashfield ATE serves subscribers in Walmley and Minworth and also some parts of Pype Hayes, Erdington. Ashfield was enabled for ADSL on 27 August 2003. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-313 and 0121-351 ID: CMASHF.



ASTon Cross ATE, Birmingham		Beacon ATE, Great Barr, Birmingham



Aston Cross Exchange is located in Corporation Street, Birmingham. This exchange covers Aston. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-333, 0121-359 and 0121-380. CMASTX		Beacon Area Telephone Exchange is located in Whitecrest, Great Barr, Birmingham. Beacon ATE serves parts of Pheasey, Great Barr and Kingstanding. Beacon was converted to a System X digital exchange at 6.30 am on Tuesday 16th March 1993. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-325, 0121-360 and 0121-366. ID: CMBEAC.



BEArwood ATE, Birmingham		BIRchfield ATE, Perry Barr, Birmingham



Bearwood Telephone Exchange is located in Sandon Road, Bearwood, Warley. This exchange also serves parts of Smethwick and Edgbaston. Bearwood Telephone Exchange was built in 1937. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-420, 0121-429, 0121-434. CMBEAR		Birchfield Exchange is located in Willmore Road, Perry Barr. This exchange covers Birchfield, Hamstead and Perry Barr. This Automatic exchange first commenced operation at 2.00 pm on 07/03/31 from the Northern exchange building. Birchfield then moved to Willmore Road in June 1933. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-331, 0121-332, 0121-344 and 0121-356. CMBIR



BLAckheath ATE, Birmingham		BROadwell ATE, Birmingham



Blackheath Telephone Exchange is located in Oldbury Road, Rowley Regis, Warley. Blackheath ATE also serves Rowley Regis. Blackheath was converted to automatic operation on 15/10/32. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-559 and 0121-561. CMBLAC		Broadwell Telephone Exchange is located in Flash Road, Oldbury, Warley. Broadwell ATE also serves Oldbury. Broadwell was previously known as Oldbury, but was changed because code 'O' was used to call the Operator so no exchange code could begin with 'O'. Broadwell was converted to automatic operation on 15/10/32. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-511, 0121-541, 0121-543, 0121-544, 0121-552. CMBRO



CALthorpe, Birmingham		CAStle Bromwich ATE, Birmingham



Calthorpe Telephone Exchange is located in Pershore Road, Edgbaston. It covers Calthorpe and Balsall Heath. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-440 and 0121-446. CMCAL		Castle Bromwich Telephone Exchange is located in Chester Road, Castle Bromwich. Castle Bromwich also serves Bromford Bridge, Castle Vale, Hodge Hill, Shard End and Water Orton. Castle Bromwich exchange was converted to automatic operation on 12/10/32. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-730, 0121-747, 0121-748, 0121-749 and 0121-776. CMCAS



CENtral ATE, Birmingham


The old building at 19 Newhall Street

Central was the first Birmingham exchange to be opened in 1880 by the Midland Telephone company in a room in Exchange Chambers at the corner of New Street and Stephenson Place. By 1882 the company had attracted it's first 100 customers and had moved into a new home in the attic of a music shop at the corner of Bennetts Hill and Colmore Row The exchange was further relocated in 1897 to 19 Newhall Street, a building originally owned by the National Telephone Company (NTC) but was taken over by the GPO in 1912. The present day Central telephone exchange has been located at Telephone House, Newhall Street, Birmingham since 1936. This exchange serves the northern area of Birmingham City Centre. Central was converted to automatic operation on 19/03/1932 and has had STD dialling since July 1961. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-212, 0121-214, 0121-230, 0121-232, 0121-233, 0121-234, 0121-235, 0121-236, 0121-237 and 0121-238. CMCEN



Chelmsley Wood ATE, Birmingham		Druids Heath ATE, Birmingham



Chelmsley Wood Telephone Exchange is located in Waugh Close, Chelmsley Wood. Chelmsley Wood also serves Kitts Green, Marston Green and Tile Cross. This exchange opened at 8.30am on 18/08/73 using TXK3 equipment. Marston Green was previously served by the MARston Green exchange. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-770, 0121-779 and 0121-788. CMCHEL		Druids Heath Telephone Exchange is located in Idmiston Croft, Maypole, Birmingham. This exchange also serves Maypole & Warpole. Druids Heath was previously named MAYpole around 1953 and before that, Warstock. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-430, 0121-436, and 0121-474. CMDRU

EASt ATE, Aston, Birmingham


Recent picture


Old picture taken in 1911

The East Telephone exchange is located in Alfred Street, Aston and serves parts of Aston & Erdington, Nechells, Saltley, Ward End, Washwood Heath and Witton. Being one of the earlier Birmingham exchanges, the original part of this building dates back to the origins of the National Telephone Co., the building has since been substantially extended. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-322, 0121-326, 0121-327 and 0121-328. CMEAS

EDGbaston ATE, Birmingham



Edgbaston Telephone Exchange is located in Ladywood Road, Ladywood, Birmingham. Edgbaston ATE also serves Ladywood. The first Edgbaston exchange opened at Wyndham Road around 1906. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-452, 0121-454, 0121-455 and 0121-456. CMEDG




Elmdon ATE, Birmingham		ERDington ATE, Birmingham



Elmdon Telephone Exchange is located off Bickenhill Lane in Elmdon. This exchange opened on 08/09/75 as a Strowger exchange. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-767, 0121-780, 0121-781, 0121-782 and 0121-787. CMELMD		Erdington Area Telephone Exchange is located in Sutton New Road, Erdington, Birmingham. Erdington ATE also serves some parts of Boldmere, Gravelly Hill, Kingstanding, New Oscott and Wylde Green. The photo shows the modern building at the rear, but the oldest part of the building dates back to 1934. The first Erdington exchange opened in 1899 at 5 Willow Villas in Mason Road, by 1903 it had 41 subscribers. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-306, 0121-350, 0121-373, 0121-377, 0121-382, 0121-384 & 0121-386. ID: CMERD.




FOUr Oaks ATE, Sutton Coldfield


Old Exchange	Present Exchange

Four Oaks Exchange in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands. It started life in 1911 being named Mere Green and was a small magneto exchange with the equipment hung on the wall of a cottage in Mere Green, which is part of Four Oaks. It was renamed Four Oaks the following year but was then closed in 1921 and it's subscribers were transferred to the Sutton Coldfield exchange. In 1932 the Four Oaks exchange opened in a new building (pictured above left) in Lichfield Road, with six operators and 450 lines. By 1964 the exchange had grown by eight times that size and had the distinction of being Birmingham's last remaining manual switchboard. At 8.30 a.m. on Saturday 14th November 1964 the new Four Oaks ATE opened in new premises (pictured above right) about half a mile down the Lichfield Road, where the exchange is still in current use today. The old building is now used as commercial offices. The Four Oaks ATE serves subscribers in the Bassetts Pole, Canwell, Four Oaks, Ley Hill, Little Sutton, Mere Green, Middleton, Roughley and Shenstone Wood End areas of Sutton Coldfield. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-308 and 0121-323. ID: CMFOU.




GREat Barr ATE, Birmingham		HALesowen ATE, Birmingham



Great Barr Area Telephone Exchange is located in Birmingham Road, Great Barr, Birmingham. Great Barr ATE also serves parts of Hamstead, Perry Barr and Walsall. The first Great Barr exchange opened around 1906 at 1 Warwick Cottages, Newton Road. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-357 and 0121-358. ID: CMGREB.		Halesowen Telephone Exchange is located in Whitehall Road, Halesowen. The exchange serves Halesowen and a small part of Woodgate Valley. The first Halesowen exchange opened in 1899 at 4 Villa, The Drive, Birmingham Road. By 1903 it had 24 subscribers. Halesowen was converted to automatic operation on 19/11/32. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-501, 0121-503, 0121-504, 0121-550 and 0121-585. CMHALE



HARborne ATE, Birmingham		HIGhbury ATE, Kings Heath, Birmingham



Harborne Telephone Exchange is located in War Lane, Harborne, Birmingham. This exchange serves Harborne, California and part of Selly Oak. This exchange opened as an Automatic exchange at 2.00 pm on 07/03/31 with 684 subscribers. It took subscribers that had previously been served by Edgbaston and Selly Oak. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-357 and 0121-358. CMHARBO		Highbury Telephone Exchange is located in Howard Road East, Kings Heath, Birmingham. The exchange serves Kings Heath and some surrounding areas. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-441, 0121-443 and 0121-444. CMHIGH



HILlside ATE, Barnt Green, Birmingham


Old Exchange		Present Exchange
		Hillside Telephone Exchange is located in Hewell Road, Barnt Green, Birmingham. The old exchange (pictured above left) was built in 1936. This was replaced by a new building (pictured above right) in the 1980's, which is a few hundred yards up the road. This exchange serves Alvechurch and Barnt Green. The original exchange for Barnt Green opened in November 1899 and by 1903 it had 64 subscribers. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-445 and 0121-447. CMHILL



JAMes Bridge ATE, Wednesbury		KINgs Norton ATE, Birmingham



James Bridge exchange is located in Joynson Street, Wednesbury and covers Darlaston and parts of Wednesbury. James Bridge was previously known as DARlaston but the name could not be used when the exchange was brought into the Birmingham Director area because it clashed with EASt. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-526 and 0121-568. CMJAM		Kings Norton Telephone Exchange is located in Northfield Road, Kings Norton, Birmingham. This ATE also serves Cotteridge. The first exchange for this area opened in 1899 probably at Ashleigh, Station Road. By 1903 it had 51 subscribers. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-433, 0121-451, 0121-458, 0121-459, 0121-486. CMKING



MIDland ATE, Birmingham



Midland Telephone Exchange is located in Station Street, Birmingham. This exchange serves the centre part of Birmingham City Centre. The present exchange opened on 29/06/35. The first Midland exchange at 60 Hill Street opened on 14/11/1908, the building was demolished in 1972. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-600, 0121-616, 0121-631, 0121-643, 0121-644, 0121-654, 0121-665 and 0121-666. CMMLD



NORthern ATE, Handsworth, Birmingham


Old picture		Recent picture

The Northern exchange is located in Soho Hill, Birmingham and serves Handsworth and Handsworth Wood. The first exchange for Handsworth opened in 1902, possibly in Villa Road. This exchange was converted to automatic operation at 2.00 pm on 07/03/31 with 2785 subscribers. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-507, 0121-515, 0121-523, 0121-551 and 0121-554. CMNOR



PRIory ATE, Northfield, Birmingham



Priory Telephone Exchange is located in Church Road, Northfield, Birmingham. The original front building can be seen in the picture above, left. As you can see in the picture on the right, the exchange has been dramatically extended. Priory ATE serves Northfield and parts of Longbridge and Bartley Green. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-411, 0121-475, 0121-476, 0121-477, 0121-478, 0121-482 and 0121-483. CMPRI

Rectory ATE, Sutton Coldfield

	Important Dates in the History of Rectory Exchange 1966 - Rectory 021-329 first appeared as part of the Sutton Coldfield exchange. 1973 - 021-329 were changed to 021-354 numbers as part of the S/C grouping. 1976 - The Rectory electronic exchange was opened with the 021-378 code. 1978 - The 021-329 number range was added to Rectory. 1988 - 021-311 appeared as a DOL Digital Overlay exchange. 1994 - 021-378 & 329 numbers were converted to System X at 7.00 am on Tuesday 13th September.

Rectory exchange in Rectory Road, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands opened in February 1976 and was the first TXE4RD (Rectory Design) exchange to be put into service. The TXE4 went on to become the standard for all electronic exchanges. The TXE4 was manufactured by Standard Telephones & Cables plc (STC) to gradually replace Strowger & Crossbar exchanges, the TXE4 could handle between 3,000 & 40,000 lines. The TXE4 was a modern switching system, which was based on a matrix containing hundreds of reed-relay switches which were controlled by micro-processors to route telephone traffic. The Rectory ATE covers the Falcoln Lodge, New Hall, North Walmley, Rectory, Reddicap Heath, and Whitehouse Common areas of Sutton Coldfield. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-311, 0121-329 and 0121-378. Rectory was enabled for ADSL on 03 September 2003. ID:CMREC.

RUBery ATE, Birmingham

			Rubery Telephone Exchange is located on Bristol Road South in Rubery, Birmingham. This ATE also serves part of Longbridge. The present Rubery exchange, built in the grounds of the old Rubery Hill Mental Hospital, opened at 8.00am on 01/09/62. Rubery started life around 1923 above W.H. Gibbs, Newsagent, in New Road, providing 100 lines. In 1930 it moved to larger premises higher up and across New Road, where by 1962 it had five positions manned by ten day and seven night operators, providing service to over a thousand subscribers. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-453, 0121-457 and 0121-460. CMRUB



SELly Oak ATE, Birmingham


Old Exchange			Present Exchange

Selly Oak Telephone Exchange is presently located in Oakfield Road. Selly Park, Birmingham. The exchange was previously located on the corner of Pershore Road and Dogpool Lane as shown by the photo (above left) taken by D.J.Norton during construction work in 1955. Records show that the first Selly Oak exchange was in 1905 on the Bristol Road. This ATE serves Selly Park and Selly Oak, it also used to serve the BBC Pebble Mill complex before it was demolished. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-414, 0121-415, 0121-432, 0121-471 and 0121-472. CMSEL



SHEldon ATE, Birmingham


Picture taken in 1958			Recent picture

Sheldon exchange is located in Lyndon Road, Sheldon. This exchange serves Garretts Green and Sheldon. The original part of the building, at the rear, was built in 1955. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-722, 0121-742 and 0121-743. CMSHEL



SHIrley ATE, Birmingham			Smallbrook ATE, Birmingham



Shirley Telephone Exchange is located in Hasluck Green Road, Shirley, Solihull. Shirley exchange first opened in 1906. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-701, 0121-733, 0121-744 and 0121-745. CMSHI			Smallbrook Telephone Exchange is located in Essex Street, Birmingham. This exchange covers the southern part of Birmingham city centre. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-622, 0121-666 and 0121-692. CMSMBK



SMEthwick ATE, Birmingham			SOLihull ATE



Smethwick Telephone Exchange is located in Messenger Road, Smethwick, Warley. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-555, 0121-558 and 0121-565. CMSME			The Solihull exchange is located in Poplar Road, Solihull and covers Solihull. The first Solihull exchange opened in 1902 at Mill Lane. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-704, 0121-705, 0121-709, 0121-711, 0121-712. CMSOL



SOUth ATE, Moseley, Birmingham


Old picture taken in 1961			Recent picture

The present South Telephone Exchange opened on 15/07/61 and is located in Alcester Road, Moseley, Birmingham. South serves Moseley and Balsall Heath. South began life as Moseley exchange in 1886 but it closed in 1889 and subscribers absorbed into Central. Due to further growth in usage Moseley exchange was built in September 1906 at Rose Cottage, 226 Mary Street, Balsall Heath which was the last surviving manual exchange within the city. South ATE serves Moseley. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-442 and 0121-449. CMSOUB



SPRingfield ATE, Hall Green, Birmingham


Old picture			Recent picture

Springfield ATE is situated on the Stratford Road in Hall Green and covers Hall Green, Springfield and Sparkhill. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-702, 0121-777 & 0121-778.



STEchford ATE, Birmingham			STOne Cross ATE, West Bromwich



Stechford Exchange is located in Stuarts Road, Stechford. This exchange covers Hodge Hill and Stechford. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-783, 0121-784, 0121-785, 0121-786 and 0121-789. CMSTE			Stone Cross Exchange is located in Hollyhedge Road, West Bromwich. This exchange covers Stone Cross and parts of West Bromwich. Stone Cross was converted to automatic operation on 15/10/32. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-567 and 0121-588. CMSTOX



STReetly ATE, Sutton Coldfield			SUTton Coldfield ATE, Sutton Coldfield



Streetly Area Telephone Exchange is located in Hardwick Road, Streetly, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands. Streetly ATE also serves some parts of Four Oaks & Kingstanding. The first Streetly exchange opened in 1912 as a single line in the local Post Office, by 1925 a small exchange was in operation and at 2.00 pm on 04/07/1931 it was replaced by an automatic exchange with around 310 subscribers as a satellite of the Walsall exchange. It was brought into the Birmingham Director area on 28/09/57. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-352, 0121-353 and part 0121-580. ID: CMSTRE			Sutton Coldfield Exchange is located in Station Street, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands. Sutton Coldfield ATE serves subscribers in Sutton Coldfield and Boldmere and some parts of Wylde Green, New Oscott and Kingstanding. Sutton Coldfield exchange first opened in 1901 and by 1903 it had 38 subscribers. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-321, 0121-354, 0121-355 and 0121-362. ID: CMSUT.



TIPton ATE


Picture taken in 1931			Recent picture

Tipton exchange is located in Horseley Road, Tipton and serves the Tipton area. This exchange was converted to automatic operation on 15/10/32. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-520, 0121-521, 0121-522, 0121-545 and 0121-557. CMTIP



VICtoria ATE, Small Heath, Birmingham


Old exchanges			New Exchange

Victoria exchange is located in Watery Lane, Birmingham and serves Small Heath and Sparkbrook. The first exchange covering the Small Heath area opened in 1894. The exchange then reopened in 1906 at 140-142 Coventry Road and in 1907 was renamed Victoria. It subsequently moved to Sandy Lane in 1910. The building was demolished in 1976. This exchange was converted to Automatic operation at 2.00 pm on 07/03/31 when it had 1775 subscribers. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-753, 0121-766, 0121-771, 0121-772 and 0121-773. CMVIC



WEDnesbury ATE


Picture taken in 1937			Recent picture

Wednesbury telephone exchange is located in Camp Street, Wednesbury. The original part of the building (on the right) was built in 1936. The exchange went automatic on 04/12/37. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-502, 0121-505 and 0121-556. CMWED



WESt Bromwich ATE			WOOdgate ATE, Birmingham



West Bromwich exchange is located in High Street, West Bromwich and serves West Bromwich. West Bromwich exchange went automatic on 04/12/37. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-500, 0121-524, 0121-525, 0121-553, 0121-567, 0121-569, 0121-580 and 0121-588. CMWESB			Woodgate Telephone Exchange is located on Hagley Road West, Quinton, Birmingham. This exchange serves Quinton and Woodgate Valley. Woodgate was previously known as Quinton, but the name had to be changed for auto working as this clashed with 'O' for the Operator. As with many smaller exchanges BT no longer require all the available space. Here Exchange House, the front part of the Quinton Telephone Exchange building, has been converted into both apartments and office space. British Telecom continue to occupy part of the ground floor of the building. The telephone codes currently used are 0121-421, 0121-422 and 0121-423. CMWDGT

For further information on the Birmingham Director area, see the section on old dialling codes.

My grateful thanks to the following sources for much of the information used on this page.
BT Archives,
D.J Norton,
A History of Birmingham Telephone Area by R.E. Tupling
It All Began With a Dozen Subscribers by J.W. Whiston

BRITISH TELECOM TELEPHONE EXCHANGES IN THE LICHFIELD 01543 TELEPHONE AREA

Armitage ATE		Brownhills ATE



Armitage Area Telephone Exchange is located in New Road, Armitage, Staffs. This exchange serves Armitage, Handsacre, Hill Ridware, Longdon, Longdon Green and Upper Longdon. The present exchange opened at 1.00pm on 26/11/70 with an initial capacity of 1000 lines and replaced the old exchange that had been in New Road. The telephone code currently used is 01543-49.		This exchange is located in Ogley Road, Brownhills and serves Brownhills, Clayhanger, Muckley Corner, Newtown, Stonnall, Upper Stonnall and Walsall Wood. The present exchange opened at 1.00pm on 28/07/66 which replaced the previous building on the same site dating back to the 1940's. Brownhills ATE was converted to a TXE4A at 7.00am on 09/05/85. The first Brownhills exchange opened in 1912. The telephone codes currently used are 01543-36, 37 & 45.

Burntwood ATE, Lichfield, Staffs.		Cannock ATE



Burntwood Area Telephone Exchange is located in New Road, Burntwood, Staffs. and is part of the Lichfield Telephone area. Burntwood ATE serves the areas of Boney Hay, Burntwood, Cannock Wood, Chasetown, Chase Terrace and Hammwerwich. The number ranges currently used are 01543-67 and 01543-68. ID: CMBNW.		Cannock ATE is located in Church Street in Cannock. The present exchange opened at 1.15pm on 17/09/64 with an initial capacity of 1900 lines. The first Cannock exchange opened in 1899 in Market Place, by 1903 it had 16 subscribers.



Heath Hayes ATE		Hednesford ATE

This exchange is located in Newlands Lane, Heath Hayes and serves Heath Hayes and Norton Canes. This ATE opened at 1.00pm on 18/11/71 with an initial capacity of 1500 lines at a cost of £132,000. It replaced the old exchange which dated back to October 1945.		The present exchange is located in Eskrett Street, Hednesford and serves Hednesford and Rawnsley. This exchange opened at 1.00pm on 10/03/66 with an initial capacity of 1000 lines and replaced the old exchange which was at 42 Market Street, since 1948.



Lichfield ATE, Lichfield, Staffs.		Shenstone ATE, Lichfield, Staffs.



Lichfield Area Telephone Exchange is located in Friary Road, Lichfield, Staffs. and is part of the Lichfield Telephone area. Lichfield ATE serves the areas of Boley Park, Elmhurst, Lichfield, Streethay and part of Fradley The number ranges currently used are 01543-25, 01543-26, 01543-41 and 01543-44. ID: CMLIC.		Shenstone Area Telephone Exchange is located at the bottom of Doctors Lane, Shenstone, Staffs. and is part of the Lichfield Telephone area. Shenstone ATE serves the villages of Shenstone, Chesterfield, Footherley, Hilton, Wall, Little Hay, Swinfen, Weeford and Hints. Shenstone was enabled for ADSL on 20 April 2005. The number ranges currently used are 01543-48 0/1/2/3/4. ID: CMSHE.


Weeford Exchange (no longer used), Lichfield		Whittington ATE, Lichfield, Staffs.



The old Weeford exchange, is located in Weeford village near to the Old School House Restaurant. The building is now used as an office by a private company since the exchanged was absorbed into the Shenstone exchange.		Whittington Area Telephone Exchange is located in Chapel Lane, Whittington, Lichfield, Staffs. and is part of the Lichfield Telephone area. Whittington ATE serves the areas of Fisherwick and Whittington. The number range currently used is 01543-43. ID: CMWHY.



Yoxall ATE, Lichfield



Yoxall Area Telephone Exchange is located on the Kings Bromley Road, Yoxall, Lichfield, Staffs. It serves Kings Bromley and Yoxall. The current exchange opened on 28/11/73. The telephone code currently used is 01543-47.


BRITISH TELECOM TELEPHONE EXCHANGES IN THE COLESHILL 01675 TELEPHONE AREA

COLESHILL ATE		CURDWORTH ATE



Coleshill Area Telephone Exchange is located in High Street, Coleshill. The first Coleshill exchange opened in 1908 at Church Hill. The telephone codes currently used are 01675-40 & 01675-46.		Curdworth Area Telephone Exchange is located in Glebe Fields, Curdworth, Sutton Coldfield. The telephone code currently used is 01675-47.



Furnace End		Hampton-in-Arden

Furnace End Telephone Exchange is located Tamworth Road, Furnace End. The telephone code currently used is 01675-48.		Hampton-in-Arden Telephone Exchange is located in Shadowbrook Lane, Hampton-in-Arden, Solihull. The telephone code currently used is 01675-44 .


BRITISH TELECOM TELEPHONE EXCHANGES IN THE TAMWORTH 01827 TELEPHONE AREA

ATHERSTONE ATE		CLIFTON CAMPVILLE ATE



Atherstone ATE is located in North Street, Atherstone and serves Atherstone, Baddesley Ensor, Bentley, Grendon, Mancetter, Ratcliffe Culey & Witherley. The Atherstone exchange first opened in 1903. The telephone codes currently used are 01827-71 and 01827-72.		Clifton Campville exchange is located in Main Street and also serves the neighbouring village of Haunton. It was upgraded from a U5 to a U13 exchange at 12.30 on 24/10/62. The telephone code currently used is 01827-37.



FAZELEY ATE		HURLEY ATE



Fazeley ATE is located in Dosthill Road, Two Gates, Tamworth. It serves the districts of Dosthill, Drayton Bassett, Fazeley, Glascote Heath, Hockley, Kettlebrook, Lakeside, Mile Oak, Stonydelph, Two Gates, Whateley & Wilnecote. The telephone codes currently used are 01827-25, 01827-26 & 01827-28.		The Hurley exchange is situated in Church Lane, Kingsbury and serves Baxterley, Cliff, Hurley, Kingsbury, Piccadilly & Wood End. The telephone code currently used is 01827-87.



Newton Regis ATE		Polesworth ATE



Newton Regis exchange is located and in Kings Lane, Newton Regis and serves Austrey, Newton Regis, No Mans Heath & Seckington. The telephone code currently used is 01827-83.		Polesworth ATE is located in High Street, Polesworth and serves Birchmoor, Dordon, Grendon, Polesworth, Stonydelph, Shuttington, Warton, Wilnecote. The telephone codes currently used are 01827-33 & 01827-89.



Tamworth		Twycross



Tamworth ATE is situated in Victoria Road, Tamworth and also serves the districts of Amington, Bolehall, Coton Green, Gillway, Glascote, Hopwas, Leyfields, Perryfields, The Alders, Wiggington. The first Tamworth exchange opened in 1897. The telephone codes currently used are 01827-5/6 and 01827-31. Tamworth is only one of a handful of exchanges in the country that still uses five digit numbers.		Twycross exchange is located in Burton Road, Twycross and serves Norton Juxta, Sheepy Magna & Twycross. The telephone code currently used is 01827-88.


BRITISH TELECOM TELEPHONE EXCHANGES IN THE WALSALL 01922 TELEPHONE AREA

Aldridge ATE		Leamore ATE, Bloxwich, Walsall



The present Aldridge ATE opened at 1.00pm on 13/05/65 with an initial capacity of 2300 lines. The first Aldridge exchange opened in 1902 in the High Street. The telephone codes currently used are 01922-45 & 01922-74.		Opened in July 1970. It replaced the old exchange which was in Harrison Street, Bloxwich. The telephone codes currently used are 01922-40,01922-47, 01922-49 & 01922-71.



Pelsall ATE


Present Exchange		Old Exchange

This building opened at 1.30pm on 02/07/64 with an initial capacity of 1000 lines and replaced the old building in Coronation Road which had been operating since 1951. The first Pelsall exchange opened in 1914. The telephone codes currently used are 01922-68 & 01922-69.



Walsall



This building opened at 7.30am on 11/06/60 with an initial capacity of 5500 lines at a cost of £500,000. It replaced the old exchange that was located in Darwell Street. The telephone codes currently used are 01922-61, 01922-62, 01922-63, 01922-64, 01922-65, 01922-72, 01922-77 & 01922-85.

BRITISH TELECOM TELEPHONE EXCHANGES IN THE OUTER LONDON 020-8 TELEPHONE AREA


Forest Hill, South London		Sydenham, South London





Forest Hill Exchange is located in Waldram Park Road, Forest Hill, South London and was built in 1934 with an extension added around 1962. Forest Hill is part of the London Director area and is a Marconi designed System X Processor Exchange. Forest Hill also serves the Grove Park, Dulwich and Rushey Green Concentrator Exchanges. The number ranges currently used are 020-8290, 020-8291 and 020-8699.		Sydenham Exchange is located in Crystal Palace Park Road, Sydenham, South London and was built in 1928 with an extension added in the sixties. Forest Hill is part of the London Director area and is a Processor only Exchange containing both System X and System Y (AXE10) equipment. The Sydenham Concentrators are served by the Croydon Processor Exchange. Sydenham serves subscribers in the Sydenham, Penge and Crystal Palace districts of South London. The number ranges currently used are 020-8659 and 020-8778.

Take a look inside a typical modern BT Exchange

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