The thirteen BT Telephone Exchanges (and seven former) in the Brooke (01508) telephone area
Brooke ATE
Brooke telephone exchange is located at Norwich Road, Brooke, Norwich NR15 1AB and also covers Bergh Apton, Howe, Kirstead, Seething and most of Shotesham.
The telephone code for this exchange is principally 01508-55.
ID: EABRK.  Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Brooke former ATE
The former Brooke telephone exchange is located at 11 The St, Brooke, Norwich NR15 1JW. It came into service in 1937 as a UAX12, replacing a manual switchboard opened in the village post office on 27 January 1905. Its dialling code was 050 85. It is currently a hairdressing salon.
Framingham Earl ATE
Framingham Earl telephone exchange is located in Mill Close, Poringland, Norwich NR14 7JP and covers Framingham Earl, Framingham Pigot, Poringland, Caister St Edmund, Stoke Holy Cross, Yelverton, Kirby Bedon and Alpington. It came into service in 1970 as a TXE2 exchange.
The telephone codes for this exchange are principally 01508-492, 01508-493, 01508-494 and 01508-495. Its former dialling code was 050 86.
ID: EAFME. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Framingham Earl former ATE
The former Framingham Earl telephone exchange stood in Stoke Road, Poringland, Norwich (now NR14 9JL).
It came into service in 1947 as a UAX13 to replace a manual exchange, the first of which was opened in 1909.
Its former dialling code was 050 86.
It closed in 1970 and was demolished in 1986 to make way for a doctor’s surgery.
There was also a relief unit to Framingham Earl, named Poringland, from the late 1960s until 1970, when the main exchange closed.
ID: EAFME. Photo (Circa 1980) courtesy of Poringland Archive.
Fundenhall ATE
Fundenhall telephone exchange is located in Church Lane, Fundenhall, Norwich, NR16 1AH and also serves Ashwellthorpe, Hapton, Tacolneston, Wreningham and part of Forncett. The telephone codes for this exchange include 01508-488 and 01508-489. Its former dialling code was 050 841.
ID: EAFUN. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Fundenhall former ATE
The former Fundenhall exchange stands in the grounds of Post House, Church Lane, Fundenhall, Norwich, NR16 1AH. It was the first automatic exchange (an RAX5) in the Norwich Telephone Area and came into service on 19 November 1929 with eight subscribers. It was upgraded to a UAX12 in 1936. It is now a garden shed.
ID: EAFUN. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Hempnall ATE
Hempnall telephone exchange is located in Fairstead Lane, Hempnall, Norwich NR15 2NF and also serves Fritton, Saxlingham and parts of Shotesham.
The telephone codes for this exchange include 01508-498 and 01508 -499. Its former dialling code was 050 842.
ID: EAHEM. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Hempnall former ATE
The former Hempnall telephone exchange stands in the grounds of Fairstead House, Broaden Lane, Hempnall, Norwich NR15 2LU. It came into service in 1938 as a UAX 12, replacing a manual switchboard opened in the village post office on 20 September 1926. It is now the garage and bar for Fairstead House.
ID: EAHEM. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Kirby Cane ATE
Kirby Cane telephone exchange is located in Yarmouth Road, Ellingham, Bungay NR35 2PH and also covers Kirby Row, Ellingham, Thwaite St Mary and parts of Broome and Geldeston.
The telephone code for this exchange is principally 01508-518. Its former dialling code was 050 845.
ID: EAKBC. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Kirby Cane former ATE
The former Kirby Cane telephone exchange is located in Old Bungay Road, Kirby Cane, Norwich, about 75 yards east of Wardley Hill Road. It came into use as an RAX5 exchange on 17 September 1931 covering an area previously served by a rural party line from Bungay exchange. It was upgraded to UAX12 in 1937. It is now abandoned.
ID: EAKBC. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Loddon ATE
Loddon telephone exchange is located in Langley Road, Chedgrave, Norwich NR14 6HD and also serves Chedgrave, Langley, Hardley, Sisland and part of Mundham. The telephone code of this exchange is principally 01508-52.
ID: EALOD. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Loddon former ATE
The former Loddon telephone exchange is located in Kittens Lane, Loddon, Norwich NR14 6JU. It came into service as a UAX13 in 1938 to replace a manual switchboard in the post office (first opened in what was then a private house on 14 December 1904). Its dialling code was 050 82.
ID: EALOD. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Long Stratton ATE
Long Stratton telephone exchange is located in Swan Lane, Long Stratton, Norwich NR15 2XN and also serves Morningthorpe, Shelton, Tharston, Wacton, Wood Green and most of Forncett. Its predecessor exchange (possibly on the same site) came into service in 1937 as a UAX12 to replace a manual switchboard opened in the post office on 18 December 1907.
The dialling code for this exchange is principally 01508-53. Its former dialling code was 050 83.
ID: EALST. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Mulbarton ATE
Mulbarton telephone exchange is located at Norwich Road, Mulbarton, Norwich NR14 8DE and also serves Braconash, Carleton and Swardeston. It came into service around 1978. Its predecessor exchange in Rectory Road (now demolished) began service on 6 February 1951. It replaced a switchboard in the post office opened on 19 November 1924. The area had previously been served in part by a rural party line from Eaton exchange.
The telephone code for this exchange is principally 01508-57. Its former dialling code was 050 87.
ID: EAMUL. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Raveningham ATE
Raveningham telephone exchange is located at Yarmouth Road, Raveningham, Norwich NR14 6NN and also covers Hales, Thurlton, Norton Subcourse and most of Stockton. Its predecessor exchange, possibly on the same site, came into service as a UAX12 in 1936, taking over some lines from Loddon exchange and replacing a manual switchboard (opened on 24 July 1929) in Raveningham post office.
The telephone codes for this exchange include 01508-548 and 01508 -549. Its former dialling code was 050 846.
ID: EARAV. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Surlingham ATE
Surlingham telephone exchange is located at Bramerton Road, Surlingham, Norwich NR14 7DE and also covers Bramerton and Rockland St Mary. It stands behind its predecessor exchange (now housing the main distribution frame) which came into service as a UAX12 in 1938 to replace the switchboard opened in Surlingham Post Office on 15 February 1927.
The telephone code for this exchange is principally 01508-538. Its former dialling code was 050 88.
ID: EASUR. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Swainsthorpe ATE
Swainsthorpe telephone exchange is located in Exchange Road, Newton Flotman, Norwich NR15 1PS and covers Swainsthorpe, Newton Flotman, Tasburgh, Flordon and Dunston. It came into operation on 24 February 1969 taking 400 subscribers previously served by Mulbarton, Long Stratton and Framingham Earl exchanges.
The telephones codes for this exchange include 01508-470, 01508-471 and 01508-473. Its former dialling code was 050 847.
ID: EASWN. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Thurton ATE
Thurton telephone exchange is located at Mill Common, Ashby St. Mary, Norwich NR14 7BW and serves Thurton, Ashby St Mary, Carleton St Peter, Hellington and Langley Green. Its predecessor automatic exchange (location unknown) was opened on 16 November 1931. The area had previously been served in part by a rural party line from Loddon exchange.
The telephone codes of Thurton exchange include 01508-480 and 01508-484. It’s former dialling code was 050 843.
ID: EATHU. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Woodton ATE
Woodton telephone exchange is located behind Park Lodge, Hempnall Road, Woodton, Bungay NR35 2LS, and also serves Bedingham, Hedenham and Topcroft. The telephone codes of this exchange include 01508-482 and 01508-483. Its former dialling code was 050 844.
ID: EAWOD. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Woodton former ATE
The former Woodton telephone exchange is located at Hempnall Road, Woodton, Bungay NR35 2LS. It came into service as an RAX5 on 2 September 1931 and was upgraded to UAX 12 in 1936. Its coverage area had previously been served in part by Brooke exchange and a rural party line from Bungay exchange.
Its dialling code was 050 844. It is now a privately-owned garage.
ID: EAWOD. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.