The fifteen BT Telephone Exchanges (and ten former) in the Chichester (01243) telephone area
Birdham ATE
Birdham former ATE
The first ATE here came into service in June 1931 as an RAX5. The present building on the site dates from later in the 1930s and housed a UAX13. It closed in 1970 and is now a private house.
Bognor Regis ATE
Bosham ATE
Bosham former ATE
Bracklesham Bay ATE
This exchange is scheduled to cease operation in December 2030 and close by June 2031.
Bracklesham Bay former ATE
The former Bracklesham Bay exchange is in Bracklesham Lane, Bracklesham Bay, Chichester PO20 8JA.
It came into service on Saturday 27 June 1931 as an RAX5 and was later expanded to form a UAX13.
It closed in the 1970s and is now a private house.
Chichester ATE
Chichester former ATE
The first Chichester automatic exchange was in the former post office in West Street, Chichester (now PO19 1QD), seen here on the left.
It came into service on Saturday 3 December 1938 as a non-director exchange. It was later extended down Chapel Street, as seen in this 1964 photograph.
The post office has since closed and the extension has made way for a Travel Lodge.
Its dialling code was 0243.
ID: SDCHCHS. Photo courtesy of BT Archives.
Colworth former ATE
The former Colworth exchange is in Bognor Road, Colworth, Bognor Regis PO20 2BJ beside a car dealership.
Designed in the style of a traditional Sussex building, it came into service in the late 1930s as a UAX12 to replace a manual exchange opened on 21 March 1929. It closed around 1970 with lines going to Bognor Regis exchange.
It is now a private house called The Barn.
Its dialling code was 024 352.
Photo courtesy of Google Maps.
East Marden ATE
Eastergate ATE
ID: SDSTRGT. Photo courtesy of Simon Cowper-Smith.
Emsworth ATE
ID: SDMSWRT. Photo courtesy of Basher Eyre.
Halnaker former ATE
The former Halnaker exchange is in The Street, Boxgrove, Chichester PO18 0DY.
It came into service at 10.30 am on 25 June 1936 as a UAX12, replacing a manual exchange in Halnaker post office opened in November 1924. It closed in the 1980s.
It now stands in the grounds of a house called St Hugh’s and has been converted for holiday rental.
Its dialling code was 024 353.
Photo courtesy of Airbnb.
Middleton-on-Sea ATE
Middleton-on-Sea telephone exchange is located in Elmer Road, Middleton-on-Sea, Bognor Regis PO22 6DZ and serves Flansham, Middleton-on-Sea and the surrounding area.
The telephone code for this exchange is 01243-58.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 024 369.
ID: SDMDDLT. Photo courtesy of Simon Cowper-Smith.
Pagham ATE
Pagham Telephone Exchange is located in Nyetimber Lane, Bognor Regis PO21 3JX and serves Nyetimber, Pagham and the surrounding area.
The telephone code for this exchange 01243-26.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 024 32.
ID: SDPGHM. Photo courtesy of Simon Cowper-Smith.
Selsey ATE
Selsey telephone exchange is located in Latham Road, Selsey, Chichester PO20 0JY and serves Selsey and the surrounding area.
The former Selsey Strowger exchange is adjacent to the current exchange and is now a Royal Mail delivery office.
The telephone code for this exchange is 01243-60.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 024 361.
ID: SDSLSY. Photo courtesy Simon Cowper-Smith.
Selsey former ATE
The former Selsey exchange is at 3 Latham Road, Selsey, Chichester PO20 0JU.
It came into service at 11am on Tuesday 15 July 1952 to replace a CBS2 manual exchange in Nelson Terrace, where the first Selsey exchange was opened by the National Telephone Company in 1908.
It closed in the 1980s and is now a Royal Mail delivery office.
Its dialling code was 024 361.
ID: SDSLSY. Photo (2015) courtesy of Peter Holmes.
Sidlesham ATE
Sidlesham Telephone Exchange is located in Selsey Road, Sidlesham, Chichester PO20 7RD and serves Highleigh, Sidlesham, Sidlesham Common and the surrounding area.
The telephone code for this exchange is 01243-64.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 024 356.
ID: SDSDLSH. Photo courtesy of Simon Ford.
Singleton ATE
Singleton telephone exchange is located in Little Drove, Singleton, Chichester PO18 0HD and serves Charlton, Singleton, West Dean and the surrounding area.
The Weald & Downland Living Museum, the home of popular the BBC programme – The Repair Shop, is located in the village of Singleton
The telephone code for this exchange is 01243-811.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 024 363.
ID: SDSNGLT. Photo courtesy of Peter Hocken.
Slindon ATE
Slindon Telephone Exchange is located in School Hill, Slindon, Arundal BN18 0RS and serves Fontwell, Slindon, Slindon Common and the surrounding area.
The telephone code for this exchange is 01243-814.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 024 365.
ID: SDSLNDN. Photo courtesy of Simon Cowper-Smith.
West Ashling former ATE
The former West Ashling exchange is situated in Southbrook Road, West Ashling, Chichester PO18 8DN.
It came into service in the mid-1950s to replace a CBS2 manual exchange.
It closed in the mid 1980s and is now a private house called Hideaway Cottage.
Its dialling code was 024 358.
Photo (2023) courtesy of Rightmove.
West Wittering former ATE
The former West Wittering exchange is in Cakeham Road, West Wittering, Chichester PO20 8AA.
It was built around 1939 and opened as a UAX 14 to replace a manual exchange.
It is now a private house called The Old Exchange.
Its dialling code was 024 366.
Photo (2019) courtesy of Rightmove.
Yapton ATE
Yapton telephone exchange is located in Church Lane, Yapton, Arundal BN18 0EH and serves Barnham, Yapton and the surrounding area.
The telephone code for this exchange is 01243-55.
ID: SDYPTN. Photo courtesy of Simon Cowper-Smith.
Yapton former ATE
The former Yapton telephone exchange is located in North End Road, Yapton, Arundal BN18 0DS and served Barnham, Yapton and the surrounding area.
It was equipped with a UAX13.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 024 355.
ID: SDYPTN. Photo courtesy of Simon Cowper-Smith.
Former Chichester Relief Exchanges
- Curlew Former Relief ExchangeCurlew was the name given to a relief unit for Birdham exchange. It operated from 25 February 1970 to 22 October 1970. Its dialling code was 024 364.
- Golden Key Former Relief ExchangeGolden Key was the name given to a relief unit for Bognor Regis exchange. It operated from 29 November 1967 to 29 May 1968. Its dialling code was 024 367.
- Lake Barn Former Relief ExchangeLake Barn was the name given to a relief unit for Yapton exchange. It operated from 1971 to 26 October 1972. Its dialling code was 0243 558.
- Rosewood Former Relief ExchangeRosewood was the name given to a relief unit for Pagham exchange. It operated from 31 January 1966 to 11 October 1967. Its dialling code was 024 360.