The twenty-one BT Telephone Exchanges (and nine former) in the Colchester (01206) telephone area
Ardleigh ATE
Birch ATE
Boxted former ATE
Brightlingsea ATE
This exchange is scheduled to cease operation in December 2030 and close by June 2031.
Colchester ATE
Colchester former ATE
Dedham ATE
East Bay ATE
East Bergholt ATE
ID: EAEBG. Photo courtesy of Craig Gonsalves.
East Bergholt former ATE
ID: EAEBG. Photo courtesy of Craig Gonsalves.
East Mersea former ATE
The former East Mersea telephone exchange, a UAX12, stood in East Road, East Mersea, Colchester CO5 8TP.
A house called Bluebell Cottage now occupies the site.
Its dialling code was 020 620.
Photo courtesy of Rightmove.
Fordham ATE
Fordham Telephone Exchange is located in Plummers Road, Fordham, Colchester CO6 3NP and serves Fordham, Hemp’s Green and the surrounding area.
The telephone code for this exchange is 01206-24.
ID: EAFOR. Photo courtesy of Craig Gonsalves.
Fordham former ATE
The former Fordham Telephone Exchange is located in Plummers Road, Fordham, Colchester CO6 3NP and served Fordham, Hemp’s Green and the surrounding area.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 020 624.
ID: EAFOR. Photo courtesy of Craig Gonsalves.
Great Bentley ATE
Great Bentley telephone exchange is located in Thorrington Road, Great Bentley, Colchester CO7 8QD and serves Frating, Great Bentley and the surrounding area.
The telephone code for this exchange is 01206-25.
ID: EAGBT. Photo courtesy of Craig Gonsalves.
Great Bentley former ATE
The former Great Bentley telephone exchange is located in Thorrington Road, Great Bentley, Colchester CO7 8PR and served Frating, Great Bentley and the surrounding area. It is now home to a home improvements company.
The former telephone code for this exchange was 020 625.
ID: EAGBT. Photo courtesy of Google Maps.
Great Horkesley ATE
Great Horkesley Telephone Exchange is located in Ivy Lodge Road, Great Horkesley, Colchester CO6 4EN and serves Great Horkesley, Horkesley Heath and the surrounding area.
The telephone code for this exchange is 01206-27.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 020 627.
ID: EAGHY. Photo courtesy of Simon Cowper-Smith.
Higham ATE
Higham telephone exchange is located in Hadleigh Road, Higham, Colchester CO7 6LD and serves Higham and the surrounding area.
The telephone code for this exchange is 01206-337.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 020 637.
ID: EAHGM. Photo courtesy of Keith Evans.
Highwoods ATE
Highwoods Telephone Exchange is located in Mill Road, Mile End, Colchester CO4 5JF and serves Highwoods, Mile End and northern Colchester.
The telephone codes for this exchange include 01206-41 and 01206-84.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 0206.
ID: EAHWD. Photo courtesy of Craig Gonsalves.
Layer De La Haye ATE
Layer De La Haye telephone exchange is located in Church Road, Layer De La Haye, Colchester CO2 0EN and serves Layer De La Haye, Malting Green and the surrounding villages.
The telephone codes for this exchange are 01206-734 and 01206-738.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 020 634.
ID: EALAY. Photo courtesy of Craig Gonsalves.
Lucy Lane North ATE
Lucy Lane North is a cabinet exchange located in Lucy Lane North, Stanway, Colchester CO3 0FQ and serves Beacon End, Eight Ash Green, Fordham Heath, Stanway and the surrounding area.
The telephone codes for this exchange include 01206-54 and 01206-76.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 0206.
ID: EALLN. Photo courtesy of Simon Ford.
Video and further details available HERE.
Manningtree ATE
Manningtree telephone exchange is located in Riverside Avenue East, Manningtree CO11 1US and serves Lawford, Manningtree, Mistley and the surrounding area.
The telephone code for this exchange is 01206-39.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 020 639.
ID: EAMAN. Photo courtesy of Craig Gonsalves.
Marks Tey ATE
Marks Tey telephone exchange is located in London Road, Copford, Colchester CO6 1BQ and serves Copford, Marks Tey and the surrounding area.
The telephone code for this exchange is 01206-21.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 020 621.
ID: EAMKT. Photo courtesy of Simon Cowper-Smith.
Marks Tey former ATE
The former Marks Tey telephone exchange is located in London Road, Copford, Colchester CO6 and served Copford, Marks Tey and the surrounding area.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 020 621.
ID: EAMKT. Photo courtesy of Simon Cowper-Smith.
Nayland ATE
Nayland telephone exchange is located in Wiston Road, Nayland, Colchester CO6 4LT and serves Honey Tye, Nayland, Wissington and the surrounding area.
The telephone code for this exchange is 01206-26.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 020 626.
ID: EANAY. Photo courtesy of Geographer.
Nayland former ATE
The former Nayland telephone exchange is located in Stoke Road, Nayland, Colchester CO6 4JD and served Honey Tye, Nayland, Wissington and the surrounding area.
It now forms part of a larger private dwelling.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 020 626.
ID: EANAY. Photo courtesy of Rightmove.
Peldon ATE
Peldon Telephone Exchange is located in Peldon Road, Peldon, Colchester CO5 7QA and serves Great Wigborough, Little Wigborough, Peldon and the surrounding area.
The telephone code for this exchange is 01206-735.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 020 635.
ID: EAPEL. Photo courtesy of Craig Gonsalves.
Peldon former ATE
The former Peldon telephone exchange, seen on the left, stood next to the current exchange in Peldon Road, Peldon, Colchester CO5 7QA.
It came into service in 1932 as an RAX5 and was later converted to a UAX13. The building was demolished after the construction of the current building in 1967.
Its dialling code was 020 635.
ID: EAPEL. Photo (1967) courtesy of BT Archives.
Rowhedge ATE
Rowhedge telephone exchange is located in Chapel Street, Rowhedge, Colchester CO5 7JS and serves Fingringhoe, High Park Corner, Rowhedge and the surrounding area.
The telephone code for this exchange is 01206-72.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 020 628.
ID: EAROW. Photo courtesy of Craig Gonsalves.
West Mersea ATE
West Mersea Telephone Exchange is located in Kingsland Road, West Mersea, Colchester CO5 8QZ and serves Barrow Hill, West Mersea and the surrounding area.
There was a former CB manual exchange in East Mersea which was absorbed into West Mersea TE when the TXE2 opened.
The telephone code for this exchange is 01206-38.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 020 638.
ID: EAWMS. Photo courtesy of Craig Gonsalves.
Wivenhoe ATE
Wivenhoe Telephone Exchange is located in The Avenue, Wivenhoe, Colchester CO7 9PP and serves Wivenhoe, Wivenhoe Cross and the surrounding area.
The former Wivenhoe exchange was located at 5 The Avenue, Wivenhoe CO7 9AH, it was equipped with a UAX9, subsequently replaced with a UAX13.
The telephone code for this exchange is 01206-82.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 020 622.
ID: EAWIV. Photo courtesy of Craig Gonsalves.