The seven BT Telephone Exchanges (and four former) in the Downham Market (01366) telephone area
Downham Market ATE
Downham Market telephone exchange is located in Lynn Road, Downham Market PE38 9NNÂ and also covers Barroway Drove, Bexwell, Crimplesham, Denver, Ryston, Salters Lode, Stow Bridge, Stow Bardolph and Wimbotsham.
It came into service at 1pm on 18 November 1981 when 4-digit numbers were prefixed with 38. It was converted to digital working at 6am on 27 July 1990.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01366-38.
Its former dialling code was 0366.
ID: EADNM. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Downham Market former ATE
The former Downham Market automatic telephone exchange was located behind the old post office in London Road, Downham Market PE38 9AA. It came into service on 14 April 1948 to replace a manual exchange at 84 Bridge Street.
(The town’s first exchange was a magneto board opened by the National Telephone Company in the former Queen’s Head pub in about 1907). It ceased operation in November 1981.
Its dialling code was 036 63.
Fincham ATE
Fincham telephone exchange is located in Marham Road, Fincham, King’s Lynn PE33 9ES and also covers Barton Bendish, Shouldham and Stradsett.
It came into service in the 1970s and was converted to digital working in April 1994.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01366-34.
Its former dialling code was 036 64.
ID: EAFIN. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Fincham former ATE
The former Fincham telephone exchange was located beside 70 High Street, Fincham, King’s Lynn PE33 9EJ. It came into service in 1936 as a UAX12, replacing a manual exchange originally opened as a magneto switchboard with just two subscribers on 1 October 1923. The building was disused and overgrown for many years and has since been demolished.
Gooderstone ATE
Gooderstone telephone exchange is located in Gooderstone Road, Oxborough, King’s Lynn PE33 9DD and also covers Beachamwell, Foulden and Oxborough.
It came into service on 10 March 1936 as a UAX12. It was converted from mechanical to digital working on 6 May 1993.
The telephone codes for this exchange include 01366-328 and 01366-327.
Its former dialling code was 036 621.
ID: EAGST. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Methwold ATE
Methwold telephone exchange is located behind 39 Stoke Road, Methwold, Thetford IP26 4PE and also covers Methwold Hythe, Northwold and Brookville.
It came into service in May 1982 when existing three-digit numbers were prefixed with 728. It was converted to digital working at 7am on 7 April 1993.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01366-72 .
Its former dialling code was 0366.
ID: EAMET. Photo courtesy of Simon Cowper-Smith.
Methwold former ATE
The former Methwold telephone exchange was located in White Road, Methwold, Thetford IP26 4PA.
It came into service in about 1939 as a UAX12, replacing a manual exchange opened on 11 December 1923. It ceased operation in May 1982 and is now a house called Old Exchange.
Its dialling code was 036 67.
ID: EAMET. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Nordelph ATE
Nordelph telephone exchange is located in Outwell Road, Nordelph, Downham Market PE38 0BH and also covers part of Barroway Drove.
The first exchange here came into service as an RAX 5 on 25 September 1934, the area having previously been covered by Downham Market exchange. It was converted from mechanical to digital working in July 1994.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01366-324.
Its former dialling code was 036 68.
ID: EANDL. Photo courtesy of Anthony Smart.
Southery ATE
Southery telephone exchange is located in Feltwell Road, Southery, Downham Market PE38 0NW and also covers Ten Mile Bank and Wissington.
It came into service as an RAX 6 in 1934, replacing a manual exchange opened on 5 July 1920. It was converted from mechanical to digital working at 7am on 19 August 1994 when three-digit numbers were prefixed with 377.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01366-37 .
Its former dialling code was 036 66.
ID: EASRY. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Stoke Ferry ATE
Stoke Ferry telephone exchange is located in Lynn Road, Stoke Ferry, Kings Lynn PE33 9SWand also covers Boughton, Wereham, West Dereham, Whittington and Wretton.
It came into service in January 1981. (The first exchange here – 800m WNW and since demolished – opened as an RAX 5 on 4 November 1930, the area having previously been served by rural party lines 39 and 78 from Downham Market.)
From April 1979 till February 1981, two levels of Stoke Ferry were given the relief name Pangle.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01366-50 .
The former dialling code for Stoke Ferry was 036 65.
The dialling code for Pangle was 036 622.
ID: EASFR. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Stoke Ferry former ATE
Sadly this is all that remains of the former Stoke Ferry telephone exchange which stood opposite the former police house in Lynn Road, Stoke Ferry, Kings Lynn PE33 9SW. Not a trace of the exchange building remains.
It opened as an RAX 5 on 4 November 1930, the area having previously been served by rural party lines 39 and 78 from Downham Market.
From April 1979 till February 1981, two levels of Stoke Ferry were given the relief name Pangle.
The former dialling code for Stoke Ferry was 036 65.
The dialling code for Pangle was 036 622.
ID: EASFR. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.