The eleven BT Telephone Exchanges (and thirteen former) in the Grimsby (01472) telephone area
Binbrook ATE
Binbrook telephone exchange is in Kirmond Road, Binbrook, Market Rasen LN8 6DS and serves Binbrook, Brookenby and the surrounding area.
The first auto exchange here came into service as a UAX 12 in the late 1930s. Â It was converted from Strowger to digital working in 1991.
Its telephone codes include 01472-39.
Its former dialling code was 047 283.
ID: SLBNB. Photo courtesy of Andy C.
Caistor ATE
Caistor telephone exchange is in Brigg Road, Caistor, Market Rasen LN7 6RX and serves Caistor, Nettleton and the surrounding villages.
It came into service on 4 March 1975 when lines became Caistor 851*** numbers.
Its telephone codes include 01472-85
Its former dialling code was 0472.
ID: SLCTR. Photo courtesy of Andy C.
Caistor former ATE
The former Caistor Telephone Exchange is located adjacent to the current exchange in Brigg Road, Caistor, Market Rasen LN7 6RX and served Caistor, Nettleton and the surrounding villages.
The building is now used by a Bowls Club.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 047 285.
ID: SLCTR. Photo courtesy of Andy C.
Caistor former ATE
An earlier Caistor telephone exchange was off High Street, Caistor, Market Rasen LN8 6DS.
It came into service in the late 1930s as a UAX13.
It is believed to have been demolished.
Its dialling code was 047 285.
ID: SLCTR. Map courtesy of the National Library of Scotland.
Cleethorpes ATE
It came into service at 7.30 am on 24 November 1981 when most lines became Cleethorpes 69**** numbers.
Cleethorpes former ATE
The former Cleethorpes automatic exchange is at 20 Princes Road, Cleethorpes DN35 8AW.
It came into service on 16 October 1937 as part of the Grimsby linked numbering scheme, lines becoming Cleethorpes 6**** numbers. It closed on 24 November 1981 and is now a care home.
Its former dialling code was 0472.
ID: SLCLS. Photo courtesy of the Royal Court Residential Home
Cleethorpes former Manual Exchange
The former Cleethorpes manual exchange was at 35 Market Street, Cleethorpes (now DN35 8LY).
It was opened in 1889 by the National Telephone Company and remained on the same site until replaced by an auto exchange in 1937. It is now an Italian restaurant.
Photo courtesy of Valentino’s Restaurant.
Grimsby ATE
It was built in 1972 as an extension to the existing 1937 exchange (shown to the right) and was considered by local councillors at the time to be a ‘monstrosity’.
Grimsby former ATE
The former Grimsby telephone exchange is in Grime Street, Grimsby DN31 1PB.
It came into service on 16 October 1937 to replace the 1918 auto exchange, as part of a linked numbering scheme with Cleethorpes (and later Scartho). Â It was formally opened on 25 October by the Assistant Postmaster-General Walter Womersley.
Its former dialling code was 0472.
Photo courtesy of Stephen Richards.
Grimsby former ATE
The first automatic Grimsby exchange was at 202 Victoria Street, Grimsby (now DN31 1NX). The building has since been demolished.
It came into service on 14 September 1918 to replace a manual exchange on the same site, which had been preceded by National Telephone Company exchanges in Freeman Street (opened 1889) and at 135 Victoria Street (in service circa 1900-1907). The auto exchange was the first public installation of the Siemens 16 system and operated till October 1937.
Photo of its intermediate distribution frame courtesy of BT Archives.
Healing ATE
It came into service around 1979, replacing the previous exchange next door, when lines became Grimsby 88**** numbers.
Healing former ATE
The former Healing telephone exchange is in Great Coates Road, Grimsby DN34 4NE.
It came into service in the late 1930s as a UAX14. It closed around 1979 and later became a village hall.
Its dialling code was 047 288.
ID: SLHLG. Photo (2013) courtesy of J Thomas.
Humberston ATE
Humberston telephone exchange is in Glebe Road, Humberston, Grimsby DN36 4JP.
It came into service in 1973, replacing the neighbouring exchange, when lines became Grimsby 81**** numbers.
Its telephone codes include 01472-21 and 01472-81.
Its former dialling code was 0472.
ID: SLHBE. Photo courtesy of Andy C.
Humberston former ATE
The former Humberston telephone exchange stood behind 224 and 226 Humberston Avenue, Humberston, Grimsby DN36 4JB.
It came into service as a UAX14 around 1940. It was replaced by the current exchange to its east in 1973. Since demolished, only its concrete base remains.
Its dialling code was 047 281.
ID: SLHBE. Map courtesy of the National Library of Scotland.
Laceby former ATE
The former Laceby telephone exchange, which housed a UAX13, was situated in Caistor Road, Laceby. It came into service in the 1960s to replace a CBS2 exchange (the first exchange here having been opened by the National Telephone Company around 1909).
It closed on Wednesday 26 September 1973 when lines were taken over by Scartho and Swallow exchanges.
Its dialling code was 047 284.
Illustration from the 1968 London STD code book.
Mariner former Relief Exchanges
Mariner was the name given to two separate relief exchanges in the Grimsby group.
The first operated as a relief to Grimsby exchange between March 1969 and 26 July 1973. The second was in use as a Cleethorpes exchange relief between 31 March 1980 and 8 June 1982.
It is not clear to us whether the first unit had an STD code for incoming calls, but the second unit had the code 047 284.
Illustration from the 1972 Lincoln area directory.
Marshchapel ATE
It came into service in the early 1940s as a UAX13. It was converted from Strowger to digital operation around the start of 1992.
North Thoresby ATE
It came into service around 1987 to replace a UAX, the first of which came into service in the late 1930s.
North Thoresby former ATE
It came into service in the late 1930s and was equipped with a UAX13.
Peppers Hill former Relief Exchange
Pepper’s Hill was the name given to a relief unit at Waltham telephone exchange in Grimsby Road, Waltham, Grimsby DN37 0PS.
It came into service on 10 September 1970 and closed on 3 May 1973.
Its dialling code is unknown to us.
Illustration from the 1972 Lincoln area directory.
Scartho ATE
Originally called Scarthoe (although the name was never used in directories) the original part of the building came into service around 1938 as a satellite of Grimsby, its lines being numbered Grimsby 7***. The area had previously been covered in part by Grimsby and Waltham exchanges.
Swallow ATE
The first auto exchange here came into service in the 1930s, possibly as an RAX5. The current exchange was converted to digital working around 1991.
Waltham ATE
Waltham telephone exchange is in Grimsby Road, Waltham, Grimsby DN37 0PSÂ and serves Holton le Clay, New Waltham, Waltham and the surrounding area.
It came into service in the summer of 1971 to replace the previous exchange and to take some Peppers Hill lines.
Its telephone codes include 01472-22 and 01472-82.
Its former dialling code was 0472.
ID: SLWM. Photo courtesy of Andy C.
Waltham former ATE
The former Waltham telephone exchange is in Grimsby Road, Waltham, Grimsby DN37 0PS.
It came into service as a UAX 14 in November 1938.
It closed in the 1970s and has been converted into a private house.
Its dialling code was 047 282.
Photo courtesy of Rightmove.