The eight BT Telephone Exchanges in the Kelso (01573) telephone area
In June 1952, Kelso was home to one of the shorter-lived telephone exchanges. Called Kelso Show, it operated for just a week and provided a service to the exhibitors and visitors at the Royal Highland Show, which was staged that year on the banks of the river Tweed. Kelso exchange couldn’t have handled the demand, so Post Office engineers installed a five-position CBS2 exchange in a nearby hall (possibly Walton Hall in Roxburgh Street). Multi-channel carrier equipment was borrowed from the army to provide 30 extra circuits to the group centre at Galashiels, and 9,000 calls were handled during the brief life of Kelso Show exchange. You can read a full report in the Post Office Electrical Engineers Journal on Sam Hallas’s website by clicking HERE, it’s on page 139.
Gordon ATE
Gordon telephone exchange is situated in Eden Road, Gordon TD3 6JT and also serves the surrounding area including East Gordon and East Morriston.
The first exchange here was a manual board opened in the post office in 1923. The auto exchange entered service in around 1945.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01573-410.
Its former dialling code was 057 381.
ID: ESGRD. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Kelso ATE
Kelso telephone exchange is located in Abbotsford Grove, Kelso TD5 7BN and also serves the surrounding area including Maxwellheugh, Ednam and Sprouston.
It came into service around 1969 to replace a manual exchange in the post office.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01573-22.
Its former dialling code was 057 32.
ID: ESKEL. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Lempitlaw ATE
Lempitlaw telephone exchange stands south west of Lempitlaw Farm Top Cottages, Kelso TD5 8BN and also serves the surrounding area including Blakelaw and Hoselaw.
It came into service around 1936 as a UAX12.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01573-430.
Its former dialling code was 057 33.
ID: ESLEM. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Morebattle ATE
Morebattle telephone exchange is located in Main Street, Morebattle, Kelso TD5 8QQ and also serves the surrounding area including Linton, Frogden, Cessford and Gateshaw.
It came into service as a UAX in 1936, replacing a manual exchange, the first of which was opened around 1910 by the National Telephone Company.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01573-440.
Its former dialling code was 057 34.
ID: ESMRB. Photo courtesy of Damon Wilkinson.
Roxburgh ATE
Roxburgh telephone exchange is located in Teviot Road, Roxburgh, Kelso TD5 8NB and also serves the surrounding area including Heiton and Trows.
It came into service around 1937, replacing a manual exchange opened in 1925.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01573-450.
Its former dialling code was 057 35.
ID: ESROX. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Smailholm ATE
Smailholm telephone exchange is situated in Main Road, Smailholm, Kelso TD5 7PH and also serves the surrounding area.
It came into service as a UAX in the late 1930s, replacing a manual exchange opened in 1926.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01573-460.
Its former dialling code was 057 36.
ID: ESSMA. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Stichill ATE
Stichill telephone exchange is situated beside the B6364, half a mile north of Stichill, Kelso TD5 7TJ and also serves the surrounding area including Legars and Hume.
The first exchange, to the right, came into service around 1938. It was replaced by the present building in the foreground.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01573-470.
Its former dialling code was 057 37.
ID: ESSTH. Photo courtesy of James TM Towill.
Yetholm ATE
Yetholm telephone exchange is located in Yew Tree Road, Town Yetholm, Kelso TD5 8RY and also serves the surrounding area including Kirk Yetholm.
It came into service in the mid-1950s to replace a manual exchange.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01573-420.
Its former dialling code was 057 382.
ID: ESYET. Photo courtesy of Damon Wilkinson.