The ten BT Telephone Exchanges (and six former) in the Medway (01634) telephone area
The Chatham, Gillingham and Strood exchanges changed their names to Medway on 20 March 1965
Allhallows ATE
Bluebell Hill ATE
Chatham former ATE
The first Chatham automatic exchange was installed in the old post office in Railway Steet, Chatham ME4 4JL.
It came into service at midnight on 1 April 1928 as part of linked numbering scheme with Gillingham, Rainham, Snodland and Strood exchanges.
The auto manual exchange was above the post office.
It closed on 22 January 1958. The building is now a pub.
It did not have an STD dialling code
Photo (2009) courtesy of Chris Whippet.
Cliffe ATE
Chatham Dock ATE
Cliffe former ATE
Gillingham ATE
ID: NDGIL. Photo courtesy of Simon Cowper-Smith.
Gillingham former ATE
The first Gillingham auto exchange was installed in the old post office at 47 Green Street, Gillingham ME7 1AA.
It came into service at midnight on 1 April 1928 as part of a linked numbering scheme with Chatham, Rainham, Snodland and Strood exchanges.
It closed on 15 May 1959. It did not have an STD dialling code.
Photo courtesy of BT Archives.
Hoo ATE
Medway (Chatham) ATE
Medway telephone exchange is located in Best Street, Chatham ME4 4AB and serves Chatham.
The telephone code for this exchange is 01634.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 063 4.
ID: NDMED. Photo courtesy of Simon Cowper-Smith.
This exchange is scheduled to cease operation in April 2029 and close by September 2029.
Rainham ATE
Rainham Telephone Exchange is located in Quinnell Street, Rainham, Gillingham, Kent ME8 7JW and serves Rainham and the surrounding area.
The telephone codes for this exchange are 01634-23 and 01634-26.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 063 4.
ID: NDRAI. Photo courtesy of Steve Mole.
Rainham former ATE
The former Rainham Telephone Exchange is located in High Street, Rainham, Gillingham, Kent ME8 7HX and served Rainham and the surrounding area.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 063 4.
ID: NDRAI. Photo courtesy of Steve Mole.
Snodland ATE
Snodland Telephone Exchange is located in High Street, Snodland ME6 5DA and serves Snodland and the surrounding area.
The telephone code for this exchange is 01634-24.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 063 426.
ID: NDSNO. Photo courtesy of Simon Cowper-Smith.
Snodland former ATE
The former Snodland telephone exchange once stood at 48 High Street, Snodland ME6 5DA.
It came into service at midnight on 1 April 1928 as part of linked numbering scheme with Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham, and Strood exchanges.
It was taken out of the numbering scheme in 1956 when the equipment was replaced by a UAX13.
It has since been demolished.
The dialling code of its successor exchange was 063 426.
Photo (1928) courtesy of BT Archives.
Strood ATE
Strood Telephone Exchange is located in St Marys Road, Strood, Rochester ME2 4DF and serves Strood and the surrounding area.
The telephone codes for this exchange are 01634-29, 01634-71 and 01634-72.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 063 4.
ID: NDSTR. Photo courtesy of Simon Cowper-Smith.
Strood former ATE
The first Strood automatic telephone exchange stands in St Mary’s Road, Strood, Rochester ME2 4DF.
It came into service at midnight on 1 April 1928 as part of linked numbering scheme with Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham, and Snodland exchanges.
It still forms the eastern end of the current exchange.
Its former dialling code was 0634.
Photo courtesy of BT Archives.