The seven BT Telephone Exchanges (and ten former) in the Scunthorpe (01724) telephone area
Appleby former ATE
The former Appleby Telephone Exchange was in Appleby, Scunthorpe DN15. We don’t know its exact location.
It came into service as an RAX5 in the early 1930s, replacing a manual exchange.
Its dialling code was 072 470.
Illustration from the 1968 London STD code book.
Bottesford former ATE
The former Bottesford telephone exchange was in ‘a large wooden shed near Yaddlethorpe Crossroads’, according to a newspaper, though the exact location is unknown to us.
It came into service at 11.30am on 14 October 1953, replacing a CBS2 manual exchange in a private house.
Its dialling code was 072 471.
Illustration from the 1968 London STD code book.
Burton On Stather ATE
Burton-on-Stather Telephone Exchange is located in Victoria Court, Burton-on-Stather, Scunthorpe DN15 9DD and serves Burton-on-Stather and the surrounding area.
The first auto exchange here was an RAX5, replaced around 1952 by a UAX13, is situated in High Street, Burton-On-Stather DN15 9DE. Having been extended, it is now used a parish council office.
The current exchange opened in 1974 when lines became Scunthorpe 720*** numbers.
Its former dialling code was 0742.
The dialling code of its predecessor exchange was 072 472.
ID: SLBUS. Photo required.
Crowle ATE
Crowle Telephone Exchange is in Potts Lane, Crowle, Scunthorpe DN17 4DT and serves Crowle and the surrounding area.
It replaced a UAX (location unknown) around 1976 when lines became Scunthorpe 710*** numbers.
The telephone code for this exchange is 01724-71.
Its former dialling code was 0742.
The dialling code of its predecessor exchange was 072 481.
ID: SLCPL. Photo courtesy of Andy C.
Eastoft ATE
Eastoft Telephone Exchange is located in Washinghall Lane, Eastoft, Scunthorpe DN17 4PR and serves Eastoft and the surrounding area. The first auto exchange was opened on the same site in the early 1950s to replavce a CBS2 manual exchange.
The telephone code for this exchange is 01724-79.
The dialling code of its predecessor exchange was 072 475.
ID: SLETF. Photo courtesy of Andy C.
Garthorpe former ATE
The former Garthorpe telephone exchange is located in Shore Road, Garthorpe, Scunthorpe DN17 4AD.
It came into service, possibly as a UAX13, at 11.30am on Wednesday 3 September 1952 to replace a CBS2 exchange operated by Garthorpe postmistress Miss Lewanna Leeson.
Its dialling code was 072 478.
Photo courtesy of Google Maps.
Gunness former ATE
The former Gunness telephone exchange was in or near the village of Gunness, Scunthorpe DN15, but its exact location is unknown to us.
It came into service as a UAX12 in the late 1930s. It closed around 1965 when its lines were taken over by Keadby exchange as Keadby 4** numbers.
Its dialling code (if ever used) is likely to have been 072 482.
Illustration from the 1964 Lincoln area directory.
Keadby ATE
Keadby Telephone Exchange is located in Kelsey Lane, Althorpe, Scunthorpe DN17 3HQ and serves Althorpe, Burringham, Derrythorpe, Keadby, West Butterwick and the surrounding area.
It came into service on 24 October 1978, replacing the former Keadby and West Butterwick exchanges, their lines becoming Scunthorpe 782*** and 783*** numbers respectively.
The telephone code for this exchange is 01724-78.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 0724.
ID: SLKKB. Photo courtesy of Jonathan Thacker.
Keadby former ATE
The former Keadby telephone exchange was in or near the village of Keadby, Scunthorpe DN17, but its exact location is unknown to us.
It came into service as a UAX12 in the late 1930s. It lost some lines to the second West Butterwick auto exchange in 1971 and closed in 1978 when the remaining lines went to the current Keadby exchange.
Its dialling code was 072 474.
Illustration from the 1968 London STD code book.
Scotter ATE
Scotter Telephone Exchange is in High Street, Scotter, Gainsborough DN21 3RX and serves Scotter and the surrounding area. It came into service on 15 July 1970 to replace a UAX when lines became Scunthorpe 762*** numbers.
The telephone code for this exchange is 01724-76.
The dialling code of its predecessor exchange was 072 476.
ID: SLXDS. Photo required.
Scotter former ATE
The former Scotter Telephone Exchange was situated in Messingham Road, Scotter, Gainsborough DN21 3BG and served Scotter and the surrounding area.
It closed on 15 July 1970 when the current exchange opened, it has since been demolished.
The dialling code of the former exchange was 072 476.
ID: SLXDS. Photo courtesy of scottervillage.co.uk
Scunthorpe ATE
Scunthorpe Telephone Exchange is in Bell Lane, Scunthorpe DN15 7AG and serves Scunthorpe and the surrounding area.
It came into service in August 1979 to replace the former exchange in the post office.
The telephone codes for this exchange include 01724-4, 01724-27, 01724-28 and 01724-29.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 0724.
ID: SLSEK. Photo required.
Scunthorpe former ATE
Scunthorpe Telephone Exchange is in Bell Lane, Scunthorpe DN15 7AG and serves Scunthorpe and the surrounding area.
It came into service in August 1979 to replace the former exchange in the post office.
The telephone codes for this exchange include 01724-4, 01724-27, 01724-28 and 01724-29.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 0724.
ID: SLSEK. Photo required.
Susworth former ATE
The former Susworth telephone exchange is in Messingham Ings Road, Susworth, Scunthorpe DN17 3AN.
It came into service around 1936 as a UAX 12. Near the banks of the River Trent, it was taller than the standard type-A building to guard against flooding. It closed at 1pm on 22 November 1973 when lines were transferred to West Butterwick exchange. It is now in the garden of a house called Waverney.
Its dialling code was 072 479.
Picture courtesy of BT Archives.
Winterton ATE
Winterton Telephone Exchange is in De Lacy Way, Winterton, Scunthorpe DN15 9XS and serves Winterton and the surrounding area.
It came into service in 1973, replacing a UAX13, when lines became Scunthorpe 732*** numbers.
The telephone code for this exchange is 01724-73.
Its former dialling code was 0724.
ID: SLWKT. Photo courtesy of David Wright.
West Butterick former ATE
West Butterwick was the name given to two auto exchanges, the exact location of neither being known to us. The first was a UAX 12 opened in West Butterwick in the late 1930s. This was replaced on 29 September 1971 by a three-digit exchange in Althorpe, which also took over some lines in Althorpe from the former Keadby exchange. It closed on 24 October 1978 when lines were taken over by the current Keadby exchange (also in Althorpe).
Its dialling code was 072 477.
Illustration from the 1968 London STD code book.
Winterton former ATE
The former Winterton Telephone Exchange is in South Street, Winterton, Scunthorpe DN15 9RP and served Winterton and the surrounding area.
It came into service in the 1940s as a UAX13. It closed in the summer of 1973.
The dialling code for this exchange was 072 473.
ID: SLWKT. Photo courtesy of David Wright.