The nine BT Telephone Exchanges (and nine former) in the Wareham (01929) telephone area
Bere Regis ATE
Bere Regis telephone exchange is off West Street, Bere Regis, Wareham BH20 7HT and also serves an area from Winterborne Tomson to Briantspuddle.
The former Bere Regis exchange is located off West Street, Bere Regis BH20 7HH.
It came into service as a UAX13 in the mid-1940s to replace a manual exchange.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01929-471 and -472.
Its former dialling code was 092 97.
ID: STBERER. Photo courtesy of Richard Stephens.
Bere Regis former Manual Exchange
The former Bere Regis manual telephone exchange is situated on the junction of West Street and North Street, Bere Regis, Wareham BH20 and also served an area from Winterborne Tomson to Briantspuddle.
Photo courtesy of Richard Stephens.
Bindon Abbey ATE
Bindon Abbey telephone exchange is in Station Road, Wool, Wareham BH20 6BL and also serves an area including Bovington, Stokeford and Coombe Keynes.
It came into service in the early 1970s to replace a UAX situated in Dorchester Road.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01929-40 and 01929-46.
The dialling code of its predecessor exchange was 092 98.
ID: STBINAB. Photo courtesy of Richard Stephens.
Bindon Abbey former ATE
The former Bindon Abbey telephone exchange is in Dorchester Road, Wool, Wareham BH20 6HR and also served an area including Bovington, Stokeford and Coombe Keynes.
This exchange opened in 1952 and housed a UAX exchange before closing in the early 1970s when the new exchange in Station Road opened.
It covered an area previously covered in part by the Bovington Camp exchange.
The former dialling code for this exchange was 092 98.
ID: STBINAB. Photo courtesy of Richard Stephens.
Bovington Camp former ATE
The location of the former Bovington Camp automatic exchange is unknown to us.
It came into service as an RAX5 with 27 lines, replacing a manual exchange, on 22 July 1930. By the 1940s it had been replaced by a UAX13.
Many of its lines were taken over by the former Bindon Abbey exchange from about 1966. It closed around 1969.
Its former dialling code was 092 96.
Illustration from the 1968 dialling code booklet for London.
Corfe Castle ATE
Corfe Castle telephone exchange is in East Street, Corfe Castle, Wareham BH20 5EH and also serves an area including Church Knowle, Harman’s Cross and Kingston.
It came into service around 1980 when lines became Corfe Castle 480*** numbers.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01929-48.
Its former dialling code was 0929.
ID: STCORFC. Photo courtesy of Richard Stephens.
Corfe Castle former ATE
The former Corfe Castle telephone exchange is in Mead Street, Corfe Castle, Wareham BH20 5EW.
It came into service as a UAX12 or 13 around 1937. It closed around 1980 and was later turned into a holiday let.
Its dialling code was 092 93.
ID: STCORFC. Picture (2010) courtesy of Chris Downer.
Kimmerridge former ATE
The former Kimmeridge telephone exchange stood on the Downs, north of the village of Kimmeridge near Wareham and also served an area including Steeple.
It came into service as a UAX12 in or around 1937 to replace a manual exchange. It closed in or around 1973 when most of its lines were taken over by Corfe Castle exchange. It has since been demolished and no trace of it remains.
Its dialling code was 092 942.
Map courtesy of the National Library of Scotland.
Morden ATE
Morden telephone exchange is 100 yards east of the B3075 between West and East Morden, Wareham BH20 7DW and also serves an area including Winterborne Zelston.
The first exchange here was an RAX5 opened in the early 1930s.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01929-459.
Its former dialling code was 092 945.
ID: STMORDN. Photo courtesy of Richard Stephens.
Studland ATE
Studland telephone exchange is in Swanage Road, Studland, Swanage BH19 3AE and serves the area around Studland Bay.
The first automatic Studland exchange was a UAX 12.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01929-450.
Its former dialling code was 092 944.
ID: STSTUDL. Photo (2013) courtesy of Chris Downer.
Studland former ATE
The former Studland telephone exchange is situated on the junction of Beach Road and Rectory Lane, Studland, Swanage BH19 3BT and served the area around Studland Bay.
Since closing the building has been converted into public toilets.
The first automatic exchange here was a UAX 12.
Its former dialling code was 092 944.
ID: STSTUDL. Photo courtesy of Richard Stephens.
Swanage former Manual Exchange
The former Swanage national Telephone Company manual telephone exchange is situated at 3 Central Villas, Swanage BH19 2PN and served the Swanage area.
The building is now a private dwelling.
Photo courtesy of Richard Stephens.
Swanage ATE
Swanage telephone exchange is in Locarno Road, Swanage BH19 1HY.
It was built by the local firm of Parsons and Sons and came into service in 1937. It replaced a magneto exchange, possibly the one opened by the National Telephone Company at 3 Central Villas, Swanage, in 1905. It has since been greatly extended.
ID: STSWANG. Photo (1937) courtesy of BT Archives.
Swanage telephone exchange is in Locarno Road, Swanage BH19 1HY and also serves an area including Durlston, Ulwell and Langton Matravers.
It has been doubled in size since the exchange first opened in 1937.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01929-42.
Its former dialling code was 092 92.
ID: STSWANG. Photo (2018) courtesy of Simon Cowper-Smith.
Wareham ATE
Wareham telephone exchange is in Bells Orchard Lane, Wareham BH20 4HS and also serves an area including East and West Holme, Sandford and Furzebrook.
It came into service around 1966 to replace a manual exchange.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01929-55
Its former dialling code was 092 95.
ID: STWARHM. Photo courtesy of Richard Stephens.
Wareham former Manual Exchange (1)
The first Wareham telephone exchange is believed to have been at (what is now) 12 South Street, Wareham BH20 4LT.
The National Telephone Company opened a magneto switchboard in the premises of Hannah Kelsey who ran a toy shop and stationers.
The exchange was  later relocated to the post office at 4 North Street.
Picture courtesy of Phil Barraclough.
Wareham former Manual Exchange (2)
Wareham’s last manual exchange was at 4 North Street, Wareham (now BH20 4AF). It was opened in what was then the town’s main post office, and remained there after a new post office was opened in 1936.
It was replaced by the current exchange in the 1960s. It is now a branch of Boots. One of the kiosks outside the building has been restored with a traditional push-button coinbox.
Photo courtesy of Basher Eyre.
West Lulworth ATE
West Lulworth telephone exchange is in Farm Lane, West Lulworth, Wareham BH20 5SJ and also serves an area including Lulworth Cove and East Lulworth.
The first auto exchange here was an RAX5. It was replaced by a UAX13 in the late 1940s.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01929-400.
Its former dialling code was 092 941.
ID: STWESTL. Photo courtesy of Richard Stephens.
Worth Matravers ATE
Worth Matravers telephone exchange is next to the car park on the Kingston Road in Worth Matravers, Swanage BH19 3LE and also serves an area including Acton.
The first auto exchange here came into service on Thursday 6 August 1936 as a UAX12.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01929-439.
Its former dialling code was 092 943.
ID: STWRTHM. Photo courtesy of Richard Stephens.