The twelve BT Telephone Exchanges (and eight former) in the Weston-super-Mare (01934) telephone area
Axbridge (Cross) ATE
Axbridge (Cross) former ATE
Banwell ATE
Bleadon ATE
Bleadon former ATE
The former Bleadon telephone exchange stands in Totterdown Lane, Bleadon Hill, Weston-super-Mare BS24 9LU
The first Bleadon auto exchange was an RAX5 opened on 14 March 1932 to replace a manual board opened in March 1925. By WWII there was a UAX13 here.
It closed in 1971 when lines became Bleadon 81**** numbers and is now the garage of 5 Totterdown Lane.
Its dialling code was 093 481.
Cheddar ATE
Churchill ATE
Churchill Telephone Exchange is located in Ladymead Lane, Churchill, Winscombe BS25 5NH and serves Churchill and the surrounding area.
Edingworth ATE
Wedmore ATE
Wedmore former ATE
The former Wedmore Telephone Exchange was located in Grants Lane, Wedmore BS28 4EA and the building is now used as an office for the Parish Council. It served Bagley, Blackford, Chapel Allerton, Clewer, Cocklake, Crickham, Heath House, Mudgley, Sand, Stone Allerton, Theale, Wedmore, West Stoughton and Westham.
Weston-super-Mare ATE
ID: SSWSM. Photo courtesy of Peter Barrington.
Weston-super-Mare former Manual Exchange #1
The first Weston manual exchange was at 18 Wadham Street, Weston-super-Mare (now BS23 1JZ).
It was opened by the Western Counties and South Wales Telephone Company on 17 May 1890 with about 30 subscribers. A magneto exchange, it closed on 9 March 1925 when its 700 lines were transferred to a CB10 board in the post office.
The building has since been converted into flats.
Photo (c1910) courtesy of BT Archives.
Weston-super-Mare former Manual Exchange #2
The second Weston manual exchange was in what is now Post Office Road, Weston-super-Mare BS23 1AB.
It was opened in an extension to the town’s main post office on Monday 9 March 1925 with a CB10 board, replacing the magneto exchange in Wadham Street.
In 1950, 1700 lines were transferred to a relief exchange in The Boulevard.
It closed at automation on 9 May 1969. The post office was demolished to make way for a shopping centre.
Photo courtesy of Farrell Fox.
Winscombe ATE
ID: SSWIN. Photo courtesy of Peter Barrington.
Winscombe former Manual Exchange
The former Winscombe manual exchange was on the south side of Silcot Lane, Winscombe, at what is now the entrance to The Chestnuts housing development.
It was opened by the National Telephone Company in the village post office in 1908. It closed when a UAX7 (exact location unknown) was opened in the mid-1930s.
The building has since been demolished.
Photo (c1910) courtesy of BT Archives.
Worle ATE
Wrington ATE
ID: SSWRI. Photo courtesy of Stuart Arnold.
Wrington former ATE
The former Wrington ATE stands opposite the present exchange in School Lane, Wrington, Bristol BS40 5NA.
The first auto exchange in Wrington opened around the end of 1935. It was replaced by a UAX13, hidden behind the garage of Wrington Cottage, which was later extended with a B1 type timber building. These closed in January 1973 and were sold in 1976 as being ‘unsuitable for residential development’.
Its dialling code was 093 486.
ID: SSWRI. Photo courtesy of Bill Liebow.
Yatton ATE
Yatton former ATE
The former Yatton ATE stands at 4 Wrington Road, Congresbury, Bristol BS49 5AN.
It came into service around 1939 as a UAX14. It closed in 1972, was sold in 1976 and is now a private house called Ashiyana.
Its dialling code was 093 483.