The eleven BT Telephone Exchanges (and six former) in the Wymondham (01953) telephone area
Attleborough ATE
Attleborough telephone exchange is located behind 1 High Street, Attleborough NR17 2EH and also covers Great Ellingham, Besthorpe and part of Old Buckenham.
(Its predecessor exchange, which probably stood adjacent and has since been demolished, came into service around 1944, replacing a manual exchange opened in 1908.)
The telephone code for this exchange is principally 01953-45.
Its former dialling code was 0953.
ID: EAATT. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Bunwell ATE
Bunwell telephone exchange is located in Bunwell Street, Bunwell, Norwich NR16 1AB and also covers Carleton Rode, Forncett End and Hargate.
The telephone codes for this exchange include 01953-788 and 01953-789.
Its former dialling code was 095 389.
ID: EABNW. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Bunwell former ATE
The former Bunwell telephone exchange stood in Bunwell Street, Bunwell, Norwich NR16 1AB, 40 metres east of the current exchange. It came into operation as a UAX12 in 1937, replacing a manual exchange opened in the old Bunwell post office (now Waterloo House) on 16 November 1927. It has since been demolished.
ID: EABNW. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Caston ATE
Caston telephone exchange is located in Attleborough Road, Caston, Attleborough NR17 1DL and also covers Stow Bedon, the Rocklands and Thompson. The first exchange to serve the area opened as an RAX5 in 1931, possibly on the same site.
The telephones codes for this exchange include 01953-483 and 01953- 488.
Its former dialling code was 095 383.
ID: EACST. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
East Harling ATE
East Harling telephone exchange is located in Quidenham Road, East Harling, Norwich NR16 2JD and also covers Larling and Bridgham. It came into use in about 1981 when East Harling lines became Attleborough 71**** numbers.
The telephone code for this exchange is principally 01953-71.
Its former dialling code was 095 371.
ID: EAEHL. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
East Harling former ATE
The former East Harling telephone exchange is located in Church Rd, East Harling, Norwich NR16 2NB. It came into operation as a UAX12 in about 1938, replacing a manual exchange which opened in the Post Office in 1926 (the area having previously been served by the Quidenham 19 rural party line). It is now used as a garage.
ID: EAEHL. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Garboldisham ATE
Garboldisham telephone exchange is located in The Street, Garboldisham, Diss IP22 2QN and also covers Riddlesworth, Hopton (Suffolk) and most of Blo’ Norton. (Its predecessor, a UAX12 opened around 1936 on the same site, which has since been demolished, replaced a manual exchange in the post office which came into use around 1923.)
The telephones code for this exchange is principally 01953-68.
Its former dialling code was 095 381.
ID: EAGAR. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Great Hockham ATE
Great Hockham telephone exchange is located in Harling Road, Great Hockham, Thetford, IP24 1NT and also covers Shropham, Illington, East Wretham and most of Snetterton.
The telephone code for this exchange is principally 01953-49.
Its former dialling code was 095 382.
ID: EAGHM. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Great Hockham former ATE
The former Great Hockham telephone exchange stands in the grounds of Lavendars, Harling Road, Great Hockham, Thetford, IP24 1NT. It came into use as an RAX5 in January 1931 taking at least one subscriber’s line from the Attleborough exchange. It is now privately owned.
ID: EAGHM. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Hingham ATE
Hingham telephone exchange is located in Stone Lane, Hingham, Norwich NR94LH and also covers Hardingham, Hackford, Deopham and Little Ellingham. Its predecessors included a manual exchange opened in the post office in 1924, replaced by an RAX5 (demolished) at 15a Hall Lane. Hingham lines became Attleborough 850*** numbers in May 1979.
The telephone code for this exchange is principally 01953-85.
Its former dialling code was 095 385.
ID: EAHNG. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
New Buckenham ATE
New Buckenham telephone exchange is located in Dam Brigg, Banham, Norwich NR16 2DD and covers New Buckenham, most of Old Buckenham and parts of Banham and Winfarthing. It came into service in 1982 when lines became Attleborough 860*** numbers.
The telephone code for this exchange is principally 01953-86.
ID: EANEW. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
New Buckenham former ATE
The former New Buckenham telephone exchange is in Dam Brigg, Banham, Norwich NR16 2DD. A UAX13, it took over service around 1947 from a manual exchange in King Street, New Buckenham, opened in 1928. (Prior to that, the area had been served by the Attleborough 32 rural party line.)
Its dialling code was 095 386. It is now privately owned.
ID: EANEW. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Quidenham ATE
Quidenham telephone exchange is located in Green Lane, Quidenham, Norwich NR16 2AP and also covers Banham, Kenninghall and part of Snetterton.
The telephones codes for this exchange include 01953-887 and 01953- 888.
Its former dialling code was 095 387.
ID: EAQUI. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Quidenham former ATE
The former Quidenham telephone exchange is in the grounds of the old post office in Green Lane, Quidenham, Norwich NR16 2AP. It came into operation as a UAX13 in August 1952, replacing a manual exchange in the post office first opened in 1908. It is now private accommodation.
ID: EAQUI. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Watton ATE
Watton telephone exchange is located in Harvey Street, Watton, Thetford NR26 6EH and also covers Saham Toney, Ovington, Carbrooke, Griston, Merton and Little Cressingham. (It is seen here behind its predecessor, built in 1939 to replace a manual switchboard in the Post Office, originally opened in 1919.)
The telephones codes for this exchange include 01953-881 to 01953-886.
ID: EAWTN. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Wymondham ATE
Wymondham telephone exchange is located in Fairland Street, Wymondham NR18 0AW and also covers Wicklewood, Morley St Botolph, Suton, Silfield and part of Hethel.
The principal telephone code for this exchange is 01953-60.
ID: EAWYM. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.
Wymondham former ATE
The former Wymondham telephone exchange is located behind the old Post Office at 18 Middleton Street, Wymondham NR18 0AA. It came into operation on 15 October 1942 to replace a manual exchange, first opened at the previous post office in the Market Place in 1907. It is now part of the Royal Mail sorting office.
ID: EAWYM. Photo courtesy of John Cranston.