List of telephone exchanges in London

Last updated

This is a list of telephone exchanges located within Greater London. [1] Occasionally, in areas of high demand, two exchanges are located at the same premises; for example Canary Wharf and Poplar.

Contents

History

London had a large network of manual exchanges (80 in 1927) and individual telephone exchanges were given names, e.g. Ebbsfleet; a caller asked the operator for Ebbsfleet 1234. However, although the General Post Office (GPO) had commenced installation of automatic exchanges from 1912, the basic Strowger or SXS switch adopted as standard by the GPO was not suitable for large cities like London. So from 1927 a development of the SXS switch was installed in London, the Director system; first at HOLborn followed by BIShopgate and SLOane exchanges and then WEStern and MONument. Telephones on automatic exchanges had letters as well as numbers marked on the telephone dial, and calls to London numbers used the first three letters of the exchange name followed by four digits, e.g. EUS 1234. [2] The number could be dialled as 387-1234 or spoken to a manual exchange operator as Euston 1234.

London manual exchanges were gradually converted to Director automatic exchanges from 1927. Holborn was the first, at midnight on Saturday 12 November, a local and tandem exchange. Bishopgate and Sloane exchanges followed in six weeks, then Western and Monument exchanges. The London area contained 80 exchanges, and full conversion was to take many years. [3]

Until the late 1960s, some outer London exchanges did not offer direct dialling, and their numbers could be identified in the directory by being printed in light type, unlike normal exchanges, whose first three letters appeared in bold type. To call a Pinner number, for example, you would dial PIN, wait for the operator to answer, then state the 4-figure number required.

As the telephone system was modernised and liberalised with multiple telephone companies and numbers became portable, the rigid correspondence of numeric codes to exchanges was relaxed, but even today it is likely that a (7)387 number, for example, is located in the Euston area. Lists of numbers allocated to BT exchanges in the UK, including London, are available online, and enable the exchange associated with a given number to be found, if applicable. [4] Locations of exchanges, given a postcode in their catchment area, are also documented. [1]

List of exchanges

NOTE: The United Kingdom adopts an open dialling plan for area codes within its public switched telephone network. Therefore, all area codes have a preceding 0 (zero) when dialling from within the United Kingdom. When dialling a UK number from abroad the zero must not be included, but replaced by the calling country's international call prefix followed by the 44, the country code for the UK. Thus a call to the Euston exchange discussed above from the United States would be to 011 (US international prefix) 44 20 (London) 73871234.

OLO [lower-alpha 1] codeExchange nameLondon boroughDial code
LWACT Acton Ealing020
LSADD Addiscombe Croydon020
LNADK Albert Dock Newham020
WRBAL Balham Wandsworth020
LNBKG Barking Barking and Dagenham020
LNBAR Barnet Barnet020
LSBATT Battersea Wandsworth020
WEWBAY Bayswater Westminster020
LSBEC Beckenham Bromley020
WRBEL Belgravia Westminster020
CLBER Bermondsey Southwark020
LSBEU Beulah Hill Croydon020
LSBEX Bexleyheath Bexley020
NDBHI Biggin Hill Bromley01959
CLBIS Bishopsgate City of London020
WEWBLO Bloomsbury Camden020
LNBPK Bowes Park Haringey020
WRBRIX Brixton Lambeth020
LSBRO Bromley Bromley020
LNCNW Canary Wharf Tower Hamlets020
CLCAN Canonbury Islington020
LSCTFD Catford Lewisham020
WRCHEL Chelsea Kensington and Chelsea020
LSCHES Chessington Kingston upon Thames020
LNCHF Chingford Waltham Forest020
LSCHI Chislehurst Bromley020
LWCHI Chiswick Hounslow020
LNCLA Clapton Hackney020
CLCLE Clerkenwell Islington020
LWCOL Colindale Barnet020
CLCOV Covent Garden Westminster020
LSCRAY Crayford Bexley01322
LWCRI Cricklewood Barnet020
LNCED Crouch End Haringey020
LSCRO Croydon Croydon020
LNDAG Dagenham Barking and Dagenham020
LWDEN Denham Denham01895
LSDEP Deptford Lewisham020
LSDOW Downland Croydon01737
LSDUL Dulwich Southwark020
LWEAL Ealing Ealing020
WRECT Earls Court Kensington and Chelsea020
LWEDG Edgware Barnet020
LNEDM Edmonton Enfield020
LSELT Eltham Greenwich020
LNENF Enfield Enfield020
LSERI Erith Bexley01322
CLEUS Euston Camden020
CLFAR Faraday City of London020
LSFARB Farnborough Bromley01689
LWFEL Feltham Hounslow020
LNFIN Finchley Barnet020
CLFLE Fleet City of London020
LSFOR Forest Hill Lewisham020
WRFULM Fulham Hammersmith and Fulham020
LNGHL Gants Hill Redbridge020
LSGIP Gipsy Hill Lambeth020
LWGOL Golders Green Barnet020
LNGDM Goodmayes Redbridge020
LWGRE Greenford Ealing020
LSGRNW Greenwich Greenwich020
LSGRO Grove Park Lewisham020
LNHAC Hackney Hackney020
LWHAM Hammersmith Hammersmith and Fulham020
WEWHAM Hampstead Camden020
LWHARE Harefield Hillingdon01895
LWHARL Harlesden Brent020
LWHARR Harrow Harrow020
LWHAT Hatch End Harrow020
LSHAY Hayes Common Bromley020
LWHAY Hayes North Hillingdon020
LWHEN Hendon Barnet020
LNHPK Highams Park Waltham Forest020
CLHOL Holborn Camden020
LNHOR Hornchurch Havering01708
LWHOU Hounslow Hounslow020
LNILC Ilford Central Redbridge020
LNILN Ilford North Redbridge020
LNING Ingrebourne Havering01708
LWISL Isleworth Hounslow020
LWKGRE Kensal Green Westminster020
WRKGDN Kensington Gardens Kensington and Chelsea020
CLKEN Kentish Town Camden020
LWKROA Kenton Road Harrow020
LSKID Kidbrooke Greenwich020
CLKXX Kings Cross Camden020
LWKIN Kingsbury Brent020
CLKLG Kingsland Green Islington020
LSKIN Kingston Kingston upon Thames020
LWKNE Kneller Hall Richmond upon Thames020
LSLEE Lee Green Lewisham020
LNLEY Leytonstone Waltham Forest020
LSLODH Lodge Hill Croydon01689
WEWLOR Lords Westminster020
CLLOW Lower Holloway Islington020
WEWMAI Maida Vale Camden020
LSMAL Malden Kingston upon Thames020
WEWMAR Marylebone Westminster020
WEWMAY Mayfair Westminster020
LSMEPK Merton Park Merton020
LNMED Mile End Tower Hamlets020
LWMIL Mill Hill Barnet020
LSMIT Mitcham Merton020
LSMOL Molesey Richmond upon Thames020
CLMON Monument City of London020
CLMOO Moorgate City of London020
LSMOR Mortlake Richmond upon Thames020
LNMUS Muswell Hill Haringey020
CLNEW New Cross Lewisham020
LNNWS New Southgate Barnet020
WRNELMS Nine Elms Wandsworth020
LSNOR Norbury Croydon020
LSNCHM North Cheam Sutton020
LWNEDG North Edgware Barnet020
LNNFN North Finchley Barnet020
WEWNPN North Paddington Westminster020
LWNWEM North Wembley Brent020
LWNOR Northolt Ealing020
LWNWOO Northwood Hillingdon01923
LSORP Orpington Bromley01689
WEWPAD Paddington Westminster020
LNPGN Palmers Green Enfield020
WRPGRN Parsons Green Hammersmith and Fulham020
LWPER Perivale Ealing020
WRPIM Pimlico Westminster020
LWPIN Pinner Harrow020
LNPON Ponders End Enfield020
LNPOP Poplar Tower Hamlets020
WEWPRI Primrose Hill Westminster020
LSPUR Purley Croydon020
LSPUT Putney Wandsworth020
LNRAI Rainham Havering01708
LSRIC Richmond Kew Richmond upon Thames020
LNROM Romford Havering01708
LWRUI Ruislip Hillingdon01895
LSRUS Rushey Green Lewisham020
LSSAN Sanderstead Croydon020
LWSHE Shepherd's Bush Hammersmith and Fulham020
CLSHO Shoreditch Hackney020
LSSID Sidcup Bexley020
LWSKY Skyport Hillingdon020
LSSLA Slade Green Bexley01322
WRSLO Sloane Kensington and Chelsea020
WEWSOH Soho (Gerrard Street)Westminster020
LSCLPM South Clapham Wandsworth020
LWSHAR South Harrow Harrow020
WRSKEN South Kensington Kensington and Chelsea020
LWSOU Southall Ealing020
WRSTHBK Southbank Southwark020
CLSOU Southwark Southwark020
LNSTA Stamford Hill Hackney020
LWSTAN Stanmore Harrow020
CLSTE Stepney Green Tower Hamlets020
LNSTF Stratford Newham020
LSSTR Streatham Lambeth020
LSSUR Surbiton Kingston upon Thames020
LSSUT Sutton Cheam Sutton020
LSSYD Sydenham Bromley020
LSTED Teddington Richmond upon Thames020
LSTHMD Thamesmead Greenwich020
LSTHO Thornton Heath Croydon020
LNTOT Tottenham Haringey020
LSTUL Tulse Hill Lambeth020
LWTWI Twickenham Richmond upon Thames020
LNUPM Upminster Havering01708
CLUPP Upper Holloway Islington020
LNUPK Upton Park Newham020
LWUXB Uxbridge Hillingdon01895
WRVAUX Vauxhall Lambeth020
LSWAL Wallington Sutton020
LNWTH Walthamstow Waltham Forest020
CLWAL Walworth Southwark020
LSWAN Wandsworth Wandsworth020
LNWSD Wanstead Redbridge020
CLWAP Wapping Tower Hamlets020
LWWEM Wembley Brent020
LWWDRA West Drayton Hillingdon01895
WRWKEN West Kensington Hammersmith and Fulham020
LSWWKM West Wickham Bromley020
WRWMIN Westminster Westminster020
WRWHI Whitehall Westminster020
LWWIL Willesden Brent020
LSWIM Wimbledon Merton020
LNWIN Winchmore Hill Enfield020
CLWOO Wood Street City of London020
LNWFD Woodford Redbridge020
LSWOO Woolwich Greenwich020
LSWOR Worcester Park Sutton020

The following exchanges are located outside Greater London, but use the London 020 dial code.

OLO [5] codeExchange nameDistrict, CountyDial code
LWBUS Bushey Heath Hertsmere, Hertfordshire020
LWELS Elstree Hertsmere, Hertfordshire020
LNHAI Hainault Epping Forest, Essex020
LSEWE Ewell Epsom and Ewell, Surrey020
LNLOU Loughton Epping Forest, Essex020
LSTHDT Thames Ditton Elmbridge, Surrey020

See also

Notes

  1. An "Other Licensed Operator" (OLO) is a landline provider that is not British Telecom. [5]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strowger switch</span> Electromechanical telephone switch

The Strowger switch is the first commercially successful electromechanical stepping switch telephone exchange system. It was developed by the Strowger Automatic Telephone Exchange Company founded in 1891 by Almon Brown Strowger. Because of its operational characteristics, it is also known as a step-by-step (SXS) switch.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North American Numbering Plan</span> Integrated telephone numbering plan of twenty North American countries

The North American Numbering Plan (NANP) is a telephone numbering plan for twenty-five regions in twenty countries, primarily in North America and the Caribbean. This group is historically known as World Zone 1 and has the international calling code 1. Some North American countries, most notably Mexico, do not participate in the NANP.

Subscriber trunk dialling (STD), also known as subscriber toll dialing, is a telephone numbering plan feature and telecommunications technology in the United Kingdom and various Commonwealth countries for the dialling of trunk calls by telephone subscribers without the assistance of switchboard operators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Director telephone system</span> Telephone switching system used in the UK

The director telephone system was a development of the Strowger or step-by-step (SXS) switching system used in London and five other large cities in the UK from the 1920s to the 1980s.

All-figure dialling was a telephone numbering plan introduced in the United Kingdom starting in 1966 that replaced the traditional system of using initial letters of telephone exchange names as the first part of a telephone number. The change affected subscriber numbers in the cities of Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, London and Manchester which used the Director telephone system.

In telecommunications, a long-distance call (U.S.) or trunk call is a telephone call made to a location outside a defined local calling area. Long-distance calls are typically charged a higher billing rate than local calls. The term is not necessarily synonymous with placing calls to another telephone area code.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telephone exchange names</span> Alphabetic telephone numbering plan

A telephone exchange name or central office name was a distinguishing and memorable name assigned to a central office. It identified the switching system to which a telephone was connected, and facilitated the connection of telephone calls between switching systems in different localities.

Widespread UK telephone code misconceptions, in particular brought on by the Big Number Change in 2000, have been reported by regulator Ofcom since publication of a report it commissioned in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Area codes 408 and 669</span> Area codes that serve the southern San Francisco Bay Area, California

Area codes 408 and 669 are telephone area codes in the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) in the U.S. state of California. The numbering plan area comprises most of Santa Clara County and Northern Santa Cruz County, and includes Gilroy, Morgan Hill, Saratoga, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Milpitas, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Cupertino, Campbell, and San Jose.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">020</span> Dialling code for London in the United Kingdom

020 is the national dialling code for London in the United Kingdom. All subscriber numbers within the area code consist of eight digits and it has capacity for approaching 100 million telephone numbers. The code is used at 170 telephone exchanges in and around Greater London as part of the largest linked numbering scheme in the United Kingdom. In common with all other British area codes the initial '0' is a trunk prefix that is not required when dialling London from abroad.

TXK was a range of Crossbar exchanges used by the British Post Office telephone network, subsequently BT, between 1964 and 1994. TXC was used as the designation at first, but this was later changed as TXC sounded too much like TXE the code used for later electronic exchanges. Prior to this the GPO had standardised on Strowger for automatic switching and had resisted the adoption of Crossbar, preferring to wait for its electronic switching research to bear fruit. The development of electronic systems however took longer than anticipated and the British equipment manufacturers, particularly Automatic Telephone & Electric (ATE), which later became part of the Plessey group feared that continuing to focus the bulk of their production on Strowger equipment would harm their export sales as Crossbar had already become popular throughout the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telephone numbers in Russia</span>

Telephone numbers in Russia are administered by Roskomnadzor, a Russian federal agency for communication and media. Russia's National Numbering Plan (NNP) is a four-level telephone numbering plan with local, zone, country, and international scopes, implementing a closed numbering plan, in which the number of digits of all national significant numbers (NSN) assigned to subscriber telephones is fixed at ten, with three digits for the area code, and a seven-digit subscriber number which includes a zone code of up to two digits. Internationally, Russia participates in the numbering plans of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) provided by recommendations E.164 and E.123, using the telephone country code 7.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telephone number</span> Sequence of digits assigned to a telephone subscription

A telephone number is a sequence of digits assigned to a landline telephone subscriber station connected to a telephone line or to a wireless electronic telephony device, such as a radio telephone or a mobile telephone, or to other devices for data transmission via the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or other public and private networks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">General Post Office</span> Postal system in the United Kingdom

The General Post Office (GPO) was the state postal system and telecommunications carrier of the United Kingdom until 1969. Before the Acts of Union 1707, it was the postal system of the Kingdom of England, established by Charles II in 1660. Similar General Post Offices were established across the British Empire. In 1969 the GPO was abolished and the assets transferred to The Post Office, changing it from a Department of State to a statutory corporation. In 1980, the telecommunications and postal sides were split prior to British Telecommunications' conversion into a totally separate publicly owned corporation the following year as a result of the British Telecommunications Act 1981. For the more recent history of the postal system in the United Kingdom, see the articles Royal Mail and Post Office Ltd.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Telephone exchange</span> Interconnects telephones for calls

A telephone exchange, telephone switch, or central office is a telecommunications system used in the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or in large enterprises. It interconnects telephone subscriber lines or virtual circuits of digital systems to establish telephone calls between subscribers.

Telephone numbers in the United Kingdom have a flexible structure that reflects their historical demands, starting from many independent companies through a nationalised near-monopoly, to a system that supports many different services, including cellular phones, which were not envisaged when the system was first built. Numbers evolved in a piecemeal fashion, with numbers initially allocated on an exchange-by-exchange basis for calls connected by manual operators. Subscriber numbers reflected demand in each area, with single digit telephone numbers in very rural areas and longer numbers in cities.

The Cities of Manchester and Salford and some surrounding urban areas such as Stockport, Oldham and Bolton,, were the location of several advances in the development of telephony in the United Kingdom. A Manchester company installed the country's first regular telephone system in the city, wiring solutions which were adopted across Britain were initiated in Manchester and Stockport, the city was (arguably) the site of the UK's first telephone exchange and a service which was the forerunner of modern mobile phones was controlled from the city.

In conventional landline telephony, a non-dialable toll point or toll station was a lone station or line serving a rural subscriber many miles from the nearest central office. As it had no home telephone exchange and therefore no local calling area, all connections were obtained manually from the long distance operator.

Dialling is the action of initiating a telephone call by operating the rotary dial or the telephone keypad of a telephone.

The Automatic Telephone and Electric Company was a British telephone exchange manufacturer established in 1911. After several name changes and acquisitions, the company was merged into Plessey in 1961.

References

  1. 1 2 "UK Exchange Mapping". SamKnows. Archived from the original on 16 June 2011.
  2. The Times (London), 1927; 14 November p9 & 16 November p9
  3. The Times (London), 1927; 14 November p9 & 16 November p9
  4. "list of numbers allocated to BT exchanges in the UK, including London". Tele.mar.cx. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013. Retrieved 16 June 2016.
  5. 1 2 "BT SurfTime Product Description" (PDF). Ofcom. p. 12. Archived (PDF) from the original on 22 February 2004. OLO – Other Licensed Operator