Phone number

[SUNRAY]

Time is of the essence

https://www.ukphoneinfo.com/isle-of-skye-edinbane-area-code

When STD was first introduced the area code for Gravesend was OGR4 so callers dialled 0 474 xxxxxx and London was 01 xxx xxxx

Then the London area code changes to from 01 to 020 with seven digit numbers becoming eight digit by being pre-fixed with 7 inner London and 8 outer London

Then the area code for Gravesend can be changed to 01 474

London was split before 020, I think 071 & 081 but won't swear to it.

 

[winston1]

There were 3 changes.
01, then 071 & 081, then 0171 & 0181, and finally (for now) 020. Could have been done in one go if they had used a bit of brain power as they did in Australia.

 

[SUNRAY]

There were 3 changes.
01, then 071 & 081, then 0171 & 0181, and finally (for now) 020. Could have been done in one go if they had used a bit of brain power as they did in Australia.

Thanks, the funny thing is in my original 'draft' I wrote 017 & 018 but it felt wrong.
Now you've filled in the detail I remember it, they were unable to do it in one go as they had to free-up the codes and the double change was well publicised at the outset.

 

[winston1]

I believe 020 was available at the outset. So it was possible to go from 01 xxx xxxx to 020 7xxx xxxx and 020 8xxx xxxx in one go.

 

[SUNRAY]

I believe 020 was available at the outset. So it was possible to go from 01 xxx xxxx to 020 7xxx xxxx and 020 8xxx xxxx in one go.

Before area codes started with 01 the code 02xx was in use (0227 = Canterbury etc) Colchester is currently 01206 so it's very likely it would have been 0206. I don't know if that's correct but it's the sort of reason 020 wasn't available that early.

 

[Mottie]

Before area codes started with 01 the code 02xx was in use (0227 = Canterbury etc) Colchester is currently 01206 so it's very likely it would have been 0206. I don't know if that's correct but it's the sort of reason 020 wasn't available that early.

Wickford, where Mrs Mottie came from, was 0268 when London was 01.

 

[winston1]

You may be right about Colchester. Neither Canterbury nor Wickford, nor for that matter Cambridge (0223) would be relavent to 020

 

[bernardgreen]

I believe 020 was available at the outset. So it was possible to go from 01 xxx xxxx to 020 7xxx xxxx and 020 8xxx xxxx in one go.

The way the London network interconnected exchanges in the days of electro-mechanical exchanges was complicated by the need to reduce cable. This involved tandem exchanges which provided interconnection between other exchanges.

The translations were made using electro-mechanical equipment which require a lot of re-wiring if a routing code had to be altered for any reason.

To go from 01 xxx yyyy to 020 pxxx yyyy in one single step was impossible due to the amount of reprogramming of the translators required. Translators on routes between exchanges across the country and London would need to be changed at the same time.