London Director Exchange Names

In exchange name order

A list of all the codes in use in the London (England) Director system circa 1966.
Relist in dial-numeric order
Dialling code booklet 1964   |   Dialling code booklet 1968   |   Phone pages index
OldNumerical equivalent of the first three letters of the exchange name
NewDigits which replaced the letter codes
 

Director exchanges : count = 278

 
NewOldNameArea servedLocal justification for name
 
222222ABBeyWestminsterWestminster Abbey
992220ACOrnActonAcorn Gardens
654233ADDiscombeAddiscombe and South Norwood
980238ADVanceBow and Mile End
476252ALBert DockPlaistow and Canning TownAlbert Dock
998257ALPertonPerivale, Alperton and North Ealing
262262AMBassadorPaddingtonsome embassies
985264AMHerstHackneyAmhurst Road
267hANSon
268hANVil
679277lAPPlewood
272272ARChwayHollowayroad viaduct
904276ARNoldNorth Wembley
568285ATLasIsleworth
283283AVEnueCity of London (Monument)Throgmorton Avenue
 
672225BALhamTootingarea served
449227BARnetBarnet
228228BATterseaBattersea
229229BAYswaterBayswater
650232BECkenhamBeckenham
235235BELgraviaBelgravia
237237BERmondseyBermondsey
303239BEXleyheathBexleyheath
247247BIShopsgateCity of Londonstreet of this name
656258BLUebellAddiscombe and South Norwood
888209BOWes ParkWood Greenarea served
274274BRIxtonBrixton
278278BRUnswickKing’s Cross
504282BUCkhurstWoodford and Buckhurst Hill
950287BUShey HeathBushey Heath
422297BYRonSouth Harrow
668299BYWoodPurley and Kenleyseveral woods
 
226226CANonburyHighburyarea served
236236CENtralCity of LondonCentral Markets
242242CHAnceryHolbornChancery Lane
540243CHErrywoodMerton and South WimbledonCherry Wood (Shaldon Drive)
994244CHIswickChiswick
248248CITyCity of London
253253CLErkenwellClerkenwell
254254CLIssoldDalstonClissold Park
552250CLOcktowerEast Ham
205205COLindaleColindale
864206CONcordSouth Harrow
949200COOmbe EndNew Maldenarea served
520207COPpermillWalthamstowCoppermill Lane
240208COVent GardenCovent Garden
550273CREscentBarkingside and Redbridge
688270CROydonCroydon
659279CRYstal PalaceSydenham and Pengeexchg. is in Crystal Palace Park Road
286286CUNninghamMaida Vale
 
NewOldNameArea servedLocal justification for name
 
304326DANson ParkBexleyheathDanson Park
337337DERwentWorcester Park
359342DICkensHighbury
903345DILigenceWembley
450305DOLlis HillCricklewood and Dollis Hill
592306DOMinionDagenham
373373dDREadnoughtEarls Court
908378DRUmmondNorth Wembley
204379DRYdenKingsbury
382h lDUChess
385385dDUKeFulham
690386DUNcanCatford
 
567325EALingEaling
987327EAStPoplar“East End” of London
952334EDGwareEdgware
807336EDMontonEdmonton
549339h v lEDWardKingston
965354ELGarHarlesdenElgar Avenue (off Mitchellbrook Way), NW10
399356ELMbridgeSurbitonElmbridge Avenue
953357ELStreeElstree
850358ELThamEltham
398362EMBerbrookThames Ditton
603367EMPressWest Kensington
363363ENFieldEnfield
368368ENTerpriseSouthgate
387387EUStonEuston
393393EWEllEwell
 
644324FAIrlandsSutton and Cheam
890335FELthamFeltham and East Bedfont
868343FIEld EndPinner and Eastcote
346346FINchleyFinchley
348348FITzroyHornsey and Highgate
352352FLAxmanChelsea
353353FLEet StreetFleet Street
878350FLOralMortlake
300300FOOts CraySidcuparea served
699307FORest HillForest Hill
677308FOUntainStreatham
882309FOX LanePalmers Green
669372mFRAnklinWallington and Carshalton
373373dFREmantleEarls Court
370370FRObisherEarls Court
385385dFULhamFulham
 
NewOldNameArea servedLocal justification for name
 
330425GALleonWorcester Park
579430GEOrgianEaling
437437GERrardSohoGerrard Street
789442GIBbonPutneyEdward Gibbon (Decline and Fall …) was born in Putney
670447GIPsy HillGipsy Hill and West Norwoodpublished
452452GLAdstoneCricklewood and Dollis Hill
675450h lGLObe
599400GOOdmayesSeven Kings and Goodmayes
472472GRAngewoodEast Ham
858473GREenwichGreenwich
954474GRImsdykeStanmoresee note
499470GROsvenorMayfairGrosvenor Square
485485GULliverKentish Town
670497GYPsy HillGipsy Hill and West Norwoodunpublished
 
440423HADley GreenBarnetarea served
500424HAInaultHainault
435426HAMpsteadHampstead
427427HARrowHarrow
428428HATch EndHatch End
573429HAYesHayes (Middx) and Cranford
432432gHEAdquartersCity of LondonGPO Headquarters
202436HENdonHendon
444444HIGhgate WoodMuswell Hillarea served
445445HILlsideNorth Finchley
698448HITher GreenCatford and Bellinghamarea served
749404HOGarthShepherds Bush
405405HOLbornHolborn
406hHOMerton
407407HOPSouthwarkhistorically several hop merchants
570408HOUnslowHounslow and Heston
804409HOWardPonders End
572483HUDsonHounslow and Heston
486486HUNterSt Marylebone
462487HURstwayHayes, KentHurstfield, Hurstdene Avenue or Hurst Close
493493HYDe ParkMayfairHyde Park
 
478453ILFordIlford
467467IMPerialChislehurst and BickleyLouis-Napoléon lived and died here
469hINWood
560475ISLeworthIsleworth and Brentford
640476h lISMay
505482IVAnhoeWoodford and Buckhurst Hill
394489IVYdaleEwell
 
NewOldNameArea servedLocal justification for name
 
960582j lJUBilee
586586JUNiperSt.Johns Wood
 
366532KEAtsEnfield
673535KELvinBalham
589536KENsingtonSouth Kensington
328545KILburnKilburn and Maida Vale
546546KINgston-upon-ThamesKingston
857547KIPlingMottingham and Grove Park
584564KNIghtsbridgeSouth KensingtonKnightsbridge
 
360522LABurnumWinchmore Hill
969523LADbrokeKensal GreenLadbroke Grove
390524h v lLAGoonSurbitonSurbiton Lagoon
947525LAKesideWimbledonLake in Wimbledon Park
580526LANghamBloomsburyLangham Place
527527LARkswoodHighams ParkLarks Wood
802528LATimerStamford Hill
852533LEE GreenLewishamarea served
539539LEYtonstoneLeytonstone
542542LIBertyMerton and South Wimbledon
653548LIVingstoneNorwoodLivingstone Road
446502h lLOCkwood
588506LONdon WallCity of London (Moorgate)London Wall
289507LORdsLords and Maida ValeLords Cricket Ground
508508LOUghtonLoughton
397509LOWer HookChessingtonarea served
432577gLPRCity of LondonLondon Postal region
585585lLTK Kingsway Trunk Exchange
587587gLTR (RHQ)VauxhallLondon Telephones Region
583583LUDgate CircusFleet StreetLudgate Circus
593593xLXDDagenham ?
 
NewOldNameArea servedLocal justification for name
 
622622MACaulayNine Elms
624624MAIda ValeLords (Kilburn, Maida Vale and South Hampstead)
942625MALdenNew Malden
626626MANsion HouseCity of London (Monument)Mansion House (building)
534627MARylandStratford and Forest GateTube Station, etc.
629629MAYfairMayfair
458632MEAdwayGolders Green
643635MELvilleSutton and Belmont
637637lMERedith
638638METropolitanCity of London (Monument)
959645MILl HillMill Hill
623646MINcing LaneCity of London (Monument)Mincing Lane
648648MITchamMitcham and Morden
979605MOLeseyEast Molesey and Hampton
606606MONarchCity of London
600600MOOrgateCity of LondonMoorgate
340608MOUntviewHornsey and Highgate
889685MULberryWood Green
686686MUNicipalCroydonsee note
636687MUSeumBloomsburyBritish Museum
 
628628NATionalCity of London (Moorgate)
639639NEW CrossPeckham and New Cross
602602NOBleWest Kensington
607607NORthBarnsburyarea is North of the City
848683NUFfieldHayes and Cranford
 
NewOldNameArea servedLocal justification for name
 
723723PADdingtonPaddington
886725PALmers GreenPalmers Green
727727PARkBayswater and Notting HillHyde Park
732732PECkham RyePeckham and New Cross
997737PERivalePerivale, Alperton and North Ealing
866746PINnerPinner and Eastcote
855758PLUmsteadWoolwich and Plumstead
764705POLlardsNorburyPollards Hill
892707POPesgroveTwickenhamroad called Popes Grove named after Alexander Pope
722774PRImroseSt.Johns WoodPrimrose Hill
876770PROspectMortlake
788788PUTneyPutney
 
556724RAGlanLeytonstone
460728RAVensbourneBromleyriver Ravensbourne
733733REDpostBrixtonRed Post Hill
734734REGentSohoRegent Street
735735RELianceKennington and Walworth (Vauxhall)
736736RENownFulham
940742RIChmond (Surrey)Richmond (Surrey)
594747RIPplewayBarkingRipple Road
748748RIVersideHammersmithbeside the Thames
703703RODneyCamberwell and WalworthRodney Road
709709ROYalCity of London and WappingRoyal Mint (building)
 
657726mSANdersteadSanderstead and Selsdonphoto
720720SCOttNine Elms
590738SEVen KingsSeven Kings and Goodmayes
743743SHEpherds BushShepherds Bush
739740SHOreditchShoreditch
529745SILverthornChingford
759759SKYportLondon Airport Heathrow and Harlington
730750SLOaneSloane Square
530762SNAresbrookWansteadarea served
574708SOUthallSouthall
249772SPArtanDalston
455773SPEedwellGolders Green
777777SPRingparkWest WickhamSpring Park
800782STAmford HillStamford Hill
790783STEpney GreenStepney Green
958780STOnegroveEdgwareStonegrove (Watling Street)
769787STReathamStreatham
799785SULlivanWestminster
203786SUNnyhillHendon
794794SWIss CottageHampsteadarea served
778793SYDenhamSydenham and Penge
 
NewOldNameArea servedLocal justification for name
 
822822TABardFleet StreetTabard Inn (building)
828828TATe GalleryVictoriaTate Gallery
829829gTCYWaterlooTelephones CitY
977833TEDdington LockTeddington
836836TEMple BarCovent GardenTemple Bar (monument)
837837TERminusKings Crossrailway termini
684840THOrnton HeathThornton Heath
692843TIDewayDeptfordThames tideway
829853g xTLDWaterlooTelephones London District
808808TOTtenhamTottenham
693809TOWnleyDulwich and CamberwellTownley Road
839872TRAfalgarWhitehallTrafalgar Square
553873TREvelyanIlford
870870TROjanWandsworth
290878lTST
879879gTSWWimbledonTelephones South West
883883TUDorMuswell Hill
674885TULse HillTulse Hill and Brixton Hill
995887TURnham GreenChiswickTurnham Green
894894TWIckenham GreenTwickenham
 
863863UNDerhillHarrowunder Harrow-on-the-Hill
660875UPLandsPurley and Kenleyhigh ground
806877UPPer ClaptonClapton
 
554825VALentineIlfordValentine Public House, 27 Perth Road
874826VANdykeWandsworth
834842VICtoriaVictoria
642844VIGilantSutton and Belmontdon’t know - see note
845845VIKingNortholt and YeadingViking Primary School, Radcliffe Way
349847VIRginiaFinchley
263848h lVIVian
 
NewOldNameArea servedLocal justification for name
 
647925mWALlington (Surrey)Wallington and Carshalton
989926WANsteadWanstead
302927WARing ParkSidcupWaring Park
928928WATerlooWaterloo
578929WAXlowGreenfordWaxlow Crescent
935935WELbeckSt MaryleboneWelbeck Street
902936WEMbleyWembley
937937WESternKensingtonWestern part of central London
930944WHItehallWestminsterWhitehall
464943WIDmoreBromleyWidmore Road
459945WILlesdenWillesden
946946WIMbledonWimbledon
854900WOOlwichWoolwich and Plumstead
907907WORdsworthKenton
 

Director fringe : count = 126

 
NewOld
Code
Name
Notes
 
69.469f5
MX
Ashford (Middx)
69.569f5
MX
Ashford (Middx)
298298f
AX 8
Ashtead
 
0959 70959 7f0
0WK 97
Badgers Mount
100100f*
100
Bayford
939234f
BE 4
Betchworth (Surrey)
269269f
BN 9
Biggin Hill
0883 870093 87f0 b
Bletchingley (automatic)
100f*
100
Bletchingley (manual)
259259f*
BK 9
Bookham
265265f
BM 5
Bowmansgreen
968f* j
XM 8
Brasted
25.525f5
Burgh Heath (automatic)
295f*
BX 5
Burgh Heath (manual)
29.429f5
BY
Byfleet
 
22.422f5
CA
Caterham
100100f*
Chalvey Park
655655f
ML 5
Chertsey
260260f
CN 0
Chorleywood
266266f
CM 6
Cobham (Surrey)
964964f
XM 4
Colnbrook
56955695f3
KN 95
Colney Heath
29.529f5
CY
Crayford
284284f
CU 4
Cuffley
 
NewOld
Code
Name
Notes
 
32.232f5
DA
Dartford (Kent)
332332f
DE 2
Denham (Bucks)
71.571f5
Downland (automatic)
355f*
DL 5
Downland (manual)
 
389389f
ET 9
Egham
375375f
EP 5
Epping
392344f*
EH 4
Epsom
38.338f5
ET
Erith
37.637f5
ES
Esher
96799679f3
XN 79
Essendon
 
36.536f5
FN
Farnborough (Kent)
369369f*
FM 9
Farnham Common (Bucks)
320320f
FA 0
Farningham
395395f*
FX 5
Fulmer (Bucks)
 
NewOld
Code
Name
Notes
 
477477f
GR 7
Garston (Herts)
434f
GE 4
Gerrard's Cross (4 figure nos)
49.849f5
Gerrard's Cross (5 figure nos)
0883 840093 87f0 b
Godstone (automatic)
100f*
100
Godstone (manual)
479479f
GR 9
Greenhithe
 
420420f
HA 0
Harefield
456f
HL 6
Hatfield (Herts, 4 figure nos)
45.645f5
Hatfield (Herts, 5 figure nos)
45.745f5
Hatfield (Herts, 5 figure nos)
0372 860372 86f0
Headley (Surrey, automatic)
100f*
100
Headley (Surrey, manual)
433433f
HE 3
Hertford
403f
HO 3
Hoddesdon (4 figure nos)
46.646f5
Hoddesdon (5 figure nos)
49.449f5
HX
Hornchurch
49.549f5
HX
Hornchurch
 
45.445f5
IL
Ingrebourne
River Ingrebourne, serves Harold Wood
490490f*
IX 0
Iver
100100f*
Iver Heath
 
NewOld
Code
Name
Notes
 
544544f
KG 4
King's Langley
562562f
KN 2
Knockholt
 
537537f
LE 7
Leatherhead
576576f
LP 6
Limpsfield Chart
503503f
LO 3
Lodge Hill
55855585f3
LK 85
Long Cross
 
NewOld
Code
Name
Notes
 
649649f*
MH 9
Merstham
604604f
MO 4
Mogador
 
667667f
NN 7
Nazeing
100100f*
100
North Weald
65.265f5
NL
Northwood (Middx)
682682f
NT 2
Nutfield Ridge
 
NewOld
Code
Name
Notes
 
66.266f5
MM
Orpington
66.366f5
MM
Orpington
830830f
TF O
Otford
55875587f3
LK 87
Ottershaw (3 figure nos)
719719f
Ottershaw (4 figure nos)
970970f
XS O
Oxshott
988988f
XT 8
Oxted
 
NewOld
Code
Name
Notes
 
0727 33776f0
PR 6
Park Street
77.577f5
PR
Potters Bar
792792f
PX 2
Purfleet
 
779779f
RR9
Radlett
76.576f5
Rainham (Essex, automatic)
798798f*
RX 8
Rainham (Essex, manual)
71.671f5
Redhill (automatic)
756f*
RL 6
Redhill (manual)
74.474f5
RG
Reigate
749f
RH 9
Rickmansworth (4 figure nos)
79.779f5
Rickmansworth (5 figure nos)
70.470f5
RO
Romford
70.670f5
RO
Romford
784f
RU 4
Ruislip (4 figure nos)
71.371f5
Ruislip (5 figure nos)
71.771f5
Ruislip (5 figure nos)
 
75.275f5
SL
Slough
75.375f5
SL
Slough
766766f
SM 6
South Mimms
700700f
SO 0
South Ockendon
56.556f5
LN
St. Albans
56.656f5
LN
St. Albans
79.579f5
SW
Staines
66586658f3
NM 58
Stapleford
768f
SM 8
Sunbury-on-Thames (4 figure nos)
76.876f5
Sunbury-on-Thames (5 figure nos)
757f j
SK 7
Swakeleys
755755f
SL 5
Swanley (Dartford)
 
NewOld
Code
Name
Notes
 
823823f
TA 3
Tadworth
0959 80959 8f0
0WK 98
Tatsfield
849849f
TH 9
Theydon Bois
 
865865f*
UM 5
Upminster (Essex)
820820f
UA 0
Upper Warlingham
89.389f5
UX
Uxbridge
89.589f5
UX
Uxbridge
 
NewOld
Code
Name
Notes
 
97.397f5
WS
Waltham Cross
98.298f5
WT
Walton-on-Thames
98.498f5
WT
Walton-on-Thames
92.292f5
WA
Watford
92.492f5
WA
Watford
96.296f5
WN
Welwyn Garden
96.396f5
WN
Welwyn Garden
933933f
WE 3
West Drayton
978978f
WS 8
Westerham
97.497f5
WR
Weybridge
95.595f5
WK
Windsor
95.695f5
WK
Windsor
905905f
WO 5
Woldingham (Surrey)
983983f
WT 3
Wraysbury
 

Services : count = 20

123846s u
TIM
Speaking Clock [TIMe]
151364s
ENG
Telephone out of order or broken [ENGineer]
160867s u
UMP
Test Match score [UMPire]
191463s
INF
Other Telephone Enquiries and Supervisor
192347s
DIR
Directory Enquiries, Inland
196196s l
Automatic director testing
190835s
TEL
Inland telegrams and Enquiries
246275s u
ASK
Teletourist and Road Weather
246932s u
WEA
Weather
296296s l
Automatic director testing
396396s l
Automatic director testing
496496s l
Automatic director testing
557557s
557
Overseas Telegrams
559559s
559
Overseas Telegram Enquiries
596596s l
Automatic director testing
696696s l
Automatic director testing
796796s l
Automatic director testing
896896s l
Automatic director testing
996996s l
Automatic director testing
999999s
999
Emergency calls
 

Total count = 424

 
Sources
 
The basis of this list is the booklet: "Dialling codes and call charges  London  1964  51-9469" (LDCB64)
The booklet: "Dialling Instructions and Call charges  London  1968" Dd. 35/438939  1/68 (LDCB68) has also been examined and differences between it and LDCB64 are noted.
Entries in the 'Area served' column are from telephone directories of the period.
 
Also on show is a London Call Office Notice "CO7   DIR LON Issue 5   Wt. F76303 15m 9/63 Ed (317)   Frame No. 29" (LCON63). ++++ incomplete
Sam Hallas’ list with extensive annotation.
Also on Sam Hallas’ site: this list (marked at the bottom "Retirement Homes for ex-Police Officers" !). Possibly early 1970s - includes some DDi codes, eg. "906 J. Laing Ltd & Mill Hill.
This 1982 list includes an interesting map of the Director and finge areas.
 
Notes
 
§ "Some subscribers on these exchanges were given a new telephone number or had their exchange name replaced by figures other than those shown above when they were given their all-figure number." LDCB68
 
d DREadnought and FREmantle both map on to 373. Both names were published - why? Likewise DUKe and FULham.
 
g DDI to GPO PABX's. LPR mapped on to HEAdquarters and TLD mapped on to TCY.
 
h Seen in an Hitchin list of 1966 - not in LDCB68. Note that the codes for GLObe, ISMay and VIVian were re-used for new codes so clearly these exchanges closed before 1966.
 
m In LDCB68 FRAnklin and WALlington (FRA and WAL in caps but not bold) are listed in the Local Calls section (ie. codes for adjacent non-director exchanges) rather than in the Director section. But there is no asterisk against each name, indicating that the exchange has already been automated. This is probably because it was the last manual exchange in London. Images.
 
v LAGoon and EDWard - information from Vauxhall Victor not in LDCB68.
 
s Services
 
u Recorded Information Services - see this write-up.
 
x LXD and TLD are not listed in LDCB68 but have been seen elsewhere.
 
670447 GIPsy Hill Both GIP (447) and GYP (497) were routed to Gipsy Hill for the benefit of bad spellers! Information from Tony Scott ex Director exchange engineer.
670497 GYPsy
 
954474 GRImsdyke When the GPO named this exchange they were probably thinking of Grim's Dyke the house and estate on Oxhey Lane, Harrow Weald which is best remembered as being the house where W. S. Gilbert of Gilbert and Sullivan lived and died. But the house is in turn named after Grim's Ditch, a Romano-British earthwork which runs near the house.
 
686686 MUNicipal The main phone number for the London Borough of Croydon offices was MUNicipal 4433. But this doesn't really justify the choice of exchange name. This number (after various mutations to 020 8686 4433) still works and is widely publicised. But the council's own website now gives this page with a lot of DDI numbers.
 
Exchange names had quite a wide influence:
One or two of the 'Area served' entries are affected. For example, if LORds exchange had been called something different, the GPO would have described the area served as 'Maida Vale and St. John's Wood'. The cricket ground has not really given its name to the area.

Non-geographic exchange names - such as GALleon and GULliver - often gave their names to local shops. A quick directory enquiry on half a dozen exchange names in 1999 threw up just one example:  The Vigilant Off-Licence, 6 Regent Parade, Sutton - still with a phone number on Vigilant exchange.

Some of the things I have put down as justification for name may in fact be derivations from the exchange name. I suspect that Elgar Avenue was built after Elgar exchange got its name and that the exchange may in fact have had an influence on the name of the Avenue.

 
f Director fringe - exchanges outside the London charge group but accessible at local call rate from London
 
f5 Director fringe exchanges with 5 digit subscribers’ numbers. For example, the published code for Caterham was 22. We know from other sources (or by elimination) that subscribers’ numbers in Caterham began with 4.
 
f3 Director fringe exchanges with 3 digit subscribers’ numbers.
 
f* "For a starred exchange* dial the code only and ask the operator for the exchange and number that you want." LDCB68
Where the code is not 100, these are manual exchanges and the code took you directly to the operators of that exchange. For the others, I believe that Chalvey Park and Iver Heath were temporary automatic exchanges (green vans parked outside the exchange) serving Iver. The London operators had access directly to these bypassing the Iver operators. I am not sure what the story is for Bayford and North Weald.
 
f0 Published local code is the STD code. Smallish exchanges where it was not practicable to create a direct route from everywhere. Eg. for a north London exchange to reach Bletchingley, south of London would have required more routing digits than the director could handle.
 


Comments, corrections and suggestions to fill in the blanks in the 'Local justification for name' column will be gratefully received by: Phreak@RHaworth.net

codes in the 1964 booklet
codes not in the 1964 booklet
codes in the 1968 booklet
codes not in the 1968 booklet
codes in both the 1964 and 1968 booklets
codes not in either 1964 nor the 1968 booklet
differences between the 1964 and 1968 booklets
all codes

Relist in dial-numeric order
Dialling code booklet 1964   |   Dialling code booklet 1968   |   Phone pages index
 
Roger W. Haworth  
2022 Dec    -Add stuff from 1964 DCB
2022 Dec 02 -Codes seen on Hitchin list added
2021 May 07 -GYPsy added. Count discrepancies resolved
2018 Jan 07 -Director fringe annotation
2017 Jun 19 -Use SQL at last
2005 Aug 02
1999 Dec 08 -First version
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