TELEPHONE EXCHANGES

  • The museum has several Rural Automatic Exchanges, known as Unit Automatic Exchanges ( UAX ) as used in UK in small towns and villages from 1929.
  • Examples are the Mobile UAX Type 12 from BT which saw service in the East Yorkshire area. This includes a petrol engine for charging the batteries and is fully self contained.
  • A later UAX Type 13 from Steeple Clayton (1953 - 1989) can be seen and heard working many of the Museums displayed telephones.
  • Other types of UAX are in store awaiting time and space to be displayed. These include the UAX 7 from Bovingdon and the UAX 14 from Little Gaddesdon.

Rural Auto Exch.

U.A.X. 13.

Mobile Telephone Exchange. ( 400 lines


  • The Museum also has two mobile exchange in large trailers which were used where local demand for telephones needed temporary expansion or in emergency situations, e.g. an exchange fire. One of these, on loan from BT Museum is self-contained with its own petrol driven charging generator.
  • Inside the main museum is the popular Strowger demonstration unit, where one can see and hear a call being made through an electro-mechanical exchange. Visitors, particularly the younger members are encouraged use the telephones.
  • At least one showcase is devoted to a unique display of Strowger Selectors as used extensivly in pre-electronic exchanges.
    These include;-
    -- A Pre-2000 type two-motion final Selector from London Holborn 'Director' exchange (1927),
    -- A 2000 type final Selector from Crawford, Scotland, the last Strowger exchange taken out of service in the UK in1995.
    -- Selector from Langley UAX 5,
    -- Final Selector from Siemens Type 16 exchange,
    -- Crossbar switch and other examples.

Equipment Racks in Mobile exchange

Strowger selectors