Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Yes, they've cleared out. Mentioned in a recent thread...there was some rumour of new landlord, hiked rents, and Mrs Robinson opening something clothesy there. Somebody should take a photo of the tyre shop signage for the sake of posterity. It's one of the last "01" phone numbers still on display in East Dulwich.
Hi Muttley - I walked past the tyre shop at the weekend and it wasn't the 01 number that gave me a twinge of nostalgia, it was the fading Access sign sticking out at the side like an antique For Sale board. I'd completely forgotten about Access cards, which I think were one of the very first credit cards available in the UK. I wonder how many of those are still around in London.
  • 7 months later...

I went past today and noticed that they've taken down the signage with 01 on it to reveal even older signage with the telephone exchange expressed as letters - TOW xxxx - presumably dating back to the 60s?


Anyone know if TOW stood for anything or was it just random - there are still hotels in Bloomsbury that display signs with MUS (for MUSeum)at the start or their phone numbers?

You're right. The first part of the number was geographical (BRIxton, WHItehall, PADdington etc). When the system changed, they changed the letters into the corresponding numbers. When I first came to the UK, telephone books had a section in the front listing all the codes/areas so that you could see roughly where a caller lived.


In the US, I think they only use the letters for commercial reasons and for a price you can choose your own number - "call 1-800-BUY-BEER" etc.

I've had the same landline for over 50 years.


It has gone:


GYP N-N-N-N (Gypsy Hill)

TOW N-(N)-(N-10)-N (Townley: when the new exchange opened they subtracted 10 from the phone number)

693 N-(N)-(N-10)-N

01-693 N-(N)-(N-10)-N

020-693 N-(N)-(N-10)-N

0208-693 N-(N)-(N-10)-N


Interesting stuff for a Sunday morning.

macroban Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I've had the same landline for over 50 years.

>

> It has gone:

>

> GYP N-N-N-N (Gypsy Hill)

> TOW N-(N)-(N-10)-N (Townley: when the new exchange

> opened they subtracted 10 from the phone number)

> 693 N-(N)-(N-10)-N

> 01-693 N-(N)-(N-10)-N

> 020-693 N-(N)-(N-10)-N

> 0208-693 N-(N)-(N-10)-N

>

> Interesting stuff for a Sunday morning.


I think it would have gone: GIP (Gipsy Hill); TOW; 693; 01 693; 081 693; 0181 693; 020 8693


A fascinatng (!) listing here under "Telephone Exchange Project UK" http://www.rhaworth.myby.co.uk/phreak/tenp_01.htm

Yes Alan who had the tyre shop had to go he was due a rent review when he made enquires about his new rent he nearly had a hart attack a real shame he was a nice guy and would always help you out. Some one said the lease was brought by Franklins to stop a rival moving in may be organic veg shop??????

Bob S

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Latest Discussions

    • Came across this link today that generates a stock letter to you MP if you object to the Proposed chases in their current format.  https://takingthepip.co.uk/write-to-your-mp/#letter Again, not trying to change individuals minds on here but get a fair consultation and discussion 
    • @HeadNun I haven't been through the assessment for mental health issues, god knows they treat you like you have one when you are assessed for motability issues. Therefore I can't comment on what you've read but don't always believe what the media telks you as they often sensationalise things to sell papers and bend the story slightly 😉  All I am doing in this thread is asking people who disagree to the PIP reform in its current format to write to their MP to say so and ask for a well consulted and thought through change. I'm not here to change people's minds but happy to discuss how disability impacts lives.
    • I hate the idea of someone with a genuine disability losing money, it's heart-breaking. I thought the whole idea of these cuts was to get kids with mental health issues, which we used to call 'the human condition', off benefits and into a job. Before anyone says anything, I'm not talking about people with severe autism.  If the tests are so astringent, Spartacus, how come healthy youngsters with anxiety are getting benefits? It's ludicrous.  This from The Times:  Then there is mental health. This is the fastest-growing category of claim; anxiety and depression is now the single biggest reason to claim PIPs, accounting for 16 per cent of spending. Including problems such as autism and ADHD, there are 1.4 million people claiming for “psychiatric disorders”, almost 40 per cent of the total.   NHS figures on Thursday found that 23 per cent of people of working age now have a mental disorder, up from 18 per cent a decade ago, rising to 26 per cent in 16 to 24 year-olds. Young people are most likely to claim benefits for mental health problems and there is growing concern about a generation who may do so for decades. The number of children on disability living allowance, the precursor to PIPs, will reach a million by the end of the decade, double pre-Covid levels. Most of these are for behavioural problems such as ADHD or learning disabilities  
Home
Events
Sign In

Sign In



Or sign in with one of these services

Search
×
    Search In
×
×
  • Create New...