Two examples of older telephone number formats. The first is of an old shop sign in Erdington (now changed) but well into the late 1990s it still listed ERD as part of the telephone number.
 |
| B.Jones on Slade Road |
This means you would dial the numbers on your phone (in those days a dial phone) corresponding to ERD, which meant you dialled
373 - still an Erdington code. As it was listed in letter format it was considered easier to remember. I wonder why this practice ceased?
 |
| GPO dial phone (at York museum) |
The other is a sign at Wilmcote railway station in Warwickshire. For emergencies you would call Worcester! Presumably you would call via an operator.
 |
| Sign at Wilmcote railway station |
