Comments on: Friday Photo: 1966

By: Bernie

Bernie — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 12:22:57 +0000

I had just finished my education at Riversdale Technical College when I was hired by Plessey to work at Hoylakes new telephone exchange where I met many wonderful people. This was the start of my career in telecommunications that has taken me all over the world.

By: Graham T

Graham T — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 14:14:25 +0000

Makes you wonder if the phone lines from the Meols end of Hoylake go first to the old exchange in The Quadrant before then being routed to the new exchange by the park . This might explain the fairly poor broadband speeds experienced even when only a few hundred meters from the new exchange.

By: Ian P

Ian P — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 17:32:57 +0000

Before the 1966 Telephone exchange was built, the land was just sandhills behind a sandstone wall (which I think is still there). The main trunk lines to Birkenhead are under the pavement, I remember the GPO digging the pavement up (all the way to Moreton) and putting in ceramic pipes with six holes in them to take the cables. I am not sure if this was to increase capacity or move the lines underground from telegraph poles. The park behind was also sandhills and had air raid shelters where the tennis courts are (Any photos anyone?). The first thing they did whilst making the park was to profile it with incinerated rubbish. There are LOTS of Bovril jars under the grass, maybe suit some archaeologist in a hundred years or so!

By: judith irvine

judith irvine — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:44:36 +0000

The telephone exchange was upstairs at the main G.P.O. on The Quadrant above what is now the sorting office. I used to run 4th Gt. Meols Brownies and a visit to the exchange was one of our activities, where ladies sat connecting callers.