h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Bizarrely enough, 555 is the area code for Stratford, East London in the UK. It is a little freaky to find this magic nowhere US area code in the magic nowhere of the East End. In the words of Gertrude Stein, there isn't any there there.

Stratford E15 had - among other exchange codes such as 534 - an outer London local exchange format of 0181-555-XXXX (new code style 020-8555-XXXX). There are potentially other local telephone exchanges with the number 555 in any of the cities with codes of the format ABCD-EFG-HIJK, which I believe are Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Any suggestions?

There would also be a 555 code for inner London (Formerly 0171-555-XXXX). Where is this?

I once rung a number on a BT ad in a phone box, and found out it was a residential number in Outer London. Oops...

But you'd think *BT* would use a fake number...

Well 01555 is in Lanark, Scotland (would have been 0555 before phoneday).

There isn't necessarily a 0171-555 (or 020-7555) code as Stratford was 01-555 a long time ago and not all the codes have been re-used since London codes were split.

0171-555-xxxx (now 020-7555-xxxx) is a code assigned to 'Inner London'. Presumably this means 'top-up' numbers not linked to any one area.

Out of interest, I have gleaned the following information from BT's 'Phone Book Companion' (cost £2.50).

020-7777-xxxx Inner London
020-8888-xxxx Wood Green/Bowes Park
0121-555-xxxx Smethwick
0131-555-xxxx Leith
0141-555-xxxx *No Code Assigned*
0151-555-xxxx Royal (part of Central Liverpool)
0161-555-xxxx *No Code Assigned*
0191-555-xxxx Sunderland

Am I sad, or what?

Hmm. Not sad for consulting a book. You might be sad for buying it (unless you're a spy, or something).

BTW, a long time ago I put an entry on the "Ask h2g2" forum asking why the UK IDD code is 44. I got no replies at all. I don't suppose you know, do you?

We have the book in work; it comes in useful a surprising number of times.

44? No idea. However, since the USA is 1, I assume it was done to make sure we realised our place in the world - i.e. not particularly important.

I still find it odd.

I thought the first international phone call was between the US and UK (so, between 1 and, er, 2, perhaps). On the other hand, using the letters on phones, GB would be 42 and UK would be 85.

Of course, it might just mean we were 44th on some arbitrary list, or just a real slap-down, as you say....

GB would be 42, eh? Hmmmmm..........

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