Re: Spoofing unused codes
As regards Cardiff they have been issuing "21" numbers for some time, i.e. 029 20 123456 or 029 21 123456 (not the official spacing). Actually, although "1" after the "20" or "21" might be valid now, in the days of 5- and then 6-digit numbers it wasn't, so - I presume - only Cardiff numbers issued since 029 came in will have a "1" in that position. Likewise, only numbers issued after Cardiff went 6-digits (late 1970s??) will have a "1" in the next position.
With all the reorganisations of the UK's phone numbers there are probably gazillions of little oddities like that, and exceptions to the same.
Growing up in Caerphilly - an oddity in itself in that it had a Cardiff 0222 dialling code while it was surrounded on three sides by 0443 and 0633 - it always amused me that we had to dial "9" if calling relatives in Cardiff itself, like getting an outside line from the exchange. Then there were the "medium distance" calls. Barry, for example (more relatives) wasn't Cardiff, and had a completely different dialling code from long-distance, but because Cardiff was adjacent we had to dial something odd like "87" before the local number.
Wish I'd hung on to that dialling codes book they used to supply with the phone directory. It was fascinating reading as a child (no honestly). It also had the list of the "dial-a..." services, Tim the speaking clock, dial-a-disc, dial-the-cricket-score, dial-a-bedtime-story and the like.
M.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
