For decades they were an essential part of calling up friends and loved ones in Moray over the festive period.
But 30 years ago staff at the telephone exchange in Elgin hung up for the last time.
Although the building, which used to stand on the town’s Moray Street, has now been demolished the camaraderie of former workers still lives on.
Despite being essential to making phone calls in the 1980s memories of speaking to the operator are now a thing of the past.
Now dozens of former employees will meet again in Elgin next month to share memories and reminisce over time spent at the switchboard.
Organiser Evelyn Grant, 63, describes her time there as the best days of her working life with a spirit she has not seen again anywhere else.
She said: “It was like a family. It was very busy but everyone got on so well and there was such a spirit between everybody.
“At the same time there were people that had the same phone number on a short service so you had to make sure you were connecting the right people.
“It’s certainly changed days now with mobile phones.”
For decades dozens of operators manned the switchboards to connect callers from across Moray and Banffshire.
Up to 20 people could be working at the same time during either day or night shifts.
Mrs Grant answered the calls in Elgin for 17 years before transferring to Inverness when the building shut.
Reunions have been organised for the 10 and 20-year anniversaries of the closure but due to the age of some of the attendees organisers fear January’s event could be the last mass gathering.
Mrs Grant said: “Obviously numbers have dwindled as the years have passed but there are still quite a few former exchange staff still around who have kept in touch.”
The reunion will take place at the Laichmoray Hotel in Elgin on Sunday, January 15 at noon. Anyone who worked at the exchange and would like to attend should contact Mrs Grant on 07922 175866.
