Waltham transmitting station
Encyclopedia
The Waltham transmitting station is a broadcasting
and telecommunications facility
at Waltham-on-the-Wolds, 5 miles (8 km) north-east of Melton Mowbray
. It sits inside the Waltham civil parish
near Stonesby
, in the district of Melton, Leicestershire
, UK
. It has a 315 metres (1,033 ft) guyed steel tubular mast
. The main structure height to the top of the steelwork is 290.8 metres (954 ft), with the UHF television antennas contained within a GRP
shroud mounted on top.
. It was to have began broadcasts in the summer of 1967.
It is a shorter version of the second Emley Moor transmitter
which collapsed whilst broadcasting on 19 March 1969, due to the weight of ice on the structural cables. The Waltham mast has four sets of stay levels as opposed to the six of the ex-Emley mast. The latter was identical to the current 385m high Belmont mast
, both built by the ITA
.
It is east of the A607 between Grantham and Melton Mowbray
, and directly next door to Masterfood
's Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition
.
(on the new UHF 625 lines system) to the East Midlands
. It became the main mast for ITV's Central
East Midlands from 1982 and BBC East Midlands
from 1991. Previously it had carried broadcasts from Birmingham.
It is now the main TV transmitter for all digital terrestrial channels covering the East Midlands, predominantly including most of Leicestershire
, Rutland
, Nottinghamshire
, Derbyshire
and Lincolnshire
. It can also be received in parts of Norfolk
, Cambridgeshire
, Huntingdonshire
, Northamptonshire
, Warwickshire
, Staffordshire
and Yorkshire
. It is owned and operated by Arqiva
. The BBC West Midlands area is three times the size of the East Midlands, has three main transmitters, with Sutton Coldfield being four times as powerful as Waltham.
within its original C/D group.
(just west of the M1 J26) and at Stanton Moor
(near Bakewell
).
The area to the South East of Buxton is the meeting point between the Winter Hill
, Emley Moor
, Sutton Coldfield, and Waltham broadcasting regions. Further north-west of Bakewell, the filler transmitters are BBC North West
, and North-east Derbyshire, east of Tideswell
and Hope
takes Emley Moor (BBC Leeds).
Waltham's Darley Dale
relay station was Britain's 1000th television relay station.
† Broadcast on UHF 26 until 29 March 2011.
‡ Broadcast on UHF 23 until 29 March 2011.
Broadcasting
Broadcasting is the distribution of audio and video content to a dispersed audience via any audio visual medium. Receiving parties may include the general public or a relatively large subset of thereof...
and telecommunications facility
at Waltham-on-the-Wolds, 5 miles (8 km) north-east of Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray is a town in the Melton borough of Leicestershire, England. It is to the northeast of Leicester, and southeast of Nottingham...
. It sits inside the Waltham civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
near Stonesby
Stonesby
Stonesby is a small village within the Melton borough of Leicestershire, England. It is northeast of Melton Mowbray, and southeast of Waltham on the Wolds....
, in the district of Melton, Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It has a 315 metres (1,033 ft) guyed steel tubular mast
Radio masts and towers
Radio masts and towers are, typically, tall structures designed to support antennas for telecommunications and broadcasting, including television. They are among the tallest man-made structures...
. The main structure height to the top of the steelwork is 290.8 metres (954 ft), with the UHF television antennas contained within a GRP
Glass-reinforced plastic
Fiberglass , is a fiber reinforced polymer made of a plastic matrix reinforced by fine fibers of glass. It is also known as GFK ....
shroud mounted on top.
First structure
The first mast was built in 1966. On 16 November 1966, it collapsed. Parts of the wreckage are still in use as pig shelters. It had been built by the British Insulated Cables Construction CompanyBritish Insulated Callender's Cables
British Insulated Callender's Cables was a 20th century British cable manufacturer and construction company, now renamed after former subsidiary Balfour Beatty.-History:...
. It was to have began broadcasts in the summer of 1967.
Second structure
The structure was rebuilt in 1968 by the BBC. This delayed its first transmissions until 31 August 1968 of BBC2 only. It broadcast ITV from February 1970 and BBC1 from August 1970. On 9 April 1970 the whole region lost the signal when an excavator damaged the station's main cable. Sutton Coldfield came on air a few months earlier in November 1969. The mast was one of three similar types built at the same time by the BBC, with Mendip and Bilsdale.It is a shorter version of the second Emley Moor transmitter
Emley Moor transmitting station
The Emley Moor transmitting station is a telecommunications and broadcasting facility on 'Emley Moor' to the west of the village of Emley, in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England . The station's most visible feature is its concrete tower, which is a Grade II listed building...
which collapsed whilst broadcasting on 19 March 1969, due to the weight of ice on the structural cables. The Waltham mast has four sets of stay levels as opposed to the six of the ex-Emley mast. The latter was identical to the current 385m high Belmont mast
Belmont transmitting station
The Belmont transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility, situated next to the B1225, one mile west of the village of Donington on Bain in the civil parish of South Willingham, near Market Rasen and Louth in Lincolnshire, England . It is owned and operated by Arqiva.It has...
, both built by the ITA
Independent Television Authority
The Independent Television Authority was an agency created by the Television Act 1954 to supervise the creation of "Independent Television" , the first commercial television network in the United Kingdom...
.
It is east of the A607 between Grantham and Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray
Melton Mowbray is a town in the Melton borough of Leicestershire, England. It is to the northeast of Leicester, and southeast of Nottingham...
, and directly next door to Masterfood
Mars, Incorporated
Mars, Incorporated is a worldwide manufacturer of confectionery, pet food, and other food products with US$30 billion in annual sales in 2010, and is ranked as the 5th largest privately held company in the United States by Forbes. Headquartered in McLean, unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia,...
's Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition
Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition
The Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, also known as the Waltham Centre for Pet Care and Nutrition, is a nutrition research centre owned by Pedigree Petfoods at Waltham on the Wolds in Leicestershire. It claims to be the world's leading authority on pet food research...
.
Coverage
The mast was originally built to provide BBC2BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
(on the new UHF 625 lines system) to the East Midlands
BBC East Midlands
BBC East Midlands is the BBC English Region covering Derbyshire, Leicestershire, south Nottinghamshire, South Kesteven and Rutland.-Television:...
. It became the main mast for ITV's Central
Central Independent Television
Central Independent Television, more commonly known as Central is the Independent Television contractor for the Midlands, created following the restructuring of ATV and commencing broadcast on 1 January 1982. The station is owned and operated by ITV plc, under the licensee of ITV Broadcasting...
East Midlands from 1982 and BBC East Midlands
BBC East Midlands
BBC East Midlands is the BBC English Region covering Derbyshire, Leicestershire, south Nottinghamshire, South Kesteven and Rutland.-Television:...
from 1991. Previously it had carried broadcasts from Birmingham.
It is now the main TV transmitter for all digital terrestrial channels covering the East Midlands, predominantly including most of Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, Rutland
Rutland
Rutland is a landlocked county in central England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire....
, Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, bordering South Yorkshire to the north-west, Lincolnshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south, and Derbyshire to the west...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
and Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
. It can also be received in parts of Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
, Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire is a local government district of Cambridgeshire, covering the area around Huntingdon. Traditionally it is a county in its own right...
, Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
and Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
. It is owned and operated by Arqiva
Arqiva
Arqiva is a telecommunications company which provides infrastructure and broadcast transmission facilities in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. The present company, with headquarters located at Crawley Court in the village of Crawley, Hampshire, was formed by National Grid Wireless...
. The BBC West Midlands area is three times the size of the East Midlands, has three main transmitters, with Sutton Coldfield being four times as powerful as Waltham.
Digital TV
Waltham first broadcast digital TV on November 15 1998. In July 2007 was confirmed by Ofcom that at DSO (Digital Switchover) Waltham would be transmitting five - of the six - MUXesMultiplex (TV)
A multiplex or mux is a group of TV channels that are mixed together for broadcast over a digital TV channel and separated out again by the receiver...
within its original C/D group.
Relay stations
The two most powerful relays are at NottinghamNottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
(just west of the M1 J26) and at Stanton Moor
Stanton Moor
Stanton Moor is a small upland area in the Derbyshire Peak District of central and northern England, lying between Matlock and Bakewell near the villages of Birchover and Stanton-in-Peak. It is known for its megaliths and erratics.-Archaeology:...
(near Bakewell
Bakewell
Bakewell is a small market town in the Derbyshire Dales district of Derbyshire, England, deriving its name from 'Beadeca's Well'. It is the only town included in the Peak District National Park, and is well known for the local confection Bakewell Pudding...
).
The area to the South East of Buxton is the meeting point between the Winter Hill
Winter Hill transmitting station
The Winter Hill transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications site situated on Winter Hill, at the southern boundary of the Borough of Chorley, and above Bolton in Greater Manchester, England...
, Emley Moor
Emley Moor transmitting station
The Emley Moor transmitting station is a telecommunications and broadcasting facility on 'Emley Moor' to the west of the village of Emley, in Kirklees, West Yorkshire, England . The station's most visible feature is its concrete tower, which is a Grade II listed building...
, Sutton Coldfield, and Waltham broadcasting regions. Further north-west of Bakewell, the filler transmitters are BBC North West
BBC North West
BBC North West is the BBC English Region serving Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, Walsden in West Yorkshire, the Isle of Man , north-west Derbyshire, the Yorkshire Dales including Settle and Ribblesdale, and southern Cumbria.BBC North West television output is also broadcast in...
, and North-east Derbyshire, east of Tideswell
Tideswell
Tideswell is a village and civil parish in the Peak District of Derbyshire, in England. It lies east of Buxton on the B6049, in a wide dry valley on a limestone plateau, at an altitude of above sea level, and is within the District of Derbyshire Dales...
and Hope
Hope, Derbyshire
Hope is a village in the Derbyshire Peak District, in England. It lies in the Hope Valley, at the point where Peakshole Water flows into the River Noe. To the north, Win Hill and Lose Hill stand either side of the Noe....
takes Emley Moor (BBC Leeds).
Waltham's Darley Dale
Darley Dale
Darley Dale, also known simply as Darley, is a town in Derbyshire, England, with a population of around 6,000 people. It lies north of Matlock, on the River Derwent and the A6 road.- History :...
relay station was Britain's 1000th television relay station.
Transmitted Services
Analogue radio
| Frequency | kW | Service |
|---|---|---|
| 106.6 MHz | 10.8 | Smooth Radio |
Digital radio
| Frequency | Block | kW | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 222.06 MHz | 11D | 8.8 | Digital One Digital One Digital One is a national commercial digital radio multiplex in the United Kingdom, owned by Arqiva. , the multiplex covers more than 90% of the populationfrom a total of 137 transmitters... |
| 225.64 MHz | 12B | 5 | BBC National DAB |
| 227.36 MHz | 12C | 4 | NOW Nottingham NOW Nottingham NOW Nottingham is a local commercial digital radio multiplex in the United Kingdom, which serves Nottingham, Mansfield, Newark-on-Trent and the surrounding area... |
Analogue television
Analogue television is no longer transmitted from Waltham. BBC Two closed on UHF 64 on 17 August 2011. ITV1 was moved into its frequency at the time and the BBC A multiplex began transmitting on UHF 61. The remaining four analogue channels were switched off on 31 August.| Frequency | UHF | kW | Service |
|---|---|---|---|
| 583.25 MHz | 35 | 250 | Channel 5 |
| 735.25 MHz | 54 | 250 | Channel 4 Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel... |
| 767.25 MHz | 58 | 250 | BBC One BBC One BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution... |
| 791.25 MHz | 61 | 250 | ITV1 ITV1 ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their... |
| 815.25 MHz | 64 | 250 | BBC Two BBC Two BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio... |
Digital television
| Frequency | UHF | kW | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 538.0 MHz | 29 | 8 | SDN S4C Digital Networks SDN is a company that operates Multiplex A, one of the six groups of channels on digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom... |
| 737.8 MHz | 54- | 50 | Digital 3&4 Digital 3&4 Digital 3&4 is a consortium consisting of regional Channel 3 companies and Channel 4 Television Corporation, which operates a multiplex broadcasting from a number of transmitter sites in the UK, carrying television and radio channels from both ITV and Channel 4; however three per-cent of the... |
| 754.0 MHz | 56 | 25 | Arqiva Arqiva Arqiva is a telecommunications company which provides infrastructure and broadcast transmission facilities in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. The present company, with headquarters located at Crawley Court in the village of Crawley, Hampshire, was formed by National Grid Wireless... A |
| 762.0 MHz | 57 | 25 | Arqiva B |
| 770.0 MHz | 58 | 50 | BBC BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff... B |
| 794.0 MHz | 61 | 50 | BBC A |
- SDN will increase to 25 kW on 12 October 2011.
Before switchover
| Frequency | UHF | kW | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 538.0 MHz | 29† | 8 | SDN S4C Digital Networks SDN is a company that operates Multiplex A, one of the six groups of channels on digital terrestrial television in the United Kingdom... (Mux A) |
| 554.0 MHz | 31‡ | 8 | Digital 3&4 Digital 3&4 Digital 3&4 is a consortium consisting of regional Channel 3 companies and Channel 4 Television Corporation, which operates a multiplex broadcasting from a number of transmitter sites in the UK, carrying television and radio channels from both ITV and Channel 4; however three per-cent of the... (Mux 2) |
| 570.0 MHz | 33 | 8 | BBC BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff... (Mux B) |
| 642.0 MHz | 42 | 5 | Arqiva Arqiva Arqiva is a telecommunications company which provides infrastructure and broadcast transmission facilities in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. The present company, with headquarters located at Crawley Court in the village of Crawley, Hampshire, was formed by National Grid Wireless... (Mux D) |
| 666.0 MHz | 45 | 5 | Arqiva (Mux C) |
| 698.0 MHz | 49 | 10 | BBC (Mux 1) |
- Multiplex 1 (BBC) on UHF 49 was closed on 17 August 2011 and replaced by BBC A on UHF 61.
† Broadcast on UHF 26 until 29 March 2011.
‡ Broadcast on UHF 23 until 29 March 2011.
See also
- List of masts, Table of masts
- List of tallest buildings and structures in Great Britain
- List of radio stations in the United Kingdom
External links
- Photos and details of Waltham TV mast, including co-receivable transmitters.
- The Transmission Gallery: photographs, coverage maps and information
- Waltham Transmitter at thebigtower.com
- Freeview
- Reception frequencies and repeater transmitters.
- Skyscraperpage
- Google Maps
- Live Maps
Relay stations
- Ashbourne on WyastonWyastonWyaston is a hamlet in Derbyshire, England. It is located 3 miles south of Ashbourne....
Road - Ashford-in-the-Water off the A6
- Belper on Firestone Hill near HazelwoodHazelwood, DerbyshireHazelwood is a village in Derbyshire at the lower end of the Pennines around five miles north of Derby, England. Ordnance Survey maps in the nineteenth century spelt it Hazzlewood....
- Birchover at Uppertown Farm towards WinsterWinsterWinster is a former lead-mining village in the Derbyshire Dales about from Matlock and from Bakewell at an altitude of approx . The village, which lies within the Peak District National Park, has a large number of listed buildings, including the Market House open daily as a National Trust...
- Bolehill near the National Stone Centre
- Darley Dale
- Eastwood next to MorrisonsMorrisonsWm Morrison Supermarkets plc is the fourth largest chain of supermarkets in the United Kingdom, headquartered in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. The company is usually referred to and is branded as Morrisons formerly Morrison's, and it is part of the FTSE 100 Index of companies...
- Little Eaton next to the A38
- Matlock at High Tor, east of the A6
- Nottingham in Strelley, BroxtoweBroxtoweBroxtowe is a local government district with borough status in Nottinghamshire, England, west of the City of Nottingham. It is part of the Greater Nottingham metropolitan area...
- Parwich towards TissingtonTissingtonTissington is a village in Derbyshire, England. It is part of the estate of Tissington Hall, owned by the FitzHerbert family since 1465. It is regarded as one of the most picturesque English villages and is a popular tourist attraction, particularly during its well dressing week. It also gives its...
- Stamford on Barnack Road next to Stamford High SchoolStamford High School, LincolnshireStamford High School is an English girls' Independent School situated in the market town of Stamford, Lincolnshire, England on .-Education:...
- Stanton Moor at Stanton in PeakStanton in PeakStanton-in-Peak is a village in the Peak District, Derbyshire, It is about seven miles north-west of Matlock, on the north side of Stanton Moor, from Birchover. There is a fine 19th century Parish Church, and many fine stone houses, with mullion windows...
next to the Nine LadiesNine LadiesNine Ladies is a Bronze Age stone circle located on Stanton Moor, Derbyshire, England. Part of the Peak District National Park, the site is owned by English Heritage and is often visited by tourists and hill walkers...