All transmitters other than main stations are indented to the right.

BBC

Station, channel, polarisation, maximum ERP (kW), in service date

LONDON AND SOUTH EAST

Alexandra Palace 1V 500 2.11.36-1.9.39

    7.6.46-27.3.56

Crystal Palace # 1V 200 28.3.56

    Bexhill 3H 0.15 1966

    Eastbourne 5V 0.05 16.12.63

    Hastings 4H 0.015 14.12.60

    Hungerford 4H 0.025

    Newhaven 8V 0.05

    Rye 3H 0.05

Oxford 2H 0.65 29.1.62

Swingate 2V 1.5 21.4.58

    Canterbury 5V 0.03 29.6.64

    Folkestone 4H 0.04 14.7.58

MIDLANDS

Sutton Coldfield # 4V 100 17.12.49

    Churchdown Hill 1H 0.25 29.11.65

    Hereford 2H 0.05 14.9.64

    Northampton 3V 0.1 1966

EAST ANGLIA

Peterborough 5H 1 5.10.59

    Bedford 10H 3 1966

    Cambridge 2H 0.1 7.3.66

Tacolneston 3H 45 1.2.55

    Aldeburgh 5V 0.025

    Manningtree 4H 5 22.5.62

SOUTH

Rowridge # 3V 100 12.11.54

    Brighton 2V 0.4 5.8.59

    Ventnor 5V 0.01 4.5.64

    Weymouth 1H 0.05

Truleigh Hill 3 9.5.53

(Truleigh Hill was a temporary station, replaced by Brighton-Whitehawk Hill)

WEST

Wenvoe # 5V 100 15.8.52

    Barnstaple 3H 0.2 1966

    Bath 6H 0.25 1966

    Marlborough 7H 0.025

    Swindon 3H 0.2 5.11.62

SOUTH WEST

Les Platons 4H 1 3.10.55

North Hessary Tor # 2V 15 17.12.54

    Bude 4V 0.1

    Okehampton 4V 0.04 13.7.64

    Sidmouth 4H 0.03

Redruth # 1H 10 26.2.62

    Bodmin 5H 0.01

    Isles of Scilly 3H 0.02

NORTH WEST

Winter Hill # 12V 125 20.4.64

    Douglas 5V 3 20.12.53

    Kendal 1H 0.025 1966

    Morecambe Bay # 3H 5 3.12.62

NORTH

    Belmont (relay) 13V 20 1966

    Skegness 1H 0.06 8.8.63

Holme Moss # 2V 100 12.10.51

    Scarborough 1H 0.5 8.3.65

    Sheffield 1H 0.05 24.5.60

    Swaledale 13H 100 Note 1

    Wensleydale 1V 0.02

NORTH EAST

Pontop Pike # 5H 17 1.5.53

    Richmond 3V 0.045

    Weardale 1H 0.15 21.2.66

    Whitby 4V 0.04

    Sandale # 4H 30 5.11.56

WALES

BBC Wales programme

Blaenplwyf # 3H 3 14.10.56

    Dolgellau 5V 0.025

    Ffestiniog 5H 0.05

    Machynlleth 5H 0.05 28.6.65

Haverfordwest # 4H 10 15.2.64

    Ammanford 12H 0.02

    Cardigan 2H 0.045

Llanddona 1V 6 15.5.62

    Holyhead 4H 0.01 9.3.64

Moel-y-Parc # 6V 20 28.10.65

    Betws-y-Coed # 4H 0.035

    Llangollen 1H 0.035

Wenvoe 13V 200 8.2.64

    Abergavenny 3H 0.03

    Carmarthen 1V 0.02 15.3.65

    Kilvey Hill 2H 0.5

    Llandrindod Wells#1H 1.5 4.12.61

    Llanelli 3V 0.015

    Llanidloes 13H 0.02

BBC-1 programme

Holme Moss # 2V 100 12.10.51

Sutton Coldfield # 4V 100 17.12.49

Wenvoe # 5V 100 15.8.52

Some parts of North and East Wales are served by the 405-line BBC-1 service from Holme Moss (channel 2V) or Sutton Coldfield (channel 4V).

Note 1: Shown "not yet in service" in 1969. Appears never to have been opened. It is reported that a station was planned for Limpley Stoke in Wiltshire on channel 4 but this does not appear in any station lists.

SCOTLAND

Kirk o'Shotts # 3V 100 14.3.52

    Ashkirk # 1V 18 17.6.63

    Ayr 2H 0.05

    Campbeltown 5V 0.5

    Dundee Law 2V 0.01 13.7.64

    Forfar 5V 5 13.7.64

    Girvan 4V 0.02

    Lochgilphead 1V 0.02

    Millburn Muir 1V 0.01

    Perth 4V 0.025 26.10.64

    Pitlochry 1H 0.2 21.12.64

    Port Ellen 2V 0.05

    Rosneath 2V 0.02

    Toward 5V 0.25 22.2.65

Meldrum # 4H 17 12.10.55

    Ballater 1V 0.01

    Bressay 3V 6 15.4.64

    Orkney 5V 15 22.12.58

    Thrumster 1V 7 15.12.58

Redmoss 4H 0.5? 14.12.54

(Redmoss was a temporary station, replaced by Meldrum)

Rosemarkie # 2H 20 16.8.57

    Ballachulish 2V 0.1 18.3.63

    Fort William 5H 1.5 28.2.63

    Grantown 1H 0.4 8.2.65

    Kingussie 5H 0.035

    Kinlochleven 1V 0.005 8.4.63

    Melvaig # 4V 25 26.4.65

    Oban 4V 3 22.6.63

    Penifiler # 1H 0.025 11.4.66

    Skriaig # 3H 12 14.3.66

Sandale (BBC1 Scotland) 6H 70 27.9.65

NORTHERN IRELAND

Divis # 1H 35 21.7.55

    Ballycastle 4H 0.05

    Brougher Mountain 5V 7 24.2.64

    Kilkeel 3H 0.025

    Larne 3H 0.05 5.4.65

    Londonderry 2H 1.5 18.12.57

    Maddybenny More 5H 0.02

    Newry 4V 0.03 15.3.65

Glencairn 1H 0.5? 1.5.53

(Glencairn was a temporary station, replaced by Divis)

INDEPENDENT TELEVISION

Station, channel, polarisation, maximum ERP (kW), in service date

THE BORDERS AND ISLE OF MAN

Caldbeck # 11H 100 1.9.61

    Selkirk # 13V 25 1.12.61

    Richmond Hill 8H 10 26.3.65

    Whitehaven 7V 0.1 30.1.68

CENTRAL SCOTLAND

Black Hill # 10V 475 31.8.57

    Rosneath 13V 0.1 13.12.68

    Rothesay 8V 1 30.8.68

    Lethanhill 12V 3 31.1.69

CHANNEL ISLANDS

Fremont Point 9H 10 1.9.62

EAST OF ENGLAND

Mendlesham 11H 200 27.10.59

    Belmont 7V 20 20.12.65*

    Sandy Heath 6H 30 13.7.65

LANCASHIRE

Winter Hill # 9V 100 3.5.56

LONDON

Croydon # 9V 350 22.9.55

MIDLANDS

Lichfield # 8V 400 17.2.56

    Membury 12H 30 30.4.65

    Ridge Hill 6V 10 30.7.68

NORTH-EAST ENGLAND

Burnhope # 8H 100 15.1.59

NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND

Durris # 9H 400 30.9.61

    Angus 11V 50 13.10.65

Mounteagle # 12H 50 30.9.61

    Rumster Forest 8V 30 25.6.65

    Aviemore 10H 1 29.11.69

NORTHERN IRELAND

Black Mountain # 9H 100 13.10.59

    Strabane 8V 100 18.2.63

    Ballycastle 13H 0.1 6.7.70

SOUTH OF ENGLAND

Chillerton Down # 11V 100 30.8.58

    Newhaven 6V 1 3.8.70

Dover 10V 100 31.1.60

SOUTH-WEST ENGLAND

Caradon Hill # 12V 200 29.4.61

Stockland Hill # 9V 100 29.4.61

    Huntshaw Cross 11H 0.5 22.4.68

WALES AND WEST OF ENGLAND

St. Hilary (English) # 10V 200 14.1.58

St. Hilary (Welsh) 7V 100 15.2.65

    Bath 8H 0.5 13.5.68

    Abergavenny 11H 0.1 23.4.69

    Brecon 8H 0.1 30.4.70

Presely # 8H 100 14.9.62

    Arfon 10H 10 9.11.62

    Bala 7V 0.1 26.7.67

    Ffestiniog 13V 0.1 28.2.69

    Llandovery # 11H 0.1 30.8.68

    Llandrindod Wells# 9H 3 1.7.69

Moel-y-Parc 11V 25 28.1.63

YORKSHIRE

Emley Moor # 10V 200 3.11.56

    Scarborough 6H 1 11.6.65

    Sheffield 6H 0.1 23.3.69

# .... Station still listed in service at 1984.

* .... Belmont VHF (and UHF colour) transmitted Anglia Television programmes from 20.12.65 (VHF) and 24.5.71 (UHF) until being reallocated to Yorkshire Television on 30th July 1974. From that date Belmont transmitted YTV on both VHF and UHF transmitters.

Pronunciation: The row in Rowridge rhymes with cow. Tacolneston is pronounced Tackleston.

Extract from BBC Ceefax, 4th January 1985:

TRANSMITTERS

405-LINE VHF TELEVISION CLOSURES

The last 24 405-line television stations listed below will close down between 2nd January and 6th January.

  ASHKIRK 1
  BETTWYS-Y-COED 4
  BLAEN PLWYF 3
  CRYSTAL PALACE 1
  DIVIS 1
  HAVERFORDWEST 4
  HOLME MOSS 2
  KIRK O’ SHOTTS 3
  LLANDRINDOD WELLS 1
  MELDRUM 4
  MELVAIG 4
  MOEL-Y-PARC 6
  MORECAMBE BAY 3
  NORTH HESSARY TOR 2
  PENIFILER 1
  PONTOP PIKE 5
  REDRUTH 1
  ROSEMARKIE 2
  ROWRIDGE 3
  SANDALE 4
  SKRIAIG 3
  SUTTON COLDFIELD 4
  WENVOE 5
  WINTER HILL 12

Extract from Channel 4 ORACLE 4th January 1985:

405-LINE VHF CLOSURES

The remaining ITV 405-line stations (listed below) closed on 3 January 1985

Black Hill Ch. 10
Llandovery Ch. 11
Black Mtn Ch. 9
Llandrindod Wells Ch. 9
Burnhope Ch. 8
Moel-y-Parc Ch. 11
Caldbeck Ch. 11
Mounteagle Ch. 12
Caradon Hill Ch. 12
Presely Ch. 8
Chillerton Down Ch. 11
Selkirk Ch. 13
Croydon Ch. 9
St. Hilary Ch. 10
Emley Moor Ch. 10
Stockland Hill Ch. 9
Lichfield Ch. 8
Winter Hill Ch. 9

OTHER BRITISH TRANSMITTERS

G3CTS special 12 watts (Note 1)
Tower TV 6 Probably never transmitted (Note 2)
Radio City TV 3 Projected (Note 3)
Caroline TV Projected (Note 4)
EMI Ltd, Hayes 1 (Note 5)
Baird Ltd, Crystal Palace special (Note 6) 

1. G3CTS was the Royal Television Society's own experimental and demonstration transmitter in London, operating from 1954 until some time around 1970. Vision was on 427MHz DSB (12 watts peak to aerial feeder), sound on 423.5MHz (10 watts), later 430MHz vision (150 watts DC to transmitter) and 426.5MHz sound (45 watts ditto). An article on this unusual and indeed unique station appeared in issue 4 of 405 Alive and the Best of Volume 1 reprint.

2. Pirate television became quite a talking point during the mid-1960s, following the apparent success of the offshore radio stations. Tower TV was to broadcast from the Sunk Head fort in the sea 14 miles off Walton on the Naze on the Essex coast. Although photographs exist of a rather crude-looking industrial CCTV camera shooting the Tower TV caption, there is some dispute whether they ever in fact went on the air. The alleged first reception was at 4.20 AM on Tuesday 9th November 1965. The channel chosen (5) and power (10 watts), had Tower ever gone on the air, would reportedly have caused harm to radio astronomy experiments at Cambridge (although the BBC was transmitting 1kW on channel 5 at Peterborough).

3. City TV was a project to broadcast from an ex-Naval minesweeper: it did not reach reality, though detailed plans were made. These were announced on 8th June 1965, following the Government's announcement of its intention to ban cigarette advertising on TV from 1st August. Initial capital outlay was estimated to be US$ 85,000 and if advertising support was forthcoming, 'top quality' films and news bulletins were to be broadcast on channel 3 (used by the BBC in Wales, well out of the range of City's projected coverage of south-east England).

4. Caroline TV was to be broadcast from a plane, similar to the American Stratovision experiments of many years previously. It too did not get off the ground, though photographs of the station idents were issued. In fact the only successful British offshore television station was in fact TV Noordzee, a British-owned affair on an artificial island off the Dutch coast. It was a 625-line affair, operating in Band III, and was declared illegal after a while [see International Broadcast Engineer, November & December 1964 for a detailed description].

5. EMI Ltd had a test transmitter and antenna similar to Alexandra Palace’s at Hayes, which was used for tests before Alexandra Palace opened.

The Telecommunications Department of the General Post Office informed Marconi-EMI on 24^th July 1935 that the frequencies of 45 megacycles and 41.5 megacycles for vision and sound respectively, which were proposed for use at the projected London Television Station at Alexandra Palace, could be used for the experimental station at Hayes which had, until that time, had been working at 44 megacycles and 40 megacycles respectively. It was pointed out that such an arrangement was for experimentation up to the time when public transmissions from Alexandra Palace commenced, at which time it would be necessary to arrange a time schedule for the different transmissions from Hayes.

6. Baird Ltd operated a 405-line transmitter at Crystal Palace in the late 1930s. Ray Herbert (amateur callsign G2KU) is one of the few surviving employees of the old Baird television company. He started work there in 1938 in the transmitter department and recalls:

"They had no camera, hence nothing to transmit, so they used an electronic generator to make a horizontal bar. This generator was based on 405 lines and produced horizontal stripes as a sort of test pattern.

"The intention was to relay events from film (sports events and the like) within 3 or 4 hours of the event to Gaumont-British cinemas in central London from the transmitter at the Crystal Palace. This would have used interlaced 405-line scanning to BBC standards.

"The transmitter was located in the South Tower, which had survived the disastrous fire of 1936 which had destroyed the rest of the Crystal Palace buildings. Baird used the former School of Arts at Crystal Palace, in the extreme south-east wing, for aerial television experiments (e.g. work for French government).

"Baird's monoscope was used not at Crystal Palace but at the TV factory for aligning TV receivers. This factory was at Worsley Bridge Road, Lower Sydenham."

The frequency of Baird’s transmitter was stated in October 1933 as 6.25 metres, i.e. 48MHz and Ray says: "the transmitter frequencies were not changed as the aerials [would have] had to be modified and this was a steeplejack’s job. There would be no clash with the BBC as there were no transmissions from Crystal Palace from about November 1935 except for spasmodic test with the 240-line gear [destined] for Alexandra Palace. At a later date Baird transmitted his colour pictures on 37MHz. Our [airborne] system [for the French air force] was 400 lines sequential on 51MHz."

7. Radio Astronomy. Channel 6 was used for radio astronomy experiments at the Mullard Radio Laboratory, Lords Bridge, near Cambridge.

IRISH REPUBLIC

Main transmitters

Kippure (Co. Dublin) 7H 100 opened 1961,  closed 31.1.79  or 13.2.79

Truskmore (Co. Sligo) 11V 100 closed 27.8.78  or 28.8 78

These closure dates are taken from official records; probably the first date is the proposed one and the second the actual date of closure. 

Low-power transposers

Dublin (Donnybrook) 3V 25W closed 1.11.78

Fanad (Co. Donegal) 7H 1 closed 15.6.82

Letterkenny (Co. Donegal) 6V 1 until 23.11.90*

Moville (Co. Donegal) 12V 2 due to close end 1983

Monaghan 10H 1.6 not available

* The 1990 date was given by RTE but is clearly wrong; the station was due to close at the end of 1983. Further research needs to be done with regard to opening and closing dates.

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