Winter Hill transmitting station
Encyclopedia
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. It is owned and operated by Arqiva
.
antenna
attached to the top of the mast brought the overall height to 315.4 metres (1,034.8 ft), however as part of the Digital Switchover plans, this antenna has now been removed, reducing its overall height to 309.48 metres (1,015.4 ft). It is one of the tallest structures in the United Kingdom
, the tallest being the mast at Belmont
with a height of 351.5 metres (1,153.2 ft), however at 778.1 metres (2,552.8 ft) above sea level, Winter Hill has the highest television transmitting antenna in the UK.
, Bilsdale, Mendip
, Waltham
and the original ill-fated structure at Emley Moor). Support wires, to hold the mast vertical, are pitched at 120° when viewed from above. These are connected at 5 heights, giving 15 supports in total. In recent years, these wires have been strengthened, and 152 metric tons (150 tons) of dampening chains have been fitted by Arqiva
(then NTL Broadcast) to reduce the oscillations caused by high winds that were a factor in the collapse of Emley Moor's original structure in 1969.
.
The mast has always had a series of red aircraft warning lights
but in October 2006 these lights were substantially brightened making the mast far more visible to passing aircraft. These lights can be maintained from the inside, as the bulbs swing inwards for maintenance.
Eight external platforms encircle the mast along its height, these can be accessed from the inside of the mast, and are used to maintain the supporting wires, and the ILR
antennas.
includes approximately 6.3 million people. Although not the 'correct' television region, it is the preferred region for some in North Wales
, mainly because it carries Channel 4
(as opposed to S4C
), Channel 5 and a much more powerful digital terrestrial output than the Welsh transmitters. The region's ITV
franchisees, Granada Television
(weekdays only until 1968) and ABC Television (Associated British Corporation) weekends (launched in 1956), were on air much earlier than North Wales' franchisee, WWN (Teledu Cymru)
which launched in 1962 (subsequently HTV Wales) giving viewers more choice than they would with the Welsh transmissions. ABC Television lost its franchise in 1968, when Granada Television commenced broadcasting seven days a week. Since the digital switchover, the Welsh transmitters are broadcasting DTT at a much higher power and Channel 4 & Channel 5 are now included in the line-up. However, because of terrain and rough landscapes of North Wales, many will find it easier to stay with Winter Hill (as small local relays will only broadcast a limited range of the digital channels).
In July 2007 it was confirmed by Ofcom that Winter Hill would be remaining a C/D group transmitter after DSO (digital switchover). One of the Winter Hill Multiplexes (Arqiva B or MUX6), broadcasting channels including Film4
& ITV4
, was on reduced power (12.5 kW) until Sutton Coldfield went fully digital in September 2011. This compares with the other Winter Hill digital multiplexes which have broadcast with 100 kW since 2 December 2009. This significantly affected the Arqiva B multiplex coverage area until the Sutton Coldfield final switchover.
Apart from North Wales, the coverage area is what is expected, covering a large area of the north-west. More Relay Transmitters appear towards the east in Greater Manchester.
Winter Hill is the principal transmitter for the Granada region and in 2009 it became the first in the UK to broadcast digital television in high-definition.
MUX6/Arqiva B (on channel 55) was transmitted at only 12.5 kW to prevent co-channel interference with the Sutton Coldfield transmitting station's MUX6/Arqiva B which was on the same channel until it switched over in September 2011. It now transmits at 100 kW, the same power as the other five multiplexes.
Only four of the 70 Winter Hill relays will broadcast six digital multiplexes (Lancaster, Saddleworth, Pendle Forest and Storeton). All the others will broadcast just the three public service multiplexes BBC A, BBC B and D3&4. Since switchover BBC B is reserved for HD broadcasts only. Winter Hill also broadcasts a Manchester Multiplex on Channel 57 which includes Channel M
.
† Relays the signal from Holme Moss
to cover South and Central Lancashire
† Broadcasts from a directional aerial to cover Greater Manchester
.
‡ Broadcasts from a directional aerial to cover Central Lancashire (Wigan, Preston, Southport, Blackpool and surrounding areas).
Bristol 170 Freighter (G-AICS) travelling from the Isle of Man
to Manchester
crashed into Winter Hill
(also known as Rivington Moor) several hundred yards away from the mast. 35 people died and 7 were injured. The weather that night was so severe that none of the engineers working in the transmission centre were aware of the crash. Several feet of snow hampered rescue efforts, and a snow cat vehicle had to be diverted from the A6 to cut a path for emergency vehicles.
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 site situated on Winter Hill, at the southern boundary of the Borough of Chorley
Chorley (borough)
Chorley is a local government district with borough status in Lancashire, England. It is named after its largest settlement, the town of Chorley.-Creation:...
, and above Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, England. 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...
.
Height
The original mast at Winter Hill was a 450 ft high tower which came into service on 3 May 1956, and carried the programmes of Granada ITV (weekdays) and ABC TV (weekends). In 1966 services were transferred to a new higher mast erected adjacent to the original tower.The main mast structure is 309.48 metres (1,015.4 ft) tall and has a diameter of 2.75 metres (9 ft). During the period of parallel digital and analogue transmissions, the DTTDigital terrestrial television
Digital terrestrial television is the technological evolution of broadcast television and advance from analog television, which broadcasts land-based signals...
antenna
Antenna (radio)
An antenna is an electrical device which converts electric currents into radio waves, and vice versa. It is usually used with a radio transmitter or radio receiver...
attached to the top of the mast brought the overall height to 315.4 metres (1,034.8 ft), however as part of the Digital Switchover plans, this antenna has now been removed, reducing its overall height to 309.48 metres (1,015.4 ft). It is one of the tallest structures in the United Kingdom
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...
, the tallest being the mast at Belmont
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...
with a height of 351.5 metres (1,153.2 ft), however at 778.1 metres (2,552.8 ft) above sea level, Winter Hill has the highest television transmitting antenna in the UK.
Construction
Unlike most masts, which are of a lattice design, Winter Hill mast is of a tubular construction. Five other masts in England share this design (BelmontBelmont 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...
, Bilsdale, Mendip
Mendip TV Mast
The Mendip transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facility, situated on the summit of Pen Hill, part of the Mendip Hills range in Somerset, England, at above sea level. The station is located in St Cuthbert Out civil parish in Mendip district...
, Waltham
Waltham transmitting station
The Waltham transmitting station is a broadcasting and telecommunications facilityat Waltham-on-the-Wolds, 5 miles north-east of Melton Mowbray. It sits inside the Waltham civil parish near Stonesby, in the district of Melton, Leicestershire, UK. It has a guyed steel tubular mast...
and the original ill-fated structure at Emley Moor). Support wires, to hold the mast vertical, are pitched at 120° when viewed from above. These are connected at 5 heights, giving 15 supports in total. In recent years, these wires have been strengthened, and 152 metric tons (150 tons) of dampening chains have been fitted 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...
(then NTL Broadcast) to reduce the oscillations caused by high winds that were a factor in the collapse of Emley Moor's original structure in 1969.
Maintenance
An advantage of the tubular design is that engineers can ascend the inside the mast and avoid adverse weather, which is a problem on frame structures. Maintaining the outside of the mast is typically performed using a bosun's chairBosun's chair
A bosun's chair or boatswain's chair is a device used to suspend a person from a rope to perform work aloft. It is distinguished from a climbing harness by the inclusion of a more or less rigid seat, providing more comfort than even the best-padded straps for long-term use...
.
The mast has always had a series of red aircraft warning lights
Aircraft warning lights
Aircraft warning lights are high-intensity lighting devices that are attached to tall structures and are used as collision avoidance measures. Such devices make structures more visible to passing aircraft and are usually used at night, although they may be used during the day as well...
but in October 2006 these lights were substantially brightened making the mast far more visible to passing aircraft. These lights can be maintained from the inside, as the bulbs swing inwards for maintenance.
Eight external platforms encircle the mast along its height, these can be accessed from the inside of the mast, and are used to maintain the supporting wires, and the ILR
Independent Local Radio
Independent Local Radio is the collective name given to commercial radio stations in the United Kingdom. The same name is used for Independent Local Radio in Ireland.-Development of ILR:...
antennas.
Coverage
The station's coverageCoverage map
Coverage maps are designed to indicate the service areas of radiocommunication transmitting stations. Typically these may be produced for radio or television stations, for mobile telephone networks and for satellite networks. Such maps are alternatively known as propagation maps...
includes approximately 6.3 million people. Although not the 'correct' television region, it is the preferred region for some in North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
, mainly because it carries 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...
(as opposed to S4C
S4C
S4C , currently branded as S4/C, is a Welsh television channel broadcast from the capital, Cardiff. The first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking audience, it is the fifth oldest British television channel .The channel - initially broadcast on...
), Channel 5 and a much more powerful digital terrestrial output than the Welsh transmitters. The region's ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
franchisees, Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
(weekdays only until 1968) and ABC Television (Associated British Corporation) weekends (launched in 1956), were on air much earlier than North Wales' franchisee, WWN (Teledu Cymru)
Wales West and North Television
Wales Television, known on screen as Teledu Cymru and often abbreviated to WWN, was the Welsh "Independent Television" contractor awarded the franchise area serving 'North and West Wales', from 1962-68...
which launched in 1962 (subsequently HTV Wales) giving viewers more choice than they would with the Welsh transmissions. ABC Television lost its franchise in 1968, when Granada Television commenced broadcasting seven days a week. Since the digital switchover, the Welsh transmitters are broadcasting DTT at a much higher power and Channel 4 & Channel 5 are now included in the line-up. However, because of terrain and rough landscapes of North Wales, many will find it easier to stay with Winter Hill (as small local relays will only broadcast a limited range of the digital channels).
In July 2007 it was confirmed by Ofcom that Winter Hill would be remaining a C/D group transmitter after DSO (digital switchover). One of the Winter Hill Multiplexes (Arqiva B or MUX6), broadcasting channels including Film4
Film4
Film4 is a free digital television channel available in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, owned and operated by Channel 4, that screens films.-Programming:...
& ITV4
ITV4
ITV4 is a British television station which was launched on 1 November 2005. It is owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc, and is part of the ITV network. The channel has a male-oriented line-up, including sport, cop shows and US comedies and dramas, as well as classic ITV action...
, was on reduced power (12.5 kW) until Sutton Coldfield went fully digital in September 2011. This compares with the other Winter Hill digital multiplexes which have broadcast with 100 kW since 2 December 2009. This significantly affected the Arqiva B multiplex coverage area until the Sutton Coldfield final switchover.
Apart from North Wales, the coverage area is what is expected, covering a large area of the north-west. More Relay Transmitters appear towards the east in Greater Manchester.
Digital television
Analogue television transmissions from Winter Hill ceased officially early in the morning of 2 December 2009. Since then the site has carried only digital terrestrial television transmissions.Winter Hill is the principal transmitter for the Granada region and in 2009 it became the first in the UK to broadcast digital television in high-definition.
MUX6/Arqiva B (on channel 55) was transmitted at only 12.5 kW to prevent co-channel interference with the Sutton Coldfield transmitting station's MUX6/Arqiva B which was on the same channel until it switched over in September 2011. It now transmits at 100 kW, the same power as the other five multiplexes.
Only four of the 70 Winter Hill relays will broadcast six digital multiplexes (Lancaster, Saddleworth, Pendle Forest and Storeton). All the others will broadcast just the three public service multiplexes BBC A, BBC B and D3&4. Since switchover BBC B is reserved for HD broadcasts only. Winter Hill also broadcasts a Manchester Multiplex on Channel 57 which includes Channel M
Channel m
Channel M is a regional television station, based in Manchester, England. It began broadcasting on 14 February 2000 as Manchester Student Television and is owned and operated by the Guardian Media Group.-Coverage:...
.
| Frequency | UHF | kW | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 737.0 MHz | 54 | 100 | 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 |
| 746.0 MHz | 55 | 100 | 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... B |
| 762.0 MHz | 57 | 1 | Channel M Channel m Channel M is a regional television station, based in Manchester, England. It began broadcasting on 14 February 2000 as Manchester Student Television and is owned and operated by the Guardian Media Group.-Coverage:... |
| 770.0 MHz | 58 | 100 | 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... |
| 778.0 MHz | 59 | 100 | 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... |
| 793.8 MHz | 61 | 100 | Arqiva A |
| 801.8 MHz | 62 | 100 | BBC A |
FM
| Frequency | kW | Service |
|---|---|---|
| 88.6 MHz | 4† | BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres... |
| 90.8 MHz | 4† | BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 3 is a national radio station operated by the BBC within the United Kingdom. Its output centres on classical music and opera, but jazz, world music, drama, culture and the arts also feature. The station is the world’s most significant commissioner of new music, and its New Generation... |
| 93.0 MHz | 4† | BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the... |
| 97.4 MHz | 2 | Rock FM |
| 98.2 MHz | 4† | BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock... |
| 100.4 MHz | 5 | Smooth FM Smooth FM Smooth Radio is an Independent National Radio station in the United Kingdom owned by GMG Radio. It broadcasts on the DAB Digital Radio Digital 1 national multiplex and on Sky, Freesat, Freeview, Virgin Media and online as well as regional FM and DAB frequencies in the North West, London, North... |
| 103.9 MHz | 2 | BBC Radio Lancashire BBC Radio Lancashire BBC Radio Lancashire is the BBC Local Radio service for the county of Lancashire, in North West England. It began as BBC Radio Blackburn on 26 January 1971 on 96.4FM, then adding 854 kHz AM in 1972 and changing to its current name on 4 July 1981... |
| 105.4 MHz | 5 | Real Radio |
† Relays the signal from Holme Moss
Holme Moss transmitting station
- Background :Holme Moss transmitting station was the BBC's third public television transmitter, launched on 12 October 1951. Of historic and technical interest, this operated on the 405 line VHF system, with black and white transmissions originally on British System A, Channel 2, with vision...
to cover South and Central Lancashire
DAB
| Frequency | Block | kW | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 220.352 MHz | 11C | 0.25† | CE Manchester CE Manchester CE Manchester is a DAB digital radio broadcast multiplex serving the city of Manchester in the north-west of England. It is operated by CE Digital, the DAB multiplex operator jointly owned by Global Radio and Bauer Radio which also operates CE London and CE Birmingham. The DAB services operated... |
| 222.064 MHz | 11D | 10 | 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... |
| 223.936 MHz | 12A | 1.5‡ | Bauer Central Lancashire Bauer Central Lancashire Bauer Central Lancashire is a local commercial digital radio multiplex in the United Kingdom, which serves the central Lancashire area. The DAB licence was first on February 22, 2000. Only one application was received by the Radio Authority for the licence by the closing date of June 20, 2000,... |
| 225.648 MHz | 12B | 10 | BBC National DAB |
| 227.360 MHz | 12C | 2 | MXR North West MXR North West MXR North West is a regional commercial digital radio multiplex in the United Kingdom, which serves the North West of England.- Transmitter sites :MXR North West currently broadcasts from the following sites:-Stations carried:... |
† Broadcasts from a directional aerial to cover Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
.
‡ Broadcasts from a directional aerial to cover Central Lancashire (Wigan, Preston, Southport, Blackpool and surrounding areas).
Plane crash
On 27 February 1958, a Silver CitySilver City (airline)
Silver City Airways was a private, British independentindependent from government-owned corporations airline formed in 1946. The name Silver City was derived from the eponymous Australian mining town at Broken Hill, where the The Zinc Corporation was headquartered. Silver City's first commercial...
Bristol 170 Freighter (G-AICS) travelling from the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
crashed into Winter Hill
Winter Hill (Lancashire)
Winter Hill is a hill on the border of the boroughs of Chorley, Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton, in North West England. It is located on Rivington Moor, Chorley and is high...
(also known as Rivington Moor) several hundred yards away from the mast. 35 people died and 7 were injured. The weather that night was so severe that none of the engineers working in the transmission centre were aware of the crash. Several feet of snow hampered rescue efforts, and a snow cat vehicle had to be diverted from the A6 to cut a path for emergency vehicles.
Timeline
- 1956: Granada TelevisionGranada TelevisionGranada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
weekdays & ABC Television (Associated British Corporation) weekends commence black and white television broadcasting prior to main mast construction. - 1958: Fatal plane crash kills 35 people, 7 survive.
- 1962: BBC commence broadcasting.
- 1965: Main mast is completed, replacing the old 450' construction, which is removed.
- 1966: UHF transmissions start.
- 1968: ABC Television loses franchise; Granada Television commences broadcasting seven days a week.
- 1968: ITV build the single storey engineering building.
- 1969: ITV and BBC transmit in colour on UHF.
- 1970: Relaying service set up with Emley Moor mast.
- 1974: Local radio stations set up wire frame ILR transmitters on the hill.
- 1981: Channel 4 create additional engineering building.
- 1982: Additional ILR transmitter put into operation for further local radio. Channel 4 commences transmission.
- 1983: Channel 4 set up relay service.
- 1997: Channel 5 commences transmission
- 1998: Century FM radio starts broadcasting from the main mast (now Real Radio).
- 2009: Analogue TV signals were switched off in two phases on Wednesday 4 November 2009 (BBC TwoBBC TwoBBC 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...
Switched off) and 2 December 2009 (remaining analogue channels).
See also
- List of masts
- List of tallest structures in the United Kingdom
- List of radio stations in the United Kingdom
Further reading
- The Devil Casts His Net, Steve Morrin, ISBN 0-9534503-1-7, The Winter Hill Air Disaster.
External links
- MB21 Winter Hill index.
- Info and pictures of Winter Hill including co-receivable transmitters.
- Winter Hill photo gallery at www.the-moores.co.uk
- http://www.skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?b2455
- Winter Hill scrapbook Section on the stay blocks for the mast
- Winter Hill Transmitter at thebigtower.com