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UK Broadcast Transmission |
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THE TRANSMISSION GALLERY
| Photos by BBC Handbook 1950, OldMaps, James Muir | Page last updated: 2020-02-02 |
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| The BBC Edinburgh MW station was one of several low-power MW "relays" built in Scottish cities in the 1940s to improve the reception of BBC radio services north of the border (with the other "relays" being at Glasgow - Bellahouston Park, Dundee - Greenside Scalp, and Aberdeen - Redmoss). The Edinburgh station entered service on 10-Mar-1948 for the Third Programme on 1474 kHz. Frequency changed to 647 kHz on 15th March 1950. With the arrival of Radio 1 in 1967 the old 1214 kHz "Light Programme Auxiliary Service" was pressed into service for the new Pop station, including the 50 kW transmitter at Westerglen. With the loss of this strong local Light Programme signal on 1214 kHz it was quickly discovered that the Radio 2 Long Wave signal in Scotland on its own left a lot to be desired, particularly in areas with high levels of electrical interference. In December 1967 therefore the BBC made efforts to improve the situation, opening new medium wave transmitters for Radio 2 at the existing stations at Edinburgh and Glasgow just in time for Christmas, both running 0.5 kW, although this power was raised to 2 kW in July 1968. For Aberdeen (Redmoss) and Dundee the response was less quick, and new MW relays (also on 1484 kHz) didn't open until October 1968. So from 1969 to 1978 the Edinburgh station was used for both Radio 3 on 647 kHz with 2 KW, and Radio 2 on 1484 kHz with 2 KW. In October 1978 the transmitters were still in service for both Radio 2 (1484 kHz) and Radio 3 (647 kHz), however in November 1978 they had been taken off air and replaced by high-power services from the Westerglen station near Falkirk, with Radio 2 on 909 kHz and Radio 3 on 1215 KHz. There is some confusion re the precise location of the station over the years. The BBC Handbook 1950 has it listed at "Pennywell", which is in the Granton area of the city, at or near NGR NT218765 (i.e. the south-west corner of "Granton Park Recreational Ground" to be precise), however the BBC transmitter booklet from 1978 has it listed half-a-mile SE of this location at NGR NT227761. Below are photos from both locations, perhaps somebody reading this has more details about the history of the locations (or even some photos) and they could enlighten us? (with thanks to Martin Watkins, Martin Brown and Peter Bigwood for supplying supporting details) |
| BBC Handbook 1950 picture of the Pennywell location at or near NGR NT218765, the south-west corner of "Granton Park Recreational Ground". (With thanks to BBC Handbook 1950 / Martin Watkins) |
| An OldMaps image showing the ENE/SSW alignment of the masts and "Transmitting Station" at Pennywell / Granton Park Recreational Ground - a perfect alignment for a T-aerial for central Edinburgh. Unfortunately, the site has recently been obliterated by a new block of flats. (With thanks to Peter Bigwood / OldMaps) |
| This building is the only plausible remnants of a "transmitter hall" that can be found at the site listed in the BBC 1978 transmitter booklet (NGR NT227761, address : Crewe Road Gardens, Edinburgh). There are no other signs of any historic transmitter operations at this site, which is now a builder's yard in a built-up urban area of 1930s-style housing. Photo taken Wednesday, 13 March 2013. |
| Another view of the building in the previous photograph. Photo taken Wednesday, 13 March 2013. |
| We've received further information from Chris Ronald, who remembers cycling to that part of Edinburgh in the 1970s. He writes:- The road called "West Granton Access" was built on the trackbed of the former Caledonian Railway, and prior to the road being built (sometime in the '90's I think) it was a cycle path that I often used. I remember there being masts/towers around the area of NT227761 - in fact there were at least two separate "sets". I remember there being a set of masts with wires strung between them somewhere on the west side of Crewe Road North. I can also remember there being at least one, maybe two self supporting towers on what was waste ground to the west of the cycle path. The tower or towers were on ground to the NE of the square building with the green roof in West Pilton Brae. The 'C' shaped building and four smaller buildings below (south) of it look pretty recent. I seem to remember thinking that these towers were something to do with Ferranti who in the '70's had various factories around Edinburgh including two sites close to this location at either side of Crewe road North at it's junction with Ferry Road. These sites are now BAE systems. |
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