Holme Moss transmitting station was built by British Insulated Callender's Cables[1] with John Laing & Son acting as sub-contractors for the foundations.[2] It became 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 51.75 MHz, 45 kW and sound 48.25 MHz, 12 kW.[3] The mast survived until the end of the Band I TV broadcasts in 1985, with a replacement mast being constructed, adjacent, in 1984.[4] In early 1986, there was concern that heavy blocks of ice could bring down the old mast - February 1986 had been one of the coldest months on record, but demolition contractors worried that a sudden burst of warm weather could loosen lumps of ice, with the shock of the fall possibly buckling the old mast at its badly rusted centre. This in turn threatened to damage the new mast just 100 yards away and put all its FM broadcasts off air.[5] In the event, a gradual thaw alleviated the problem, and the old mast was taken apart as planned.
Television signals from Holme Moss travelled much further than their intended service area. The Isle of Man and parts of the Irish Republic, mainly Dublin and Wicklow, could receive a signal from Holme Moss for some years. Emley Moor and Moorside Edge masts can be seen from the location (Emley Moor from Holme Moss).
VHF Radio broadcasts started on 10 December 1956, for the Home, Light, Third Programme as they were then titled (see table). To this day, these three stations operate on exactly the same frequencies as they did in 1956. Subsequently, BBC Local Radio services were added in the early 1970s. With the awarding of a national commercial station, Classic FM is also broadcast. DAB transmissions also now originate from here.[7]
These transmissions cover North West England (mainly Greater Manchester and Cheshire) and most of Yorkshire; however, signals can be heard as far south as London and as far north as Scotland, whilst coverage can also be heard in Ireland and mainland Europe.
The base of the station is 1,719 ft (524 m) above sea level and the mast another 750 ft (228 m) on top of that. This gives a maximum aerial height of 2,467 ft (752 m) which is one of the highest in the UK. The mast weighs 140 tons and is held up by 5 sets of stay levels. At 250 kW ERP on the national channels, it is one of the most powerful VHF sites in the country.
Being the main radio site in the North West and Yorkshire region, there are also a number of smaller relay transmitters used to fill in areas which receive poor coverage from Holme Moss. This is particularly evident around the Pennines where there are frequent hills meaning reception from Holme Moss is poor (especially indoors).
Analogue radio
Transmitter
kW
BBC R1
BBC R2
BBC R3
BBC R4
Classic FM
BBC Local
Notes
Barnoldswick
0.02
99.3 MHz
89.7 MHz
91.9 MHz
94.1 MHz
—
—
Serves area of Barnoldswick
Beecroft Hill
0.2
99.4 MHz
89.8 MHz
92.0 MHz
94.2 MHz
101.6 MHz
103.9 MHz
Relays BBC Radio Leeds. Serves western areas of Leeds
Chesterfield
0.4
97.9 MHz
88.3 MHz
90.5 MHz
92.7 MHz
100.1 MHz
94.7 MHz
Relays BBC Radio Sheffield. BBC national FM services are relayed from Sutton Coldfield
Cornholme
0.02
99.3 MHz
89.7 MHz
91.9 MHz
94.1 MHz
—
—
Serves villages of Cornholme and Lydgate, west of Todmorden.
Haslingden
0.083
99.5 MHz
89.9 MHz
92.1 MHz
94.3 MHz
—
—
Serves Haslingden area.
Hebden Bridge
0.025
98.0 MHz
88.4 MHz
90.6 MHz
92.8 MHz
—
—
Serves Hebden Bridge area.
Idle
0.025
98.1 MHz
88.5 MHz
90.7 MHz
92.9 MHz
100.3 MHz
—
Serves Bradford area.
Keighley
1
98.5 MHz
88.9 MHz
91.1 MHz
93.3 MHz
—
102.7 MHz
Relays BBC Radio Leeds. Serves Keighley area.
Kendal
0.1
98.6 MHz
89.0 MHz
91.2 MHz
93.4 MHz
—
—
Serves Kendal area.
Luddenden
0.084
98.3 MHz
88.7 MHz
90.9 MHz
93.1 MHz
—
95.3 MHz
Relays BBC Radio Leeds. Serves areas west of Halifax and the Ryburn Valley.
Morecambe Bay
10
99.6 MHz
90.0 MHz
92.2 MHz
94.4 MHz
101.8 MHz
—
Serves large areas of Southern Cumbria.
Olivers Mount
0.25
99.5 MHz
89.9 MHz
92.1 MHz
94.3 MHz
—
—
Serves Scarborough and surrounding areas.
Pendle Forest
0.1
97.8 MHz
90.2 MHz
92.6 MHz
94.6 MHz
—
—
Serves Burnley and Colne areas.
Saddleworth
0.095
99.3 MHz
89.8 MHz
91.9 MHz
94.1 MHz
—
104.6 MHz
Relays BBC Radio Manchester. Serves Saddleworth and Tameside in the Upper Tame Valley
Sheffield
0.32
99.5 MHz
89.9 MHz
92.1 MHz
94.3 MHz
101.7 MHz
88.6 MHz
Relays BBC Radio Sheffield. Serves parts of Sheffield
Stanton Moor
1.2
99.4 MHz
89.8 MHz
92.0 MHz
94.2 MHz
—
—
Serves areas of the southern Peak District including Matlock, Bakewell and Cromford areas.
Todmorden
0.1
98.5 MHz
88.9 MHz
91.1 MHz
93.3 MHz
—
—
Serves Todmorden area (relayed via Cornholme).
Walsden South
0.01
98.0 MHz
88.4 MHz
90.6 MHz
92.8 MHz
—
—
Serves Walsden area and Littleborough, just south of Todmorden.
Wensleydale
0.054
97.9 MHz
88.3 MHz
90.5 MHz
92.7 MHz
—
—
Serves Wensleydale area.
Whalley
0.01
99.2 MHz
89.6 MHz
91.8 MHz
94.0 MHz
—
—
Serves Whalley and Clitheroe areas.
Wharfedale
0.04
98.0 MHz
88.4 MHz
90.6 MHz
92.8 MHz
—
95.3 MHz
Relays BBC Radio Leeds. Serves Wharfedale north of Leeds