DIRECTORATE OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS
HISTORY; POLICE ON MF
page 6 of 6

Document written by Brian Pears (no other details available)


The Regional Wireless Stations were redundant - but the sites were retained and redesignated Regional Wireless Depots. Their new function was to maintain the fixed and mobile equipment used by the various police, and later fire-service, schemes within their areas.

The MF masts were removed and replaced by slightly smaller structures carrying VHF arrays, but these were not used as part of any police schemes. Their role was simply to provide two-way communication with service vans based at the Depots.

All nine depots remain to this day, indeed a tenth at Harrow was opened in 1972, but, in keeping with government policy, they have now been privatised. A sad end for these pioneering establishments after more than 50 years of public service.
 

Source: Kevin Carrig

ADDENDUM

Addendum From: Martin Swift dated 12/11/2004
Shapwick is gone - Stanton is in 'others' hands - Hannington is abandoned - Billinge is to be vacated and demolished very soon, a final photo shoot is planned.

Addendum From: David Rumens dated 13/11/2004
On most sites the 140 foot mast was used to transmit. On the receiver side there were two 75 foot wooden poles erected in front of the operations room which carried a dipole. The 140 masts were not all removed when MF ceased. They carried on being used to mount the aerials for the Depot and some CD frequencies. Though due to their construction the number of aerials they could carry was some what limited.

The Hannington mast was removed in 1969 when the BBC erected their own on site and the HO had the use of the first 175 feet.

Cranbrook's mast carried on until it became unsafe, rust!, and was taken down by the REME in 1972 and was replaced in 1973 with a 150 foot tower. The Kippax mast was removed early on due to ground subsidence.

The MF Transmitters were a Marconi Ship to Shore type and the receivers were made by Eddystone, the 700 series. We still had one of the MF receivers in stores at Cranbrook in the late 1960's.

As for the Depots Shapwick was levelled around the mid to late 1990's and is now a housing Estate. Hannington is closed and Cranbrook looks like it now has very little use.

This page is
HTML compliant

©2007 web design by
concisewebs4u