Sandy Heath transmitting station

The Peterborough BBC mast opened on 5 October 1959, but had no ITV television broadcasting. The ITA referred to the 'Peterborough Bedford gap'. The only ITV broadcasting came from Lichfield or Mendlesham. Mendlesham was the tallest mast in the UK.

In June 1962 the planning approval for a 500 ft mast was given by Sandy Urban District.Biggleswade Chronicle Friday 22 June 1962 In April 1963 the new planning approval was given by Biggleswade Rural District for a 750 ft mast.Biggleswade Chronicle Friday 26 April 1963, page 18

In April 1964 it would be a £80,000 lattice mast, made by BICC of Preston, with all steelwork galvanised by Painter Brothers of Hereford,Biggleswade Chronicle Friday 10 April 1964, page 12 and a transmitter from EMI Electronics.Grimsby Evening Telegraph Thursday 16 April 1964, page 5

By January 1965 it was under construction,Biggleswade Chronicle Friday 8 January 1965, page 12 where in April 1965 it was damaged by lightning,Biggleswade Chronicle Friday 16 April 1965, page 1 and had reached 750 ft by 23 April 1965.

Biggleswade Chronicle Friday 23 April 1965, page 12

It cost £200,00. The IBA station would be unmanned, merely a satellite of Mendlesham.Peterborough Evening Telegraph Tuesday 6 July 1965, page 6Bedfordshire Times Friday 9 July 1965, page 2

It was opened by Charles Hill, Baron Hill of Luton for the ITA (Anglia TV), who arrived by Westland Wessex helicopter on Monday 5 July 1965. It would broadcast for 12 hours a dayBiggleswade Chronicle Friday 9 July 1965, page 1Times Tuesday July 6 1965, page 7

By the end of 1965, it was hoped that nine ITA transmitters would be open.

From its start until late 1966, the transmitter could not broadcast schools programmes in the morning because the frequency (waveband) clashed with the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory in nearby Cambridgeshire. Anglia TV broadcast on channel 6 from noon to midnight, and the astronomy observatory operated on these frequencies during the morning.{{Citation needed|date=November 2023}}

From 1 May 1966, there were no restrictions on channel 6.Biggleswade Chronicle Friday 6 May 1966, page 15 In October 1966 it was planned to carry BBC2 from 1968.Biggleswade Chronicle Friday 7 October 1966, page 9 BBC2 on channel 27 arrived on 15 September 1969, with tests from 2 September 1969 at 9am, in colour.Cambridge Daily News Tuesday 2 September 1969, page 17Biggleswade Chronicle Friday 5 September 1969, page 36Cambridge Daily News Tuesday 21 October 1969, page 28

In June 1970, BBC1 was expected in late 1970, on 625 lines. No BBC television was broadcast from the station on 405 lines. BBC1 had been received in the area from London; viewers in Cambridge had terrible reception.Biggleswade Chronicle Friday 12 June 1970, page 9

Tacolneston began Anglia colour test broadcasts in late September 1970, but Anglia in colour was not expected until early 1971.Biggleswade Chronicle Friday 11 September 1970, page 5 Anglia was to go colour on 18 January 1971, but there was a pay dispute with the Association of Cinematograph, Television and Allied Technicians. Colour from Anglia arrived on Monday 8 February 1971.Cambridge Daily News Monday 8 February 1971, page 1

Test colour transmissions on BBC1 began on Monday 8 March 1971,Cambridge Daily News Friday 5 March 1971, page 25 with full colour from 22 March 1971. Anglia was about two years behind the BBC, with colour. The BBC broadcast came from London, via the Peterborough mast.Cambridge Daily News Tuesday 30 March 1971, page 12Biggleswade Chronicle Friday 12 March 1971, page 14 Tacolneston went colour on 1 October 1970 and Sudbury on 18 November 1970.

The Sheerhatch television relay, near Moggerhanger, began operating on Monday 20 November 1967, serving Bedford.Biggleswade Chronicle Friday 17 November 1967, page 15

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Analogue television services are no longer available. BBC Two was closed on 30 March 2011 and the remaining services on 13 April 2011.

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.aerialsandtv.com/knowledge/transmitters/sandy-heath-transmitter Info and pictures of Sandy transmitter including historical power/frequency changes and present co-receivable transmitters]
• [http://tx.mb21.co.uk/gallery/sandyheath/index.php MB21 Transmission Gallery – Sandy Heath]
• [http://www.thebigtower.com/live/SandyHeath/Index.htm Sandy Heath Transmitter at thebigtower.com]

{{Television transmitters in the UK}}

{{Mendlesham_VHF_405-line_Transmitter_Group}}

Category:1965 establishments in England

Category:Buildings and structures in Bedfordshire

Category:Infrastructure completed in 1965

Category:Mass media in Bedfordshire

Category:Sandy, Bedfordshire

Category:Transmitter sites in England