History

The BBC transmitter for East Anglia at Tacolneston, near Norwich, entered service in 1954 carrying the same service as the London transmitter, using a short link between Depden and Tacolneston. The launch of Anglia Television in 1959 was perhaps a factor in the BBC establishing its own studio in the region. The BBC, however, requested a "vision circuit" from Birmingham rather than London as part of its plans for the expansion of television. This was ultimately to be a two-way link with facility to feed the BBC transmitter at Peterborough either from Birmingham or Norwich. Contract 21860 was awarded to Marconi during 1958 at a price of Â95,349. GEC and STC entered higher bids. The contractor was not responsible for provision of aerials and towers.

As with other early television links the route was developed in phases and later absorbed into the general Post Office network. Stage I was defined as "Two 2,000 Mc/s unidirectional links, Peterborugh to Tacolneston, with a non-demodulating repeater station at Wickhambrook" - to be ready for service by 31 May 1959. This section involved off-air reception of the BBC transmitter at Sutton Coldfield (Birmingham) which carried regional programmes for East Anglia until the Norwich studio opened in October 1959. The Wickhambrook site was used for the ITA link from London to Norwich for Anglia. Peterborough (Morbore Hill) was planned as a major site in the Post Office network although it appears the main tower was not ready and a temporary mast was used during 1959.

Stage II completed the two-way link between Birmingham and Tacolneston and to be ready for service by 31 May 1960. This was specified as a "Complete twin-path bidirectional 2,000 Mc/s system between Coalville and Tacolneston, complete with supervisory system, with a non-demodulating repeater station at Oakham. Twin path bidirectional 4,000 Mc/s system between Birmingham and Coalville". The equipment used is believed to have been Marconi HM200 (2 GHz) and HM500 (4 GHz) designated by the Post Office as RS 9/5 and RS 10/12 respectively.

The Birmingham site was at Telephone House, as used for the original 1949 London to Birmingham 900 MHz link. Coalville was to become another major site, subsequently known as Copt Oak. Oakham has a minor claim to fame, it was the first site to receive the standard form of microwave radio station building - but as of January 1961 no dishes had been installed there, indicating a delay to compleion of "Stage II".

Comments recorded as part of an audit into the cost of the Inland Microwave Network show the total paid to the contractor was £101,876 as at 18 April 1966 with a note dated March 1965: "The present position is that spare panels and components have not yet been delivered [...] the work must remain 'incomplete' until such delivery is effected."

The introduction of colour television and development of the wider network led to a reorganisation of the link by the late 1960s. The section east of Morborne Hill was diverted onto a new route. Tacolneston was connected by cable to Norwich where a Television Network Switching Centre was established. The western section was absorbed into the new Birmingham - Norwich route running from the Post Office Tower. Estimated expenditure in 1966-67 however included £15000 for "HM500/55D Radio Equipment - Provision of Safety Facilities. Modification of Radio Equipment on Bristol - Plymouth and Birmingham - Copt Oak links to improve electrical safety."