Emley Moor mast - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

AC/HL · 4th Sep 2023, 3:44 pm

https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/...-moor-27630861
The navigation lights have been switched off in preparation. Wednesday's weather is forecast to be excellent, so it may be a go.
PS. Ignore the typically crass Facebookese comments!

Rich Woods · 5th Sep 2023, 12:30 pm

Interesting. Good that the main tower is coming back on line. What a fantastic, inspirational construction.

Bazz4CQJ · 5th Sep 2023, 3:24 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich Woods

Interesting. Good that the main tower is coming back on line. What a fantastic, inspirational construction.

The first sight of the main tower as you drive up the M1, visible just north of Sheffield is always a huge thrill. Confirmation that you are back in God's Own County

B

Rich Woods · 5th Sep 2023, 5:00 pm

Completely agree, and what a great way to provide a permanent monument (I believe it’s quite rightly listed), as well as a transmitter tower.

G6Tanuki · 5th Sep 2023, 5:25 pm

But how much longer will such enormous transmitter towers be needed??

And when its income generating potential exceeds the cost of maintenance, who should pick up the difference??

I doubt that the National Trust would be interested in it, and wouldn't want my taxes going towards it either.

Bazz4CQJ · 5th Sep 2023, 5:42 pm

Maybe it will need a Preservation Society? I'd be willing to stump up some cash for that!

If it was not operating, what's the access for visitors like to a high level?

There would have to be a significant fee to keep general undesirables out

B

paulsherwin · 5th Sep 2023, 5:53 pm

I think Arqiva pretty much use it as an office block for their engineering staff. It's not likely to be falling down anytime soon. In Robert Harris's novel The Second Sleep, set 800 years after a total civilisational collapse in the 2020s, just about the only structures surviving from the old world are the concrete comms towers in the countryside. They were built to survive a nuclear war, after all.

AC/HL · 5th Sep 2023, 6:00 pm

There is limited car parking, a lift to the observation deck, and a smaller one to the lower gantries. Mercury (as was) had some equipment in there, and I was once able to blag a visit. It was largely empty, but the view is incredible. The base houses an enormous garage area.

Bazz4CQJ · 5th Sep 2023, 7:48 pm

I'd happily pay a fair sum to get up there, but does not sound that is likely any time soon.

B

Rich Woods · 7th Sep 2023, 8:49 am

Me too

Kentode · 8th Sep 2023, 7:08 am

Somewhere on the forum is my account of a trip to the observation platform, but I'm having some trouble finding it.

The lift in particular was quite a hairy experience...

Radio Wrangler · 8th Sep 2023, 10:06 am

The viewing gallery was originally intended to be just that, but the Alimak lift was deemed unsuitable for the general public. Ones of those were used up the towers of the new Forth bridge for construction workers and extended as the towers grew. These were on the outside and visible from the old bridge which I crossed daily. The lifts certainly looked hairy and you could see how they were assembled. Not having the Emley viewing gallery open to the public is understandable if you consider how a lift failure would have to be handled.

David

Station X · 8th Sep 2023, 10:37 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kentode

Somewhere on the forum is my account of a trip to the observation platform, but I'm having some trouble finding it.

The lift in particular was quite a hairy experience...

Here:-

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...7&postcount=27

paulsherwin · 8th Sep 2023, 10:43 am

Lots of 60s and 70s tall structures were built with public viewing galleries or restaurants, and almost all of these had been closed by the 80s, largely for H&S reasons (particularly the need for emergency evacuation), though there were also concerns about unrestricted public access to critical infrastructure after somebody bombed the Post Office Tower in 1971.

Kentode · 8th Sep 2023, 1:47 pm

Thanks Graham!

G6Tanuki · 8th Sep 2023, 3:12 pm

If it's still being used for high power TX duty then I suspect there may be issues about letting members of the public go up the mast.

After all, us Ham types now have to do exposure calculations for our meagre few tens or hundreds of Watts, A TX mast with multiple antennas and transmitters could potentially involve half a Megawatt of RF.

A human is annoyingly close to a half wavelength tall at BandII frequencies..... So would probably couple rather well to a vertically polarised antenna transmitting around 88MHz

.

G6Tanuki · 8th Sep 2023, 4:37 pm

BTW am I the only one who when hearing the name Emley Moor somehow think that it should be Dudley Moore's brother??

AC/HL · 8th Sep 2023, 5:58 pm

It was quite a while ago, but I seem to remember the main lift being fairly conventional. The small one, however was a rack and pinion type and you had to be shown how to operate it before being allowed up. It descended on a brake, which was a bit tricky. At the top we had to climb down to the microwave gantries.
Annoyingly, promptly on the day of the lift, we had hot, humid and hazy weather with no wind. I could barely see the tower, let alone the mast!

Dickie · 10th Sep 2023, 1:56 pm

I've just seen this on facebook. Posted on 8th September

4th Sep 2023, 3:44 pm	#1
AC/HL Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 9,632	Emley Moor mast https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/...-moor-27630861 The navigation lights have been switched off in preparation. Wednesday's weather is forecast to be excellent, so it may be a go. PS. Ignore the typically crass Facebookese comments! __________________ Bill, BVWS member

5th Sep 2023, 12:30 pm	#2
Rich Woods Pentode Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ceredigion, Wales, UK. Posts: 243	Re: Emley Moor mast Interesting. Good that the main tower is coming back on line. What a fantastic, inspirational construction. __________________ It’s all about the music…….

5th Sep 2023, 5:00 pm	#4
Rich Woods Pentode Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ceredigion, Wales, UK. Posts: 243	Re: Emley Moor mast Completely agree, and what a great way to provide a permanent monument (I believe it’s quite rightly listed), as well as a transmitter tower. __________________ It’s all about the music…….

5th Sep 2023, 5:25 pm	#5
G6Tanuki Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 13,465	Re: Emley Moor mast But how much longer will such enormous transmitter towers be needed?? And when its income generating potential exceeds the cost of maintenance, who should pick up the difference?? I doubt that the National Trust would be interested in it, and wouldn't want my taxes going towards it either. __________________ I played a blank tape at full volume. The mime-artiste who lives next door complained.

5th Sep 2023, 5:42 pm	#6
Bazz4CQJ Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Oxfordshire, UK. Posts: 4,740	Re: Emley Moor mast Maybe it will need a Preservation Society? I'd be willing to stump up some cash for that! If it was not operating, what's the access for visitors like to a high level? There would have to be a significant fee to keep general undesirables out B __________________ Saturn V had 6 million pounds of fuel. It would take thirty thousand strong men to lift it an inch.

5th Sep 2023, 5:53 pm	#7
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 27,162	Re: Emley Moor mast I think Arqiva pretty much use it as an office block for their engineering staff. It's not likely to be falling down anytime soon. In Robert Harris's novel The Second Sleep, set 800 years after a total civilisational collapse in the 2020s, just about the only structures surviving from the old world are the concrete comms towers in the countryside. They were built to survive a nuclear war, after all.

5th Sep 2023, 6:00 pm	#8
AC/HL Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 9,632	Re: Emley Moor mast There is limited car parking, a lift to the observation deck, and a smaller one to the lower gantries. Mercury (as was) had some equipment in there, and I was once able to blag a visit. It was largely empty, but the view is incredible. The base houses an enormous garage area. __________________ Bill, BVWS member

5th Sep 2023, 7:48 pm	#9
Bazz4CQJ Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Oxfordshire, UK. Posts: 4,740	Re: Emley Moor mast I'd happily pay a fair sum to get up there, but does not sound that is likely any time soon. B __________________ Saturn V had 6 million pounds of fuel. It would take thirty thousand strong men to lift it an inch.

7th Sep 2023, 8:49 am	#10
Rich Woods Pentode Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ceredigion, Wales, UK. Posts: 243	Re: Emley Moor mast Me too __________________ It’s all about the music…….

8th Sep 2023, 7:08 am	#11
Kentode Octode Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Yorkshire, England. Posts: 1,269	Re: Emley Moor mast Somewhere on the forum is my account of a trip to the observation platform, but I'm having some trouble finding it. The lift in particular was quite a hairy experience... __________________ Regards, Ken. BVWS member

8th Sep 2023, 10:06 am	#12
Radio Wrangler Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Fife, Scotland, UK. Posts: 22,246	Re: Emley Moor mast The viewing gallery was originally intended to be just that, but the Alimak lift was deemed unsuitable for the general public. Ones of those were used up the towers of the new Forth bridge for construction workers and extended as the towers grew. These were on the outside and visible from the old bridge which I crossed daily. The lifts certainly looked hairy and you could see how they were assembled. Not having the Emley viewing gallery open to the public is understandable if you consider how a lift failure would have to be handled. David __________________ Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done

8th Sep 2023, 10:43 am	#14
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 27,162	Re: Emley Moor mast Lots of 60s and 70s tall structures were built with public viewing galleries or restaurants, and almost all of these had been closed by the 80s, largely for H&S reasons (particularly the need for emergency evacuation), though there were also concerns about unrestricted public access to critical infrastructure after somebody bombed the Post Office Tower in 1971.

8th Sep 2023, 1:47 pm	#15
Kentode Octode Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Yorkshire, England. Posts: 1,269	Re: Emley Moor mast Thanks Graham! __________________ Regards, Ken. BVWS member

8th Sep 2023, 3:12 pm	#16
G6Tanuki Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 13,465	Re: Emley Moor mast If it's still being used for high power TX duty then I suspect there may be issues about letting members of the public go up the mast. After all, us Ham types now have to do exposure calculations for our meagre few tens or hundreds of Watts, A TX mast with multiple antennas and transmitters could potentially involve half a Megawatt of RF. A human is annoyingly close to a half wavelength tall at BandII frequencies..... So would probably couple rather well to a vertically polarised antenna transmitting around 88MHz . __________________ I played a blank tape at full volume. The mime-artiste who lives next door complained.

8th Sep 2023, 4:37 pm	#17
G6Tanuki Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 13,465	Re: Emley Moor mast BTW am I the only one who when hearing the name Emley Moor somehow think that it should be Dudley Moore's brother?? __________________ I played a blank tape at full volume. The mime-artiste who lives next door complained.

8th Sep 2023, 5:58 pm	#18
AC/HL Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 9,632	Re: Emley Moor mast It was quite a while ago, but I seem to remember the main lift being fairly conventional. The small one, however was a rack and pinion type and you had to be shown how to operate it before being allowed up. It descended on a brake, which was a bit tricky. At the top we had to climb down to the microwave gantries. Annoyingly, promptly on the day of the lift, we had hot, humid and hazy weather with no wind. I could barely see the tower, let alone the mast! __________________ Bill, BVWS member

10th Sep 2023, 1:56 pm	#19
Dickie Octode Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: St. Albans, Hertfordshire, UK. Posts: 1,449	Re: Emley Moor mast I've just seen this on facebook. Posted on 8th September Attached Thumbnails __________________ Regards, Richard, BVWS member