The onset of digital TV as meant that a new transmitter hall as had to built into the side of the hill. The work (carried out by a company called Wrekin Construction!) is almost complete. The Wrekin Beacon
After World War 2 the increased the amount of pilot training still taking place in the area gave rise to a few accidents and resulted in a Beacon (Light) being placed on top of the hill. This survived until the late 1960's when it was finally retired by the RAF against a lot of local opposition. ( the beacon had become a local land mark !) When the TV mast was built it was felt that navigation lights were not needed even if we had the RAF jet training school and later the joint services helicopter training school about six miles from the hill! However continuing public pressure meant that when planning permission was applied for, for the new building a bit of arm twisting took place. The New lights are now on the mast (at he base of pale blue aerial cover) and will be turned on on January 1st 2000.... 4 x 3 meter dishes to be mounted on top of the transmitter hall. They use dishes of this size to insure that what ever the weather the picture quality is maintained . with digi it all or nothing! View towards Wellington, Donnington, and Staffordshire.
Some of the farms "under The Wrekin"
Above Wrekin Rx Arial Church Hill Coalbrookdale. (Ironbridge power station in background)
TX Arial Just visible on corner of house (Sorry crap Fuji Digi Cam)
Before Relays were built in Ironbridge / Coalbrookdale quite a few in the valley pointed arial's towards the power station Cooling towers ! (one hell of a reflector!)
At the time reported to be the only private dwelling in the country with its own TV relay station!...Don't know if it still is?
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