Tower height 45 metres (148 ft) Year built 1980 | Grid reference SJ314841 | |
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Relay of Winter Hill (1980-present)
Moel-y-Parc (2009-present) BBC region BBC North West (1980-present)
BBC Wales (2009-present) ITV region ITV Granada (1980-present)
ITV Wales (2009-present) | ||
Storeton transmitting station (also commonly known as Storeton transmitter) is a television relay and radio transmitter and mast on Storeton Ridge, Higher Bebington, Wirral, UK (national grid reference: SJ314841). It is a relay of Winter Hill and the only Winter Hill relay to carry all five analogue TV channels prior to digital switchover. The 45 metre-high (150 ft-high) mast is situated at an elevation of 65.5 metres (215 ft). Thus, the top of the mast has an overall height of 110.5 metres (363 ft) above sea level. Construction of the mast was completed in 1980. As of 2009, the transmitter serves approximately 45,000 homes.
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History
The Storeton relay was not an original VHF 405-line transmitter. For 625-line analogue services on UHF, the relay covers Winter Hill blind spots in populated areas of Wirral and across the Mersey in south Liverpool. Prior to switchover, all five analogue channels and all six digital multiplexes are broadcast from the relay. Being a relay of Winter Hill, the transmitter is in the BBC North West and ITV Granada TV regions. The radio station Heart North West and Wales also broadcasts from the site.
Although situated in England, the site is within eight miles of the North Wales coast. In conjunction with North Wales' digital switchover in November 2009, the transmitter also began to serve as a relay of Moel-y-Parc, carrying Welsh services to nearby parts of North East Wales, across the River Dee. In official OFCOM documentation the transmitter is listed as Storeton Wales for this purpose. Parts of those areas were previously poorly served with Welsh television services from Moel-y-Parc due to local geography.
The final switchover date for the Winter Hill relay was 2 December 2009. The final date for the Moel-y-Parc relay was 25 November 2009, although the signal was altered a third time on 2 December with limited publicity.
Digital television
† Horizontally polarised.