Sutton Common BT Tower is a 72-metre (238-foot)[citation needed] radio tower built of reinforced concrete at Macclesfield, Cheshire, England. Sutton Common was originally conceived as part of the 1950s 'Backbone' chain designed to provide the UK and NATO with survivable communications during nuclear war.[1]
 Sutton Common BT Tower | |
  Sutton Common BT Tower (Cheshire) | |
| Location | Macclesfield, Cheshire |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 53°12′22″N 2°06′03″W / 53.206129°N 2.100728°W |
| Grid reference | SJ9327467710 |
| Built | 1960s |
The tower stands near the summit of Croker Hill on the western edge of the Peak District national park. Sutton relays signals to Heaton Park in the north and Pye Green to the south. For survivability during a nuclear war, the Backbone towers are some of the few communication towers in the United Kingdom built of reinforced concrete.
A wind farm was proposed on land adjacent to the transmitter but was objected to for various reasons, including the possible effects of turbine blades on the fixed link.[2]
Channels available from this site
editAnalogue radio
edit| Frequency | kW [3] | Service |
|---|---|---|
| 96.4 MHz | 0.250 | Greatest Hits Radio Staffordshire & Cheshire |
| 106.9 MHz | 0.300 | Silk Radio |
Digital radio
edit| Frequency | Block | kW | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| 220.352 MHz | 12C | 0.5 | Manchester |
| 229.072 MHz | 12D | 0.5 | Stoke & Stafford |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Backbone radio link and radio standby to line links for safeguarding vital communications. GPO paper for the Official Committee on Civil Defence, July 1956. The National Archives (UK) CAB 134/1207
- ^ "Planning Application Details". Cheshire East Council. 5 September 2012. Archived from the original on 9 April 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
- ^ Radio Listeners Guide 2010
External links
edit
- Map sources for Sutton Common BT Tower
- Sutton Common's entry at mb21
 | This article about a mast or transmitter tower in Europe is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This article about a Cheshire building or structure is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |