1986 Cell site list

*** AERIAL SPOTTER'S GUIDE ***

CELLULAR RADIO SITES

All sites (except those indicated as planned) are either operational or due to be in use within a few months. Where known, the exact location is given after the name of the cell.

Shared Cellnet/Vodafone sites

Epsom Racecourse (Surrey), grandstand roof London, Beulah Hill, IBA mast

Manchester, Horwich

Northwood/Harefield (Middx.)

Woldingham (Surrey), CAA mast

Cellnet (access code 0860)

Ashby. Magna (Leics.), w of Ml, n of old stn.

Bagshot (Surrey), BT radio station

Banbury (Oxon.), Thorpe Lodge Farm. May 86 (may be shared with Racal).

Bedford, above BT district office

Birmingham, Central, BT Tower

Birmingham, Erdington

Boughton Hill/Dunkirk (Kent), rear of Courtenay House

Caldecott (near Higham Ferrers, Northants.), water tower, 2nd qr/86

Bluebell Hill (Kent), BBC transmitter site

Brentwood (Essex), Kelvedon Hatch BT radio stn.

Cardiff

Charing (Kent)

Coventry, Exhall ATE

Crawley (Sussex), ATE

Croydon, Ryland House ATE/SSC

Cuffley (Herts.)

Dunstable (Beds.), BT radio stn.

Edinburgh, CAA mast, Corstorphine Hill

Epsom (Surrey), East Street ATE <now removed to Racecourse)

Fylde (Lancs.)

Hadleigh (Essex), ATE.

Haslemere (Surrey), Devil's Punch Bowl (proposed)

Kingston-upon-Thames (Surrey), ATE/SSC

Knutsford (Cheshire), church steeple

Leicester, Copt Oak, BT radio stn.

London, Aldgate, Docos House

London, Colindale, ATE/SSC

London, Ealing, Westel House

London, Heathrow, Skyport ATE

London, Holborn, Fleet Building

London, Holloway Road, N. London Polytechnic

London, Kennington, ATE

London, Kensington, Charles House

London, Mayfair, Hilton Hotel

London, Mile End, ATE near tube stn. (known as Bow Common?)

London, North Paddington, ATE

London, Telecom Tower (original site, no longer used)

London, Walthamstow, council flats

London, Wandsworth, council flats next Arndale Centre

London, Wood Green, ATE/SSC

Markfield (Leics.), Copt Oak BT radio stn.

Meriden (Warks.)

Northampton, Derngate ATE

North Foreland (Kent), BT radio stn.

Ongar (Essex), BT radio stn.

Pembury (Kent)

Purfleet (Essex) - same frequencies as Mayfair

Radlett (Herts.), water tower

Reigate Hill (Surrey)

Rugby (Warks.), BT radio stn. (shared site)

St. Albans (Herts.), on Cadbury-Schweppes (former Rose's) building near City station <if this is not the Cellnet site then this is another Vodafone>

Sidcup (Kent)

Snodland (Kent)

Stokenchurch (Bucks.), BT radio stn.

Stonebridge Park (Middlesex), Station House

Swansea

Walton on Thames (Surrey), ATE <temporary>

Wolverton (Bucks.), ATE

Worthing (Sussex), High Salvinqton reservoir

Wrotham (Kent)

Yarnfield (Staffs.), BT Training College.

Vodafone (access code 0836)

(starred locations taken from official list: several are known to be misspelled)

Albury (Surrey)*

Birmingham, Dudley*

Birmingham, Kingshurst, flats next M6 - officially known as "Coleshill"*

Birmingham, Perry Bar*

Bretton (Warks.), between Coventry and Rugby, (may be same as Coventry/Brinklow)

Bristol*

Brownhills, near Walsall (Staffs.)

Bromsgrove/Droitwich (Worcs.), Wychbold*

Cadmore End, near Stokenchurch (Bucks.)*

Canewdon (Essex) - projected but planning permission refused

Cardiff, Capel Llanilery*

Chepstow (Mon.), Rowhampton*

Cheddington (Bucks.)*

Chester, Cuckoo,s Nest, Pulford

Chipstead (Surrey), Tickner's Wood - projected

Chislehurst (Kent)*

Coventry (Warks.), Brinklow*

Coventry, "Tile Hill", on B-L microwave mast near Canley station*

Cowes (I.o.W.)*

Daventry (Northants.), Borough Hill

Derby*

Detling Hill (Kent)*

Dunstable, between Downs and A5 near Hockliffe - this is probably "Totternhoe"*

Edgware (Middx.)*

Evesham (Worcs.), Edlington*

Farnborough (Hants.), Hawley*

Great Witley - 2nd.qr/86*

Guildford, between town and A3

Herrington Hill (Wearside) - planned

Hungerford (Berks.)*

Kidderminster*

Kingston-upon-Thames*

Lambourn (Berks.)*

Leicester*

London, Canning Town*

London, City, Royex House*

London, Clapham Road, near Common on DHSS building*

London, Edmonton*

London, Paddington (Royal Lancaster Hotel)*

London. "Southall", Brentford, on Vodafone exchange, with dish to Willesden Jct*

Longfield (Kent)*

Luton (Beds.), Kensworth*

Manchester, Sunley Building

Newbury (Berks.) - this may be the same as Shaw*

North Ascot (Berks.)*

Northampton, Wooton* ^

Nuneaton (Warks.)*

Oxford*

Portsmouth*

Rainham (Essex)*

Redditch (West Midlands, Crabbs Cross (BL/Istel mast)*

Rickmansworth - this may be the Harefield shared site*

Rochester (Kent)*

Rugby (Warks.), Lilbourne*

St.Albans (Herts.), Chiswell Green*

Shaw, near Newbury (Berks.)*

Solihull (Warks.)^ Shirley*

Southampton, Rownhams - this is probably "Romsey"

Southend-on-Sea (Essex), Civic Centre (planned).

Staines (Middx.), gas board bldg. near Crooked Billet roundabout*

Sulhamstead, near Theale (Berks.)*

Warlingham (Surrey)* (this is probably the Woldingham shared site)

Warrington (Lancs.), on tower by Racal ATE

Welham Green, near Hatfield (Herts.)*

Wellingborough (Northants.), 2nd qr/86*

Winnersh (Berks.)*

Woking (Surrey)*

Wolverton (Bucks.)*

Writtle (Essex)*

Unidentified

Clee Hill (Salop), CAA tower

Hinton, 9 miles north of Bath (Som.), in southwest quadrant of M4/A46 junction (18).

ATE ... automatic telephone exchange

BL ... British Leyland Motor Coprporation private network

CAA ... Civil Aviation Authority

Istel ... the radio network developed from the British Leyland system

SSC ... Sector Switching Centre

Telecom Eireann (access code 088)

Dublin

Mercury radio sites

Beckley, BBC site, R

Birmingham, Alpha Tower, C

Charwelton, Gas Board tower, R

Christmas Common, Pye site, R

Hemel Hempsted, upside of WCML, N

Kingston-upon-Thames, N

London, Beulah Hill, IBA mast, N

London, Britannic House, Moorgate, C

London, Guy's Hospital, N

London, Melbury House, Marylebone, C

London, Millbank Tower, N

London, Willesden Junction, down side of WCML.

Manchester, Sunley Building, C

Meriden, R

Reading, Western Tower. N

Stonebridge Park (Middx.), Station House

Wooburn Green, R

Alpha Tower was presumably at Alpha Studios (Midlands ITV)

C ... node and relay

N ... node

R ... relay

IBA ... Independent Broadcasting Authority

WCML ... West Coast Main Line

Melbury House and Western Tower were British Rail offices.