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Report - - BT Radio Bodmin, June 2016 | Other Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - BT Radio Bodmin, June 2016

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DrGonzo

Hello Officer
28DL Full Member
So first report in a long time. Have been driving past this place almost daily for about a month, finally got round to checking it out.

Opened in 1926 as a beam transmitter (originally to Canada!) station then transferred to HF broadcast sometime in the 60's. Out of use since 2002 it narrowly missed demolition when the new a390 was built. Security would have been tight in its time, that fence means business and you can see the remnants of a high end security system.

It's been gutted inside, but has suffered very little vandalism and is a good mooch if you're close. The amount of emergency ambulance call buttons is insane, they really are everywhere. All shot freehand at ISO800 as my tripod broke the moment I opened it!

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Lord Oort

Fear is the little death
Regular User
Nice find! I'm in Bodmin in a couple of months so I'll make a point of check it out.
 

Oxygen Thief

Admin
Staff member
Admin
Just to expand on the history a bit, if I may, it's a very significant site....

Bodmin is a highly important site in the history of radio. It was the first of Marconi's Short Wave Beam stations, opening for traffic in 1926.

"British Telecom’s Bodmin Radio Station is the oldest short-wave radio station in the world ands also the site of the first of the Dominion Beam wireless radio stations, transmitting to Canada, South Africa and Australia under the GPO. Marconi was directly involved in the setting up of the Bodmin Radio Station which opened to traffic on Monday 25 October 1926, when he handed control over to the Post Office from the Marconi Company Limited. Beam wireless stations undermined the Dominion’s privately owned submarine cable companies - to avoid their collapse a merger of the cable companies and wireless stations took place in 1929, forming Cable and Wireless Limited. In 1929, Bodmin relayed a thanksgiving service from Westminster Abbey to celebrate King George V’s recovery from illness.

Since 1947, Bodmin Radio has carried high frequency services for the Admiralty operated from Whitehall to naval ships and bases abroad. In the 1980’s, for several years, it served the Cabinet Office with the Moscow direct ‘hot line’ service until it was transferred on to satellite. Bodmin Radio closed officially at midnight on 31 March 2002 and attention is now being focused on its future."

I've driven past this place a hundred times, and always thought it was a secure exchange or something. If I'd only have searched online just once.
 

DrGonzo

Hello Officer
28DL Full Member
Thanks for the comments. Yeah I saw that bit of history OT, quite an interesting site. Shame the antennas and the bases are gone.
 

Xplor33

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Sorry for the bump from the grave but I was just wondering if this place is still standing? Looks like a good explore!

Great Pictures.
 

DrGonzo

Hello Officer
28DL Full Member
Still standing, but security has gone through the roof. Pretty sure access is now gone and CCTV is up.
 

SC559034

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Can anyone tell me why there are Ambulance call out buttons around the site? That’s one thing I can’t get my head round.
 

philbee5

28DL Member
28DL Member
Can anyone tell me why there are Ambulance call out buttons around the site? That’s one thing I can’t get my head round.
Yes, it was for safety reasons. It was a high security site and the staff were locked in at night as the site was operated on a 24 hour shift system basis by BT on behalf of the MOD, consequently, if anyone was taken ill suddenly there had to be an emergency call out of abulance staff and the high security gate would have to be unlocked from within to give the ambulance crew access.
 

philbee5

28DL Member
28DL Member
Just to expand on the history a bit, if I may, it's a very significant site....

Bodmin is a highly important site in the history of radio. It was the first of Marconi's Short Wave Beam stations, opening for traffic in 1926.

"British Telecom’s Bodmin Radio Station is the oldest short-wave radio station in the world ands also the site of the first of the Dominion Beam wireless radio stations, transmitting to Canada, South Africa and Australia under the GPO. Marconi was directly involved in the setting up of the Bodmin Radio Station which opened to traffic on Monday 25 October 1926, when he handed control over to the Post Office from the Marconi Company Limited. Beam wireless stations undermined the Dominion’s privately owned submarine cable companies - to avoid their collapse a merger of the cable companies and wireless stations took place in 1929, forming Cable and Wireless Limited. In 1929, Bodmin relayed a thanksgiving service from Westminster Abbey to celebrate King George V’s recovery from illness.

Since 1947, Bodmin Radio has carried high frequency services for the Admiralty operated from Whitehall to naval ships and bases abroad. In the 1980’s, for several years, it served the Cabinet Office with the Moscow direct ‘hot line’ service until it was transferred on to satellite. Bodmin Radio closed officially at midnight on 31 March 2002 and attention is now being focused on its future."

I've driven past this place a hundred times, and always thought it was a secure exchange or something. If I'd only have searched online just once.
Yes indeed the above is well researched. I was on shift at its official closure. A sad day, having to switch off the last remaining transmitter. I'm to this day still sworn to the official secrets act and cannot divulge what this place really did in support of our armed forces. A very historical site indeed!
 

philbee5

28DL Member
28DL Member
Yes, it was for safety reasons. It was a high security site and the staff were locked in at night as the site was operated on a 24 hour shift system basis by BT on behalf of the MOD, consequently, if anyone was taken ill suddenly there had to be an emergency call out of abulance staff and the high security gate would have to be unlocked from within to give the ambulance crew access.
And also becauseof the nature of the high power transmitters and their attendant dangerously high voltages and having to work all hours, there was a possibility of accidental electrocution, so it was imperative that an emergency button could be pressed near to where people were working during the evening and night shifts.
 
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