Description and History of Site:-
Reinforced concrete tower of 274m, surmounted by an aerial array of 56m. Overall height of 330m (1084ft). The concrete tower has a base diameter of 24.4m, tapering exponentially to a diameter of 6.5m at the top. Constructed by Ove Arup and Partners for the Independent Television Authority (ITA) between 1969 and 1971. At the time of construction the tower was said to be the tallest free-standing structure in Europe.

History-
The first transmitting station at Emley Moor entered service on November 3rd 1956 providing a VHF monochrome 405 line television service to the ITV Yorkshire region. A 125m steel lattice tower was used to support the aerial. In 1964-6, with the introduction of UHF colour television, the original mast was replaced by a new steel cylindrical structure, approximately 3m in diameter, guy wire stayed, with a lattice section on top bringing the overall height to 365m.

On March 19th 1969, the mast (which had regularly suffered from icing problems) buckled and collapsed due to the weight of ice and severe wind-loading. A chapel on Jagger Lane, just to the north of the mast, was practically cut in half by a falling guy-wire. The Chapel, now a private house, was repaired and is still standing (2020). A small section of the fallen mast survives, used as a look out tower at Huddersfield sailing club (Boshaw Whams Reservoir, Holmfirth).

In 2018 a fourth, temporary, wire-stayed steel lattice mast was erected while the aerial and feeder arrangements of the 1971 tower were being updated. The work, expected to be completed by 2021, seems to have over-run somewhat as the mast was eventually dismantled (using a helicopter) in early September 2023.

Further Reading and References:-
http://tx.mb21.co.uk/emley/emley.php

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Key Words :- television transmitter tower

Address :- Jagger Lane, Emley, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, HD8 9TQ
Grid Ref :- SE 22298 12885
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.612046 , Long -1.664439
Local Authority :- Kirklees Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Listed - Grade II
Historic England List No - 1350339,
Site Condition :- Operational site, in use for original purpose
Site Dates :- 1971 -
Record Date :- 16 March 2020

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © Nick Nelson