BBC announce closure of Radio 4 on Long Wave
These closures have great significance for radio enthusiasts. Droitwich was commissioned in September 1934 – the BBC Long Wave transmissions have been ever-present for most of us. The signals have been used as frequency references for radio calibration, particularly prior to 1988 when the transmit frequency was 200kHz – close to a wavelength of exactly 1500m. We have listened to the Shipping Forecast, the “Sailing By” theme music, Test Match Special and much more. During WWII, the Long Wave signal was used to send coded messages to the French Resistance. The 198kHz signal has been used by utility companies to control off-peak energy meters.
Radio 4’s Long Wave (LW) service on 198kHz will close on 27 June 2026. This was announced by the BBC on 11 May. Although expected in 2026, this date is earlier than was anticipated. On the air, the BBC have been more specific with the time given as 0100 BST (0000 UTC) on 27 June 2026. The Long Wave transmitting stations: Droitwich in Worcestershire, Westerglen near Stirling in Scotland and Burghead overlooking the Moray Firth also in Scotland, will all be closed down that day.
The BBC Long Wave transmitters
There is plenty of online history of the three transmitters so we will only provide very brief details here. All three transmitting stations were constructed in the early 1930s and are currently all close to 90 years old. The two Scottish transmitters were installed to ensure that, with Droitwich covering the whole of England and Wales, anywhere in the United Kingdom would have reliable reception of the BBC transmissions on Long Wave.
The Radio 4 LW signal from Droitwich covers most of England and Wales using 500kW. The two “supplementary” Long Wave transmitters at Burghead and Westerglen, are both 50kW.
Droitwich
Droitwich transmitting station is located just outside the village of Wychbold, near Droitwich in Worcestershire, England.
The foundations for the site were laid in May 1933. Initial transmissions were in July 1934. The first national transmissions were on Thursday afternoon, 6 September 1934. The full opening was on Sunday 7 October 1934.
For Long Wave at Droitwich, a Marconi T aerial is used, which is suspended between two 213-metre-high guyed steel lattice masts, which stand 180 metres apart.
Such was the importance of the Droitwich Long Wave transmissions, that wireless sets built in the UK in the 1930s had “Droitwich” clearly indicated on the Long Wave dial, at a wavelength of 1500m.
Westerglen
Westerglen transmitting station is located 2 miles (3 km) southwest of Falkirk, Stirlingshire, Scotland.
Test transmissions began in April 1932 and the National programme began on Sunday 25 September 1932, two years ahead of Droitwich.
Here a single mast with a capacity hat is used for Long Wave transmissions.
Burghead
Burghead transmitting station is located near the small town of Burghead on the Moray Firth, some 35 miles east of Inverness, in Scotland.
Constructions work began on 14 January 1935. It opened on Monday 12 October 1936, two years after Droitwich.
Again, a single mast with a capacity hat is used for Long Wave transmissions, the second tall mast is used for Medium Wave transmissions.
BBC Long Wave and its place in British society
The BBC’s Long Wave (LW) service, broadcast on 198kHZ from the Droitwich Transmitting Station (and its two Scottish sister stations), has played a massive, historic role in British society. For decades, it provided a uniquely national unifying voice, spanning the entire UK and reaching far into Europe. It was the voice of the BBC in countless homes throughout the United Kingdom and beyond.
Long wave broadcasting has left an indelible mark on British life and culture, acting as both an essential lifeline and an enduring cultural touchstone:
- Unmatched geographical reach: Because of the physical properties of low-frequency radio waves, a single LW transmitter can blanket the entire UK—covering over 90% of the population—as well as reaching rural areas and maritime waters where FM, DAB, and internet signals struggle.
- The voice of British mariners: The broadcast of the Shipping Forecast has become a legendary cultural institution in Britain. For generations, this rhythmic, four-times-a-day reading of coastal weather areas (like Dogger, Viking, and FitzRoy) has offered comfort, nostalgia, and an iconic cadence that is deeply ingrained in the British psyche.
- National and specialised content: Long wave long served as the home for distinct programming on BBC Radio 4, including the live uninterrupted coverage of Test Match Special (cricket) and extended editions of Yesterday in Parliament.
- Letters of last resort: Due to its immense range and durability, the signal has been a critical component of the UK’s national security infrastructure, used to communicate with the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarines.
[Source: Radio Society of Great Britain]
