Since the fire on the afternoon of Tuesday 10th August 2021, engineers have been working to restore services across North Yorkshire, Teesside and parts of County Durham.
A temporary mast near to the original Bilsdale transmitter site went live on 13th October. However, coverage from the new mast still leaves many households with poor or no reception.
On this page, you’ll see all the latest developments, frequently updated for affected viewers and installers:
The situation as of May 2022:
A temporary tower next to the site of the demolished mast went live in February, replacing the flimsy mast erected in October.
Additional relays remain on air as the tower isn’t high enough to see over the hills of the North York Moors to bring coverage to everyone. A full size mast is being constructed and will go live during 2023.
In the meantime, viewers can try manual tuning to see if they can receive any service from any of the transmitters in the area.
Manual tuning information
The following contains the multiplexes and UHF channel number for the Bilsdale replacement mast, plus all new filler relays. If you need to convert UHF channel numbers to frequencies, you can do so using this table.
Bilsdale Quarry
| Multiplex name | UHF channel number | Further details |
| BBC-A | 27 | The BBC’s main channels in standard definition |
| D3&4 | 24 | ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 and some off-shoot services. |
| BBC-B HD | 21 | Includes all the main five channels in HD |
| SDN | 43 | A bundle of commercial channels including 5STAR, ITVBe and Quest |
| Arqiva A | 46 | A bundle of commercial channels including Sky News, Sky Arts, Dave and 4seven. |
| Arqiva B | 40 | A bundle of commercial channels including HGTV, PBS America and Yesterday. |
| COM7 HD | 55 | Additional HD channels, including BBC Four HD and Quest HD, plus SD channels Freesports and Forces TV. |
Eston Nab (receivable in parts of Middlesbrough, Hartlepool and Redcar)
| Multiplex name | UHF channel number | Further details |
| BBC-A | 23 | The BBC’s main channels in standard definition |
| D3&4 | 26 | ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 and some off-shoot services. |
| BBC-B HD | 28 | Includes all the main five channels in HD |
| SDN | 22 | A bundle of commercial channels including 5STAR, ITVBe and Quest |
| Arqiva A | 25 | A bundle of commercial channels including Sky News, Sky Arts, Dave and 4seven |
| Arqiva B | 48 | A bundle of commercial channels including HGTV, PBS America and Yesterday |
| COM7 HD | 55 | Additional HD channels, including BBC Four HD and Quest HD, plus SD channels Freesports and Forces TV |
| LOCAL (MDB) | 30 | Local TV channel Teesside TV, plus GREAT! movies Christmas, Ideal Extra and TinyPOP |
Arncliffe Wood (receivable in the Northallerton area up to Scotch Corner)
| Multiplex name | UHF channel number | Further details |
| BBC-A | 29 | The BBC’s main channels in standard definition |
| D3&4 | 31 | ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 and some off-shoot services. |
| BBC-B HD | 37 | Includes all the main five channels in HD |
Bainbridge HP (NEW FILLER RELAY)
Complements existing VP relay for viewers in the area.
| Multiplex name | UHF channel number | Further details |
| BBC-A | 41 | The BBC’s main channels in standard definition |
| D3&4 | 44 | ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 and some off-shoot services. |
| BBC-B HD | 47 | Includes all the main five channels in HD |
Blackhall Colliery HP (NEW FILLER RELAY – May 2022)
| Multiplex name | UHF channel number | Further details |
| BBC-A | 29 | The BBC’s main channels in standard definition |
| D3&4 | 31 | ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 and some off-shoot services. |
| BBC-B HD | 37 | Includes all the main five channels in HD |
Helmsley (NEW FILLER RELAY)
| Multiplex name | UHF channel number | Further details |
| BBC-A | 29 | The BBC’s main channels in standard definition |
| D3&4 | 31 | ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 and some off-shoot services. |
| BBC-B HD | 37 | Includes all the main five channels in HD |
Kirkbymoorside (NEW FILLER RELAY)
Also covering parts of Pickering.
| Multiplex name | UHF channel number | Further details |
| BBC-A | 22 | The BBC’s main channels in standard definition |
| D3&4 | 25 | ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 and some off-shoot services. |
| BBC-B HD | 28 | Includes all the main five channels in HD |
Leyburn (NEW FILLER RELAY)
| Multiplex name | UHF channel number | Further details |
| BBC-A | 33 | The BBC’s main channels in standard definition |
| D3&4 | 36 | ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 and some off-shoot services. |
| BBC-B HD | 48 | Includes all the main five channels in HD |
Loftus (NEW FILLER RELAY)
| Multiplex name | UHF channel number | Further details |
| BBC-A | 29 | The BBC’s main channels in standard definition |
| D3&4 | 31 | ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 and some off-shoot services. |
| BBC-B HD | 37 | Includes all the main five channels in HD |
Masham – Limekiln Lane (NEW FILLER RELAY)
| Multiplex name | UHF channel number | Further details |
| BBC-A | 29 | The BBC’s main channels in standard definition |
| D3&4 | 31 | ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 and some off-shoot services. |
| BBC-B HD | 37 | Includes all the main five channels in HD |
Ripon – Hutton Lane (NEW FILLER RELAY)
| Multiplex name | UHF channel number | Further details |
| BBC-A | 22 | The BBC’s main channels in standard definition |
| D3&4 | 25 | ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 and some off-shoot services. |
| BBC-B HD | 28 | Includes all the main five channels in HD |
Thirsk (NEW FILLER RELAY)
| Multiplex name | UHF channel number | Further details |
| BBC-A | 30 | The BBC’s main channels in standard definition |
| D3&4 | 26 | ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 and some off-shoot services. |
| BBC-B HD | 23 | Includes all the main five channels in HD |
Viewers who are still without a signal
Some viewers will continue to be without a signal.
Transmitter operator Arqiva is responsible for overseeing a restoration of service. It has recently announced that some households will be eligible for a voucher to buy a streaming stick.
Those who qualify for further help through the Project Restore Home Support team must meet the following conditions:
- Cannot watch BBC One, BBC Two, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 (in standard definition) on their main TV set – whether this is through the aerial or through a connected SMART TV
- Do not have TV from Sky, Virgin, Freesat, BT TV on their main TV set
- Live in the affected area
- Have not claimed a £50 Curry’s voucher that Arqiva will mail out to those households in not-spots.
If this applies to you, call freephone 0800 121 4828.
[Source: Freeview]
Find out more about Freesat
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