fyi..., brings tears to my eyes...Laurence (ex BT International!)
BT has dismantled and delivered a unique piece of engineering
history to its
final resting place in Wiltshire - an example of 'one BT' in
action.
A BT Global Service team of six engineers - led by Rugby radio
station
manager Stan Francis - undertook the task of dismantling the giant
tuning
coil at BT's Rugby radio station.
It was then moved from Rugby to the Science Museum Wroughton,
Wiltshire -
arranged by Phil Buch of Supply Chain Partners - and made possible
by BT's
internal logistics distribution network. "The sheer size and
awkwardness of
the coil made this an interesting logistical move," Phil said.
The dismantling and transfer to the Science Museum was co-ordinated
by BT
archives as part of the company's heritage
<http://www.bt.com/archives>
strategy - BT's commitment to safeguarding its heritage on behalf of
the
nation.
The spectacular wooden and copper structure - measuring eight metres
long
and 11 metres high - used to fulfil a key role in radio
communications. The
structure resembles an enormous spider's web and comprises six
copper coils
measuring five metres each in diameter - and each weighing 350
kilograms.
The coil was part of the tuning circuit used to tune the antenna to
the
right operational wavelength - and carried up to 1,000 amps of
radio
frequency current, before being decommissioned in March 2003.
The original tuning coil was destroyed during a fire in 1943 but
was
replaced because of its vital importance to the war effort. It is
this
replacement coil that is being donated to the Science Museum - one
of BT's
partners in its Connected Earth <http://www.connected-earth.com>
heritage
initiative.
BT's head of corporate memory David Hay said: "It played a
significant
'behind the scenes' role during the second world war when it
enabled
ations with the Royal Navy and other shipping interests - and with
the French Resistance. This vital role continued during and
following the
Cold War - when encrypted data was transmitted to ships and
submarines."
Head of global corporate social responsibility Janet Blake said: "We
are
delighted to donate such an important part of telecomms history to
the
science museum. It will enable future generations to understand the
equipment used in the early days of radio technology, to appreciate
the
speed of change in this technology to where we are today and start
to
imagine what the telecomms technology of the 21st century will
become. The
coil is a key part of world history."
More information and pictures can be found on the 24 Hour Museum
website
<http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/nwh_gfx_en/ART25484.html>.
