# 2BD

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Scottish radio station

2BD Scotland Broadcast area Aberdeen City council area Frequency 606 kHz : 495 m MW Programming Format Light music, comedy, news and sport Ownership Owner BBC History First air date 10 October 1923; 102 years ago (1923-10-10)

**2BD** was a local [radio station](/source/Radio_broadcasting) opened on 10 October 1923 in [Aberdeen](/source/Aberdeen), Scotland, by the [British Broadcasting Company](/source/British_Broadcasting_Company) (later to become the [British Broadcasting Corporation](/source/British_Broadcasting_Corporation)). Operating from a studio at the rear of a shop belonging to Aberdeen Electrical Engineering at 17 Belmont Street and a transmitter located on the premises of the Aberdeen Steam Laundry Company, the station broadcast on a frequency of 606 kHz (495 m) [medium wave](/source/Medium_wave).[1]

## Planning

After being appointed [managing director](/source/Managing_director) of the [BBC](/source/BBC) in 1922, [John Reith](/source/John_Reith%2C_1st_Baron_Reith) instigated a programme of expansion of the [radio network](/source/Radio_network) in the United Kingdom, increasing the number of local stations from three to twenty in a relatively short period of time. Aberdeen was one of the first new stations to be put on air.[1]

## Inception

The opening ceremony for the station was conducted by the Marquis of Aberdeen at 9pm on 10 October 1923, followed by a performance from the Band of the [2nd Gordon Highlanders](/source/2nd_Gordon_Highlanders). Those attending the launch included the [Lord Provost of Aberdeen](/source/Lord_Provost_of_Aberdeen), [BBC](/source/BBC) MD John Reith, [station director](/source/Management) R. E. Jeffery, and [chief engineer](/source/Chief_Engineer) [Peter Eckersley](/source/Peter_Eckersley_(engineer)).[1]

## Technical data

Inside the studio, broadcasters used a single [microphone](/source/Microphone) on a wheeled base, which severely restricted the number of users at any one time. Being transmitted from the Aberdeen Steam Laundry Company building, the signal then travelled to an aerial slung between two [Marconi](/source/Marconi_Company) [radio masts](/source/Radio_masts_and_towers) sited beside some nearby [electrical generators](/source/Electrical_generator) (which frequently interfered with broadcasts). Although the [transmitter](/source/Transmitter) was of low power, it was reported that the first programmes were heard in Norway and, similarly, subsequent broadcasts more than a year later could be heard in the United States during "International Radio Week".[1]

## Format

During a [live](/source/Live_radio) six-hour transmission day, the station supplied a mix of [light music](/source/Light_music), comedy, news, and sports reporting. A former Scottish football referee, [Peter Craigmyle](/source/Peter_Craigmyle), broadcast a 15-minute programme once a week devoted to previewing sports events.[1]

The station had its own "2BD Repertory Company" with members including William Mair, Daisy Moncur, Grace Wilson and George Dewar. It had its own 12-piece [orchestra](/source/Orchestra), supplemented by [harmonica](/source/Harmonica) player Donald Davidson, although they were reduced to eight members in 1926, and disbanded after the demise of the station.[1]

Comedy was supplied by entertainers such as Jessie R. F. Allan, and many other artistes appeared before the microphone, including local boy [Harry Gordon](/source/Harry_Gordon_(entertainer)) and character actress Mabel Constanduris.[1]

## Expansion and decline

In May 1925, 2BD's premises were extended to take in number 15 Belmont Street; however, in 1926 the "[Geneva Frequency Plan](/source/Geneva_Frequency_Plan)" cut the number of available wavelengths by 50%. 2BD's frequency was changed to 610 kHz (491.8 m) with effect from 14 November 1926 and then a month later – because of the interference caused by 2BD having to share a frequency with the BBC's Birmingham station, [5IT](/source/5IT) – to 600 kHz (500 m). In time, the Aberdeen station, along with other local Scottish transmitters, was replaced by a [Scottish Regional Programme](/source/BBC_Regional_Programme) covering most of the country on a single high-power medium-wave frequency, while a [long-wave](/source/Long-wave) transmitter (sited first at [Chelmsford](/source/Chelmsford), then [Daventry](/source/Daventry), and finally at [Droitwich](/source/Droitwich)) was powerful enough to provide a [National Programme](/source/BBC_National_Programme) audible throughout most of the United Kingdom,[2] and "2BD" was last heard from in 1929.[1] The BBC broadcasting centre subsequently moved to larger premises in Beechgrove Terrace,[3] which were demolished and replaced by a new building on the same site in the year 2000.[4]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-leopard_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-leopard_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-leopard_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-leopard_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-leopard_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-leopard_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-leopard_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-leopard_1-7) [The History of Aberdeen Radio](http://www.leopardmag.co.uk/feats/75/the-coming-of-steam-radio-to-aberdeen) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20071224205859/http://www.leopardmag.co.uk/feats/75/the-coming-of-steam-radio-to-aberdeen) 24 December 2007 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine): article by Gordon Bathgate from the online edition of *Leopard Magazine*, February 2005. Retrieved on 8 January 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Change of transmission frequencies](http://www.radiorewind.co.uk/radio2/2lo_page.htm): *Radio Rewind* website. Retrieved on 8 January 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [BBC Broadcasting House](http://www.aberdeenonline.co.uk/info/1032/), Beechgrove Terrace, Aberdeen: *Aberdeen Online* website. Retrieved on 8 January 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [Moved in 2000](https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/401316.stm) to Beechgrove Terrace: [BBC News](/source/BBC_News) article. Retrieved on 8 January 2008.

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v t e Radio in Scotland BBC regional/local stations BBC Radio Scotland BBC Radio nan Gàidheal BBC Radio Shetland BBC Radio Orkney Regional commercial stations Capital Scotland Heart Scotland Smooth Scotland Nation Radio Scotland GO Radio (Glasgow) STV Radio Local commercial stations Central 103.1 FM Clyde 1 (Glasgow – Ayrshire) Forth 1 Greatest Hits Radio (Ayrshire – Dumfries & Galloway – Edinburgh, Lothians & Fife – Glasgow & The West – North East Scotland – Scottish Borders and North Northumberland – Tayside & Fife) Isles FM MFR Northsound 1 Original 106 Pure Radio Scotland Radio Skye Radio Wester Ross SIBC Smooth Scotland Tay FM Community, charity & non-profit stations Bute FM Celtic Music Radio Heartland FM RNIB Connect Radio Isles FM Mearns FM Nevis Radio shmuFM Student stations Air3 Fresh Air Subcity Radio Defunct stations 2BD Eklipse Sports Radio L107 NECR Peninsula FM Q96 Real Radio Revival FM River FM 96.3 Rock Radio Kingdom FM Scot FM The Superstation Talk 107 XFM Scotland Waves Radio Your Radio Local DAB multiplex operators Arqiva Bauer Media Audio UK Switchdigital UK national BBC services BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 2 BBC Radio 3 BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 5 Live UK national commercial services Absolute Radio Classic FM Talksport UK national DAB multiplexes BBC National DAB Digital One Sound Digital See also List of radio stations in the United Kingdom

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [2BD](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2BD) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2BD?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.