Oliver's Mount

Oliver's Mount

Oliver's Mount Track Layout
Location	North Yorkshire, England
Coordinates	54.263°N 0.405°W / 54.263; -0.405
Opened	1946
Major events	Formula III
Oliver's Mount
Length	2.41 miles (3.88 km)
Race lap record	2:18.6 (Cliff Allison, Cooper-Norton, 1955, Formula III)

Startline scene in 1986

Oliver's Mount is an area of high ground overlooking Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England. It offers views over the town, a tribute monument to the war dead, camping and caravanning at selected times of the year, 10 football pitches, 1 rugby league pitch, in the past a small school, and a cafe, but may be primarily known for its motorcycle races. Oliver's Mount first held a motorcycle race in 1946, and continues to hold motorcycle circuit racing today, and also holds car rally and car hill-climb events. Cars have raced here twice, in 1955 and 1956.

In 2016 Oliver's Mount was the summit for the final classified climb on the third stage of the Tour de Yorkshire cycle race.

The site also houses the broadcasting transmitter which provides TV and radio services to Scarborough and the surrounding areas.

Oliver's Mount is named after Oliver Cromwell, as it was thought that he had sited guns there, although there is no evidence that Cromwell visited Scarborough during the Civil War. This name was in use by 1804; previously the hill was known as Weaponness, which now refers to the area of the town around Oliver's Mount and Filey Road, and one of the wards of the borough.

Races

The Oliver's Mount track is a street circuit composed of twisty public roads and has played host to domestic motorcycling and rallying events for many years. Spectators for race events are known to have reached 58,000. Oliver's Mount racing circuit is the only street circuit in England. Throughout the year it hosts four weekends of motorcycle road racing and numerous hill climb challenges. With the Ian Watson Spring Road Races, Barry Sheene Classic Road Races, Cock o' the North Road Races and The Gold Cup drawing riders and spectators from all over the British Isles. The races are organised by the Auto 66 club which attracts big name riders from the road racing scene. The circuit itself is 2.43 miles (3.91 km) in length and is not much more than a service road around Oliver's Mount. It is known as a technical and twisty track that requires a great deal of skill and bravery to tackle.

Oliver's Mount continues to hold motorcycle, car rally and car-hill climb events. Two Formula III events were held in 1955 and 1956.

In 2018, Oliver's Mount racing was cancelled due to safety concerns. As a result no racing took place. Following this, the ownership of the event changed from the Auto 66 Club and the council granted a lease to a group led by former racers and businessmen Mick Grant & Eddie Roberts, under the name GrantRoberts Ltde. In April 2019 GrantRoberts Ltd was renamed Oliver’s Mount Racing Ltd. With support from Scarborough Borough Council, the venue hosted two events in 2019. These were the Barry Sheene Classic on 27 and 28 July and the Gold Cup from 27 to 29 September.Nowadays its run by Husband and wife team Andy Hayes and Wendy Hayes along with a group of experienced officials and is now going from strength to strength now its back upto a full calendar of events.

British Formula III

Year	Date	Event	Winning driver	Winning constructor	Report
1955	July	Formula III	Cliff Allison	Cooper-Norton	Report
1956	July	Formula III	Tom Dickson	Cooper-Norton	Report

British Superbike Championship

Year	Race	Rider	Manufacturer
1987	1987 ACU Shell Oils Superbike Championship Rd.7	Roger Marshall	1100cc Suzuki
1988	1988 ACU Shell Oils TT F1 British Championship Rd.8	Jamie Whitham	750cc Suzuki

Transmitting station

Oliver's Mount

Oliver's Mount (North Yorkshire)
Mast height	41 metres (135 ft)
Coordinates	54°16′03″N 0°24′16″W
BBC region	BBC Yorkshire
ITV region	ITV Yorkshire
Local TV service	That's North Yorkshire

Oliver's Mount broadcast television and radio services to Scarborough and Filey with signals can be received as far as Malton.

Analogue radio

Frequency	kW	Service
89.9 MHz	0.125	BBC Radio 2
92.1 MHz	0.125	BBC Radio 3
94.3 MHz	0.125	BBC Radio 4
95.5 MHz	0.125	BBC Radio York
96.2 MHz	0.5	Greatest Hits Radio Yorkshire
97.4 MHz	0.050	Coast & County Radio
99.5 MHz	0.125	BBC Radio 1
107.6 MHz	0.025	Radio Scarborough

Digital radio

Frequency	Block	kW	Operator
213.360 MHz	10C	2	MuxCo North Yorkshire
222.064 MHz	11D	2	Digital One
225.648 MHz	12B	2	BBC National DAB

Digital television

Frequency	UHF	kW	Operator	System
538.000 MHz	29	2	BBC A	DVB-T
554.000 MHz	31	2	Digital 3&4	DVB-T
562.000 MHz	32	1	SDN	DVB-T
578.000 MHz	34	1	Arqiva A	DVB-T
586.000 MHz	35	1	Arqiva B	DVB-T
602.000 MHz	37	2	BBC B	DVB-T2
618.000 MHz	39	0.6	Local TV	DVB-T

Before switchover

Frequency	UHF	kW	Operator
698.000 MHz	49	0.1	BBC (Mux 1)
738.166 MHz	54+	0.1	SDN (Mux A)
770.166 MHz	58+	0.1	BBC (Mux B)
794.166 MHz	61+	0.1	Arqiva (Mux C)
818.166 MHz	64+	0.1	Arqiva (Mux D)
842.166 MHz	67+	0.1	Digital 3&4 (Mux 2)

Analogue television

Analogue television ceased from Oliver's Mount during August 2011. BBC Two was closed on 3 August and BBC One was temporarily moved into its frequency at the time to allow BBC A to launch in BBC One's old frequency. The remaining analogue services ceased on 17 August 2011.

References

Bibliography

• Peter Swinger (2001). Motor Racing Circuits In England Then And Now. ISBN 0-7110-3104-5.

External links

• Two Four Three Road Racing Association
• "Oliver's Mount". Archived from the original on 8 April 2014. unofficial site, with history and pictures
• Photo galleries of Oliver's Mount mast from the mb21 website