Quote:
Originally Posted by alestescarrow
From my experience of living in Cardiff, it seemed to cover a far larger population. It certainly covered the central areas of Cathays/Roath/Penylan/Whitchuch... my house had a Rediffusion junction box in the rafters... however neighbours on both sides had cut the cable.
There are lots of overhead cables crossing the streets, particulary in the terraces of Cathays, I think I saw just one cabinet - I guess Cabletel/ntl reused the few ducts that Rediffusion would have built so they are rarer than the other things.
Oh and any idea if this company: http://www.mdtv.co.uk/ is the direct descendant of Metro? According to CompaniesHouse, between 1992 and 2006 this company was known as our old-favourite, Metro Cable TV Ltd. |
I must admit that I have never really looked around Cardiff, I spend as much of my time there as I do in my own town, but mainly around the City Road area. I will take a bit more notice when I'm walking around.
mdtv are the same bunch as far as I'm aware. When Metro sold half of the company to ntl they retained some old HF systems and some SMATV/MATV systems in blocks of flats in the London area. I believe these were controlled out of the Welwyn Metro building but that moved over to ntl as they gained WGC, Hatfield and Stevenage as part of the deal.
The directors then were Richard Dikstra, Ron Rous, Chris Collins and Alistair Cook??? (I believe that Alistair sold his shares to the other before they sold to CableTel - Probably still kicking himself) Perhaps they are listed on companies house.
I seem to recall one of the managers Norman Asby also stopping with Metro I believe to look after the London MATV business (probably now mdtv). I think Metro also sold off some of the remaining business to other area managers, I know one ex Metro manager continued to run some old HF networks down south that he got off Metro, it may have been in Basildon. (Brain is aching thinking back this far)
I don't know exactly what happened to Metro but mdtv is obviously a remnant. I wouldn't be surprised if they sold it, went bankrupt or wound it up to avoid any liabilities.
I spotted this link for mdtv detailing the directors etc, no names that I recall which makes me think they sold it.
http://www.carehome.co.uk/supplier.c...rchazref/72589
Also found this link
http://www.companiesintheuk.co.uk/lt...tal-television
Lists 3I Investments as debenture owing, 3I funded the purchase for the management buyout when Maxwell jumped. Dated 1999 so obviously not the same transaction.