[1] During the Cold War, the British government proposed a communications network that (it was hoped) would survive a nuclear attack.

Spurs feeding into the network were provided at three locations: London, Manchester (Heaton Park Tower) and Birmingham.

[2] Whether or not the Backbone network plan was realised is classified, but HM Government denied in Parliament that the tower's function was secretive.

[3][4] Beside the tower was a monitoring station (one of hundreds across the country) to record the blast and fallout in the event of a nuclear war.

The station provided for three men from the Royal Observer Corps (ROC) to live underground whilst recording what was happening above ground in the event of a nuclear strike.