Bletchley Park Tour

Intercept Rider

The intercepted messages were sent from the Y stations to Bletchley Park by radio, teleprinter or dispatch rider. The latter travelled sometimes hundreds of miles in all weathers to deliver the vital intercepts. A system of priorities decided which messages went by dispatch rider and which by teleprinter.

In the early days of the war, only VIPs were allowed to use the Wilton Avenue entrance. The staff used the back gates, as did the dispatch riders. At peak times of activity, up to 3000 messages a day would arrive, at a rate of forty riders per hour. Eventually, this entrance was unable to cope with the flow of traffic and the main entrance came into general service once more.

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