Ray’s Rants Life in the 1950s 1960s 1970s Great Britain girls England family UK work school British music night clubs pubs fashion pirate radio Caroline English holidays television

A trip to Bletchley Park.

The Enigma machine, the Colossus computer, the code breakers… I take a trip around Bletchley Park, one of the most secret of secret places during the 1940s and 50s.

Comments or suggestions? Please email me. podcast@radio-workshop.co.uk

School in the 1950s and 60s.

School in the 1950s and 60s was very different. Kids received the cane, six of the best, if they were deemed to be bad. School dinners were disgusting. Conditions were comparatively harsh. My school was like a prison camp run by evil teachers. Join me to re-live some of my experiences in those unhappy days.

Comments or suggestions? Please email me. podcast@radio-workshop.co.uk

Driving, then and now.

Back in the old days, there were far fewer cars on the roads. No traffic jams, no potholes, no one-way streets... How do we cope these days with millions of cars on the roads?

Comments or suggestions? Please email me. podcast@radio-workshop.co.uk

A evening in an early 1970s nightclub.

I’ll take you to an English night club where we’ll check out the drinks, the fashion and – most importantly – the girls! There’s one very lovely blonde girl who… Er… There were many small nightclubs in towns across the UK in the 1970s. Sadly, they’ve disappeared. What were they like? I’ll tell you in this latest episode.

Comments or suggestions? Please email me. podcast@radio-workshop.co.uk

An evening in a 1960s British pub.

Come and spend an evening with me in a 1960s English pub. We walk through the door when the pub opens. We meet the barmaids, the locals and regulars drift in, the juke box plays… In this episode, I spend an evening chatting, drinking beer and people watching. This should be interesting as I’ll be chatting in first person, present tense.

 Comments or suggestions? Please email me. podcast@radio-workshop.co.uk

 

 

The beginning of CB radio in the UK.

I had what was probably one of the first CB rigs in the country. It was the early 70s and I had an American AM rig. This was when no one else was on 27mHz. The band was quiet, until one evening when a voice emanated from the speaker…

Comments or suggestions? Please email me. podcast@radio-workshop.co.uk

Born in the fifties, living in the 21st century.

Our familiar policeman cycles past and waves, the postman delivers the second post of the day, a lady pops into a red phone box to make a call… England in the 1950s and 1960s was far removed from the 2000s. The workplace, the schools, fashion, mini-skirts, hippies, pubs, teenagers, music, love… step back in time with me!

Comments or suggestions? Please email me. podcast@radio-workshop.co.uk

Co-hosting a pirate radio show with ‘The Girl’.

I’d never thought myself to be a DJ, until I met Kirsty. Known as ‘The Girl’ she was a DJ on a London pirate radio station. She had her own studio, she was professional, and when she asked me to co-host her weekly show with her, I couldn’t believe it! This is the story of ‘The Girl’, pirate radio, the studio, the music, the beer, the vodka… and me. Please follow me to keep up with the latest podcasts.

Comments or suggestions? Please email me. podcast@radio-workshop.co.uk

Cars Girls and Radios.

Cars, girls and radios… not a good mix? In this episode, I recall the happy times during the 1960s and 70s when I had cars fitted with aerials, amateur radio and CB gear… and girls. I hope you enjoy my recollections of chatting on CB and amateur radio, visiting pubs and going clubbing, chatting to girls and…. all at the same time? Please follow me to keep up with the latest podcasts.

Comments or suggestions? Please email me. podcast@radio-workshop.co.uk

Radio and Television in the 1950s 1960s.

Radio and television was very different in the 50s and 60s. There was one TV channel in the UK, the BBC. There were three BBC stations on long and medium wave - news, classical music and light music. So, the youngsters flocked to Radio Luxembourg on 208. But that was only available at night. Then, the pirates arrived, Independent Television arrived... ... and things changed dramatically. Please follow to keep up with the latest podcasts.

Comments or suggestions? Please email me. podcast@radio-workshop.co.uk

Recollections of GWM Radio Worthing – part two.

Part two of the GWM Radio anecdotes is here! Part one was released on Monday 15th July 2019. Please subscribe to keep up with the latest podcasts.

Comments or suggestions? Please email me. podcast@radio-workshop.co.uk

The early beginnings of an apprentice radio and television engineer.

I was only fifteen when I started work. Fun in the radio and TV workshop, fun in the pubs and clubs… life couldn’t have been better! From my initiation in a cardboard box with a fan heater to losing a customer’s television… being an apprentice was all go! Please subscribe to keep up with the latest podcasts.

Comments or suggestions? Please email me. podcast@radio-workshop.co.uk

Recollections of the Marine Trawler Band.

Many years ago, I was a marine radio engineer working on the boats. Do you remember listening to coastguard stations and ships on the Trawler Band? Niton Radio, Humber Radio, Dover coastguard... In this episode, I recall some of my visits to various boats to sort out their radio gear, some of which ended up in the sea! I also recall the many hours I spent listening (and talking) on 2182kHz on the trawler band. Please subscribe to keep up with the latest podcasts.

Comments or suggestions? Please email me. podcast@radio-workshop.co.uk

Recollections of GWM Radio army surplus shop - part one.

I spent many happy hours in GWM Radio, an army surplus shop in Worthing. Here are a few of my recollections of that amazing emporium. Please subscribe to keep up with the latest podcasts.

Comments or suggestions? Please email me. podcast@radio-workshop.co.uk

CCF Pirate Radio Memories.

Recollections of the CCF, Combined Cadet Force, radio communications on 5330kHz Delta Oscar. Pirates, authentication codes, 19 sets, regular nets... They were happy days! Please subscribe to keep up with the latest podcasts.

Comments or suggestions? Please email me. podcast@radio-workshop.co.uk