Radio London 266
The original Big L in Re-discovered photographs from the Martin Stevens Collection
Issue: 2 Date: 3rd February 2023
The Big L Club Pennant from 1966
The 'Density'
An Admirable-class minesweeper 'USS Density' (AM-218) the keel was laid down on 23rd March 1943 at the Tampa Shipbuilding, Florida, launched on 6th February 1944 she was commissioned by the U.S. Navy to clear minefields in offshore waters, serving primarily in the Pacific Ocean
Ship Blue Prints
Ships Specification:
Length - 184'6" Beam - 33' Draft - 9'9"
Displacement - 945 Tons
Propulsion - Pair of 1,710hp Cooper Bessemer GSB-8 diesel, on single reduction gear two shaft drive
Speed - 14.8 knots
Crew - 104
Armament - 1 x 3" dual purpose mount, 1 x twin 40mm gun, 6 x 20mm, 1 x depth charge thrower (hedgehogs), 4 x depth charge projector (K-guns) 2 x depth charge tracks
On 14th May 1946 she was
laid up in the Reserve Fleet, Orange, Texas & decommissioned
3rd March 1947 at Orange
Re-classified as a Fleet Minesweeper MSF-218 on 7th February 1955 she was sold in the same month to a Greek Shipping Company & called 'Manoula'
Fitted out as a Radio Ship in Miami
Impounded for non-payment of Harbour dues she was sold again to a Texan Consortium & fitted out with broadcast studios, a 150' radio antenna & 50kW RCA transmitter & left Miami for England on 21st October 1964
The 'Galaxy' off Shivering Sands in December 1964
Arriving in British waters on 19th of November 1964 the 'Galaxy' dropped anchor South West of the Shivering Sands Fort in the Thames Estuary, short tests are thought to have been made as the station was warned by Caroline boss Ronan O'Rahilly of being within British territorial limits
The 'Galaxy' off Frinton-on-Sea, Essex, in livery dating from 1965
The ship moved close to the MV 'Caroline' around four miles off Frinton-on-Sea, Essex announced as 51° 47.09" North, 01° 20.55" East
Radlon Sales Offices at 17 Curzon Street, London, W1 off Park Lane (Britain Radio England were to set-up shop at number 32)
Testing on 5th December 1964 on 1125kHz (266 metres) then 1133kHz (265 metres) & 1079kHz (277 metres) settling regular programmes commenced just before Christmas on 23rd December at 17kW
Caught unaware Dave Cash
Outside the Curzon Street HQ
Tom Jones, Walker Brothers, Ed Stewart, Mark Roman & Mike Lennox
The 'Galaxy' being supplied
Radio London nicknamed Big L used the tried and proven WABC New York & KLIF Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex Top 40 formats interspersed with PAMS of Dallas Jingles used by the majority of leading American Radio Stations interspersed with lively DJ banter
Led by Senior announcer Australian Tony Windsor had jumped ship from Atlanta (Caroline) to Radio London nurturing the talents of Kenny Everitt and side kick Dave Cash
The 1967 fight for Free Radio campaign's in full flow
Tender puls away from the 'Galaxy'
Broadcasting initially from 06.00 - 21.00 GMT then 05.30 - 02.00 GMT Big L' boasted an audience of nearly 9 million adults the station & was to continue until 1967
The MV 'Galaxy' off the Frinton Essex Coast
Paul Kaye
It became clear to Radio London's management that circumnavigating the Marine Offences Broadcasting Act would ultimately prove costly and unworkable
Main on-air studio with Dave Dennis
MV 'Galaxy' Radio London (Offshore Radio Highlights)
Radio London promotion photograph
Brands Hatch Racing Circuit, Kent, Tony Windsor driving, Mark Roman, Mike Lennox and Eddie Blackwell
The Marquee Club
Big L DJ's on Shore Leave spun records at the Marquee Club at 90 Wardour Street, Soho, London on Saturday afternoons during the summer of 1965
Radio London Needs You based on WW1 recruitment poster featuring Kitchiner (Alfred Leete 1882-1933)
Facing a losing battle Radio London (Big L) threw in the towel closing down at 15.00 on 14th August
Radio London ship the 'Galaxy' in Hamburg
Five days later on 19th August the ship sailed to Hamburg, to be cleaned, overhauled, painted white in readiness for a new German day-time sweet music and night time pop station said to be launching in December 1968
Radio London ship the 'Galaxy' in Hamburg
The project foundered with Swiss backers withdrawing funding, the German equivalent of the Marine Offences Act was looming in July 1969, the ship became an embarrassment to the authorities and in 1970 she was sold as scrap
Radio London ship the 'Galaxy' in Hamburg
The ship remained in Hamburg until 1975 until towed to Howaldswerke-Deutsche Werft, Schwentine Estuary in Kiel Harbour where she was left to rot by the WWII submarine pens
Radio London ship the 'Galaxy' in Hamburg
Radio London ship the 'Galaxy' in Hamburg & a pair of Club Pennants
Final months by the old Submarine Pens in Kiel Harbour
In a sad neglected state the 'Galaxy' sank in 1979 then used to practice underwater welding
In the summer of 1986 amidst concerns of pollution the 'Galaxy' was raised and broken up, there's a superb illustrated report by Tim Schwabedissen at Radio London
With thanks to Martin Stevens, additional material from our own and the Hans Knot Archive
More useful links: Naval Source Archive : USS Density Notes 1