Radio Sutch & City Pictures - Part 3
Issue : 3 Updated : 6th June 2020
Shivering Sands Control Tower (1964)
Lookout clinging to the derrick on the waves a welcome to the tender
Press Cutting (May 1964)
When the authorities heard that Radio Sutch had boarded the Shivering Sand Forts, a battalion of marines were dispatched to evict those on board the former but abandoned MoD Fort
They were though recalled to base before they reached the Gun Towers, officialdom had deemed it not worth the bother of evicting the squatters. The newspaper sketch of the time above depicts what might have happened
Audio |
Early
recording of Radio Sutch with Brian Paull May 1964 |
Radio City 7" Tape Reel and Dick Dixon (1964)
Note in audio clip below how records often jumped, slipped, or were started at the wrong speeds, & yes we were all guilty
Audio |
Dick
Dixon handing over to Jeremy Stewart 1965 |
Radio City Car Sticker (1965)
The second proper Radio City sticker showing the 188 transmitter instaled to provide a signal into London for the prime revenue source, the religious programmes
John Wileman on Harvester II (1965)
Either returning or en'route to Shivering Sands, note the panel to John's left
Pictured with Fred Downs in the wheel house talking to unknown guy?
John former Bass Player looked after Clifton Hall he married Radio City Secretary Jill and became Reg Calvert's right hand man and with his failing eyesight his driver
On top of the 3.7 G1 Gun Tower (1965)
Alexander Dee talks to Engineer Phil Perkins having his breakfast, then ? Dick Dixon & Chris Cross in the foreground
None of us can remember the other fellow can you?
Control Tower with the Bofors Tower (1965)
Uncertain times, armed with Dick's rifle continuing the vigil looking out for unwelcome visitors especially those from Radio Essex across at Knock John
Chris Cross makes some notes (1965)
He's in front of the 299 transmitter on a table fashioned from an upended tea case and old piece of board
G2 Gun Tower (March 1965)
This shot is one of the last pictures of the G2 Gun Tower tower toppled by the Ribersborg collision of 1963
It provided a background of groans as it ground away until removed by the Port of London Authority, who used the Searchlight Tower behind for gathering wind and tide readings
Searchlight original design of bottom floor (1942)
Intermediate floor of Searchlight Tower (1942)
Searchlight tower top floor (1942)
Drawings by J A Posford the fort builders from "The Construction of Britain's Sea Forts"
For more details on all the Thames Estuary Forts see Fort Fax
Yorkshire Post (22nd September 1965)
Emerge to start of another gruelling day, note the catering can of Nescafe little changed, 'Tide' washing powder, and the Hacker portable radio still manufactured
Live Gig by Peter Jameson (1965)
Tom Edwards (1965)
Mothers favourite Tom Edwards publicity shot
SOS Drama Daily Express (30th December 1965)
Radio City Transmitter Room with Ian West built TX, foreground the Radio Atlanta Rig (1965)
Radio City Shivering Sands (1965)
Radio City QSL Card (1965)
With the 200' mast Radio City named by Tony Pine became the Tower of Power printed from previous image
Reg Calvert by Radio London's MV Galaxy (1966)
Talks about selling Radio City to Caroline's rival came to nothing
RadCity Sales Letter (14th February 1966)
Dorothy Calvert crossing the jungle-walk from G1 Gun Tower to the Control Tower (1966)
This dramatic shot of Dorothy after assuming control following the death of husband Reg, and recalling the first visit out to the Towers
Audio |
Dorothy
Calvert talks about the choice of Forts |
Godfrey's Limited of Basildon
The Basildon Request Show was broadcast on Sunday's from 09.30 - 11.00 with spots sold to local advertisors
I can't recall why the odd duration of 1.5 hours or who devised what was the earliest sponsored programme running from early 1965
East Walk, Basildon (C20 Project)
The last incarnation of the above business was as Godfreys (Audio TV Video) Limited now dissolved
Interesting they sold perfumes and the famous Carmen Heated Hair Rollers which were heavily advertised on Radio City with Pinkertons Assorted Colours singing the jingle
Audio |
'Carmen'
Pinkertons Assorted Colours |
Targetting the important City of Canterbury would have been more lucrative
Eric Martin the DJ with Dorothy Calvert (1966)
The other Eric Martin the DJ with Dorothy Calvert in the last on air studio
Not much had changed, virtually all the equipment was re-used, other than the addition of a home built mixing desk and other turntables
Shivering Sands (1967)
The Tower of Power one of the last shorts taken from the tender leaving the fort showing Shivering Sands complete with the big mast in 1967
Port of London Authority Helicopter on Searchlight Tower (1990)
Separated from the main cluster it was modified to take a service helicopter, here's the first trial landing from 1990
A LANBY or Large Automated Navigation Buoy (1992)
Anchored few meters north west of Shivering Sands to provide the readings when it was felt that the fort had deteriorated beyond safe use
This story continues from Sutch & City Part 4
Found your website and I think it's really interesting. I'm fascinated about the forts and love to read anything about them that I can find. I've been on a boat trip to view them, and I would love to go inside them, but I can't see that ever happening. As you've been on them, you are the only one who can satisfy my curiosity about what conditions are like onboard. Please describe them to me - what remains from the war years and what remains from the pirate station years. Would it ever be possible to go onboard now - and how? Looking forward to hearing from you. Nikki Elkington
PS I found a page within your site that showed photos of the insides of the thames estuary forts as they are today (with I think the DJs who were on them in the 60s). I can't now find that page and I'm going mad looking, so can you be very kind and email me the relevant page. I'll be eternally grateful!