BBC Radio Shite (pic heavy)

[dollywobbler]

Brilliant stuff. I'm late to this one as well, but glad I got there in the end!

[Mash]

Possible contender for thread of the year

[Timewaster]

Having spotted it this morning, I can confirm that this 51 plate baby is still doing sterling service:

 

And that it hasn't met the fate of the BBC Norfolk version

[JohnDeere]

Thats a very interesting read. especially as I own one of the ex BBC Transits!

 

Its reg is B354 VYR, 18K from new and probably about as original as a mk2 Transit is ever likely to be these days! I have no idea where it came from or who used it but you can just see faded stripes and BBC radio logos on the sides some times where they were removed when it was retired. I think this one was actually retired fairly recently. It still had some of the equiptment in the back when I got it too.

 

Chilton QM3 mixing desk.

Apparantly very hard to come by these now. And it was an absolute sod to move aswell, it weighed a ton!

 

I also know the next van on, B355 VYR is still going aswell. There was one of those Cortina estates on ebay a while back but it was pretty nackered, id love to have one though!

 

Do you know which station your van came from? If it was Nottingham or Leicester I may well have spent time in the back of it c.1987 recording local rock band contests. At Lincolnshire we didn't have a van so used to borrow one, but later got the Chilton desk which went into the back of an old caravan. Hope that Chilton went to a good home!

[JohnDeere]

Having spotted it this morning, I can confirm that this 51 plate baby is still doing sterling service:

 

And that it hasn't met the fate of the BBC Norfolk version

 

BBC "cutbacks" seem to mean the cars have to last a lot longer these days, whereas the Cortinas were replaced every 4-5 years. I've a feeling that these 806s were leased for the first few years, then bought by the BBC from the leasing company - the rather large hole in the roof would lead to quite a big penalty from the leasing company otherwise!

[flat4alfa]

Rather than create a new thread, this resurrectable thread was found 

 

 

 

Tax due: 20 June 1995

 

 

 

?

 

 

   

 

Tax due: 01 February 2013. I wonder where that's been sitting

 

 

 

NLP 569, went into private use early eighties, stolen in Bristol and never seen again

 

[doug]

Seen a Dodge with a trailer at a garage on the outskirts of Stranraer that looked very like the one above. It was for sale and mega bucks.

 

 

 

 

Edit : found it on google maps but cant see reg number. The garage is called SMS car and van. Cant copy/paste pic but if you google them and click on pic of garage and pan right you will see it. Black and purple colour now.

[JohnDeere]

Top thread resurrection.  I can bring you up to date too - the BBC has switched away from purpose-built cars and UHF transmitters, to a satellite set-up that fits to a standard Mercedes Citan (Kangoo) van. Makes a lot of financial sense as it means the vans are on a standard lease and there's no need to drill holes in the roof or cut internal trim. I think using satellite is way cheaper than paying for all of the UHF licences and receivers too. So no more radio car shite unfortunately - all of the old Peugeot 806s have now been retired - lots were flogged off as a job lot on eBay a while back.

 

 

[JohnDeere]

 

Rather than create a new thread, this resurrectable thread was found 

 

 

 

 

 

 

?

 

 

That Radio Cleveland Montego is C855 BUW. Only lasted till March '97. 

 

See page 8 of this PDF http://www.bbceng.info/Eng_Inf/EngInf_24.pdf if you want to see the full story of it being built in 1986!

[danthecapriman]

Do you know which station your van came from? If it was Nottingham or Leicester I may well have spent time in the back of it c.1987 recording local rock band contests. At Lincolnshire we didn't have a van so used to borrow one, but later got the Chilton desk which went into the back of an old caravan. Hope that Chilton went to a good home!

Sorry for the very late reply! I'd forgotten about this thread.

No idea sadly where my van was used. I can't seem to find any info about its history either.

The Chilton went to a guy in Belgium who runs his own radio station! He was very keen to get this model for some reason but as far as I know it's still in use!

[BorniteIdentity]

Great thread!! I'm so glad you bumped it up, because it predates my first appearance on here.

 

As some of y'all know, I work in radio - albeit in Commercial Radio where we could only dream of stuff like 'facilities'.  Fortunately, the progress of technology has evened the playing field somewhat.

 

I have very many fond memories of 2000 when I first started out - driving the Radio Suffolk Toyota Pervia to whatever local football match someone was covering alongside main commentary of ITFC.  We also had a transit OB truck as well which was rarely seen but was beautifully kitted out top to toe.

 

In recent months, my friend has bought the LBC/Capital FM radio car - a Peugeot 405!  He's a proper chod botherer, and a broadcast engineer too - so it's a marriage made in heaven.

 

Lovely pics.  Thanks for putting it together, JD.

[BorniteIdentity]

Pretty sure my man won't mind me sharing them on here.  He's a top bloody bloke, one of my faves... and would definitely fit in a treat here as his main daily is the completely standard Golf pictured here.

 

 

This was owned by Global Radio until last year - and was used for LBC and (sporadically) Capital FM before that.  My limited knowledge of erections indicates that it's UHF on there.

[trigger]

How did i miss this thread last time??! Great content!

[JohnDeere]

Pretty sure my man won't mind me sharing them on here.  He's a top bloody bloke, one of my faves... and would definitely fit in a treat here as his main daily is the completely standard Golf pictured here.

 

12832297_10204866404053830_1897398940048575038_n.jpg13319827_10205299799088435_6907697873642255762_n.jpg13260173_10209590444497319_8205321626802089327_n.jpg

 

This was owned by Global Radio until last year - and was used for LBC and (sporadically) Capital FM before that.  My limited knowledge of erections indicates that it's UHF on there.

 

That's fantastic. And by coincidence, I came across this page http://www.g3meh.com/capitalradiocars.shtml just the other day - I guess it's the same car.  Interesting that Capital/Global used the same 405 layout as the BBC, I would imagine it was built at the same place.

 

You're right that it's UHF ... though the aerial on the mast of your mate's car is directional, meaning it would need to be engineer operated (us journalists would be incapable of pointing it in the right direction). The BBC cars all had a flexible omni-directional antenna - ensuring you got a hissy, crackly signal in any direction.

[BorniteIdentity]

That's fantastic. And by coincidence, I came across this page http://www.g3meh.com/capitalradiocars.shtml just the other day - I guess it's the same car.  Interesting that Capital/Global used the same 405 layout as the BBC, I would imagine it was built at the same place.

 

You're right that it's UHF ... though the aerial on the mast of your mate's car is directional, meaning it would need to be engineer operated (us journalists would be incapable of pointing it in the right direction). The BBC cars all had a flexible omni-directional antenna - ensuring you got a hissy, crackly signal in any direction.

 

I remember having to go to Mildenhall to cover MINOR counties cricket (Newbs get all the gr9 jobs eh) and - due to the distance from Bury - was given a yagi, a couple of U-Bolts and a compass!  I did it though!!

[flat4alfa]

Crikey successful thread resurrection!    We should do this more often*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[martc]

and there's no need to drill holes in the roof

 

 

 

Must be pretty strong glue holding those satellite dishes on!

[Split_Pin]

Hoped to see a Cortina Estate, was not disappointed!

[beko1987]

What a bloody great thread. More of this stuff needs to be bumped!

[JohnDeere]

Must be pretty strong glue holding those satellite dishes on!

 

Roofrack mountings... (or strong glue)

[JohnDeere]

Sorry for the very late reply! I'd forgotten about this thread.

No idea sadly where my van was used. I can't seem to find any info about its history either.

The Chilton went to a guy in Belgium who runs his own radio station! He was very keen to get this model for some reason but as far as I know it's still in use!

 

 

This site http://www.bbceng.info/Eng_Inf/EngInf_32.pdf has the story behind the next generation of 'Type C' Transit van. Only the BBC in the 1980s/early 90s would have had the will (and cash) to entirely rebuild the side door of a Transit as part of a conversion to a recording van that would be used a few dozen times in its entire life.

[scruff]

This is a top thread and nice to see it 'bumped' with more intel.

 

What's the crack with the Beeb radio cars parked in a yard next to the A14...?

[Alan_Green]

Had this ex-BT comms van for a few years. Was majestic.  Especially the diesel night heater:  Had a cooker, a safe and a walk thorugh cab.

[UltraWomble]

In Lancashire we have always had shite

 

 

[martc]

Roofrack mountings... (or strong glue)

 

 

In Lancashire we have always had shite

Lo - roof rack mounting - all cleared up now.

[JohnDeere]

This is a top thread and nice to see it 'bumped' with more intel.

 

What's the crack with the Beeb radio cars parked in a yard next to the A14...?

 

Whereabouts? And what type of cars?

[danthecapriman]

This site http://www.bbceng.info/Eng_Inf/EngInf_32.pdf has the story behind the next generation of 'Type C' Transit van. Only the BBC in the 1980s/early 90s would have had the will (and cash) to entirely rebuild the side door of a Transit as part of a conversion to a recording van that would be used a few dozen times in its entire life.

Interesting, the 'new' mk3 Transit type vans had a completely different layout and equipment to my old mk2.

Also interesting the mk3's had their side doors modified at Wadhams coach builders in Waterlooville. This is about 5 mins drive from my house, or rather was. Wadhams closed a few years ago and the site demolished to make way for a new Sainsbury's superstore.

[Timewaster]

Resurrection again!

 

Particularly shite promotional car for what a some people would say was a pretty shite station.

Also spot the Nissan Patrol tow car.

 

[Tepper]

Fantastic thread, thanks for sharing!

[strangeangel]

Nice resurrection of a fine thread.

 

Reminds me of  the early-mid 2000s when, amongst other things, I could be found driving this:

 

 

 

I still have that mug!

 

Happy days!

 

EDIT:

On 3/10/2017 at 1:01 PM, JohnDeere said:

...all of the old Peugeot 806s have now been retired - lots were flogged off as a job lot on eBay a while back.

 

 

I just checked up on 'mine' - X646LOF's last ticket ran out in 2017, which would explain that RIP M8.

 

I also used to drive a Transit broadcast van on occasions - that was the ex-Radio York one that appeared briefly in the film of Calendar Girls. No idea what happened to it, sadly - a few turned up on eBay a couple of years ago but I have no pics and can't remember the reg number, unfortunately.

 

Had some proper adventures in both of them - Leeds Festival 2004 where me and the crusty old Tranny  were loaned out to 6Music was just one that springs to mind.