One hour with Bob Edwards from the 1978. Confusingly the competition has the Radio Invicta theme tune in it.

Many dedications - just a few here: Tony Harrison , Andrew Dolginski, Derek Astell, Montana Red, Roadrunners Trucking in Harrow, Sarah Costell.

Maybe the estimate of 20,000 listeners for Thameside Radio 90.2 really was too low. 

There is a problem in the the first part of this recording with short wave interference - it does disappear after the first hour.

Dave opens the show: The Thameside Radio 90.2 4th birthday on 13th December gets a lot of plugs. Bob phones out to Richard Baldwyn who was at the last birthday and is coming to the next one. Mark was off sick so Jim did the band interview with 4TFZ. Bob also phones out to a listener called Wolfie (who is 13).

The Intrepid Birdman Show is its usual high standard. Wild, whacky, thought provoking and he is still playing the Portsmouth Symphonia. Oh and there arethe Duracell adverts. Denise (secretary of the The Intrepid Birdman Appreciation Society) now has badges and has a fact sheet available. Dave reads out a letter with a rumour that Sarah is Bob Edward's sister, Tony is his brother and Dave is his dad - what can I say?

I wonder if I should split these podcasts between Bob and Dave? What do you think?   

Thameside Radio 90.2 dedications for Richard Baldwyn, Tony Fletcher, Mazzy sends in a 3 part poem that the team read out, Wealdstone College of Technology, 9th Wembley Venture Scouts, Les Keely, Alan Dolby.

Back to the 80's. One of the evenings where Thameside Radio 90.2 changed transmition sites throughout the show so reception quality varies. Still it kept the DTI away! Also some of the Bob Edwards show is missing from the recording.

Sarah was at a halloween party till 6 am the previous night! When did she do her homework? She out a poem written by a listener called "It's a Typical Day". There is also a big plug for Rudi who have a single called "When I was Dead". Mark is in Ealing Broadway giving away tickets for Acellerator in concert at Ronnie Scotts. Bob is trying to give away a kitten! Everyone is looking forward to the Thameside Radio boat trip.

A hung over Intrepid Birdman has some amazing new jingles and a funky new version of the Thameside Radio theme at the start of his show. (Do you know who recorded them - I never did find out. Please email or comment.)  He also plays the Sir Henry & His Butlers - Rolo sensation which is weird.

More new Thameside 90.2 listeners: Richard Baldwyn of Feltham, Stephen Garstang, Surbiton High School, Tiffin School, Jamming Fanzine (who are writing an article on Thameside), Tony Fletcher, Rough Trade Records, Dave Cutcliffe

More from 1978 with Bob Edwards and Tony Lloyd. This follows the 4 hour spectacular extended birthday broadcast  http://media.libsyn.com/media/fmthen/Thameside_781199a.mp3. Thameside Birthday Cake being offered as  a prize. They have a phone out competition. Bob plays a bootleg of Brown Sugar with Eric Clapton on guitar.  

We all now get our choice of music streamed on the Internet, using Spotify or over DAB this was broadcast just 4 years after the first ever  independent FM radio station was launched in the UK. We all still thought that listening to a non-BBC station was pretty exciting - and then along came Thameside Radio 90.2

Actually it was only 8 years after the launch of any radio station in London (BBC Radio London - thanks Wikipedia). So the idea and the technology were still very new.


More Thameside Radio listeners: Terry Williams; Ron Calston; Arian Leaper for the John Lyon school; Martin Crew of Se22 from Exeter University; Andy Feely; The Barry Banson Appreciation Society;  J D Deam; Dave Williamson of Hendon ; Tim Radford of Uxbridge who found out about Thameside Radio 90.2 when he saw a car sticker;  Patrick Kingholm of Winchmore Hill; Bob Tree; Malcolm McIntyre;

Back to April 1978. Thameside Radio 90.2 is only 6 months old and a very young sounding Bob presents a one hour show. Tony Lloyd reads the news. Last week was an extended broadcast with Tony doing the second hour. Debbie is taking calls. (What happened to Debbie the Phone Girl?) Dave from the BBC is in the studio as well as a photographer and listener Simon Wallace.


Loads of mentions and dedications. Many of them say that it's the the first time they have tuned in to Thameside Radio 90.2: Here are some that had surnames or additional information so might pop up if they're Googled - there a many more mentions on the recording:  Downtown of Romford, Roger Scott from Epsom for his wife Linda and children Tristan and Lucinda, Steve Tarling fron Surrey University, Neal Oldfield of Appleton, Paul searle of Upminster for the 1st Boys Brigade, Steve Pagnall of Greenford, Alan Cooper of Edgware, Bernard O'Brien of Hainault, Kevin Keele, Tony and Kim Chiffey and Stephen Cruikshank.