The first 90 minutes from an early Thameside Radio OB in June 1980. Bob presents a show from a party full of kids from Latymer Upper School (boys) and Godolphin and Latymer School (girls). It's very noisy and packed with people taking A-Levels who are probably all responsible adults now!

Part of an extended broadcast from Thameside Radio 90.2 with Sarah taking calls.  It’s so busy that we even get to hear  Sarah answering the phone on air with a call from Howard for Dave, Ian Lawrence and Bernie.

At this point Thameside Radio had installed a permanent transmitter in Trellick Tower and set up a live Band III link so could broadcast as long as they wanted. (Band III used to be home to low quality 405 line TV but there were a lot of clear channels. It’s now used for DAB.)

The phone lines are very busy with  an awful lot of dedications. Here are just a few Danny and Carrel in Swanley, Carl, Bruce Bill Dave and Anna; Andrew of Brentwood for Adam, Class 4D and Brentwood County High School; Bob Lawrence, The Royal Free Network, CMC motorcyclists, Mick of Carshalton, Carshalton 6th form, Neil Chris Arnold & Kevin. Rookie  for his wife Lynne, Jim Jim, Gary, Jane, Christopher. Steve for Alex and Bamber; Alex for Rachel Inge Biddy and Rabbi; Liam Simon the quick brew kid Leon; Bamber for Susan, Alex, Amanda, the Tony Lloyd fan club, Ken of Brentwood for his mum and dad on their 31st anniversary, Claire, Johnny, Stand and the fans, Dave and Mark; Jackie Rosemund and carol; Emily for Hillam and the outdoor cat Alan; John of Beckenham for Dave Dave Barry, Beryl, Kevin Ken;  Dave for Steve Bruce Carl,  Harrow Motorcycle Club; Nigel Richard Sharon Tracy; Andy Martin Trevor and Alan; Renata for Hilary; Stuart of Chiswick; Steve from Stevenage and wife Sharon; Jerry for Tony and his Revox, Roger and Stuart;   Dave Nicholls of North Kensington for ; Jim Clark, Leona Resumworth 5X Elizabeth;  Andy Dixon , Mill Hill School Larch Nervous Complaint; Pauline to Dan and Sharon; Chris of Highbury for John Richard and Sheila; Darren to Liam, Robert of Swanely to Jim and Pam; John of Beckenham; Bruce Perkins from Martin of  Brentwood; Margaret in Byfleet.

That's all the people mentioned in just 45 minutes. Now I remember why I don't include all the people mentioned in the show notes each week!

Thameside listener and regular competition winner Rupert Bailey is the special guest on The Intrepid Birdman Show. Rupert also DJs for a while on Bob Edward's show, he even interviews Bob!

Boris wins the phone competition.

Bob also features Sarah from Kew who reveals that in addition to reading the Thameside Radio news she answers listerners letters too. She tells us that Thameside  receive about 30 letters each week but they hope to have 100 letters next week.

Thameside listeners mentioned include Bob Lawrence, Jeff Hawkins, The Tony Lloyd Fan Club, The Alsatians, James Warren, Denise (Buzby),  the TV production class at Richmond College,  Martin Greaves of Wathmstow,  Andy Kearns, Peter Young from Capital Radio (who is a regular listener), Mick Kelly , Chris de Souza , Keith Harrison, Pablo Cabello, Micheal Galivn, Charlie Gibbons, Jeremy Voisey, Peter Bailey, Christopher Bailey, Austins the newsagent in Molsey,

This is the first half of a 3 hour broadcast. If you have any Thameside recordings please get in touch, you can email, comment or  @fmthen

al

Bob plays a track from Bruce Springsteen’s new album called “The River”. There’s more from Incognito – one of the bands that Thameside championed as well as a Garry Glitter SpeciaL as Gary Glitter is in court for bankruptcy!

Tony Lloyd is in Australia. No-one mentions Bob's Triumph Spitfire blowing its big end on the M4.

Mentions for: Dave Rowan, Habs (Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School), Julian Cole, St Georges Medical School, Arian from Harrow, John Lyon School, Buzby's Mum, Shari, Martin Gould,

The show includes a recording of the rather wonderful Radio 1 interview with Bob Edwards and Dave Birdman about Thameside Radio on Adrian Love’s B15 show (photo). The interview was originally broadcast by BBC Radio 1 at 4pm 12 Oct 1980.

Some things change, some stay the same: The Thameside Radio music news includes: WEA being accused of accused of “chart rigging” (what’s that?), The Specials playing a gig in Trafalgar square in aid of the Campaign fo Nuclear Disarmament (what’s that?) and Blondie have a new album out (still happening), Stiff records are fined £50 for a t-shirt  that says “If it ain’t Stiff it ain’t worth a f***” (now every other chart record has that word in!).

Mentions for: Ealing Green High,  Sparrow Throng, Her Majesty's Borstal in Medmenham,  Mandy Squiers, Alan Thorogood, Boris, Annette, Bamber, Teddy, Graham Stapleton, Adrian Love

This is the first half of a 3 hour broadcast. If you have any Thameside recordings please do get in touch with me: al @ fmthen com

Bob chats with the lovely Buzby about the Kew Green OB a fortnight ago. (Whatever happened to Buzby?) and announces the Thameside Radio Pen friends / lonely hearts club. Mazzy gets box number 1. Later we hear Bob’s “Desert Island Discs” where Alex interviews him and we discover a bit more about his holidays and that  beloved Triumph Spitfire. We also learn what started Bob (and his older brother) on being radio pirates. He talks about Thameside Radio’s  early days when the station transmitted from Hampstead Heath for an hour each Sunday.  

Dave’s DIY spot tells us how to make a nuclear fall out shelter out of sticky tape, vacuum cleaner tubing, and old cornflake boxes. (Protect and Survive anyone?)  

The music is so perfectly early 80s. Motels, Silicon Teens, Gary Numan, Siouxie and the Banshees, Stiff Little Fingers, The Police (as well as Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin and The Who)

Listeners mentioned include: Graham Copeland of Cobham. Gary Williams. Mick Taylor. Alan Jameson. Basil of Harpenden. Jilly Newman. Mike Skinner. 

Thanks to Basil (see comments) for additional information about this broadcast - he reports that "We got perfect reception in Harpenden, 25 miles (40Km) north west of London!"

Bob announces that there is a surprise outside broadcast – listeners meet at the Star and Garter pub at the north end of Kew Bridge where they will be escorted to the OB site. Alex is running the OB at Kew Green which is linked back live to the studio. He is joined by Bob Edwards, Sarah and Dave when they’re not actually doing their shows. There are games and competitions including a race to a mystery phone box with 20 people in the box.  There’s fabulous music too. The Intrepid Birdman has a live superquiz.

Someone made it from Brentwood in Essex. Pretty much the other side of London!

There is an article about a new pub cinema called “The Hollywood Greats” in Acton – There was a Thameside listener visit there a few months later.

The airwaves were busy that night with superbeams – There was a radio mic linking from Kew Green to the studio near Kew Gardens station, then the the studio linked to the transmission site (Trellick Tower) and from Trellick the signal was broadcast all over London.

Thameside Radio listeners at the Kew Green OB include: Steve from Hayes. Victor from Ascot. Bamber from West Acton.  Ian Buzwell, Peter Buzwell. Renata (who fancies Tom). Matthew from Greenford. Hilary (and Jeanette). Someone with a Thameside Radio sticker in Park Drive Harrow. Walthamstow Swimming Club. Pete from QEC.  Tommy Graney from St Marks School Hounslow. Tim who works at Jayes. George Wood from Latymer.  The wonderful Incognito (who sent a demo tape) comprising Sarah Connor, Andy Francis, Andrew Gibbons, Ian Grimble and Greg Shepherd. Cindy, Penny, Grace and Belle.  Mick Taylor (who writes occasional jingles).

Alex reports on the first Thameside Radio Circle Line picnic. He also meets Thameside listener  Vanessa Newman. There are lots of complimentary letters even one from America.
The Birdman has Marks (Marx?) in the studio demonstrating his award winning scream. He also tells us that the July 29th Evening News (a one time competitor to the Evening Standard) had an article about  Thameside Radio .

Listeners include: Paul Dancer. Susan Baker. Roger Vosene. Len Galbraith. Tommy Reisley. Ashcombe School.  Park High School. Rupert Bailey. Susan Baker. Martin Baker. Arlene Philips. Mandy Squires. John Firth. Karen Hardy. Dermot Scanlon. Robert Bly.  The Southall punks. Andrew du Pre

Bob was meant to be on holiday touring southern Europe and North Africa but as his P reg orange Triumph Spitfire was stolen in Spain so he is back  after just 1 week. It wasn’t insured either. (The car was found by the Spanish police a few weeks later).

Alex who was was standing in for Bob  is going to hosting the first Thameside Radio Circle Line Picnic at 2pm next Friday. It’s in a no smoking carriage (remember those). Listeners have to wear a hat, daffodil or something Thameside and bring sandwiches to swap and a bottle.

Songs include Sue Wilkinson's “You’ve got to be a hustler if you want to get on” – one of my favourite records that no-one else remembers. You can see it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0HHQ7s2R3w.  Banana Split by Lio   is the listeners most popular new release (and another of my favourites)

Dave makes up for playing long records the previous week by playing a lot of his old sketches – remember Dangerous Animals of the World?  The superquiz is impossible as ever. He also has the winner of the scream of the week competition where listeners had to send in a recording of themselves screaming.

Thameside Radio Listeners include: Andrew Simpson who is at the Green Belt festival and invites Thameside listeners to join him for a cup of tea. Jeannie from Southall who is besotted by Frances King, Vivienne Smith from Wembley. Mark Haybittle. Ramsey Margolis. Tim Cutcliffe for brother Tony. Valerie and Robert Taylor. Varessa (Vanessa?) Newman from W2.  Latymer Upper School. Godolphin and Latymer. Dave Geer-Moring. Heather Jackson. John Gallagher. Catherine Brockelhurst. Carshalton Boys School. Gary Knight of West London Radio.

The fifth of the regular Intrepid Birdman shows on Thameside Radio 90.2 - Dave is  definitely getting into his  stride now: it's full of fun, horror and fiendishly difficult quizzes.

This recording starts with a some of the ten minute "warmup" which Thameside Radio used to broadcast before the official 7pm start.

The warmup originally formed part of the early broadcasts because the entire  transmission setup was portable and needed setting up afresh every week. The 10 minutes of music before the 7pm start time provided a few moments to verify that everything was working perfectly. It would be used to align the link aerial, check power supplies, make sure the leads were  plugged in properly and to check the tape player if the show was prerecorded.

After a few months there was a  permanent transmitter installation in Trellick Tower and fixed studios in Kew, Chiswick and Ealing so you could be sure that everything would come to life at the flick of a switch. But by then  warmup had proven itself useful in catching listeners tuning over from Radio 1 charts just after (or before) the Number 1 record was played (lets face it - there are only so many times that you want to listen to "Mull of Kintyre" and 9 weeks at number 1 was just too much and 9 weeks of You're the One that I Want " is pushing it a bit too. Oh and don't get me started on "Bright Eyes" please!

So the warmup stayed and the music was carefully chosen  to catch people tuning away from the Radio 1

First half of a 3 hour show.

If you have any other Thameside Radio recordings please get in touch or leave a comment.

This was the  second week that Dave Birdman took over  from Tony Lloyd. Also clue 2 for the treasure hunt and part 2 of Norman Normal. There's a jingle explaining how listening to Bob Edwards can cure dandruff.Bob wants to play all of "the Wall" but Dave won't let him.

Bob of Camden Town wins the mystery tune competition - he is a DJ at the Royal Free Hospital.

Mentions include: Martin Gould. Another letter from Pat Hickey for her family (big fans they were). The heavy rockers at Ealing College. Su Everett.  Nick Luxford of Chelsea everyone at Notting Hill nick.  Steven Cruickshank. Marcus Gaugales. Hammersmith and West London Collegs. Dave Watson. Andy and Madeleine of Richmond whho are getting married. Tony Alegranza from East Finchley. St Cartwright Gardens. Diana Evans. Derek Card of Shepherds Bush. Ian Oakey of Caterham School. John Turner. Richmond upon Thames College. John Peak from Inperial College. 

Sadly this is only the first half of the 3 hour broadcast. If you have any recordings of Thameside Radio shows do please get in touch. 

The Intrepid Birdman explains haw he gets inspiration for his Thameside Radio jingles with the help of a warm bath and a piano. He also interrupts Bob a lot. Danny Webb of Hammersmith enters the mystery voice competition as does Alan Dolby.  There is another treasure hunt where listeners have to find an envelope hidden somewhere in London. – with new clues each week. Listener Jonathan Wilmot of Wembley tells us that he was awarded an out of court settlement after being caned at his school in Harrow.

There is also a recording of the Intrepid Birdman's "OK Ron" at the end of the tape

Dedications include Tracy Leatham of Chingford. Alan Jameson of Hampton. Kim Walsh. Dave Kenny of Twickenham. Kingston Poly. Jim Stockwell. Sharon Slezer. King College. John Lyon School. Marie Rosa. Haverstock School. Linda-Jane Hickey (age 3½)

This is the first half of the broadcast - as ever if you have any more Thameside recordings do please get in touch

Al

Bob finally gets to tell us about the funny things inside matchboxes that listeners have sent in. Dave sent Bob a flashing bit of jewellery - a heart with an LED in it. Bob describes the LED as "one of those modern things".  Andrew Shepherd of Poplar sent Jelly Babies. Chris Brown sent a fried egg! John of Maidenhead sent a tape of Bob Edward mistakes. Other entries included the secret of life, money, a pair of gerbils feet, some transmitter components, Debbie Harry's phone number (Mark Bramley from Bromley) and a brain pacemaker. The winner was the gerbils feet embedded in resin. 

Mark Hawkins of Brentwood wins five singles in the phone competition!

Listening to this broadcast shows how the Thameside Radio 90.2 superbeam easily covered the whole of London. The letters include  listeners in Maidenhead, Bromley, Brentwood and Boreham Wood. All lie outside what is now the M25. That's a radius of at least 17 miles: A quick bit of O-level maths shows the Thameside transmitter covered an area of over 900 sq miles. Wow.

For the engineers out there: The photo shows a Thameside Radio transmitter of the time. The audio and power control circitry is in one of the die-cast boxes, the other box houses the driver board (exciter). On the front panel you can just see the meter which can show the DC voltage or audio levels. Switches on the front control power, meter readings and vox settings.  

 There are more poems for Sarah of Kew and a report on a Genesys concert at the Hammersmith Odeon. One of the new releases is Teen Romance by The Alsatians - who are regular listeners

Dave parodies the Hamlet advert. Remember when you saw cigar adverts on the TV?  A lot of superquiz answers too as well as a new one. Simon Tindall (who wants to be a sound engineer) writes asking if he can visit the studio. 

The Tony Lloyd fan club writes in to find out what has happened to him and to sell Dave a Tony Lloyd sweatshirt. Tony does appear briefly. (Where are you now Tony? Do email al@fmthen.com or leave a comment here.)

Thameside Radio listeners mentioned include: Jeff (Goeff?) Hawkins for University College. Boris Bartkiw for 6S2 at Latymer Upper School including Steve, Stephen, Petra, Zena of Kenton, Ingrid and everyone else in Kew Gardens. Patricia Hickey for Richard. John Firth of SW7.  Anthony Osterwell. John Tenton. Steve Petherich. Markus of NW5. Andy Midsen of Chertsey. John of Boreham Wood, Brian Gording, Marcus Gonzales, Colin Mainu, Warren Stephenson of Chessington, Exeter University. Gary Wilkins of Bromley. Tony Anagranza of East Finchley. Martin Greaves. G S Rocket of Uxbridge. Keith Lang of Petersham.

This recording comes from Radio Eric. I was sent cassettes of the show (along with the previous two) which I had started converting to mp3 when I came across this one so I took the easy solution!    

Bob is going to be giving away Easter eggs and having Easter themed events.

There are no letters because Bob forgot to pick them up from 1 Grosvenor Parade W5. (Now a restaurant - at the time it was a printers.) It was a great address because it doesn't appear in the A to Z.

Capital Radio had been giving plugs for Thameside Radio on their "Help a London Child" weekend. I know that at least one of the DJs used to listen regularly because he wrote in. It was Roger Scott I think.  

Bob calls Alan Jameson from Hampton who correctly guesses that an egg thrown out of the studio window wouldn't break! 

Dave is on the end of the radio mic having a sticky bun fight with the neighbours before having an egg and spoon race live on air with Bob. Dave (The Inrepid Birdman)  spends his show throwing raw eggs for Bob to catch. He has a great advert for the "self adjusting door knocker" which makes an appropriate sound for the person who is at your front door! Pirate Radio was such fun!

Mentions for: Psychopath Kiev. John Webb of N5. Steve of Acton. Richard of Hornchurch.

A classic  show from Thameside Radio 90.2 - 3 hours with Bouncing Bob Edwards and a final finely crafted  hour with the Intrepid Birdman. One of the very early Birdman shows in fact.

Bob tells us that accidents are Freudian - they all have a meaning if you think about them; later we discover he has lost his tortiose: I wonder what that meant?

Bob phones listener Pete (for the mystery voice compettion) who is making a Welsh dresser!

The write in competition this week  has a prize for putting something interesting in a matchbox. I think there were some quite unusual entries! We'll find out on next weeks podcast.

Rupert of East Molsey won a prize for knowing that the Intrepid Birdman's favourite Spangles were the black ones. Someone proposes to Sarah from Kew in verse.

Dave plays outtakes from an interview in the Laseraruim where Bob chatted with the laserist Howard Sachs. (The Laserium was a music and laser show at the London Planetarium). The superquiz is still fiendishly difficult. You'll have to listen...

Mentions also for Marcus Gonzales, Paul Turtil, Mark Hawkins, Radio Caroline, Ian of Ickenham, Paul Cambridge from Catford (who had his Thameside Radio badge stolen), Andrew Bell from Plumstead,  Keith Lang, F W Conrad,

First half of a 3 hour show.

Last week Tony Lloyd was cut off in his prime during a live broadcast from a listener's house (Julian and Vebecca in Meon Road Acton) where the crew ate spaghetti on air. That was the first of many shows from listeners' homes like Tatty's party a couple of months later.

This show has loads of musical jingles by Dave.

Elton John, B52s, The Motels, Supertramp,  Queen .. what a varied musical selection.

Bob calls more listerers with the long running Thameside Radio mystery voice competition. Steve Petherick of Hayes doesn't win tbut  thinks the authorties should return the transmitter they nicked. Later we hear from Ruth Leaper of Harrow who also also doesn't win. She has dedications for her brothers Adrian and Clive also cousins David and Jeremy. Ruth supports Chelsea who are in the Second Division!

Richard Jones of Hornchurch and Jim Stockwell contribute local news.

This show does illustrate that Thameside Radio 90.2 had  a lot of  listener involvement. No wonder there are so many recordings still around. (do you have one you could contribute?)

Bob tells us he is going to play part 2 of the Norman Normal saga and Tony Lloyd will have part 1 of the new LP of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

Thameside Radio 90.2 listeners mentioned include: Anthony Osterwell of Wembley Park. Richard Morgan from Bromley. Mr Henry at Latymer Upper School. Mark Bramley of Bromley. Jeff Eagles from the Walthamstow Swimmming Club. Chris Hall. Moat Mount School. Alex and Chris Child of Carshalton. Wilson's School in Wallington. Particia and Paddy Hickory. Richard Jones of Hornchurch. Tim Stockwell.

Tatty's party part 3 9-10pm

Part 2 is missing - do you have a copy?

The end of this live OB ends with the Tony Lloyd show from the party and then the Interpid Birdman.


More dedications for Stephen Cox, Ann and Richard and their daughter Hilary,  Burlington Danes School, The Lower Echelons Cricket sixteen from Mr Straker.  Horace Gabb 

An early Thameside Radio OB from Easter 1980. Bob presents a show from a party full of kids from Latymer Upper School (boys) and Godolphin and Latymer School (girls). It's very noisy party packed with people taking A-Levels who are probably all responsible adults now!

Helen from Twickenham is very nice to Bob Edwards.

Names include George Wood, Bob and Rupe, Jane Susan Sarah and Cathy, The Hoary Scab, Bishop's in Rayners Lane, George Johnson, Mouse, Inge, St Paul's School, Andrew Simpson, Rosemary Kelly Shaun Kelly (Sean?), Andrew from Reynolds School, Renata, Sue Everett, Harrow Weald 6th Form College, Ian and and John from the 1979 - 1980 6th form  from the Salesian School in Chertsey, Julian Cole, Roy Masters, Niall Stoddart from St Clement Danes.