Hi,
I have a web-site dedicated to the offshore "pirate" radio stations of the sixties. If you are of the right age, you may remember that they broadcast to the UK from ships off the coast. Two of the biggest pirates, Radio Caroline and Radio London, used to sponsor racing cars and events.
I am afraid I don't know anything about the sport but I am trying to discover more about the cars, their drivers and the events. I have been sent a couple of photos, which I have posted on my site, but I would be grateful for any further information.
I hope this is the right forum for such a question. A correspondent to my web site suggested that people here would be sure to know all about the subject.
I would be very grateful for any assistance.
Thank you.
Jonathan
The Pirate Radio Hall of Fame
Cars sponsored by pirate radio stations
Started by
jonmyer
, Jan 20 2005 22:10
17 replies to this topic
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#2
Vitesse2
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Posted 20 January 2005 - 22:31
Welcome to TNF, Jonathan.
Funnily enough, we have already touched on this subject in this thread on a driver called Keith St John.
That'll get you started.
Feel free to ask about anything you don't understand ....
Oh, and I and I'm sure others would like to see your pictures
Funnily enough, we have already touched on this subject in this thread on a driver called Keith St John.
That'll get you started.
Feel free to ask about anything you don't understand ....
Oh, and I and I'm sure others would like to see your pictures
#3
jonmyer
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Posted 20 January 2005 - 22:56
Thanks for the reply and for pointing me in the direction of the other thread. I hadn't spotted it. I probably should have checked more thoroughly before posting!
Thanks also for linking to a page of my web site in your earlier posting. All the pictures I have are on that page.
Thanks also for linking to a page of my web site in your earlier posting. All the pictures I have are on that page.
#4
Simpson RX1
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Posted 20 January 2005 - 23:35
Originally posted by jonmyer
Hi,
I have a web-site dedicated to the offshore "pirate" radio stations of the sixties. If you are of the right age, you may remember that they broadcast to the UK from ships off the coast. Two of the biggest pirates, Radio Caroline and Radio London, used to sponsor racing cars and events.
I am afraid I don't know anything about the sport but I am trying to discover more about the cars, their drivers and the events. I have been sent a couple of photos, which I have posted on my site, but I would be grateful for any further information.
I hope this is the right forum for such a question. A correspondent to my web site suggested that people here would be sure to know all about the subject.
I would be very grateful for any assistance.
Thank you.
Jonathan
The Pirate Radio Hall of Fame
Hi Jonathan
It's a small World...........I was on the Xmas Big L broadcast from St Catherine's Dock on the MV Ocean Defender!
I'm sure you've read it, but I recall there is at least one picture of the Big L car in Chris Elliot's book on Radio London.......I could be wrong, and I'm 75 miles away from my copy (complete with signatures and a signed copy of John Ross Barnard's last news script.....) but that could be another clue....
"Right now on the Ian St James show it's 10 o'clock, that's Bulova watch time..........B_U_L_O_V_A Bulova, when you know what makes a watch tick, buy a Bulova!"
#5
Twin Window
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Posted 21 January 2005 - 00:26
Wasn't 208 Radio Luxembourg a pirate station? I think it was, and as such surely had the highest profile of all with sponsorship of the Motul Rondel F2 team, followed by the Epstein F5000 outfit and an F1 entry with Lella Lombardi in the 1974 British GP...
#6
Vitesse2
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Posted 21 January 2005 - 01:39
Not unless the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg was ever a ship in the North (or Irish) Sea! 208 was actually broadcast from .......... LUXEMBOURG! Although I believe they had UK studios and shows were taped here and sent overseas. Because it was a bona fide foreign station, broadcasting legally, it was never jammed or interfered with by the British authorities.
208's heyday was really pre-pirate. IIRC it started broadcasting to Britain pre-war, alongside Radio Normandie. In those days the BBC was really a bit too stuffy to play "popular music" on the Light Programme except at certain times. Normandie and Luxembourg played it all day!
208's heyday was really pre-pirate. IIRC it started broadcasting to Britain pre-war, alongside Radio Normandie. In those days the BBC was really a bit too stuffy to play "popular music" on the Light Programme except at certain times. Normandie and Luxembourg played it all day!
#7
Twin Window
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Posted 21 January 2005 - 01:45
Oh, ok Richard. Interestingly, though, if you Google it does come up as a pirate station (albeit not an offshore in-the-water one).
Did Radio Invicta sponsor anyone, or am I mixing it up with my neighbour's Vauxhall...?
Did Radio Invicta sponsor anyone, or am I mixing it up with my neighbour's Vauxhall...?
#8
bradbury west
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Posted 21 January 2005 - 07:44
Welcome to TNF. many of us recall the halcyon days of Pirate Radio, especially Radio London, inevitably through the regulation rose-tinted-glasses, Tony Windsor, Paul Kaye, Willie Walker, Dave Dennis, Chuck Blair, "Mark Roman", Duncan Johnson et al plus the other usual suspects, plus the gigs at the Marquee........
Some of us are still so sad that we have the Big L T shirt and a copy of the 45rpm single recording of the final programme.
Nostalgia is a wonderful thing. Pls give details of the book which is mentioned and your web site.
Roger Lund.
Some of us are still so sad that we have the Big L T shirt and a copy of the 45rpm single recording of the final programme.
Nostalgia is a wonderful thing. Pls give details of the book which is mentioned and your web site.
Roger Lund.
#9
Frank de Jong
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Posted 21 January 2005 - 08:17
Jonathan,
it seems you're mostly interested in British pirates - in the Nethlerlands we had two prominent stations: radio Noordzee and Radio Veronica. Guess what: both had racing teams, Veronica even quite a large one. There is something about radio Noordzee and its team on the net. Try this one if you had not found it yet.
it seems you're mostly interested in British pirates - in the Nethlerlands we had two prominent stations: radio Noordzee and Radio Veronica. Guess what: both had racing teams, Veronica even quite a large one. There is something about radio Noordzee and its team on the net. Try this one if you had not found it yet.
#10
jonmyer
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Posted 21 January 2005 - 08:38
Thank you all for your welcome messages.
I wasn't sure of the protocol about plugging my own web site but, since you ask, it is The Pirate Radio Hall of Fame. Most of it is about the DJs and their programmes but there is one page relating to sponsored motor racing.
I have been told that Liane Engeman who raced for Radio Veronica was married to Keith St.John who drove for Radio London.
The book (that someone else mentioned) is 'The Wonderful Radio London Story' by Chris Elliot. I have just had a quick flick through my copy and can't spot pictures of any cars.
I wasn't sure of the protocol about plugging my own web site but, since you ask, it is The Pirate Radio Hall of Fame. Most of it is about the DJs and their programmes but there is one page relating to sponsored motor racing.
I have been told that Liane Engeman who raced for Radio Veronica was married to Keith St.John who drove for Radio London.
The book (that someone else mentioned) is 'The Wonderful Radio London Story' by Chris Elliot. I have just had a quick flick through my copy and can't spot pictures of any cars.
#11
Rob29
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Posted 21 January 2005 - 09:14
I think it might have been a pirate TV station. These were popular in Italy in the 70s and found to be legal. Unlike the British radio pirates under commie Harold Wilson,there was nothing the Italian government could do about it!Originally posted by Twin Window
Oh, ok Richard. Interestingly, though, if you Google it does come up as a pirate station (albeit not an offshore in-the-water one).
RTL (Radio-Tele Luxembourg) is now a major german network,provider of better F1 coverage than ITV.
#12
Frank de Jong
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Posted 21 January 2005 - 09:44
I don't think Liane was married to Keith (perhaps engaged?) - she married Anton Keizer a few years later.
#13
MCS
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Posted 30 May 2005 - 19:24
ShellSPORT Radio Luxembourg F5000 Lola T330 - Lella Lombardi (driven by Tom Belso the previous season - 1973)...
#14
richie
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Posted 30 May 2005 - 20:59
I have a picture of Chris Featherstone's Lola T190 from 1973 in Brands Hatch paddock, sporting a RNI logo.
Having spoken to Chris recently, he said RNI gave him some local sponsorship.
When my scanner is fixed, I'll post it on.
Having spoken to Chris recently, he said RNI gave him some local sponsorship.
When my scanner is fixed, I'll post it on.
#15
Bonde
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Posted 30 May 2005 - 21:12
FWIW, I think I once read somewhere that Radio Luxembourg was set up by British radio competitors (to Auntie) in the 1930s in order to circumvent the UK Postmaster General's and the BBC's monopoly and ban on commercially sponsored radio transmision.
#16
Twin Window
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Posted 30 May 2005 - 22:16
Another great pic, Mark!Originally posted by MCS
I just loved F5000...
#17
Mac Lark
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Posted 30 May 2005 - 22:34
Originally posted by Twin Window
I just loved F5000...
Can you believe there are motor racing people who still scoff at F5000?
The onlt pirate radio station in NZ that I recall was Radio Hauraki. They sponsored the Jimmy Richards twin-cam Escort circa 70/71?? - help Milan/David!!
I have an idea the sponsorship might also have extended to stock cars too.
#18
Simpson RX1
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Posted 01 June 2005 - 22:15
[QUOTE].Originally posted by jonmyer
Thank you all for your welcome messages.
I wasn't sure of the protocol about plugging my own web site but, since you ask, it is The Pirate Radio Hall of Fame. Most of it is about the DJs and their programmes but there is one page relating to sponsored motor racing.
I have been told that Liane Engeman who raced for Radio Veronica was married to Keith St.John who drove for Radio London.
The book (that someone else mentioned) is 'The Wonderful Radio London Story' by Chris Elliot. I have just had a quick flick through my copy and can't spot pictures of any cars.
Sorry Jonathan, I thought there was a picture there, but obviously not.
Just to clear things up, 208 Luxy wasn't a pirate station as such, it was broadcasting completely legally from Luxembourg (with some programmes taped in their London studios as previously pointed out), but it was meant to be for local (ish) consumption only............oddly enough, due to the vaguaries of AM broadcasting at the time, and the huge power of the transmitter's output, it was pretty easy to access it in the UK, especially at night (although you would usually suffer the legendary 'Luxy fade'!)
The problem was they didn't adhere to our laws regarding playing of commercials or needletime, so whilst what they were doing was legal to them, listening to it was illegal for us.
Thank you all for your welcome messages.
I wasn't sure of the protocol about plugging my own web site but, since you ask, it is The Pirate Radio Hall of Fame. Most of it is about the DJs and their programmes but there is one page relating to sponsored motor racing.
I have been told that Liane Engeman who raced for Radio Veronica was married to Keith St.John who drove for Radio London.
The book (that someone else mentioned) is 'The Wonderful Radio London Story' by Chris Elliot. I have just had a quick flick through my copy and can't spot pictures of any cars.
Sorry Jonathan, I thought there was a picture there, but obviously not.
Just to clear things up, 208 Luxy wasn't a pirate station as such, it was broadcasting completely legally from Luxembourg (with some programmes taped in their London studios as previously pointed out), but it was meant to be for local (ish) consumption only............oddly enough, due to the vaguaries of AM broadcasting at the time, and the huge power of the transmitter's output, it was pretty easy to access it in the UK, especially at night (although you would usually suffer the legendary 'Luxy fade'!)
The problem was they didn't adhere to our laws regarding playing of commercials or needletime, so whilst what they were doing was legal to them, listening to it was illegal for us.
