CORONABOBS ISOLATION DAY 145 – Diary of a Self-Isolator 14.8.2020
jeanniejeanniejeannie.co.uk BLOG 16th August 2020
CORONABOBS ISOLATION DAY 145 – Diary of a Self-Isolator Friday 14th August 2020
I am a huge fan of the 1960s Pirate Radio Stations. They ran mainly from 28 March 1964 until 14th August 1967 although Radio Caroline did carry on until 2nd March 1968.
On this day (Monday) 14th August in 1967 The Marine Offences Bill became law at midnight which meant that most of the Pirate Radio Stations that were broadcasting closed that day, except Radio Caroline.
A very sad day for us teenagers of the time. The pirates had provided a soundtrack to our teenage years which would have passed by very quietly without them.
I always fancied being a radio show presenter and being a Pirate Radio Show DJ seemed so romantic. Just imagine sitting on a boat in the middle of the North Sea playing your favourite tunes of the day.
To pay tribute to the Pirate Radio Stations here is a table of the most popular ones and when and where they broadcast.
There is a special list of the final half dozen that hung on to the bitter end and their first and final records played.
What an era!
Station Name | First | Last | Frequency | Vessel/Fort/Tower | Where Situated | |
Broadcast | Broadcast | Broadcast from | ||||
(approximately*) | ||||||
1 | Radio Caroline/North | 28-Mar-64 | 02-Mar-68 | 199m Medium Wave (MW) | MV Caroline | Off Frinton-on-Sea |
2 | Radio Atlanta/ Radio Caroline South | 12-May-64 | 02-Mar-68 | MV Mi Amigo | off Isle of Man | |
2 Carolines merge | 02-Jul-64 | |||||
3 | Radio London | 23-Dec-64 | 14-Aug-67 | 266m MW | MV Galaxy | Off Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex |
4 | Radio 270 | 11-Jun-66 | 14-Aug-67 | 270m MW | MV Oceans Seven | Off Scarborough & Bridlington |
5 | Radio Scotland | 31-Dec-65 | 14-Aug-67 | 242m MW | MV Comet | Off Troon |
6 | Radio Invicta | 29-Jul-64 | 18-Dec-64 | 306m MW | Red Sands Towers | Thames Estuary six miles off Minster, Isle of Sheppey |
7 | King Radio | 18-May-05 | 22-Sep-65 | 238m MW | Red Sands Towers | Thames Estuary six miles off Minster, Isle of Sheppey |
King Radio Renamed Radio 390 | ||||||
8 | Radio 390 | 25-Sep-65 | 29-Jul-67 | 390m MW | Red Sands Towers | Thames Estuary six miles off Minster, Isle of Sheppey |
9 | Radio Sutch | 27-May-64 | 01-Sep-64 | 197m MW | Shivering Sands Fort | Thames Estuary seven miles off Herne Bay |
In Sept ’64 Sutch changes to City | Shivering Sands Fort | Thames Estuary seven miles off Herne Bay | ||||
10 | Radio City | 23-Sep-64 | 09-Feb-67 | 299m MW | Shivering Sands Fort | Thames Estuary seven miles off Herne Bay |
11 | Swinging Radio England | 18-Jun-66 | 13-Nov-66 | 227m MW | MV Laissez Faire | Off Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex |
12 | Britain Radio | 03-May-66 | 22-Feb-67 | 355m MW | MV Laissez Faire | Off Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex |
13 | Radio 227 | 15-Mar-67 | 23-Jul-67 | 227m MW | MV Laissez Faire | Off Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex |
14 | Radio 355 | 15-Mar-67 | 06-Aug-67 | 355m MW | MV Laissez Faire | Off Walton-on-the-Naze, Essex |
15 | Tower Radio | 15-Oct-65 | 01-Feb-66 | 215m MW | Sunk Head Tower fort | Thames estuary twelve and a half nautical miles off Harwich |
16 | Radio Tower | 05-Mar-66 | 12-May-66 | Sunk Head Tower fort | Thames estuary twelve and a half nautical miles off Harwich | |
17 | Radio Essex | 07-Nov-65 | 25-Dec-66 | 222m MW | Knock John Fort | Thames Estuary twelve miles off Herne Bay in Kent |
* First Broadcast Date may be start of test transmissiond may be first official programme broadcast | ||||||
First | Last | First | Last Record | Final Final Record | Last Voice to Be Heard | ||
Broadcast | Broadcast | Record | |||||
1 | Radio Caroline/South | 28-Mar-64 | Not Fade Away – Rolling Stones | ||||
Can’t Buy Me Love – Beatles | |||||||
2 | Radio Atlanta/ Radio Caroline North | ||||||
3 | Radio London | 23-Dec-64 | 14-Aug-67 | Fall In Love with You – Cliff Richard | Day In the Life – Beatles | ||
4 | Radio 270 | 11-Jun-66 | 14-Aug-67 | Strangers in the Night – Frank Sinatra | We Love The Pirate Stations – Roaring 60s | Land Of Hope & Glory Vera Lynn | Rusty Allen last voice |
6 | Radio 390 | 25-Sep-65 | 29-Jul-67 | Moonlight Serenade – Glenn Miller Orchestra | House That Jack built – Alan Price | ||
7 | Radio Sutch | 27-May-64 | Jack the Ripper – Screaming Lord Sutch | ||||
8 | Radio City | The Party’s Over – Shirley Bassey | |||||
9 | Swinging Radio England | 18-Jun-66 | 04-Nov-66 | Hawaiian Eye – Petula Clark | |||
10 | Britain Radio | ||||||
11 | King Radio | Hang on Sloopy – Mcccoys |
DON’T FORGET TO LAUGH EVERYDAY ESPECIALLY WHILST IN ISOLATION

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE FOR THE DAY
Let life be an adventure. Live your life to the fullest, unfettered by fear of the ghosts and goblins of what might occur. Calamity and death happen as well to those who hide from life as to those who squeeze every drop of zest from it.-Jonathan Lockwood Huie
HAPPINESS IS…
Happiness is…’60s Pirate Radio
GRANDAD’S ONE LINER JOKE OF THE DAY
Most people are shocked when they find out how bad I am as an electrician.
LOVE IS…
Love is…just being together
5 Things To Be Grateful For During Lockdown/Coronavirus
We are grateful Lockdown gives us a time…
- A time to listen to 1960’s Pop Pirate Radio Stations…A time to listen to Radio 1 & Radio 2.
- A time to listen to the Light Programme…A time to listen to Radio Luxembourg.
- A time to listen to Radio 270…A time to listen to Radio Caroline.
- A time to broadcast from a boat in the North Sea…A time to broadcast from a tower in the Thames Estuary.
- A time to listen to Tony Blackburn…A time to listen to Simon Dee
- A time to listen to Kenny Everett…A time to listen to Johnny Walker
- A time to listen to Stuart Henry…A time to listen to Keith Skues
TOTAL STAIRWAY TO EVEREST CLIMB CHALLENGE
DAY 132 18 Times – 162 Feet Cumulative Total 19,647 Feet
SUMMER PLAYLIST AUGUST 16th 2020
- Island Of Dreams The Springfields 2:36
- Surf City
- Dancing In Th Street Martha & The Vandellas 2:38
©2020 Phil M Robinson