# Colleges we went to



## John David Mair

I have just been reading the notes on Lecturers and thought a thread of Radio Colleges might be interesting.
I went to Wray Castle from January 1961 thru June 1962 and left as soon as I obtained my 2nd Class PMG.
I have also just spent a fascinating hour or so looking through the gallery of ships photographs and found pictures of all my past UK and Maerskline ships.


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## Peter Eccleson

Hello John - I was in the near-last intake at Wireless College, Colwyn Bay 1969 and ended up being sent to Riversdale in Liverpool to finish my MRGC when the college closed. Qualified in March 1971. Joined IMRC to start with then leftt and went directly employed with Radio & Electronic Services (Cunard-Brocklebank) in 1973. Back to Riversdale in 1973 to do radar certificate. Lots of old colleagues around the site and many names that come up with links to the past!


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## rknibbs

I went to West Norwood, South London, 1967 to 1969, and came away with a 2nd Class PMG and BOT Radar certificate. We learnt to type alongside the girls on the secretarial courses. We were all encouraged to swap to shore side courses, C&G/HNC etc., because they said there was no future for R/O's. I joined BP.


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## Tai Pan

I went to Princes Road Liverpool 1949, 2nd Class then Brookes Bar Manchester 1954, ist class, and thats it. Mainly GTZB


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## mikeg

I went to St. Mary's College Southampton and later transferred to the new East Park Terrace College. Took PMG & Radar there, did my electronics later at Bristol.

Mike


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## teb

Like Taipan took my certificate at liverpool in 1943 but that was Special Cert issued during the war 2nd class cert was taken after the war at Manchester.


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## Ron Stringer

Another Brook's Bar, Manchester product - PMG 2nd class, 1958/59. Then did 1st Class and radar at South Shields 1964 and Marine Electronics at Plymouth 1966.


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## Pat bourke

I attended the school of Marine Radio and Radar, Limerick from 1972 to 74 and obtained MRGC. Went back a few years later for Radar ticket.
Pat.


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## trotterdotpom

Pat bourke said:


> I attended the school of Marine Radio and Radar, Limerick from 1972 to 74 and obtained MRGC. Went back a few years later for Radar ticket.
> Pat.


There was a young man called Patrick
Who received his ticket at Limerick
With his MRGC
He went off to sea
And the Reeperbahn girls made him sick!

Sorry Pat, couldn't resist it - the last line was going to be "And sent all his messages through Wick", but there's supposed to be some smut in there.

Welcome to SN.

John T.


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## Tai Pan

I believe Brooks Bar is now a mosque


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## Roger Bentley

25 John Dalton Street - Manchester for my 2nd and 1st PMGs - 1950 and 1952 and James Watt, Greenock for my Radar Ticket issued in March 1957.
Anyone remember the Sawyers Arms on Deansgate? Our nearest pub. Cheers, Roger


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## hawkey01

I was at NESWT - North Eastern School of Wireless Telegraphy, Bridlington.
Obtained my 1st PMG in Oct 64. Sea time with Marconi, NJ Goulandris and Blue Funnel. Also spent sometime with a Government department. Finally 28 years at GKA.

Hawkey01


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## Larry Bennett

Brunel Technical College, Bristol 1976-1979 for MRGC and DoT Radar (plus numerous CGLI certs). Taught morse and comms procedures by (amongst others) the legendary Lofty Allen. Followed with 20+ years at GKA.

Good times.

Larry +


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## Moulder

British School of Telegraphy Earls Court (renamed London Electronics College) from Sept 1969 to June 1971. 

Steve. (Thumb)


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## Ron Stringer

Tai Pan said:


> I believe Brooks Bar is now a mosque


No, it is a medical centre. Maybe the former cinema next door may be a mosque, I can't see.


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## NoMoss

Took my 2nd class PMG at Southampton when it was at the University, 1st class PMG at Southampton, St Marys and Radar at East Park Terrace.


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## Treborvfr

MRGC at Fleetwood Nautical College 1971 to 1974, on leaving joined BP where I stayed for 12 years.
Went back to Fleetwood for Radar late 1976/early 1977.
Then to Plymouth Poly for MEC 1977/78.


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## Pat bourke

trotterdotpom said:


> There was a young man called Patrick
> Who received his ticket at Limerick
> With his MRGC
> He went off to sea
> And the Reeperbahn girls made him sick!
> 
> Sorry Pat, couldn't resist it - the last line was going to be "And sent all his messages through Wick", but there's supposed to be some smut in there.
> 
> Welcome to SN.
> 
> John T.


Nice one John T.(Thumb)


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## david.hopcroft

Riversdale 1962-63. I looked on Google Street Scene recently - it is now a housing estate. Not even much left of Otterspool Prom either. I couldn't find the Aigburth Arms (was that what it was called ??) just down towards Garston from Riversdale Road .

David
+


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## John David Mair

Amazing!
So many replies.
I was in the RN as a boy telegraphist from 1958 to 1960. Around August '60 I was interviewed and accepted to attend Norewood, London to commence the very next day. However, I was eventually interviewed for Manchester, Brooks Bar, also accepted and as I was only 17 it was thought I would be better off at the sister college at Wray Castle, to which I went.
Tommy Tomlinson was the head, ex Royal Mail Chief R/O, hence the name of RMS Wray Castle. David *****, Jeff Lee, Tony (Tas) Smith to mention a couple of lecturers then. Gordon Cope ex Wray also returned to teach. After my time in the RN I did some morse teaching.
I was just 19 when I left, loved the place, the Lakes and all its attractions, or maybe I should say distractions.
The nearest pub was the Drunken Duck. I returned in 1965 to start a radar ticket but further distractions took the best of me and I left again in the august, back to Maerskline. Bit like joining the French Foreign Legion, where one could get lost.
Best time of my life with Maerskline.
I eventually ended up on the Aussie coast from 1969 until redundancy in 1991.


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## rknibbs

Isn't it amazing just how many places offered R/O training?


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## gwzm

James Watt Memorial College, Greenock, September 1961 to February 1963 for 1st Class PMG and BoT Radar tickets. The building is still there and looks pretty much unchanged apart from the radar scanner which used to sit on top of the turret.
Happy days,
gwzm


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## holland25

Did my 2nd Class PMG at the Wireless Telegraph College John Dalton St Manchester in 1955 after 6 months working in the Telegraph Office at London Road Station, now Piccadilly.The principal was Aubrey (Crunch) Curwen aided by his brother and others whose name I cant remember. I went ashore in 1961 but 
did a night school revalidation course at Brooks Bar in 1966.


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## harry pennington

PMG2 at Brooks bar Sept 52--April 54, and then again for PMG 1 Sept 57--summer 58. First trip as second R/O still only 17 years old and still only that age next trip on my own.


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## jaydeeare

Fleetwood Nautical College for me ('67 - '68 Navigation. '68 - '70 Radio). 

Must admit,enjoyed every day there. Good lecturers, reasonable food and good course mates.


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## Robinj

Did my PMG "nd class at Brookes Bar. Dosn't surprise me about it being a Mosque if you know that part of Manchester.


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## Tony Selman

Riversdale for me 1961 - 1963 for 1st Class. 1965 sent to Watt Memorial in Greenock for Radar ticket.


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## Tai Pan

harry pennington said:


> PMG2 at Brooks bar Sept 52--April 54, and then again for PMG 1 Sept 57--summer 58. First trip as second R/O still only 17 years old and still only that age next trip on my own.


Pretty old that harry. I was 16 and 5 months on first trip.


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## Bob Murdoch

Watt Memorial, Greenock, Sept 1956- April 58, 2nd Class PMG and MOT Radar.
New Zealand Wireless College, Auckland, April 1962 First Class PMG and First Class Cert Radio Technology.
First ship, 16 years 11 months, an old guy, hey?
Cheers, Bob


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## commander

*Colleges We Went To*

Info David Hopcroft.
I believe the Aigberth arms was demolished to continue the dual carriageway ouit towards the airport.
Perhaps some SN member from Liverpool will confirm.
chris.(Cloud)


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## david.hopcroft

Hello Chris

Yes, I remember now. The road was dual at the top of Riversdale Rd, but narrowed to single quickly. The Aiggy was just as it narrowed. Tks

David
+


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## Bernard McIver

I obtained my Special Certificate at IMR Mosley St. Manchester, Oct42/Jan43.
The principal was Mr. Tomlinson. When did this college move to Brooks Bar?
Bernard


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## bobharrison2002

1971 to 74, MRGC and Radar at Grimsby Tech, Nuns Corner and Marine electronics at Soton 77/78 in two 3 month stints.

Bob


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## Roger Bentley

*Brooks Bar*



Tai Pan said:


> I believe Brooks Bar is now a mosque


John, A member of the ROA John Royle provided a cutting from a local paper in which it describes how a Chinese Housing Association had bought the building and changed it into apartments. Cheers Roger


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## keith ratcliffe

Merseyside College of Radio, Liverpool 1960-1962. Obtained 2nd class PMG under the guidance of Gerry Ludden, then joined Marconi, usual complaints but atleast I saw some interesting foreign places.


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## Tai Pan

Roger Bentley said:


> John, A member of the ROA John Royle provided a cutting from a local paper in which it describes how a Chinese Housing Association had bought the building and changed it into apartments. Cheers Roger


That explains the connection with Alfies China Boats.


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## Shannoner

I seem to be the only ex Ulster Polytechnic (Belfast) guy on here?
MRGC 1977 -79
DoT Radar 1980

Couldn't find any company that were taking on Junior R/Os in 1980, so ended up going offshore as a Field Engineer with Racal/Decca Survey. Been in the Telecommunications industry with many other companies ever since, now working in Telecoms in the Public Sector in Dublin.


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## Brian Davidson

Shannoner said:


> I seem to be the only ex Ulster Polytechnic (Belfast) guy on here?
> .


Your'e not alone....

Was at the Poly 1970 -1973. Well, actually the first year was in Hardcastle Street in Belfast before moving to Jordanstown.
Did the electronics ticket in South Shields in 1976.


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## Shannoner

Brian Davidson said:


> Your'e not alone....
> 
> Was at the Poly 1970 -1973. Well, actually the first year was in Hardcastle Street in Belfast before moving to Jordanstown.
> Did the electronics ticket in South Shields in 1976.


Nice to have someone else on board from the "Poly" Brian.

Mick (Thumb)


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## Jack Lynch

*Jack Lynch*

Radio Telegraph Institute
Cork. Ticket in 1946.
At sea, 1948 - 1960
5 years Marconi and 5 years 
freelancing. 14 ships. Published memoir; "Beyond the sea".


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## bluemoon

ex Hardcastle Street myself.


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## Larry Bennett

For those of us who attended Brunel Tech in Bristol - attached view may be of interest. Muller House now converted into 'desirable' flats. No sign of the radar scanners and DF aerials which used to adorn the rooftop. Sigh.

Larry +


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## Brian Davidson

bluemoon said:


> ex Hardcastle Street myself.


A wonderful place. . .


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## mikeg

Larry Bennett said:


> For those of us who attended Brunel Tech in Bristol - attached view may be of interest. Muller House now converted into 'desirable' flats. No sign of the radar scanners and DF aerials which used to adorn the rooftop. Sigh.
> 
> Larry +


Pure vandalism (Jester)

Thanks Larry it brings back memories but it does look quite odd without its aerial adornments.

Mike


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## ernhelenbarrett

Did my training at Leith Nautical College passed Ticket in 1954, then Marconi till 1960 then AWA/OTC until like John Mair was made redundant but managed to last out until February 1992 on M/T Seakap, paid off in Newcastle NSW 17th Feb 92 after fixing up the SAT "A" for the Mates to play with. She also had SAT "C" and R/T but only a crew of 18 which included 1 Stewardess
Ern Barrett


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## radioman1969

*Hardcastle Street*



bluemoon said:


> ex Hardcastle Street myself.


Same here. 1967-1969. PMG2 & Radar. In 1973 did MRGC conversion at Jordanstown. See Rowly is still 'alive and kicking' - good on him too.

Retired now myself - never been busier. 

Happy xmas.


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## Shannoner

radioman1969 said:


> Same here. 1967-1969. PMG2 & Radar. In 1973 did MRGC conversion at Jordanstown. See Rowly is still 'alive and kicking' - good on him too.
> 
> Retired now myself - never been busier.
> 
> Happy xmas.


Check the link below and see my post at #8 for a good story about Rowly.

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/showthread.php?t=21825

Mick (Thumb)


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## w.craig

1961-1963 PMG at Glasgow Wireless College, then MIMco till 1968, Radar at Watt Memorial College. Loved my time at sea, should have stayed longer, but fell out with Marconi, came ashore with Ferranti met my wife, oh well the rest as they say is history.


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## RayL

Wray Castle must be the college in the Lake District that I entertained dreams of attending before Lancs C.C. stipulated that Riversdale had to be the choice. I had visions of happy mountaineering trips at weekends, etc.

PMG2 at Riversdale 1965 (aged 21) and then started sea career with Marconi, who in 1966 sent me on a month's radar course in Cardiff studying the Radiolocator IV. One more trip (Bank Line this time) and then a woman changed my life in 1967 so my sea career ended.


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## Dumra

Another Limerick Radio school graduate here! Teachers, Larry McDonald
and Jim Stack (RIP)
That was 1966 to 1968 or thereabouts.


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## Rhodri Mawr

Nobody has yet mentioned the Newport and Monmouthshire College of Technology. Living in Swansea in 1964, this was the nearest radio college so off I went as a 16 year old to study all about the ROs job aboard ship.

Emerged none the worse for wear with a PMG 1st Class in 1966 and have never looked back.


Also did BOT radar maintenance at Brunel (Bristol) in 1969 and Marine Electronics in Southampton (East Part Tce) in 1972/1973.

Cheers
Rhodri


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## MaritimeSafety

*NESWT Bridlington*

Hi hawkey01. Managed to stay at Shaftsbury Ave., Bridlington between 1963-1964 but moved to South Shields Marine & Tech College to complete my PMG and BOT Radar. Bridlington was fun. Joined the British Venture on the Tyne for her second voyage. A great ship but I have forgotten her call sign (old age). Mike Collinson


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## Troppo

I did my radar cert at the Aussie maritime college in 1980 (1st course).

The lecturers were really hopeless....especially that maritime safety bloke in the post above....!

;-)


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## hawkey01

MaritimeSafety,

I am sure that I will have known you. Your name has a familiar ring. You will probably know Trotterdotpom as he would have been there at that time. A few others on the site but before your time. 

Hawkey01


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## PaulH-OSR

Hi John. Here's another one, Northern Counties Wireless School (NCWS) Preston, Lancs. - Principal Seamus O'Callaghan as Irish as his name, senior lecturer George Rawcliffe. PMG Special 1956 - 1 year on Marr's Trawlers out of Fleetwood; PMG 2nd Class 1957, joined Marconi - Manchester Spinner, Empress of Britain, Vacuum Pioneer (what?), Ebani. 1959 joined Elder Dempsters - Eboe, Onisha, Falaba, Sulima, (PMG 1st class 1962) then m.v. Accra until swallowed the anchor in 1964. Great days, never to be repeated.


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## David Edge

British venture callsign GHVW I think - was also my first ship(1970). Broke down regularly as I recall.


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## charles henry

Did anyone out there go to "Duke" Ellerington's wireless college in Ibrox, Glasgow in the fifties? Or am I just showing my age?

de Chas


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## IAINT

*Wireless Colleges*

Hi All, 

Attended Aberdeen Wireless College 1961-1963.

Regards
Iain T (Thumb)


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## Bill Greig

Hi there,
Aberdeen Technical College 74 - 76 then radar in 1977.
Regards
Bill


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## Vital Sparks

MRGC & Radar, Leith Nautical College
ENEM, Southampton College


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## papayanni

Like rknibbs, I went to Norwood Yechnical College in West Norwood, but I was 1968 to 1970, leaving with 2nd Class PMG and the BOT Radar Maintenance certificate. 
I too remember learning to type to RSA standard in that room with all the girls training to be secretaries.
I know rknobbs was a year ahead of me, but does he remember a very tall guy in my year who had been on the Oriana as a steward and was retraining as a radio officer. He subsequently joined the RFA. I've been wracking my brain, (what;'s left of it), recently to try to remember his name. His first name was Gordon.
Peter Mann (Papayanni)


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## King Ratt

For Papayanni. Not Gordon Hogg by any chance?


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## valencia59

I obtained my MRGC at Northern Counties Preston in '79, Radar at Brookes bar in '83, ENEM and HND at Southampton East Park which were hard work but with a great social life thanks to 3 BP R/O's, all of us mid Twenties and at sea i.e not poor students ! I also bumped into a friend I was at GKA with, John Vaughn (think he also spent time on the cable ships) who was a manic stamp collector, a strange hobby I've always thought !
Nic


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## hawkey01

Valencia59,

I should know you but cannot put a face to your name. As you probably know from the GKA site John Vaughan is no longer with us. I believe it was a heart attack some years back. Spent many an evening with him when he was at GKA before he transferred to the cableships. 

Hawkey01


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## valencia59

Hi Hawkey01,
it was a relatively short time spent at Burnham, about 2 years, at that time 1980 there seemed to be a biggish influx of young folks who had never been to sea, the training school lot I was with included people like George Matranga, Cheryl Potter, Zoe Newton, Mark Butler, so I will have been a fairly anonymous face !!
If possible I stuck to D wing on 22Mhz, A wing always seemed a bit dull !

Nic


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## hawkey01

Nic,

yes remember all the names and folk you mention. The tragic Zoe - what a terrible end to a young life. A good looking girl as well. George was with us for a very long time and is still with BT somewhere - in Bath most likely. Saw Cheryl briefly at our reunion back last April and Mike Potter of course who she married. 
D wing, cant remember if that was the gardening or history discussion area or possibly football! Miranda/GULL point at the top left corner. Accounts through the double doors. My home for many years off and on with the likes of John Denham, Alan Halstead and others. Very nice for the bar as we had a nice back door/emergency exit to slip out of for a quick beverage on evenings at 1900 before the final collections of the day.

Hawkey01


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## valencia59

Hawkey,
Accounts, the double door at the end! the people that used to sneak out of there with headphones round their necks to look busy whilst sloping off to the bar for a pint of watneys !
You are right about Zoe, I only found out a while after it happened when george told me.
It was a great time to be at gka, it seemed/was so busy at that point, I found a site that plays the last night of WT with GPK/GLD/GCC etc signing off, listening to it still really feels like it shouldn't have happened, I suppose that's what happens when you get old.


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## hawkey01

Nic,

have you been on the GKA web site. Run by Larry Bennett, whose input to this site is also invaluable. Especially when I cannot remember the exact details of something - he will have the answer. There is a lot there that will bring back memories. If you do not have details or have not registered I will PM you the info.

Hawkey01


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## Graham P Powell

Hi Chaps, Yes, poor old Zoe. Killed when her husband pushed her down the stairs. I think he got three years for manslaughter. The Miranda was worked from a point in the corner. Never liked that wing much myself though it was no smoking!. Alan Halstead got Alzheimers. Very sad. Nice guy. The Pacific watch was worked in there. God what a work up that was!.
rgds
Graham Powell


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## hawkey01

Graham,

Oh! yes the dreaded Pacific watch. You had to be able to hear a mouse F--- in a dustbin at 50 yards. It was not my favourite wing either, the points were to compact compared to the old ones.

Neville


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## Ron Stringer

hawkey01 said:


> Graham,
> 
> Oh! yes the dreaded Pacific watch. You had to be able to hear a mouse F--- in a dustbin at 50 yards.


Hmm. It wasn't so great at the other end either - with your CR300 and an Oceanspan I. B\)


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## valencia59

Thanks Hawkey,
I know the GKA web site, in fact I have just emailed Larry because I've forgotten my password again !


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## Larry Bennett

Luckily the pacific watch finished by the time I joined up - however I did experience the joys of the trawler watch in D wing, but I preferred A wing myself - point 11 was my 'favourite' due to equal proximity to the control room overtime board and the tea trolley entrance....

D wing also was fitted with the chrome 'Eriksson' keys which I did not take to, much preferring the standard Post Office keys which were fitted elsewhere.

As an aside, the point numbering system was quite interesting - A wing was points 1 to 16 (plus an RTT/OWS section at the end) and was predominantly for 16 MHz. D Wing was 22 MHz + trawler watch (and accounts) and the points were numbered 17 to 32. However, C wing, which covered 4-12 MHz (and included the search points, RT and the sked point (Point 43)) had points numbered 41-56. So what happened to points 33-40??

C wing was the smoking wing and it was quite common to enter the room with highly reduced visibility and the stench of stale smoke....always a bit of a struggle if you were listed on a search point and you were a non-smoker.....

Obviously in the new station the numbers were all changed and not so memorable in the 'open plan' layout of the station.

Larry +


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## hawkey01

Ron,

yes I remember well how it was from the other end. My last ship a 1939 built Bluey with a RedIfon R50 rx and some Redifon tx with a max out of about 
80W. However fed into a magnificent T aerial - made many a QSO with GKA from the Far East. This bye the way was in 1969.

I know this is all off the subject of colleges, but it is relevant and I don't want to try and move it.

Hawkey01


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## Jim Anderson

Hi Bill
Our class at Aberdeen Technical College was known as MR72 if you recall.
Which means we attended from 72 - 74.

Cheers
Jim


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## Bill Greig

Hi Jim,
how are you doing? yes I remember MR72 its etched in the old memory bank. Lecurers as I remember were, Mr Thompson, Joe Roberts, Bill Thow, Peter Smith, Mac (John Maclellan?), Matt Rodgers, Bob Smith & Alec Smith. Anyone else?
Cheers 
Bill


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## andysk

papayanni said:


> Like rknibbs, I went to Norwood Yechnical College in West Norwood, but I was 1968 to 1970, leaving with 2nd Class PMG and the BOT Radar Maintenance certificate.
> I too remember learning to type to RSA standard in that room with all the girls training to be secretaries.
> I know rknobbs was a year ahead of me, but does he remember a very tall guy in my year who had been on the Oriana as a steward and was retraining as a radio officer. He subsequently joined the RFA. I've been wracking my brain, (what;'s left of it), recently to try to remember his name. His first name was Gordon.
> Peter Mann (Papayanni)


Peter, you must have been there at the same time as me, I started at Norwood in Sept 68, slipped back due to having to repeat the second term (had a monumental dressing down by RS Walker !) I seem to remember your name, others I do remember, Chris Wortham (ex cross channel ferry steward I think from Canterbury), Gerry Pledger, Dave Abbey, Martin Norfolk (the last two both joined B and C with me), Clive Puttock, one nicknamed Reg Dixon who had an exPO van, Graham Westgate, Brian Duignam (sp?) who went to the RFA, and more but not coming down from the shelf at the moment !


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## hawkey01

Andysk,

a couple of names that may be relevant to GKA in your post. Dave Abbey - we had an RO by that name who would fit the bill. Also Clive Puttock - must be the same one. He is a friend of mine and also a member of this site so he may well see the post. 

Hawkey01


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## rknibbs

Sorry papayanni I missed your message when you originally posted it. No I'm afraid I did not know the very tall Oriana steward. In my year we had an ex-nav app from the RFA, an ex-nav app from Caltex Tankers and an assortment with no marine background including a lady from South Africa. Norwood Tech had an intake in the April each year and I started there in April 1967.


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## andysk

hawkey01 said:


> Andysk,
> 
> a couple of names that may be relevant to GKA in your post. Dave Abbey - we had an RO by that name who would fit the bill. Also Clive Puttock - must be the same one. He is a friend of mine and also a member of this site so he may well see the post.
> 
> Hawkey01


Hi Hawkeye ...

Thanks for this, when next you see or speak to Clive, remind him of the A35 car he had with the mysteriously moveable eyebrows !

I had heard Dave Abbey did go to BT sometwhere, but I last heard of him he was living in Ashford - Kent or Middlesex I don't know, that would have been in the late 1980's.

Cheers

Andy


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## Larry Bennett

Andy

I work with Clive so will get him to visit the site for an update. As for the others, Dave Abbey used to work for BT's International Telegram network after leaving GKA (he was a duty overseer during my time there) but I understand he now lives in the Chester area. I will chase him up...

Clive says 'Reg Dixon' is actually Gavin Williams, another ex-GKA colleague who emigrated to NZ back in the late 1980s. I'm still in touch with Gavin so if want me to QSP anything...

Larry +


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## andysk

Hi Larry ....

Thanks for this, isn't that the value of this site, names are put in and up pops info and contacts !

Yes, of course it was Gavin Williams, where in NZ is he, I just wish I could remember more names .... I'm sure they will come down from the shelf at some stage !

Dave lived with me (at my parents place) for some time while at Norwood, my father still lives in the same house, after nearly 44 years ! It would be good to make contact again ...

Cheers

Andy


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## david.hopcroft

Larry

'dwabbey' was my line manager at Landsec House. I think he may have moved from Kent for other reasons !

David
+


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## keithsparks

i have found it quite interesting reading all about the good times some of you guys had at GKA but surely you must have spared a thought for the poor R/O pounding away merrily whilst you lot were sneaking out to the pub I realise some of you had served at sea etc was it a case of I have done it now its your turn to suffer I must admit GKA was never my fav coast station its funny I could always get PCH or DAN from almost anywhere 2worldwide but never GKA maybe we sholud have been given the callsign of the pub you were in


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## rknibbs

Couldn't agree more with Keith. The area scheme stations always responded more quickly than GKA. And, I don't know if I developed a `victim personality' on one ship but I would swear that if your ship had a calling frequency near the end of the band almost everybody and their dog was answered before you! But, of course, I was only hearing one side of the process.


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## hawkey01

Keith,

Careful now. With the exception of SVA who always had monstrous QRY's I think you will find that we handled more traffic than most and worked more ships per day.
The pub run was a limited 15 min - grace relief - sometimes extended but always within a few minutes. We only got the said Grace relief on duties which in the early days exceeded 5 hours. In fact cannot remember when it changed, if it in fact did change. Larry/Graham will let me know I am sure. After the on-site canteen and club house were built - initially we did not have either - it was not such a rush. In latter years as things changed throughout industry and companies, it was frowned on to take beverages during the working day - 8-17. The social club bar was then closed during the day and only allowed to open in the evenings and weekends. Most comments on the beer run are more jocular and certainly this was never abused nor would it have been allowed to be. As you say most of us were ex seagoing and knew well what it was like to be at the other end. It was certainly easier during the area scheme days but we also had to put up with very low powered TX's and in a lot of cases inferior gear to foreign flag vessels. On my last ship a 39 year old Bluey the main TX was lucky if it managed 80W but I still managed to QSO with UK from the Far East. I have mentioned this before. In contrast my foreign flagged Liberian/Greek ship had 600W in the late 60's. 
Working any shift in the 70-80's was a work up on HF. There were very few times when there was not a ship waiting to be worked. The night shift was just the same and all though rare we sometimes ran a search point depending on how many or who was on watch. Nothing was ever perfect but I still stand by the fact that we were the busiest and best HF station in the World.

Hawkey01


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## Larry Bennett

Ahh yes, the infamous 'Grace Reliefs'. These were only to be taken when you were on an uninterrupted 5-hour shift (or more), so you could only take one if you were on a 5-11 or 1-6 or similar. Those duties which had an official lunch break (8-5, 9-5) would not entitle you to one. Luckily, the longer evening shifts (2-10, 3-11) allowed you to take a 30-minute meal break and a 15-minute GR.

Although some leeway was normal, it really depended on the overseer on duty - I once had a formal reprimand for taking a 17-minute GR! 

If there was an event over the bar in the evening, those on duty were always served first, much to the annoyance of those attending the aforementioned event!

Anyway, back to things radio - the night shift, especially in the early 1980s was quite manic. There wasn't always a search point in operation, the WT staff would listen on the calling frequencies and take a QRY of 2 or 3 vessels and work them off one at a time on GKC or GKD (sometimes even bringing up GKG/GKH if there were plenty of ships calling). 

I vividly remember working a ship on 4 MHz around 0600 QSA5/QRK5 - assuming the vessel was off GLD or similar only to be told the location was QTO Darwin.....so direct calls were indeed possible but of course dependent on radio conditions.

I feel the main problem with GKA was that the station was too popular - the poor search point op would be swamped with calls (sometimes over 60+ vessels per hour on 22 or 16 MHz) and simply wouldn't be able to hear the weaker signals from remote locations. Even if such signals were heard, once the QRY had been cleared, conditions would have changed and the signal faded out...The strongest signal would always win.

DAN or PCH would not be so busy and would be able to work these ships more easily and quickly.

Finally, I sure most GKA R/Os would agree that the receiving aerials at Somerton weren't a patch on those at Highbridge, which were taken down c. 1983.

Larry +


----------



## Graham P Powell

Hi Neville, Agree with you whole heartedly. We couldn't have been that bad. Look what happened when SVA went on strike. QRY's through the roof. Even my wife understood what "SVA on strike meant". Completely cream crackered husband!. I've seen QRY's in the hundreds . We also had private wires for Mobil, BP and Niarchos so they must have thought we were okay. 
I worked GKA from Australia with 22 messages using a Marconi Seaspan (80 watts). One Ben Line ship regularly worked GKA on a voyage from London to the Far East without changing areas once using an Oceanspan. We must have done something right....
rgds
Graham Powell ( ex GKA and very proud of it!).


----------



## keithsparks

hello hello hit ba sore nerve methinks.I am not trying to run GKA down for one moment I am as proud of GKA as the next person it wasnt me talking about sneaking out to the pub or complaining about what position they were allocated when on duty and I seem to recollect atime when Portishead had a little strike and we had to communicate via other stations some of us did manage you know and to be honest I dont care how busy you might have been you did your watch put in some overtime if you wanted and went home. We were still pounding away trying to get the chief eng anniversary msg off on time.......


----------



## Moulder

Certainly stirred 'em up a bit there Keith - however, methinks this thread has gone somewhat off freq.

(*))


----------



## keithsparks

yes quite right lets be honest one end was no good without the other viva la R/O and God bless us all


----------



## papayanni

For Andysk and rknibbs

Thanks both for the replies and names.. some of them ring more bells than others... but certainly brings back memories. (Although the Gordon chap I remember remains elusive. He went to the RFA too... it seems that quite a lot went in that direction). 
There must have been more of us in our year than I remember. I've still got my Donaldson & Mayoh (sp?) textbook in a box somewhere... wasn't one of those two still teaching at Norwood when we were there? 
And looking back, what amazing old gear we were taught.. I especially remember with great fondness the electro-mechanical device that could detect an SOS! They don't make them like that anymore!


----------



## rknibbs

I also still have the marine radio manual, and just for info it was written by Danielson and Mayoh. Mayoh was still teaching in my time. At the time the syllabus did not include transistors and except for the radar there were no transistors in the equipment in the radio room - the cabin.


----------



## valencia59

Just a quickie,
I've only just got home after working away, I remember working the search point on GKB and, like all others at GKA, would take all the 'loud' ships first so as to then listen for the weaker sigs, maybe that meant a bit of a wait.
When I first got my MRGC there were no jobs at sea so I was lucky enough to get a job at Portishead, maybe that let me be more forgiving of a QRY 30 when I got to sea, especially on 22/16 mhz, saying that I still used HEB by choice if I knew it was a long wait at GKA, I never got a complaint from the shipping company I was working for, they never specified a station that I had to use, I told them which stations I was listening to.
Nic


----------



## Victor India Papa

I started as a Trainee Technician with OTC (Australia) at the PMG Technical Training School in North Sydney & Granville Technical College from 1972 to 1974 where I obtained the Electronics and Communications Diploma.

On completion of the E&CD I changed career direction to the Radio Officer stream and trained for the Coast Station Operator's Certificate of Proficiency at the AWA Marconi School of Wireless Leichardt NSW (Cec Bardwell was our lecturer) & OTC(Australia) Radio Officer Training School (Derek Jolly & John Eggleton were two of our lecturers and Morse instructors) in Sussex Street then York Street Sydney during 1974-1975. We were taught to type at the Metropolitan Business College close by. We had great fun at the expense of the 16 and 17 year old girls there by whistling in Morse rude comments about them. Dah-dit dit-dit dah-dit-dah-dit dit dah dit-dit dah dit-dit-dit!

On completion of my course I transfer to Perthradio/VIP at the end of October 1975 on what was supposed to be a three month temporary transfer that became a permanent transfer. While at VIP I obtained in April 1986 a Department of Communications Radio Communication Operator's General Certificate of Proficiency & an ROCP in RTF & RTG. 

I took a voluntary redundancy in August 1992 when OTC began closing stations for GMDSS. I had been promoted through Radio Officer, Senior Radio Officer, Supervisor and Maritime Communications Officer positions while at VIP. 

Cheers and 73's
Murray


----------



## freddythefrog

Riversdale Tech Liverpool for me.1965/67
Did 2nd, 1st pmg, Radar cert and C and G certs at this fine establishment.
Happy Days! cheers freddythefrog


----------



## Vic Heaney

PaulH-OSR said:


> Hi John. Here's another one, Northern Counties Wireless School (NCWS) Preston, Lancs. - Principal Seamus O'Callaghan as Irish as his name, senior lecturer George Rawcliffe. PMG Special 1956 - 1 year on Marr's Trawlers out of Fleetwood; PMG 2nd Class 1957, joined Marconi - Manchester Spinner, Empress of Britain, Vacuum Pioneer (what?), Ebani. 1959 joined Elder Dempsters - Eboe, Onisha, Falaba, Sulima, (PMG 1st class 1962) then m.v. Accra until swallowed the anchor in 1964. Great days, never to be repeated.


We must have met, Paul. I was at Northern Counties in 1956. My first ship, early in 1957, was the Manchester Spinner, one of yours. George Rawcliffe's son Gerald also started lecturing during my time there. 

I recently passed through Preston during my epic walk for Pancreatic Cancer UK, from my home in the Pyrenees to the house of my birth in Blackpool. Took 70 days, arrived on my 70th birthday.

My blog http://vicsbigwalk.blogspot.com


----------



## Keith Adkins

Am I the only one left who did their training at AST Hamble? Mind you it was a while ago
Keith Adkins


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## keithsparks

NESWT at Bridlington 57/59 joined as a young 17 year old.How any of us ever got our tickets I will never know Only one real lecturer Mcclean the others were guys who had just got their tickets and were waiting for ships or better things yo come up.Other than that what about the holiday girls all thru summer wave after wave of young available girls how were we expected to study and in a winter Brid high school girls also very friendly parties on the beach,the spa on a Saturday night the Galleon coffee bar oh happy days also my compatrioys Pete Jackson and Gadgy Dawes from ***bria.Tony Eddison,Jim Tomlinson, Ian Nicholson,Dave Sibley Graham Glover and many more we all passed somehow,dont talk to me about the swinging sixties we lot started it in the late fifties,


----------



## Clive Kaine

Did my MRGC at Wray Castle, 1971-73, then went to Brook's Bar, Manchester to do my radar ticket before going to sea.
Did my Marine Electronics Diploma at Brunel Tech in 1978.


----------



## Simonite

*'Bronk' Lane*

!961-63 went to GY Tech, Nautical Dept, Nuns Corner and got my 1st Class PMG and MOT radar before spending six happy years on GY trawlers. Was pretty fair college I think and believe the pass rate at that time was quite high. We were also taught to touch type at the same time as head of nautical department thought 'it might come in handy in the future.' (Bear in mind these were the days of blunt pencils!!)


----------



## Doug H

Keith, You're not the only one! I started an ast Hamble thread a few years ago "*AST HAMBLE EARLY to MID 50s" *and there have been several replies. I was there 1952/53, then back again for a radar course in 1954. Visited Hamble on a nostalgia trip in 1992 and had a few drinks at The Bugle - seemed to have been gentrified. I still have photos of some fellow students but I don't think we met did we?


----------



## Keith Adkins

Doug,
Just found your reply to my query. You were there a little earlier, I was there from 56-58. I also visited Hamble a few years ago and the Bugle was the only place I could recognise but there again it is a little while ago
Regards
Keith


----------



## CrazySparks

*Riversdale Liverpool 1973-1976*

Riversdale College of Technology 1973-1976. MRGC and MRRT. And what a good college it was for a lad of 16 living away from home. I shall always remember it with great warmth for its excellent staff and facilities and a wonderful bunch of mates, two of whom I am still in touch with after all these years. Great days.(K)


----------



## vzh7gk

Larry Bennett said:


> Brunel Technical College, Bristol 1976-1979 for MRGC and DoT Radar (plus numerous CGLI certs). Taught morse and comms procedures by (amongst others) the legendary Lofty Allen. Followed with 20+ years at GKA.
> 
> Good times.
> 
> Larry +


Year after me. 
Sept '75 to Dec '77. Same tickets. One of three B&C cadets - Dave Fletcher and Mike Hannan were the tother two.
Can't be certain now but I think RAD178 was the stream I was in. Seem to remember it we reduced to two streams after the first year.
?? Masters for DoT Radar. 
Phil Brouder, Wilton Taylor, Dave? Whitehead were just three other MRGC lecturers...

Went back in '82 ('83?) to take the Marine Electronics.

Cheers,


----------



## andrewwalker1234

Went to Leith Nautical 1st class PMG best pubs the Ship and Nobles. Went to Glasgow to do my GMDSS still working (Pint)


----------



## Riccarton

Glasgow Wireless College, 1955-57. Mackenzie Father and son and Mr Cocoran? He had previously lectured at either Aberdeen or Dundee.


----------



## sparks69

NESWT then Grimsby Nuns Corner when Cleggie went back to pig farming and shut Brid.
Happy Days !!
Chris Hill


----------



## mfraser

*Maritime Schools in/near Bristol in 1937-38*

I'm trying to track down what school my father might have attended as a 16-17-year-old in 1937-38. He says it was in or near Clifton or Bristol, that it had a Department of Marine Studies or something similar, and it was a six-month program which qualified him to become a Cadet in the Merchant Navy (and counted as three months' seatime toward his 2nd Mate's license later). I'm aware of the National Nautical School and/or Clifton Certified Industrial School, but from what I can tell these were primarily designated for destitute (or delinquent?) boys, and/or for boys under the age of 14 in the latter case. My father would have been at least 16, and he was living with his grandmother nearby, so he was certainly not destitute. Also, attendance was a choice, not compulsory. Am I missing something about these schools? Were they perhaps different in the late 30s? Were there other nautical schools in the area at that time, or did one of the other colleges have such a program?

Best regards,
Matt


----------



## marmaduke

*Radio training*

I was at Plymouth and Devonport 56-58 including the radar course at Southampton University. Anyone else?


----------



## ernhelenbarrett

Did a pre-sea course at AST Hamble, Marconi sent me there to get used to their different Equipment. I remember I had to sign a form saying I wouldnt sue if I got hit by a low-flying DC3 as the house we were billited in was at the end of the runway and they were teaching trainee pilots on DC3's. They also did a first flight of a new jet when I was there. None of the passenger radio equipment was any good to me as my first ship was a wartime built Empire boat
renamed Avistone/GBSV on the iron ore run to the Med/Konakry
Ern Barrett


----------



## macrae

I went to Aberdeen Wireless college 1956 to 1958, 
the college was on Union street at that time.

Then again to study for a 1st class P.M.G. in 1962.

A long time ago


----------



## Worldspan

Norwood Tech (1955 – 1957) more or less straight from school. Did 2nd PMG followed by 1st PMG and then MOTCA radar. Had been mad keen on radio since before the 11 plus and really enjoyed the Norwood course. At home I had an ex RAF 1155 Rx and had taught myself Morse by listening over and again to the HF tapes from the likes of FFL, DAN and PCH. The Head of Department was Danielson. Instructors I remember were: Ellerington, Nicholson, Mayoh, McFazden and Holmes. My course instructor was Nicholson (a Scot) and the story was that he’d been twice torpedoed during WW2. He was excellent on theory but I also liked Mayoh because he’d been in industry and was VG on the practical side. We learnt to touch-type in the secretarial department … and how useful that turned out to be. Once a week we had what amounted to an elocution class, but which was billed as public speaking or something similar. The official explanation was that we had to speak clearly in order to be understood over the RT. But I think the real reason was to iron out our vowel sounds and make us more confident when mixing with passengers. One member of our course was an officially sponsored Nigerian who’d been a point-to-point operator. He was excused Morse – he could already copy at 40 wpm, writing with a pencil. When I’d finished my course I met an old school pal who said: “Well, you’ll never have to worry about a job because there’ll always be Morse!”


----------



## barnessteve

Hi all, happy new year. I went to IMR College (Brook's Bar) Manchester 71 -73 I went straight out of high school then joined BP. Later when the rules changed I returned for my DoT Radar. I was very surprised and will never forget how "child like" guys who although were just a couple of years younger than me acted. They were basically still school kids. Myself a couple of other returnees and the trainer/teacher (another ex sparky obviously) finished up hanging together. It was a great 3 months.

Steve. ex Manchester now San Antonio TX.


----------



## LucyKnight

*Durnford St Plymouth*

Spent the first year of the MRRT (1972) at Durnford St Plymouth before transferring to the 2nd and 3rd year at Brunel Bristol. Durnford St was one the the many annexes before the new college at Kings Road was built. Same street that Arthur Connon Doyle lived in. It was opposite roughly the Masrine Barracks and adjoined a nurses home 5 storey 19th century building just along from Devil's Point. The course was run by Mr Mitchell as course leader and lecturer and Mr Hogan Mr Sargeant took radio theory and Mr Pink took morse and regs. It wasn't the happiest time of my life hence why l transferred to Bristol. My was of improving my lot was to throw myself into watersports, sailing, subaqua suvival swimming lifesaving (the college hired the Holiday Inn pool) canooing not to mention caving until it somewhat took over my life and Mr Mitchell read the riot act at me for spending too much time doing water sports. I think it came out when l asked for the afternoon off to take the Gold survival swimming. None of the others joined in and I think it was a well kept secret that we could use the Polys sports facilities. John Vorden was a Great Sports lecturer who encouraged me. 

I'm not sure there would be many students who would have nostalgic thoughts about that building about 2 miles outside Plymouth City centre.


----------



## Richard M Dolman

*Wireless officer training*

I joined this website to look for ships and details which would cover my father's career as a ship wireless officer. Michael W Dolman trained I believe through Siemens in London. His 2nd class certificate issued on 15 June 1929 numbered 84.His first class on 1st November 1932 number 1572. I have both these hard back licences on file. He served aboard Trawlers to start with, then on a ship called the Pass of Ballater, then on MV Highland Brigade and also on SS Nigaristan. Have a few photographs of crew, officers and views taken. These from old negatives I found in a shoebox, scanned and now have to file. I believe the Nigaristan was lost in the war around 1941. Another ship was SS Victoria City, again I think lost in 1941? Joined this site to see if I can learn more. Michael's son Richard Dolman
I had to do National Service in 1956 and was in the RAF and trained believe it or not as - a Wireless Operator - However never sent a signal or a message during my three year service in the RAF as I was posted to the Y scheme and spent two years monitoring Russian Airforce signals Something different I guess.


----------



## hawkey01

Richard,

there a many sites were you can find the information you seek. A very good one for ship information - builders etc - is Miramar. I think you will have to pay a sub to view the information. There is a photo of the Pass of Ballater in our Galleries. Another good site for old ship photos is Photoship. 

If you want any more info or help please ask.

Hawkey01


----------



## JWJ1

I was at Brookes Bar 1956 - 1958. I've looked on google maps for it's location but have never found it. I assumed it was demolished long ago.

I see a tiny picture from Streetview, can anyone tell me its current address so I
could have a nostalgic look at the old place ?

Many thanks,

JWJ


----------



## harry pennington

JWJ1 said:


> I was at Brookes Bar 1956 - 1958. I've looked on google maps for it's location but have never found it. I assumed it was demolished long ago.
> 
> I see a tiny picture from Streetview, can anyone tell me its current address so I
> could have a nostalgic look at the old place ?
> 
> Many thanks,
> 
> JWJ


 Hi, Ron Stringer said in Nov 2010 that it was now a Medical centre after someone said it was now a Mosque, so it may well be there still. I was there sept 57 till sept 58 taking PMG 1. I may have met you as you were there the same time. I have had a name change since then, I was Harry Hiscox then. Good days Cheers


----------



## Ron Stringer

The nearest that I can give you is 158/164, Chorlton Road, Manchester M16 7WW. The frontage has been extensively 'modernised'.

The bank that used to be on the corner of Moss Lane and Chorlton Road (in the days before banks went 'casino style) is now a BetFred betting shop. Ironic, what?


----------



## BobDixon

*Radio Officer TV Progamme*

I've been advised by one of the Gaelic TV production companies that they are working on a programme about Ship's Radio Officers which is to be aired on BBC Alba on 3rd March at 9pm and repeated on the 4th at 10pm

They have been "filming a nostalgic trip down memory lane with a few ex ROs some of whom attended James Watt College and were under the teaching of Bobby Corcorran."

BBC Alba live online http://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/bbcalba/live (also available on satellite and in Scotland on Digital terrestrial TV)


----------



## sparks69

BobDixon said:


> I've been advised by one of the Gaelic TV production companies that they are working on a programme about Ship's Radio Officers which is to be aired on BBC Alba on 3rd March at 9pm and repeated on the 4th at 10pm
> 
> They have been "filming a nostalgic trip down memory lane with a few ex ROs some of whom attended James Watt College and were under the teaching of Bobby Corcorran."
> 
> BBC Alba live online http://www.bbc.co.uk/tv/bbcalba/live (also available on satellite and in Scotland on Digital terrestrial TV)


I need to learn the Gaelic before appreciating the programme. Any Suggestions ....... ?


----------



## Varley

Capt. Angus Ferguson 'had' the Gaelic. He used it to make perfectly private telephone calls home to his wife. I thought there was something wrong with the kit the first time.


----------



## airds

Alba usually has subtitles


----------



## trotterdotpom

sparks69 said:


> I need to learn the Gaelic before appreciating the programme. Any Suggestions ....... ?


Chris, plug a BFO into the telly then twiddle the tuning a bit until the gaelic turns into English.

John T


----------



## Varley

Unkind John T. Have you ever met a (Scots) Gaelic speaker who considered it polite to use it in company that did not have it? If there was to be one marker of 'La Politesse' this would be it.


----------



## trotterdotpom

No I haven't, David, but the nearest I ever got to Teuchterland was probably the Baron Ardrossan. I wasn't referring to individuals, but to the telly program which I'd very much like to see myself.

"la Politesse"? I thought Manx was sadly dead.

John T


----------



## Varley

trotterdotpom said:


> No I haven't, David, but the nearest I ever got to Teuchterland was probably the Baron Ardrossan. I wasn't referring to individuals, but to the telly program which I'd very much like to see myself.
> 
> "la Politesse"? I thought Manx was sadly dead.
> 
> John T


The nationalists are trying to revive it. Official signs are now bilingual but the last to have had it from the cradle is long dead. The First Deemster does have to recite enacted bills that have had Royal Assent during the year in Manx at Tynwald.

The working language of the crew on the GTVs was often Gaelic, without repeating the old saying on British Crews I will say that these gentlemen were, nearly without exception, a pleasure to sail with.


----------



## trotterdotpom

Yes, David, it's a shame that so many of those old languages have been lost.

Agree with you on the whole about Stornwegians and the like. Their lilting English accent is a pleasure to the ears too.

I did know A Gaelic speaking engineer who moved to Glasgow, partly so his kids wouldn't grow up speaking it! I thought that was quite odd and a bit sad.

John T


----------



## spongebob

This thread reminds me of my first ever watch in Rangitane's twin six cylinder Doxford engine room.
A seasoned junior was detailed to take me around the ER to show me the ropes but because of the noise plus the fact that he came from Banff on Scotland's north coast, I did not understand a word.
The fact that his mother sent him regular copies of the local Gaelic newspaper explained a lot.
I spent most of the watch screwing the spindle of the 'Auto-Clean' strainers as it seemed to be the thing to do.

Bob


----------



## expats

Here in France I have a Scots friend (from 'Fife').....An English speaking French friend once remarked to me, "I have known Eddy for ten years. I have never understood one word he has said"


----------



## trotterdotpom

expats said:


> Here in France I have a Scots friend (from 'Fife').....An English speaking French friend once remarked to me, "I have known Eddy for ten years. I have never understood one word he has said"


"See you, Jacques!"
John T


----------



## Alex Nicolson

R651400 said:


> BBC Alba featured a R/O some time back I think from Harris but can't remember the specific details.
> More info on the future programme here.
> 
> http://www.radioofficers.com/news-2/radio-officers-on-bbc-alba/


Too bad its not available outside the UK, being both ex-Watts and a Stornowegian...

Alex


----------



## BobDixon

Alex Nicolson said:


> Too bad its not available outside the UK, being both ex-Watts and a Stornowegian...
> 
> Alex


There is a cost to this service but it appears to allow access to BBC iplayer from outwith the uk 

http://www.tvexpat.eu/watch-bbc-iplayer-from-outside-the-uk


----------



## Alex Nicolson

BobDixon said:


> There is a cost to this service but it appears to allow access to BBC iplayer from outwith the uk
> 
> http://www.tvexpat.eu/watch-bbc-iplayer-from-outside-the-uk


Thanks Bob, wasn't aware of that..

Best

Alex


----------



## endure

Alex Nicolson said:


> Thanks Bob, wasn't aware of that..
> 
> Best
> 
> Alex


If you're using Chrome as your web browser you can install the 'Hola' extension. I have a friend in Thailand who uses it all the time to watch the Beeb. Works very well. It's free too!


----------



## Alex Nicolson

endure said:


> If you're using Chrome as your web browser you can install the 'Hola' extension. I have a friend in Thailand who uses it all the time to watch the Beeb. Works very well. It's free too!


Learn something new evry day. Curious. TVexpat charges in Euros and I'm still baffled by Metric...(EEK)..

Alex


----------



## Bill.B

We had an engineer cadet on Dart Atlantica in 1983 who came from Buckie and no one could understand him not even the other scots on board. We all called him ET. Eric the deck cadet on Chemical Explorer from Lerwick in 1974 was just music to your ears. The bosun on Andes Discoverer who paid off in Long Beach, head first down the gangway, had a case of beer sewn up in a canvas cover and a baggage label attached to his lapel stating he was a British seaman on his way home to Scotland and if found could you help him on his way was a totally different case.
Bill B


----------



## alan ward

Hughie McManus AB on the Temple Bar and another on the Sugar Crystal had lovely island accents on seeing me with a telephoto lens on a camera Hughie covered his face and said`No no no publeecity`


----------



## endure

R651400 said:


> Alex to get BBC et al free of charge as it happens...
> 
> http://www.filmon.com/channel/live
> 
> To get BBC iplayer and ITV player outside the UK you will need assistance to change your IP address (VPN) for a small fee.
> I use Hotspotshield at $25 pa and apart from occasional interruptions when streaming or losing internet bandwidth I'm finding it difficult to revert to BBC via satellite with a larger dish..
> 
> http://www.hotspotshield.com/lp/vpn_elite_wm5/?gclid=CPrH9vuG97wCFWvkwgodFSMAhw


Post 138 does it for free...


----------



## endure

R651400 said:


> I watch the Beeb for free as well in real time.
> Hotspotshield allows me to watch BBC I-player and ITV player does your friend's Google Chrome method do the same for free?


Yes it's just a little vpn built into a Chrome extension. He used to use the free version of Hotspotshield but the ads used to wind him up. He tells me that Hola is better than hotspot was. He uses it to watch the footy. It's free so it's worth a try to see if you like it. If not just remove it from Chrome.

https://hola.org/


----------



## LucyKnight

Brunel Tech Muller House
Yesterday's local paper had a write up of George Muller who founded the ophanage consisting of 5 buildings on the Ashley Down site. It was actually a letter re the new God TV studio in Plymouth and cited him as a true evangelist.
A bit of googling later and up on Flickr comes a 19th century picture of all 5 buildings on the Ashley Down site including Muller House which was the Marine and Aero dept (where the R/Os trained) when it was an orphanage. The same site also gives a run down of what happened to the buildings over the years and how in 1960 became a technical college. Might be of interest to some people who trained there.


----------



## IAN M

I doubt if anyone on this site has ever heard of Dundee Wireless College which I attended in early 1943 and which closed a year or two after the war. 

I also attended Leith Nautical College in 1947/48 when it was in Commercial Street.

I worked at GKR and GKA during 1953/56 and anyone interested in what it was like to work at these stations during that period should read my Kindle book, LAST VOYAGE AND BEYOND.


----------



## beedeesea

I'm sometimes asked how long it took me to learn Morse Code. I don't mean speed or proficiency, just how long it took to recognize all the characters. Afraid the old grey matter is not up to the task; if I was asked to make a wild guess I'd say about two or three days after starting the college course. Having said that I may be completely away with the fairies.......any of you ex-Sparkies got a better handle on it?

Brian


----------



## bluemoon

I would say rather longer than that Brian.

At Hardcastle Street in Belfast we were taught morse in groups of 5 letters. The first group was A,E,O,S,T and I think we kept working on those 5 letters for about a week before another 5 were introduced. For that reason I'm guessing it was 2/3 months before all had been learned.


----------



## harry pennington

beedeesea said:


> I'm sometimes asked how long it took me to learn Morse Code. I don't mean speed or proficiency, just how long it took to recognize all the characters. Afraid the old grey matter is not up to the task; if I was asked to make a wild guess I'd say about two or three days after starting the college course. Having said that I may be completely away with the fairies.......any of you ex-Sparkies got a better handle on it?
> 
> Brian


I too think the fairies are with you. At Brooks Bar it must have been a few months. We were asked to look at the adverts on the busses when traveling to and from the college, and try to spell out in morse to get used to converting. We must have looked very strange to anyone who saw us, mouthing the dots and dashes.


----------



## beedeesea

OK fellas, so it's Fairies 1 : Brian 0, after extra time (a lorra, lorra extra time)!

Brian


----------



## Ron Stringer

Can't remember because I first learned Morse code and semaphore in the Cubs when I was 7 or 8. We used to signal to each other in Morse with a torch. This continued in the Scouts. When I went to Brooks Bar to start my PMG2 I couldn't understand why lots of the guys seemed to find Morse difficult to learn. 

But, sending with a hand key at 20 wpm so that others could read me was something else!


----------



## holland25

I started the course a couple of weeks late and on my first day was given the code to learn on my own. I think the actual learning of the dots and dashes didn't take all that long perhaps a couple of days, but as Ron Stringer says the reading and sending took much longer. I would say after about three months I might have started to show some proficiency.I had worked for about six months in the telegraph office at London Road station (Piccadilly Manchester), but the morse reception and sending was with two tone senders and receivers and I dont think any of it had rubbed off.Its funny but I still look at adverts and mentally send. I also get irritated when I see tv or films with what is supposed to be morse but is meaningless dots and dashes, and I cant read it. The early mobiles when they sent SMS when one had been received used to put me on alert until I realised what it was. The old RKO films opening screen sends real morse.


----------



## Varley

Popeye used to chide us by saying that the Scouts using the college in the holidays (Colwyn Bay) were more proficient than we were.


----------



## jaydeeare

I first leatnt Morse on my Nav. Course, so the PMG was quite easy, just getting used to the sound of the rhythm of each letter.

The big problem I had was converting the code and converting it onto a typewriter!

Once we found our way around the keyboard, we then had to learn a typing rhythm using text book exercises whilst listening to a constant streams of "E's" sent from the machine.

Then it was transcribing Plain Language/Code from the machine to the typewriter.


----------



## Shannoner

bluemoon said:


> I would say rather longer than that Brian.
> 
> At Hardcastle Street in Belfast we were taught morse in groups of 5 letters. The first group was A,E,O,S,T and I think we kept working on those 5 letters for about a week before another 5 were introduced. For that reason I'm guessing it was 2/3 months before all had been learned.


I went to the "Poly" in Belfast, was probably taught morse by the same people as yourself, as some of the Hardcastle St Lecturers transferred to the Poly when it closed. We learned the same way, AEOST was first group can't remember the rest, the morse was on cassette tapes which were made by the college Technician Denis Wilson, his morse was excellent. We started in September and I remember, it took until about Xmas to learn all the letters and numbers, I remember thinking that I will never get the hang of this but after 3 months it just clicked. After that it was just a matter of getting the speed up for receiving and sending. We used to bring cassettes back to the halls of residence to practice receiving in the evening, the other students use to wonder what the hell we were listening to, when everyone else was listening to the Eagles, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin etc. on their cassette players! We made little multivibrator ccts in workshop, which we used as practice oscillators for sending. That was 37 years ago, and my receiving is very rusty, I find I have to think when I hear the sound, it doesn't come automatically any more, but I can still send no problem.


----------



## bluemoon

Shannoner said:


> I went to the "Poly" in Belfast, was probably taught morse by the same people as yourself, as some of the Hardcastle St Lecturers transferred to the Poly when it closed. We learned the same way, AEOST was first group can't remember the rest, the morse was on cassette tapes which were made by the college Technician Denis Wilson, his morse was excellent. We started in September and I remember, it took until about Xmas to learn all the letters and numbers, I remember thinking that I will never get the hang of this but after 3 months it just clicked. After that it was just a matter of getting the speed up for receiving and sending. We used to bring cassettes back to the halls of residence to practice receiving in the evening, the other students use to wonder what the hell we were listening to, when everyone else was listening to the Eagles, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin etc. on their cassette players! We made little multivibrator ccts in workshop, which we used as practice oscillators for sending. That was 37 years ago, and my receiving is very rusty, I find I have to think when I hear the sound, it doesn't come automatically any more, but I can still send no problem.


It was also Dennis Wilson who taught us morse at Hardcastle Street.


----------



## Willum

Lets hear it for.. Plymouth Polytechnic. PMG 1 & 2, Radar and MED.


----------



## Dave the Vicar

sparks69 said:


> NESWT then Grimsby Nuns Corner when Cleggie went back to pig farming and shut Brid.
> Happy Days !!
> Chris Hill


What years were you at Nuns Corner Chris?


----------



## sparks69

64 to 66 (I think - without going into my memorabilia archives which I'm leaving to my children who say they will start a fire with them !)


----------



## Dave the Vicar

sparks69 said:


> 64 to 66 (I think - without going into my memorabilia archives which I'm leaving to my children who say they will start a fire with them !)


 You're old then! I didn't start till 67. How many of your classmates can you remember? I shared digs (Welholme road) with a tall, blonde lad who likely was the same period as you.


----------



## MrWoo

I Started my PMG course at Cardiff Wireless College, at the bottom of Bute St. Cardiff in 1955 I think. Half way through the course the college closed and we were transferred to Cardiff College of Technology & Commerce, the course there was applied physics & electrical eng. with half a day a week covering the PMG side so I left and joined the RNV(W)R as an RO then enlisted in the RN.


----------



## kburger

I met Zoe Newton in Mambasa Kenya in 1982. She was visiting my Navy ship on a short tour, I had watch that day and notice quite a commotion. She had all eyes upon her as she was taking a look top side. I received a call for duty ET as the ship behind us needed a Radar repair. I went over to have a look and found out the radio officer was visiting my ship. My eyes were wide and I met Zoe when she returned. We found the ballast resistor in the modulator for the klystron had poped and replaced it in no time. I was thinking of her this AM and searched the www and found that she is gone except for found memories. Can anyone tell me more about this young lady and what she did later in life? I saw Graham Powell had posted about her end being pushed down stairs.


----------



## LucyKnight

*Plymouth Poly*



Willum said:


> Lets hear it for.. Plymouth Polytechnic. PMG 1 & 2, Radar and MED.


I took the MED and MEC there Autumn term 77 and Spring term 78, before joining the MV Amoria. I think I met you once when u were, I believe, technician there earlier. The tech when I was taking the course was call called Alan , ex RFA I believe. I seem to remember some of yr friends who lived at Southern Terrace Mutley saying you were about to go back to sea on the QE2.
Lucy


----------



## hawkey01

Zoe joined GKA - and caused quite a stir - a very attractive lady. She married and unfortunately during some domestic turmoil she was killed by her husband. I cannot remember the full story now or details. 

I do not remember her married name but I am sure there would have been press coverage at the time - local papers. 

Maybe Graham or Larry have more info.

Hawkey01


----------



## Larry Bennett

With regard to Zoe I can't recall the full details of the case as she had left the station by then (1989). However her married name was Bell.
Rumour has it she was pushed down the stairs during a 'domestic' and her husband then tried to kill himself afterwards. No doubt the local newspaper archive will have full details. All very sad, lovely girl.
Larry +


----------



## Graham P Powell

I see from Larry's posting that she left the station in 89 so could be the same girl Kerry. She was married to a 2nd Mate and they lived opposite where we used to live. She was flung down the stairs in a domestic dispute and her husband tried to kill himself by crashing on the motorway.
I think he got 3 years in gaol for manslaughter.
A real tragedy as she was such a nice girl.rgds
Graham Powell


----------



## FatBaz43

jaydeeare said:


> I first leatnt Morse on my Nav. Course, so the PMG was quite easy, just getting used to the sound of the rhythm of each letter.
> 
> The big problem I had was converting the code and converting it onto a typewriter!
> 
> Once we found our way around the keyboard, we then had to learn a typing rhythm using text book exercises whilst listening to a constant streams of "E's" sent from the machine.
> 
> Then it was transcribing Plain Language/Code from the machine to the typewriter.


Try typing a long weather forecast from Malta with the ships kitten sitting on the moving carriage whilst trying to pat the keys as they appear from the resting place


----------



## macrae

Got PMG at Aberdeen Wireless College in 1957, college was on Union street at that time


----------



## cajef

Passed a 2nd Class PMG at Northern Counties Radio School, Preston in March 1963, stayed on for a further three months and got my 1st Class PMG in June of the same year.


----------



## airds

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/galle...3450/title/g-c-n-s28soon-to-be-rtd-29/cat/505


----------



## Ivinghoe

*Radio Colleges*

I went to the one in Manor Gardens off Holloway Road in London N7 

I cannot for the life of me recall it's name, but it was also known as the Electrical Training College 

The owner was a Mr James

The house was called Radio House, and still is to this day, as I have a post retirement role further down the Holloway Road, and I went back to have a look 

I was unimpressed with the scope of training and the way it was run, so after one term, I left and went to the British School of Telegraphy in Penywern Road Earls Court which was better 

Upon qualifying, I was under some pressure from the College to join Siemens (they may have got an introductory commission) but joined IMRC instead. There was a great demand for R/O's in this days (early 50's)

I never regretted joining IMRC, although left after a while to go freelance with Niarchos (bad experience) and direct employ with Lamport & Holt , eventually returning to and staying IMRC until the writing was on the wall re the limited future for R/Os

All in all, a wonderful experience for a young man


----------



## Dave the Vicar

*Just how many colleges were there?*

I know of One in the lake district, Grimsby, now London. One on the E coast (Whitby?) that closed. How many more radio training colleges were there?


----------



## hawkey01

The one on the East coast was in Bridlington Yorkshire - The North Eastern School of Wirless Telgraphy - close around 1965.

Hawkey01


----------



## G4UMW

Lowestoft, also on the east coast.


----------



## trotterdotpom

*Grimsby College of Technology*

Former radio students will be pleased to know that Mr Les Mills was 90 in July and is living in Louth, Lincs.

John T


----------



## RayL

holland25 said:


> I started the course a couple of weeks late and on my first day was given the code to learn on my own. I think the actual learning of the dots and dashes didn't take all that long perhaps a couple of days, but as Ron Stringer says the reading and sending took much longer. I would say after about three months I might have started to show some proficiency.I had worked for about six months in the telegraph office at London Road station (Piccadilly Manchester), but the morse reception and sending was with two tone senders and receivers and I dont think any of it had rubbed off.Its funny but I still look at adverts and mentally send. I also get irritated when I see tv or films with what is supposed to be morse but is meaningless dots and dashes, and I cant read it. The early mobiles when they sent SMS when one had been received used to put me on alert until I realised what it was. The old RKO films opening screen sends real morse.


There are strong similarities with my experiences here. I, too, sit on a bus and set myself the task of 'sending' an advert's wording before the bus draws level with it.

I bought a booklet and memorised the Morse letters in the months leading up to the commencement of my Marine Radio course at Riversdale more than fifty years ago--it was obvious that doing so would be advantageous, and so it proved.

Hearing the crisp, almost mechanically perfect sending of one particular instructor inspired me to try and emulate him so I ended up reasonably good myself (though I sez it myself as shouldn't!). Having got my PMG2 I fear I never aspired to continue training and reach PMG1 level. 30 w.p.m. in an exam sounded a fearsome speed to me, and still does. Nor have I ever in my life touched a bug key, I believe.


----------



## david.hopcroft

Ray

Would that have been Mr Webster ? He told us his Chief on the Mauretania liked to impress passengers visiting his empire by saying 'Now here is a message coming through' then get his pencil ready and begin writing half way through.

David
+


----------



## trotterdotpom

Ray, the morse speed requirement for 1st Class was 25 wpm. Without realising it, you would have been able to do that and more easily after a few years of key bashing.

I never used a bug key either. I didn't like buying my own biros, never mind a bloody fancy morse key. I was happy to use whatever they gave me and I too reckon my morse was pretty good.

John T


----------



## RayL

david.hopcroft said:


> Ray
> 
> Would that have been Mr Webster ? He told us his Chief on the Mauretania liked to impress passengers visiting his empire by saying 'Now here is a message coming through' then get his pencil ready and begin writing half way through.
> 
> David
> +


Yes - thanks for the memory jog - it was Mr. Webster. He only came occasionally, and I even think he may have been retired and just came in because he liked to. His style was fantastic--it was just like listening to a machine sending.

Something I never had a go at was typing whilst receiving. What a useful skill that would have been!


----------



## david.hopcroft

Yes Ray. I did wonder after posting if it was him as I did my ticket in 1962-63. I stayed on for the !st because Mr Brown said employment was slack and we would never have a better chance. He even said the C & G Intermediate Maths for Telecomms would be a doddle for us, so we all did that too. He was quite right on both counts, but then he usually was !!

On joining the Post Office - later BT - touch typing was the first thing we had to master, and yes, it was a great help. 

David
+

From previous posts, I seem to remember we have something in common - GHFJ

+


----------



## RayL

Hi David, good to talk to you again. You may be interested to see the Lifeboat transceivers thread a few days ago because I've been talking about Naess Sovereign there.

I was chuffed to bits to pass the C&G Maths exam at Riversdale in 1965 because I'd been phenomenally weak at maths at school and this was the first success ever. Indeed the only other member of my family I could think of who had passed a Maths exam was my uncle--a headmaster who had been to university.

Good old Geoff Brown, Head of Radio at Riversdale! I can even claim that he saved my life, for one day he interrupted a lesson and gave us a homily, warning us never to allow ourselves to get into a quarrel onboard ship for (he pointed out ominously) people are sometimes found to have disappeared. I never forgot the advice, and for the most part I managed to follow it.


----------



## david.hopcroft

Whilst this isn't 'Our bit' of Riversdale, this brings back memories. I think it is Spring 1964 when I was doing the Radar cert.

The Triumph Herald was mine !!

David
+

I've just realised that was 50 years ago !!!


----------



## RayL

I was there in the spring of 1964, so if you'd only tipped us off my class and I could have been at the window waving!


----------



## sparks69

trotterdotpom said:


> Former radio students will be pleased to know that Mr Les Mills was 90 in July and is living in Louth, Lincs.
> 
> John T


Glad to hear that Pico is still with us.
Bless him.


----------



## Dave the Vicar

So the lakes, Bridlington, Grimsby, Lowestoft, London. I'm sure there must have been one in/near Bristol.


----------



## trotterdotpom

Dave the Vicar said:


> So the lakes, Bridlington, Grimsby, Lowestoft, London. I'm sure there must have been one in/near Bristol.


There was, Dave. Ashley Down ... I went there too but failed spectacularly.

John T


----------



## trotterdotpom

Something in the back of my mind tells me that the Bristol College moved up from Southampton - maybe in the '50s. They also ran courses for aeronautical technicians. Should be easy to find out because there is at least one former Bristol lecturer on the site.

If you're compiling a list of colleges, there were tons of them. Belfast, Manchester, Fleetwood, Hull, Liverpool, Southampton, Plymouth. Dublin to be sure, to be sure.

John T


----------



## beedeesea

Two in Dublin, JT, and one each in Cork and Limerick.

Brian


----------



## trotterdotpom

Thanks BDC. No wonder ROs were Ireland's biggest export in the good old days.

John T


----------



## znord737

*Radio College's in Ireland*



beedeesea said:


> Two in Dublin, JT, and one each in Cork and Limerick.
> 
> Brian


Kevin Street Institute of Science & Technology
OIC was a Mr O'Rourke assisted by a Mr Blennerhassett
Very thorough in their Training , met some excellent guys over the years who got their tickets there. By heavens they were very skilful.

Atlantic College Leeson Street Dublin
OIC was Peter Fitzgerald assisted by his Father, also there was A Mr Pat Delaney one of those gifted Technical Guru's who was never flumexed by any electrical or radio problem.

Had heard on the Grapevine that Peter and his Dad passed away some years ago, anyone know anything more?

Tivoli Radio College in Cork , one of the SN Members has written a book about this time training there plus his R/O experiences

Limerick - don't have any info about that establishment.

Maybe some of our Members may be able to fill in a few gaps.

Znord737


----------



## beedeesea

Harry Hodgens was Head at Harcourt Street while I was there. O'Rourke (beautiful morse), Cowan (Rules & Regs), O'Reilly (Technical Electricity & Radio Theory), Blennerhassett (Practical). Enjoyed my time there.
Don't have any details on Atlantic College though.

Brian


----------



## Worldspan

When reading through the above, the name of one of the instructors at Norwood (1950s) came to mind, Mr CT Holmes. His initials were those of one of the Portuguese coast stations, I seem to remember; but Google is no help. He was probably the oldest instructor in the department. What was the call of the main Portuguese station?
W


----------



## martin winn

I Think It Was Cul.


----------



## Worldspan

Thanks ... I bet the French ops had a laugh about that one!
W


----------



## trotterdotpom

Pretty sure CTH was Monsanto .... aka Gentle Jesus because even when there was a force 10 blowing their weather report said "Gentle Breezes".

John T

PS CUL was Lisbon.


----------



## beedeesea

Or even "gentle zephyrs".

Brian


----------



## trotterdotpom

I think you're right about CTV, R65 .... CTH could have been Azores or Cape Verde Islands (Sao Vicente?).

Gentle Breezes replaced Gentle Zephyrs or vice versa, I can't remember which.

John T


----------



## hawkey01

Even - light airy zephyrs - 

Neville - Hawkey01


----------



## Worldspan

Thanks for the details regarding the Portuguese station CTH. 

I realise now I think about it that CT Holmes must have been born in the 19th century if he was nearing retirement when I was 18. So he could have been at sea during the Great War. 

Things like this always make me wish I'd asked more!

W


----------



## Shannoner

znord737 said:


> Atlantic College Leeson Street Dublin
> OIC was Peter Fitzgerald assisted by his Father, also there was A Mr Pat Delaney one of those gifted Technical Guru's who was never flumexed by any electrical or radio problem.
> 
> Maybe some of our Members may be able to fill in a few gaps.
> 
> Znord737


I did a FAS course in Industrial Electronics back in 1992 in Dublin. There was a girl on the course who had been at Atlantic College, I think she did a year there and dropped out, I think this was just before she got onto the FAS course. So this would suggest that Atlantic was still operating in 1990 or 91.


----------



## beedeesea

Interesting witness statement given by Maurice Fitzgerald of Atlantic College here:
http://www.bureauofmilitaryhistory.ie/reels/bmh/BMH.WS0326.pdf

Brian


----------



## beedeesea

Didn't attend this place myself, but it may be of some interest to others:
http://lugnad.ie/limerickradio/

Brian


----------



## Nigel Fisher

*Nigel Fisher*



Larry Bennett said:


> For those of us who attended Brunel Tech in Bristol - attached view may be of interest. Muller House now converted into 'desirable' flats. No sign of the radar scanners and DF aerials which used to adorn the rooftop. Sigh.
> 
> Larry +


Thanks for the Pic of Muller House. Was in Rad 109 1965-66 did 2nd Class there and 1st Class at Marconi School of Wireless in Sydney. Our 'morse lab' was on the middle floor, the end 3 windows facing the camera contained the 'lab.'


----------



## Pat bourke

beedeesea said:


> Didn't attend this place myself, but it may be of some interest to others:
> http://lugnad.ie/limerickradio/
> 
> Brian


Many thanks for this link. I am a past pupil of Limerick Marine Radio School (1972-74). Great school with great lecturers. 
Regards Pat ex MIMCo.


----------



## beedeesea

A piece from the "Irish Times" re Marconi recruitment drive in the long, long ago:
http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/an-irishman-s-diary-on-marconi-s-tempting-offer-1.1792459

Brian


----------



## trotterdotpom

beedeesea said:


> A piece from the "Irish Times" re Marconi recruitment drive in the long, long ago:
> http://www.irishtimes.com/culture/heritage/an-irishman-s-diary-on-marconi-s-tempting-offer-1.1792459
> 
> Brian


Brilliant. "Is that a beam tetrode in your pocket or are you just pleased to see me?"

John T


----------



## Aberdonian

*Aberdeen Wireless College*



macrae said:


> I went to Aberdeen Wireless college 1956 to 1958, the college was on Union street at that time.
> Then again to study for a 1st class P.M.G. in 1962.
> A long time ago


My brother-in-law Eddie obtained his PMG circa 1966 at Aberdeen Wireless College when it was located at, I think, The Gallowgate. 

Keith


----------



## Worldspan

I passed my PMGs at Norwood Tech and got my final result. That evening (c.1957) I went to the pub to meet up with my friends. One said to me: "Well, you're sure of a job for life _because there'll always be Morse."_
W


----------



## Bill Greig

Aberdonian said:


> My brother-in-law Eddie obtained his PMG circa 1966 at Aberdeen Wireless College when it was located at, I think, The Gallowgate.
> 
> Keith


Hi Keith,
it would have been the Gallowgate, Aberdeen Technical College when I did my ticket there and radar after a couple of years at sea.
Bill


----------



## Aberdonian

Thanks for confirmation, Bill. For some reason I initially had Albyn Place but edited this out.

Keith


----------



## expats

Worldspan said:


> I passed my PMGs at Norwood Tech and got my final result. That evening (c.1957) I went to the pub to meet up with my friends. One said to me: "Well, you're sure of a job for life _because there'll always be Morse."_
> W


If you started in 1957 it WAS a job for life..


----------



## warpspark

trotterdotpom said:


> There was, Dave. Ashley Down ... I went there too but failed spectacularly.
> 
> John T


Yep, fraid to say I went to take the PMG course and crashed as well. Remember Lofty Allen, Phil Brouder and Norman Rush.
Steve H. (VP9HW)


----------



## Ystradgynlais

To All You Youngsters,

I note that this is several threads in one, covering many different topics and I have just finished reading 215 of them!

I've only seen one 1943 comment, majority if not all, appear to start around 1950 or later, no room for an oldie, am not sure if the GKA blokes remember the days whilst the area system was in. So a question for them - wasn't the majority of areas stations i.e parts of GKA, ZSJ CFH and others operated by RN operators? I know ZSJ was, although the Manager was a civilian. In Capetown, the Editor of the Cape Times visited me asking if I would co-opedrate with him by listening to him (his name was G.G.Young) on Amateur Radio. He had a letter of permission for me to communicate with him on maritime freqs, whilst I was bound for Antarctica. He wanted to do experiments, and research, as to why it was so difficult to QSO between the polar area and ZSJ. I did cooperate with him and conducted the tests! Quite interesting, did think it was odd that the editor of the Cape Times would be doing this. One day, I was working ZSJ and the R/o asked me how come I was working with GeeGee! He explained that GeeGee was a great friend of the manager, and between them they were trying to out the RN staff, by proving that sigs between the polar area and ZSJ
were good, but the RN Ops were not capable of working with the area. I won't go on - The RN bloke (His name was Bill Threllfall had come from GKA to ZSJ)

Any one young enough to know the name?

And whilst I am writing this, has any one used morse code, where the dash is as long as the dot?

And for those reading ads to themselves on trains etc., my favourite!

"Hooray Hooray, I've got my wings,
Now we can look at some Bravington Rings"


With a picture of an RAF bloke and his girl friend!


----------



## Ron Stringer

I can confirm that at least some of the operators at ZSJ were still RN in 1965. Running around the Cape of Good Hope from the Gulf to Trinidad I sent a TR to ZSJ informing my change of watchkeeping from Area 2 to Area 1C and signed off with 'totsiens'. The operator came back and said that he was not South African but an English RN operator on posting to ZSJ.


----------



## Worldspan

*GKA Area tfc via Admiralty ...*

Thanks for that tit-bit ... never knew that!

W


----------



## GBXZ

In 1970 we were copying the Naval morse broadcast from ZSL with traffic routed from Comcen Whitehall. Cannot re-call whether we cleared ship-shore to ZSL.

Rgds


----------



## holland25

And whilst I am writing this, has any one used morse code, where the dash is as long as the dot?

I started my career in telecoms as a messenger boy in the Telegraph office at London Road Station,now Piccadilly Manchester, in 1954.

They were still using the old two sounder receivers. The senders consisted of two keys one for dash and the other for dot. There must have been about 4 operating positions and there were from memory 4 operators and a supervisor. There was a fair amount of traffic,mainly to do with goods, reservations and general railway operations. There was also a counter for the public to send messages but this wasn't used much.


----------



## King Ratt

GBXZ said:


> In 1970 we were copying the Naval morse broadcast from ZSL with traffic routed from Comcen Whitehall. Cannot re-call whether we cleared ship-shore to ZSL.
> 
> Rgds


I found GXO (Mauritius ) always easier. It was my Ratt workings while in Tidesurge that I got called King Ratt by SRO Mark Sutton. When GXO came Ratt operational I got the first signal into the system. I've still got the reply from the SCO at Mauritius. Their CW operators always seemed to be more on the ball than ZSC.


----------



## hawkey01

All area traffic was routed as mentioned by the Naval system to the respective stations. I must have sent thousands over the years. Sitting at the tp inputting msgs using naval format. Cannot remember now what priority we used for these msgs seem to think it was PP - Priority. Others being RR - Routine, OO - Urgent, or ZZ - Flash. 

We had RN operators until sometime in the 1970's I cannot remember the year they finally left. If my memory serves me correctly we used to have two on watch during the day and one at night. Eventually this reduced to one. Also they had a CO again a name that has faded from my memory. Several of the RN guys when they finished their time in the RN took their tickets and returned to work with us. As Malcolm says supposedly for GBXZ traffic but that was thin on the ground and so they worked commercial traffic. We all handled the GBXZ traffic if and when. 

Larry will have the dates and the CO's name I am sure.

Transmitters were in several location - Portishead near Bristol was active in the early 70's but soon closed. The site is now the headquarters of the Avon and Somerset Police.
Transmitters were sited at Rugby, Dorchester, Ongar/Essex and Leafield. These sites were rationalized over the years until latterly all tx's were at Rugby. 

Neville - Hawkey01


----------



## IAN M

I think that Ystradgynlais begins his post by referring to mine, No.147, as I went to sea with Blue Funnel in 1943. 

During my time at Wick and Portishead (1953-1956) there were RN operators at Portishead. The U.P.W. tried to get rid of them, but failed, as the Area System was a naval network. 

After I left the sea, I corresponded with Dick Molland, who had been with me on the Glengarry, and the following is what he wrote when on the R.R.S. John Biscoe in Port Stanley on 18th April 1957.

"....., I have been working Portishead regularly all the time and seldom had to bother with Capetown. I have no grouse against Portishead, but Capetown is so bad I am going to put in a report to Marconi’s. With the diversion of Suez traffic, they are in chaos. Our call sign is now ZDLB (it had previously been MXDS) and once I waited three hours before they got to my traffic. You can call them for anything up to two hours before getting a reply as there is only one operator on each band to deal with calls and traffic from merchant ships and warships. At Christmas, the chaos was indescribable!"


----------



## Robinj

R651400 said:


> After the '56 Suez closure I did a round the Cape UK to Aus trip the following year and from memory the Area 2 Station was at Simonstown Naval Base nr Capetown manned by the Royal Navy.
> Area 2 broadcasts from Simonstown was callsign ZSL and the operational call sign for traffic from ships ZSJ.
> Along with Simonstown there was also commercial Capetown Radio/ZSC (500 kc/s) MF and HF presumably run by the South African PTT for ships calling at Capetown and similarly further up the east coast Durban Radio/ZSD..
> My guess at this time with the possible exception of Halifax/CFH Vancouver/CKN Sydney/VIX and Wellington/ZLW the remainder of the (Admiralty) Area Scheme was RN manned.
> GKA traffic for all Area stations was passed by landline to Whitehall/GYA for onward transmission to the various areas.


Whilst serving on the S.A. Huguenot I met a couple of the guys working at ZSC and these were definitely not TN. Was actually offere a job but turned it down.


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## Moulder

Hi Robinj - am trying to send you a PM but it's being rejected because your inbox is full. Could you make some space and I'll try again.

Kind Regards,

(Thumb)


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## sparx

I left school at 15 and went to Merseyside College of Radio in Sept 1965.
It was run by Gerry Ludden and Doc Walsh. It closed down 3 months later as the lease had run out and was probably to expensive to renew. We were all moved to Riversdale Technical College. I left Riversdale in December 1967 with a PMG II and BOT Radar. I was 17. I joined British & Commonwealth, did 3 years with them including a stint as 4th R/O on the S A Vaal, 8 - 12 evening watch, PRESS Ugh! The Chief told me to switch 500 off. The Press came first! 
I could go on but I won't bore you any more!


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## M29

sparx said:


> I left school at 15 and went to Merseyside College of Radio in Sept 1965.
> It was run by Gerry Ludden and Doc Walsh. It closed down 3 months later as the lease had run out and was probably to expensive to renew. We were all moved to Riversdale Technical College. I left Riversdale in December 1967 with a PMG II and BOT Radar. I was 17. I joined British & Commonwealth, did 3 years with them including a stint as 4th R/O on the S A Vaal, 8 - 12 evening watch, PRESS Ugh! The Chief told me to switch 500 off. The Press came first!
> I could go on but I won't bore you any more!


Hi Sparx. I can remember you guys arriving at Riversdale, I was there same time. Gerry Ludden got a job at Riversdale and as I remember was quite a good teacher.

Best Wishes

Alan


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## airds

The new Riverside campus of the City of Glasgow College ( ex G.C.N.S.) in a 
vote for a RIBA prize http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-37499779


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## Elders R/O

jaydeeare said:


> I first leatnt Morse on my Nav. Course, so the PMG was quite easy, just getting used to the sound of the rhythm of each letter.
> 
> The big problem I had was converting the code and converting it onto a typewriter!
> 
> Once we found our way around the keyboard, we then had to learn a typing rhythm using text book exercises whilst listening to a constant streams of "E's" sent from the machine.
> 
> Then it was transcribing Plain Language/Code from the machine to the typewriter.


I think we may of been a FNC at the same time (68-70). Are you aware of the FNC web site, there are loys of pictures of our year group. Don Bee was my lecturer.


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## Liam Moran

Elders R/O said:


> I think we may of been a FNC at the same time (68-70). Are you aware of the FNC web site, there are loys of pictures of our year group. Don Bee was my lecturer.


I received my PMG at Kevin Street,Dublin in July 1953 (1952-1953) and then to AST,Hamble,Southampton for three weeks training. I wonder where are all the hundreds of R/O's from KEVIN STREET,Dublin hiding out there!. Lets hear from some of them. Regards, Liam Moran


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## Rvator

Hello people

Being new to SN and this thread I am going to add my bit.

I did what I seem to remember was the first MRGC course 1969 to 1971 starting at North East London Polytechnic which moved over to Barking College of Technology. Myself and some other guys flunked the exam so had another two months before passing. I can visualise each of the lecturers but not their names, I do recall the senior man was Dutch with a bald head and glasses. I don't remember being told anything about radio companies or being able to go direct employed or freelance so as the kit was Marconi on getting the ticket headed down to the East Ham Depot and joined GTZM.

I wonder if anyone remembers Stan Padfield? As I lived in Essex, for the first few trips I was dragged into East Ham Depot on joining or leaving to to collect my pay in cash.

1973 to 1974 saw me back at Barking doing the DTI Radar Maintenance Certificate and then 1976 to 1977 I was at Brunel Technical College to do the Electronics Course.

I missed the PMG class 1 and 2 era and also the area scheme and so started off after the first Arab Israeli set to that closed the Suez Canal which was a shame as the time of cargo ships and trampers was over in favour of VLCC's and round the Cape. This rest is history.

As for the Portishead discussion I can recall long hours of calling for a QRY and there was those occasions when the signal was too weak or gone when my turn came. So yes it was frustrating at times and I'm sure not helped by those foreign registered ship types with their huge kilowatt transmitters swamping out the low power stuff I had onboard.

Rgds
Rvator
+


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## Varley

GE Rv. If you go to shipmates remembered you will see reports of his Stan'd death and posts from some of the many who knew him David V


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## Moulder

Varley said:


> GE Rv. If you go to shipmates remembered you will see reports of his Stan'd death and posts from some of the many who knew him David V


Hi Varley,

Can you direct me to the 'shipmates remembered' thread - can't find it.

(Thumb)


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## Ron Stringer

Forums > MEMBERS NOTICE BOARD > Sub-Forum: Shipmates Remembered 

or http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/showthread.php?t=104978


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## Moulder

Ron Stringer said:


> Forums > MEMBERS NOTICE BOARD > Sub-Forum: Shipmates Remembered
> 
> or http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/showthread.php?t=104978


Many thanks Ron.

(Thumb)


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## 5TT

> I can visualise each of the lecturers but not their names, I do recall the senior man was Dutch with a bald head and glasses.


Rvator, I was at Barking College of Technology too during 1973/74 period that you were doing your DTI radar and that would have been Hank Bondermaker you're referring to although I'm not sure of the spelling, but affectionately known as Bondy. Bondy was the morse man there and an amazing talent on the key, could send like a machine at any speed you like and with seemingly no effort. It probably would have been a Mr Johnson running your radar course (I finished off there in '76 with DTI radar too), McMahon was the maths lecturer and O'Callaghan did just about everything else. Oh and there was also an electronics chap there by the name of Sinnicks, and that was about it in terms of lecturers.

Happy days !!

= Adrian +


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## Rvator

Hello Adrian

Hey thanks for all those names. 'Bondy' or Hank Bondemaker was the name I had in mind but I was not sure of the spelling hence the description I gave which was clearly enough as you picked up on it. I can vouch for his morse prowess with vivid pictures of him sitting out in front of us struggling mortals. Those other names also fit exactly the people I remember apart from the electronics chap.

As I get older faces, places and events are surfacing more frequently but somehow the names of people still evade me so thanks for filling in the blanks.

Brgds
Bob
+


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## sparks69

Time to mention NESWT as it is nearly Christmas.


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## 5TT

> Those other names also fit exactly the people I remember apart from the electronics chap.


Hi Bob,

Bondy was an ex PCH man and a great guy, and it wasn't just morse that he did, he'd sometimes stand in for one of the others and often spin interesting yarns about is experiences at sea etc.
I'm not sure that Mr Sinnicks was there on a daily basis and I don't recall us having scheduled sessions with him, but he'd show us the practical side of things, for example he'd bring a box of used components in and assign us projects to build using these parts, mine was to build an electronic tachometer for his car.
They didn't have a very high success rate there, I think there were about 27 starters in our group but only 6 of us were successful 3.5 years later. I think we were the first group to do the City & Guilds course instead of the Post Office part 1 so that took up the first 2 years with 3 sets of 3 exams per year, it was pretty hectic and there were fallers at every stage. The 3rd year was all about the Post Office part 2 and the final 6 months for radar.
Out of the 6 of us who were successful one never went to sea, 2 of them disappeared without trace and the remaining 3 including myself and a lady R/O all went to Safmarine. Interestingly about the lady R/O, her brother was in the group one year behind us and was also successful and he too went to Safmarine, in fact I relieved him once on a reefer berthed in Savona, Italy.

I had a great time at BCT though, enjoyed every minute of it.

= Adrian +


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## richardwakeley

Rvator said:


> Hello people
> 
> 
> 1973 to 1974 saw me back at Barking doing the DTI Radar Maintenance Certificate and then 1976 to 1977 I was at Brunel Technical College to do the Electronics Course.
> 
> 
> Rgds
> Rvator
> +


G'day 'Rvator',

I just noticed that you must have been on the same Electronics course with me at Bristol Tech 1976-77. My certificate is dated June 1977. Were you one of the guys staying just down the road at the Ashley Hotel(?). I lived locally as I'm from Portishead and had a flat in Redland.

Richard


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## Rvator

Hello Richard

Yup we must have been there at Bristol same time and indeed did stay first of all at the Ashley Court Hotel (aka Gastly Court Hotel) but moved out to a half board place on my own. An interesting interlude in ones life, I recall burning much midnight oil for the exams.

Two things do stick in my mind, first was that I gave up milk and sugar in my tea and coffee due to regularly arriving in the refrectory to find no milk and a sugar bowl that looked disgusting. The second is one of the chaps bought a purple MG Midget and I recall a dash up the M4 to London with him it was the first time I'd ever been in a car that had done over a ton and I think the top was down. Strange what sticks in your mind.

I see you've had a varied career and appear to be still at it. I remember a handful of the other blokes but no names come to mind but I did meet up with one of them in the Gulf a short while later we were on ships loading alongside some jetty and as you do we both just happened to go aboard another vessel to pay our respects to the R/O and met up. It was a cargo ship of some sort not a tanker and there is a picture in my mind of the three of us on the bridge attempting resolve a fault with the echo sounder.

Brgds
Bob Carswell.


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## gordonarfur

trotterdotpom said:


> There was a young man called Patrick
> Who received his ticket at Limerick
> With his MRGC
> He went off to sea
> And the Reeperbahn girls made him sick!
> 
> Sorry Pat, couldn't resist it - the last line was going to be "And sent all his messages through Wick", but there's supposed to be some smut in there.
> 
> Welcome to SN.
> 
> John T.


P....d off I never made it to Hamburg but Havana was something else!


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## gordonarfur

gordonarfur said:


> P....d off I never made it to Hamburg but Havana was something else!


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## R651400

Originated the College Lecturers thread but don't remember posting here.
Left Leith Nautical College in March 1956 at 16 years old with PMG2 which gave me 40 years uninterrupted employment in the radio comms and electronics world.
Vri mni tks LNC lecturers... 
Radar and Head Instructor Andrew (Mekon) Bogie. Theory Harry Watson, Practical Fred Boettcher, Morse Ted Whitehead.


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## majoco

Rvator said:


> I did what I seem to remember was the first MRGC course 1969 to 1971 starting at North East London Polytechnic which moved over to Barking College of Technology.


Is the Barking Tech a successor to the South East Essex Tech College that was at Longbridge Road - I can find no mention of anyone that had been to SEETC. They ran their very first R/O course in September 1962 with a high rate of dropouts into the second year. Fortunately I passed 2nd class and was hoovered up by East Ham depot and put on to the "Esso Exeter" as a mere wet-eared 18 year-old.

The Dutch morse tutor - was he Hank Bondermaker ex PCH?- he arrived in year 2 - previously in Year 1 we had a jolly guy ex GKA called Percy something - his main claim to fame was his ability to roll a smoke with his left hand while sending with his right! Hank made the comment after listening to the individual sending was "Good heavens, you all sound like Percy!" Shortly after that we got Creed perforators and readers which was a blow as Percy used to send us the juicy pages from the Daily Mirror or News of the World.

Cheers - Martin now ZL2MC


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## majoco

majoco said:


> Rvator said:
> 
> 
> Is the Barking Tech a successor to the South East Essex Tech College that was at Longbridge Road - I can find no mention of anyone that had been to SEETC. They ran their very first R/O course in September 1962 with a high rate of dropouts into the second year. Fortunately I passed 2nd class and was hoovered up by East Ham depot and put on to the "Esso Exeter" as a mere wet-eared 18 year-old.
> 
> The Dutch morse tutor - was he Hank Bondermaker ex PCH?- he arrived in year 2 - previously in Year 1 we had a jolly guy ex GKA called Percy something - his main claim to fame was his ability to roll a smoke with his left hand while sending with his right! Hank made the comment after listening to the individual sending was "Good heavens, you all sound like Percy!" Shortly after that we got Creed perforators and readers which was a blow as Percy used to send us the juicy pages from the Daily Mirror or News of the World.
> 
> Cheers - Martin now ZL2MC


Aah _ I see that I should have read all the previous correspondence!


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## shorep

Larry Bennett said:


> For those of us who attended Brunel Tech in Bristol - attached view may be of interest. Muller House now converted into 'desirable' flats. No sign of the radar scanners and DF aerials which used to adorn the rooftop. Sigh.
> 
> Larry +


Can the new 'occupants' watch cricket like we used to, whole Nunkcy warbled or MR Rush dictated notes to us???


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## Larry Bennett

shorep said:


> Can the new 'occupants' watch cricket like we used to, whole Nunkcy warbled or MR Rush dictated notes to us???


Sadly not - don't think we could see the County Ground from Muller House as it was on the other side of Ashley Down Road. To see the mighty Gloucestershire CCC in action we had to pop over to Allen House or one of the other blocks overlooking the ground. I must admit I did 'fail to attend' a couple of electronic theory lectures on the final afternoon of a particularly close match.....

I think there is a new stand at the County Ground now which has blocked viewing access from the old college. Shame.


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## Worldspan

Not been on the forum for a while but have just looked at this thread again. I've already commented on Norwood Tech - enjoyed the course immensely and was there mid 1950s.

However, suddenly and out of nowhere, there suddenly surfaced a disturbing recollection. I'd come to NTC more or less straight from grammar school. One chap on my course was an ex-RN telegraphist.

Anyway, one day in the canteen, a tall, rather good-looking guy on a course ahead of mine said something that offended our ex-RN man. They both "went outside" following a challenge from the latter.

Now at that time, I had seen, and had had, scraps in the school playground but these never caused anything more serious than a bloody nose and a few scratches.

A little while later I saw both of them: the ex-RN man had bleeding knuckles. The guy who had offended him was unrecognisable. I had never in my life seen a face in such a mess, bloody, swollen and pulped out of recognition. I'm still haunted by the sight of that face - absolutely ghastly.

The upshot was that the ex-RN man did not return to NTC - I presume he was excluded.

W


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## gordonarfur

I considered applying to Norwood for PMG but was told that there was a 2 year waiting list and they required A levels in maths and physics and the course took two years is that true? because I went private, did not have A levels and got my ticket in 15 months.


Worldspan said:


> Not been on the forum for a while but have just looked at this thread again. I've already commented on Norwood Tech - enjoyed the course immensely and was there mid 1950s.
> 
> However, suddenly and out of nowhere, there suddenly surfaced a disturbing recollection. I'd come to NTC more or less straight from grammar school. One chap on my course was an ex-RN telegraphist.
> 
> Anyway, one day in the canteen, a tall, rather good-looking guy on a course ahead of mine said something that offended our ex-RN man. They both "went outside" following a challenge from the latter.
> 
> Now at that time, I had seen, and had had, scraps in the school playground but these never caused anything more serious than a bloody nose and a few scratches.
> 
> A little while later I saw both of them: the ex-RN man had bleeding knuckles. The guy who had offended him was unrecognisable. I had never in my life seen a face in such a mess, bloody, swollen and pulped out of recognition. I'm still haunted by the sight of that face - absolutely ghastly.
> 
> The upshot was that the ex-RN man did not return to NTC - I presume he was excluded.
> 
> W


I applied for a place at Norwood and was told that there was a waiting list of 2 years, A levels in maths and physics and a PMG course took 2 years, was that correct? I went private without A levels and got my ticket in 15 months.


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## J. Davies

Larry Bennett said:


> Sadly not - don't think we could see the County Ground from Muller House as it was on the other side of Ashley Down Road. To see the mighty Gloucestershire CCC in action we had to pop over to Allen House or one of the other blocks overlooking the ground. I must admit I did 'fail to attend' a couple of electronic theory lectures on the final afternoon of a particularly close match.....
> 
> I think there is a new stand at the County Ground now which has blocked viewing access from the old college. Shame.


Larry, do you remember the adjoining Hairdressing College? "Mary Carpenter" building if memory serves. We radio students could get free haircuts. Due to multiple visits many of us had very short hair indeed !


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## Larry Bennett

J. Davies said:


> Larry, do you remember the adjoining Hairdressing College? "Mary Carpenter" building if memory serves. We radio students could get free haircuts. Due to multiple visits many of us had very short hair indeed !


I most certainly do. It was indeed Mary Carpenter House. We used to go through there as a short cut to get out of the college to get to our bus stop in Muller Road. There were plenty of 'distractions' on the way, which eventually led to an edict that those of us on the R/O course were stopped from accessing that particular building.....not that we took any notice of course.....

As I attended in the late 1970s when long hair was 'de rigeur' we never had a need for a regular haircut - although some of us were always partial to a 'bit off the top' if required!

Great times.


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## J. Davies

Great times indeed.


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## phdad

Jack Lynch said:


> *Jack Lynch*
> 
> Radio Telegraph Institute
> Cork. Ticket in 1946.
> At sea, 1948 - 1960
> 5 years Marconi and 5 years
> freelancing. 14 ships. Published memoir; "Beyond the sea".


Where is that memoir available?


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## kainey54

Wray Castle 1971-73 for my MRGC, then Brooks Bar for radar ticket in 1973. Joined P&O BSD, then went to Brunel in Bristol for Marine Electronics Diploma in 1973.


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## zl1bbw

Went to Norwood Tech. Had quite an interesting experience really, I did not have any of the prerequisite GCE's, but I did have a C&G Radio Amateurs pass slip, plus Morse already at 20wpm. Went up and was interviewed by Mr Danielson? anywya went through a lot of radio theory questions, draw this for me etc and a quick morse check, and was accepted straight in to join the entry. Rocked up, and went to the Morse class, Mr Baker? said one of you can do some morse? so he sent me some at 10, then 15, then 20wpm and each time solid copy, then told me to "go away" and come back at the end of the year.

Best bit was got sent over to the Radio Servicing class for a whiel, that was good fun.

At the end they sorted me out an interview with New Zealand shipping company and left college straight into a temporary job in the dock office until a ship came along for me.


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## zl1bbw

Rvator said:


> Hello people
> 
> Being new to SN and this thread I am going to add my bit.
> 
> I did what I seem to remember was the first MRGC course 1969 to 1971 starting at North East London Polytechnic which moved over to Barking College of Technology. Myself and some other guys flunked the exam so had another two months before passing. I can visualise each of the lecturers but not their names, I do recall the senior man was Dutch with a bald head and glasses. I don't remember being told anything about radio companies or being able to go direct employed or freelance so as the kit was Marconi on getting the ticket headed down to the East Ham Depot and joined GTZM.
> 
> I wonder if anyone remembers Stan Padfield? As I lived in Essex, for the first few trips I was dragged into East Ham Depot on joining or leaving to to collect my pay in cash.
> 
> 1973 to 1974 saw me back at Barking doing the DTI Radar Maintenance Certificate and then 1976 to 1977 I was at Brunel Technical College to do the Electronics Course.
> 
> I missed the PMG class 1 and 2 era and also the area scheme and so started off after the first Arab Israeli set to that closed the Suez Canal which was a shame as the time of cargo ships and trampers was over in favour of VLCC's and round the Cape. This rest is history.
> 
> As for the Portishead discussion I can recall long hours of calling for a QRY and there was those occasions when the signal was too weak or gone when my turn came. So yes it was frustrating at times and I'm sure not helped by those foreign registered ship types with their huge kilowatt transmitters swamping out the low power stuff I had onboard.
> 
> Rgds
> Rvator
> +


It wasnt the other ships fault, it was the tight ****d radio/shipping companies not upgrading the gear. Best thing I did was leave PnO and go freelance, got to use some decent radio gear and got much much better money.


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