# Wick Radio/GKR



## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

Best coast station footage I've seen so far......

http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=FyXhVI5p1mw


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## loylobby (Sep 23, 2007)

Thanks for that, most interesting, especially as I hail from Wick and had a cousin who worked at Wick Radio.


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## Shannoner (Feb 6, 2008)

I spent two months on a shore job in Wick in 1982. I was working for Racal-Decca Survey, and I had to look after three Trisponder stations that were being used for precession position fixing for the towing out of a pipeline that they were building on shore. Had a great time, stayed in MacKay's hotel. I think my liver has only just recovered after 26 years(Jester) [=P] 

Mick


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## Ron Stringer (Mar 15, 2005)

Absolutely concentrated nostalgia. So very typical of the 1950s GPO and Ministry of Information films that were shown on TV and at the cinema. Sounds like the same voice-over artist as ''The Night Mail''. 

Very stilted voices, clearly non-actors. It is interesting that today's day-time TV shows about paramedics, helicopters, police, RSPA and other services still follow the same formula over half a century later (i.e. short intro about the service and personnel involved, followed by several separate incidents/stories involving them - including one or more emergencies, each alternated by sequences back at the original site).


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## King Ratt (Aug 23, 2005)

First time I have ever heard a professional radioman use the expression "over and out".


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## K urgess (Aug 14, 2006)

Just the thing to make me sentimental and nostalgic in time for the weekend. (Thumb)(Sad)
The style of production hadn't changed since the old Ministry of Information films of the early 40s.


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## Tai Pan (Mar 24, 2006)

Very Good. love the tobacco smoke.


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## Gareth Jones (Jul 13, 2007)

The French Radio Operator shown was in fact Alf Hindmarsh filmed aboard the GPO cableship Monarch. Interestingly Alf had B.O.T. Radar ticket number 1. 
If you look at this http://it.youtube.com/user/radiocaledonia you will see four similar films covering landsend and portishead radio's also. In fact they "overlap" giving the impression that a larger film has been cut into four bits and edited.


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## Pat bourke (Jun 30, 2007)

I have to concur with Marconi Sahib - Kris. I am glad its the weekend. Great memories, and to think my mobile phone has more power than my last radio station. Rehards Pat


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## Clive Kaine (Apr 8, 2008)

Great video, really makes me feel nostalgic. Happy days - bloody sight happier than recent times anyway!


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

The GKR w/t console was much the same as I remember except the receiver with the semi-circular dial. Anyone any ideas on the model type? The DF goniometer on the left hand side had disappeared by the mid sixties but wonder if it was retained for longer at Wick.


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## Moulder (Aug 19, 2006)

Good videos - thanks.
Interesting to see how they maintained standards and used 'cups and saucers' for their 'smoko'. Well done chaps.

(Thumb)


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## Mimcoman (May 18, 2008)

R651400, I <think> it was an R20 receiver (no relation to the dreaded R50M and not made by Redifon) which was designed and made by the GPO staff at Rugby.


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## Mimcoman (May 18, 2008)

The GKR film, as stated above, sounds very stilted, Given what's being said, it has the feeling of being scripted - I agree with the "over and out".

Whereas the GLD one is much more true to life. I can relate more to it than to GKR.


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

Mimcoman said:


> R651400, I <think> it was an R20 receiver (no relation to the dreaded R50M and not made by Redifon) which was designed and made by the GPO staff at Rugby.


Thanks Mimcoman. Had a TV team from Grampian visit GND when Aberdeen trawler "Blue Crusader" went down with all hands. Was chosen to do the "star" role on the R/T console but because newscaster was a bit miffed I didn't recognise him when introduced, (couldn't afford a TV on ROII pay), he picked my mate Eddy Jones instead!
The resultant news clip was very much doctored in the fashion of GKR and GLD.


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## IanSpiden (Jul 18, 2008)

one of the operators was a very young Charlie Mearns, he moved to GND and taught me how to do the dreaded accounts in 1982 , He was still smoking the Pipe then, I think he has since passed away unfortunately


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

With a name like Mearns he must have had a yearning to return to GND! I had Tom MacLennan on my 1963 induction course at GKA who opted for Wick and was the RO to send the last message from GKR in 1997.


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## Chief Engineer's Daughter (Sep 17, 2005)

Facsinating wee films. But I did cringe at "over and out" and when that Mayday came in I jumped. Funny how smoking seemed to be so accepted.


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## IanSpiden (Jul 18, 2008)

R651400 said:


> With a name like Mearns he must have had a yearning to return to GND! I had Tom MacLennan on my 1963 induction course at GKA who opted for Wick and was the RO to send the last message from GKR in 1997.


I dont know where Charlie hailed from originally, certainly probably around the GND area , lots of the guys at GND had orgonally started off at GKR and moved , it was a favourite story of most of them that as soon as they got to GKR they put a transfer in to get to GND " to get back to civilisation" I think it was the train journey from Inverness that got to them which was long and tedious and stopped at every station on the way , when I went up there when DOC was in full swing it took 5 hours in a car there are not many dual carriageways up there !!


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## Rival2 (Apr 3, 2012)

Hi, I'm a new member, In Wick Heritage Museum we have the original equipment of Wick Radio and Audio from previous workers but we would love to run this video to give visitors a better experience. Can anyone point me in the right direction to obtain a copy of the original video on disc?

Rival2


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## Searcher2004 (May 3, 2012)

Also here is a similar one for Portishead Radio.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr0Z-mtK0Do

Enjoy!

Roger


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## Graham P Powell (Jun 2, 2007)

One or two faces I recognise in the GKA film The chap in the grey jacket is Frank Davies. He unfortunately committed suicide sometime in the 1980's. 
The first R/O sending morse is Gil Elkes who was school instructor when I started. Gil is still around as far as I know. The next guy is Dai Burt who was
R/O on the Turmoil during the incident with the Flying Enterprise back in the 50's. He is an SK now. Eric Carver and Eddie Grogan are in the landline both now SK's unfortunately.
The huge map was painted on steel sheets during the war. I think by a local firm of signwriters but not sure about that. It was taken down to go to some 
BT musuem. Not sure whether or not it made it. Larry and hawkeye might know. The rx's are CR150's. Before my time. When I worked there it was all Racal. Funnily enough I didn't notice anybody smoking. The walls were brown with nicotine stain when I started.
I met a chap the other day who said his dad never quite got over it closing and I know what he means. Much missed by a lot of us!.
rgds
Graham Powell


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## BobDixon (Oct 17, 2008)

Rival2 said:


> Hi, I'm a new member, In Wick Heritage Museum we have the original equipment of Wick Radio and Audio from previous workers but we would love to run this video to give visitors a better experience. Can anyone point me in the right direction to obtain a copy of the original video on disc?
> 
> Rival2


Hi - I've sent you an e-mail on this subject.


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## Binnacle (Jul 22, 2005)

I was rather surprised that a "Mayday" was sent out after experiencing engine trouble, when the vessel was over six miles from land, no indication of bad weather and in no immediate danger. In these cir***stances a Pan message would have been more appropriate. I realise that it was all staged Ministry of Info style but they should have done their homework.


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## IAN M (Jan 17, 2009)

I worked at GKR in 1953/54 when Bruce Mackie was O/C. Didn't like it all because of split shifts and fixed duties - never had a Saturday off in a whole year and, as the Thorshaven cable was forever breaking down, I was sometimes called out for 2 hours on a Sunday. Had my name down for GND, but there was a waiting list so that I opted for GKL. Never regretted going to Wick where the work itself was interesting as was life in Caithness, but a year was enough. GKL, on the other hand, was very fairly run and a great place to work; and Burnham was a very pleasant town in which to live. Spent 2 years there then resigned to train as a teacher in Edinburgh.


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## Graham P Powell (Jun 2, 2007)

Hi ian, If ever the subject of GKR came up at GKA it was over the amount of 
overtime they were getting!. I agree with you. As far as the duties etc would allow GKA was fairly well run. Burnham is still quite a pleasant little town with a high street of small businesses and a lovely sea front. 
rgds
Graham Powell


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## BobDixon (Oct 17, 2008)

IAN M said:


> I worked at GKR in 1953/54 when Bruce Mackie was O/C. Didn't like it all because of split shifts and fixed duties - never had a Saturday off in a whole year and, as the Thorshaven cable was forever breaking down, I was sometimes called out for 2 hours on a Sunday. Had my name down for GND, but there was a waiting list so that I opted for GKL. Never regretted going to Wick where the work itself was interesting as was life in Caithness, but a year was enough. GKL, on the other hand, was very fairly run and great place to work; and Burnham was a very pleasant town in which to live. Spent 2 years there then resigned to train as a teacher in Edinburgh.


Hi Ian, I've stolen some of the above for http://coastradio.intco.biz/uk/gkr/gkr-people.htm.

Any pics of those days - or can I steal you mugshot for the page?

And any stories from then would be welcome!


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## hawkey01 (Mar 15, 2006)

Bob,

You will be interested in this. This is what my security system responded with when I tried to follow your link.

http://safebrowsing.bullguard.com/b...iz/uk/gkr/gkr-people.htm&category=1&lang=1033

Neville - Hawkey01


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## IAN M (Jan 17, 2009)

*Wickradio/GKR*



Graham P Powell said:


> Hi ian, If ever the subject of GKR came up at GKA it was over the amount of
> overtime they were getting!. I agree with you. As far as the duties etc would allow GKA was fairly well run. Burnham is still quite a pleasant little town with a high street of small businesses and a lovely sea front.
> rgds
> Graham Powell


Thanks Graham

I very much enjoyed working at GKA. Froud was O/C at the time. He ran the station very efficiently and the lads were as fine a bunch as you'd wish to meet. I've spent several holidays in Burnham, but, at 87, am now too old and infirm to make the journey. I still exchange Christmas cards with the daughter of my first landlady. 

Yours 

Ian


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## IAN M (Jan 17, 2009)

BobDixon said:


> Hi Ian, I've stolen some of the above for http://coastradio.intco.biz/uk/gkr/gkr-people.htm.
> 
> Any pics of those days - or can I steal you mugshot for the page?
> 
> And any stories from then would be welcome!


What you've done is OK, Bob, but you should have asked my permission first. Use my picture too if you want, but it was taken for my Special Certificate in June, 1943 - ten years before I went to Wick.

I have written quite a bit about both GKR and GKA, but, as my wartime seagoing memoirs have already been published, I hope that these reminiscences will appear in a future book. 

Cheers

Ian


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## BobDixon (Oct 17, 2008)

hawkey01 said:


> Bob,
> 
> You will be interested in this. This is what my security system responded with when I tried to follow your link.
> 
> ...


Hi Neville,

Thanks for this info. I've run the page through a number of malware checkers and none show any issues. Looked at downloading Bullguard but it conflicts with my existing Antivirus software.


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## Charlie Gregory (May 19, 2012)

*Wick Radio GKR*

Hello. I'm a new boy here, so I've only just come across the chat about the video. I hope I'm talking about the right video by the way. Anyway, if I am, I can assure everyone that it was not scripted. I know, cos I was in it.
As for the bit about "over and out," well... come on that's a personal thing. I still say it at the end of a phone conversation. It's force of habit. If it's wrong, I don't care - it's me.
And about the stilted bit. After a couple of years in Wick, everyone gets stilted.
By the way, I still get the shakes when I see the bit about the boss (Mowat) looking over people's shoulders. He was a right ^***!!!
By the way... Cheers Bob = Charlie


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## Charlie Gregory (May 19, 2012)

Hi - I've just come across these threads re the video about GKR. I can assure you it was not scripted. I know cos I was in it. As for it being stilted, after a couple of years in Wick, everyone got stilted. Also... re "Over and out," I used to say that. I still say it at the end of phone calls. Force of habit. If it's wrong I don't care. It's what I do. Cheers Bob = Charlie (Not Mearns)


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## BobDixon (Oct 17, 2008)

Charlie Gregory said:


> Hi - I've just come across these threads re the video about GKR. I can assure you it was not scripted. I know cos I was in it. As for it being stilted, after a couple of years in Wick, everyone got stilted. Also... re "Over and out," I used to say that. I still say it at the end of phone calls. Force of habit. If it's wrong I don't care. It's what I do. Cheers Bob = Charlie (Not Mearns)


Hi Charlie - and you had more than a couple of years at Wick !!! (although you did eventually escape!). Yup, old Sandy Mowat had his ways, although I don't think I saw the worst of him. He wouldn't talk to us men if he met us in the street but he would talk to our wives if he met them !! But didn't Bruce Mackie get a bit of a name as an ogre also? I wonder who was worst!!


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

I did a spell of DD at Wick once. Quite memorabe. It was during the the oil boom at the start of PC sitor. One evening only two of us were available. It was very busy on RT and the PC sitor bell kept going keeping us rushing into the landline room. My colleague soon found the answer to that problem - turned it off !

I remember Mr Mowatt one afternoon being quite annoyed that here I was a young lad on DD, on overtime and sat on 12mhz doing nothing. 

Dasvid
+


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## Charlie Gregory (May 19, 2012)

BobDixon said:


> Hi Charlie - and you had more than a couple of years at Wick !!! (although you did eventually escape!). Yup, old Sandy Mowat had his ways, although I don't think I saw the worst of him. He wouldn't talk to us men if he met us in the street but he would talk to our wives if he met them !! But didn't Bruce Mackie get a bit of a name as an ogre also? I wonder who was worst!!


Yep. 16 years, man and boy. I'm very stilted. Only the whisky keeps me happy. I never met Mackie. But Jimmy Kay still had the shakes about him. Apparently he finished off most of his bollockings with "This could affect your pension, Old Man!" Luv it. Cheers Bob.


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## IAN M (Jan 17, 2009)

*Wick Radio/gkr*

QUOTE. I have written quite a bit about both GKR and GKA, but, as my wartime seagoing memoirs have already been published, I hope that these reminiscences will appear in a future book. UNQUOTE.

The reminiscences referred to above have now been recorded in my Kindle book LAST VOYAGE AND BEYOND. They constitute the 'BEYOND' section of the book and I consider them to be the definitive story of what it was like to work at these stations during the period 1953-1956. 

Best wishes

Ian


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## BobDixon (Oct 17, 2008)

*Tom MacLennan - Silent Key*

Sad to report that I've been informed of the passing of Tom MacLennan on Wednesday 19th November 2014. His funeral was scheduled for Saturday 22nd.

Tom was a Radio Officer at Wick Radio / GKR and was it's last Officer in Charge. Tom also key'd the final message from GKR on CW.


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## R651400 (Jun 18, 2005)

Very sorry to hear of Tom's passing. We were on the same GKA induction course in October/November 1963 and Tom went directly from there to GKR.


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## sandhopper (Mar 15, 2013)

loylobby said:


> Thanks for that, most interesting, especially as I hail from Wick and had a cousin who worked at Wick Radio.


I knew an ex RN bod(Ian Waugh) that worked at GKR from 1976. His wife would feed me king prawn salad and pork chops for minimal baby sitting. Still enjoy king prawns and pork chops.


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## IanSpiden (Jul 18, 2008)

I met Ian Waugh in the London office when I was doing a bit of DD there nice chap , he moved on from there into another part of BT, I guess he is probably retired now


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## IanSpiden (Jul 18, 2008)

sorry to hear about Tom's passing , great man for the OT


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## david.hopcroft (Jun 29, 2005)

Ian

Ian Waugh was my first line manager when I was at GKZ !!

May be a bit younger than me, but long passed retirement I should think

Regards

David

+


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## King Ratt (Aug 23, 2005)

Ian was at Glasgow College of Nautical Studies around 1974 or 75. I was in his class doing my 1st Class (failed on the regs!). Ian had just left the RN, he was the brightest student in the class. Don't know if he ever did go to sea having obtained his ticket.


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## sandhopper (Mar 15, 2013)

King Ratt said:


> Ian was at Glasgow.....


Ian was there from 1974 until 1976. He would be about 68 years old now. He joined Wick straight from GCNS. Did you know the other ex RN telegraphy bod...Jackson(?)?


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## King Ratt (Aug 23, 2005)

Hello Sandhopper. There certainly was another ex RN sparker along with Ian Waugh in that class but I could not confirm his name was Jackson.


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## hawkey01 (Mar 15, 2006)

We had a David Jackson at GKA who was ex RN. Don't know if he trained in Glasgow. Would be his era. He had previously been an RN op at GKA.

Hawkey01


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## Larry Bennett (Aug 28, 2005)

sandhopper said:


> Ian was there from 1974 until 1976. He would be about 68 years old now. He joined Wick straight from GCNS. Did you know the other ex RN telegraphy bod...Jackson(?)?


Ian is still travelling around the world providing GMDSS courses etc - see his website at www.gmdss4all.net - used to play cricket with Dave Jackson when were were both at GKA, but have lost contact with him over the last few years.

Larry +


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## sandhopper (Mar 15, 2013)

hawkey01 said:


> We had a David Jackson at GKA who was ex RN. Don't know if he trained in Glasgow. Would be his era. He had previously been an RN op at GKA.
> Hawkey01


The one I am thinking of, if memory serves me right, lived in Ayr for a while.

Larry, Thanks for the update on Ian, always thought he was clever, didn't realise he was also an entrepreneur. No thoughts of age slowing him down.

King Ratt, Hi, there were about 4 R/Os going through Ian's class at the time. Were you the RFA one that was pulled to go and play in Icelandic waters during the cod war?


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## King Ratt (Aug 23, 2005)

Yes Sandhopper. That would be me. Went off to join RFA Olwen on 6 Mar 76 in Rosyth. ARrived back in Rosyth 28 Apr 76 with the ship covered in ice.Took about a week to thaw her out. We had been asked by the Icelandic authorities if we could help to get a crewman off a fishing vessel which was trapped in ice way up North. We went as far as we could amongst the floes and bergy bits and around 88 North sent away our Wessex helicopter. It took our ship's doctor along with the RN flight crew and landed, still turning and burning, next to the Norwegian FV. Brought the casualty back to Olwen and heard later he made a full recovery. Great stuff on the part of the helo crew, had the Wessex had a major problem, they would have been on their own. Picture courtesy of RAF Nimrod. Not long after this, the Cod war came to an end.


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