Radio 270

In the sixties of last century I listened to a lot of radiostations and recorded their programmes. There was one regional station which came in reasonable well in Groningen, Netherlands – which was and still is my hometown. The station which is a sensation, some people said. There was something special. On one side they wanted to be very professional, on the other side there was a glamorous amateurship. I tried to listen one or twice a week and saw that Dutch newspapers didn’t publish that much on the station. However through the years I found out I wasn’t the only one in the Netherlands who listened to the station. Also later many radio friends in England told me about the station. Now, many decades later, I want to share my memorable with you. I want to thank Dick van Schenk Brill, Edward Waterson, Peter Ashcroft and Paul Rusling for sharing our love for Radio 270.  

 

 

First announcement in October 1965

 

 

 

The arrival in Scarborough harbour on February 25th 1966

 

The rebuilding of a Scheveningen fishing vessel into a radio ship in Scarborough March 1966.

Proposed reception area

 

 

Look out for April 1st 1966

 

Mast came down in April 1966

 

 

 

Letter stating the ship was still in harbour April 15th 1966

 

 

Letter to listener in the Netherlands

 

 

Indeed, still in harbour

 

 

Letters went out often from the office

 

 

Andy Kirk, Leon Tippler and Dennis Straney ready for trip to the radio ship

 

 

Photo taken in front

 

 

 

Promotion for the station

 

Report about a storm June 1966

 

 

 

Drawing of the ship

 

 

Station with the sensation

 

 

Chairman Leonard Dale

 

Promotion for the station

 

 

 

 

 

Towing of the Oceaan 7 June 1966

 

Campaign stations against proposed ban of the offshore radio July 1966

Mike Baron opening the mail

 

Proudfoot talks July 1966

 

 

Membership later autumn 1966

 

 

Sails on

 

 

Proposed campaign against ban

 

Radio 270 aerial mast

 

 

 

 

Newspaper about life boat interfering October 27th 1966

 

 

Entertainment Promoter Don Robinson

 

 

Some colour photos of the ship

 

 

An Ultimatum from deejays to the owner after storm in November 1966

 

 

Tuning up the transmitter

 

 

Long letter to Radio 270 club members in April 1967

 

 

 

Mike Hayes on air

 

 

MP about Pirates May 1967

 

 

Paul Burnett

 

 

More power in May 1967

 

 

Deejays and technicians on deck

 

 

 

MP defends political talking May 1967

 

 

Found back after years in bad condition

 

 

Pete ‘Boots’ Bowman

 

 

 

Paul Kramer from Caroline North to Radio 270 June 1967

 

Paul Kramer

 

 

Relaxing in messroom

 

 

 

 

Oceaan 7 in better days

 

 

Noel Miller

 

 

Court case cause trip lasted too short July 1967

 

 

 

Ross Randell

 

 

Praying against the law?

 

 

Newspaper reports about the closure Radio 270 due to MOA

 

Just before and after the final closedown there was some late entertainment

 

 

Investigation RAF flight to pirate radio ship August 18th 1967

 

 

Radio Ship Up for sale August 1967

 

 

From presumable September 1967 is this letter and advert in which former listeners are asked for a combined membership for the Big L 270 Fan Club

 

 

 

270 vessel for sale

 

 

Ship still for sale in February 1968

 

 

No sale to Caroline

 

 

November 1989 was the month a part of the former mast from the Ocean 7 was recovered by fishermen after 23 years in the North sea.

 

 

Even in 1993 a listeners from the sixties revealed his memories

 

 

Thanks letter Bob Snyder 2000

 

 

 

(c) Hans Knot 2008