More birthday celebrations with Tony Lloyd and The Intrepid Birdman
The Birdman hasd made a show around the making of the birthday cake.

Tony Lloyd calls more listeners, shares recordings of Bob Edwards fluffing his lines when reading the music news and plays impeccable music ranging from Pink Floyd to Ian Dury. Whatever happened to the Tony Lloyd fan club (TLFC - see picture)?

Mentions on the phone for John of Dulwich, Dave / Barry Banson from Alleyns School, GM Roberts of Woolwich,  Rory of Hayes, Malcolm Mcintryre from Sidcup, Miller and Mariosa from Earls Court.

Technical note:  The FM reception wasn't perfect, the cassettes are showing their age and the azimuth isn't quite right, but it's really great to hear the show again.

An early live extended broadcast.

Bob Edwards plays music from 1978 and phones listeners who wrote in over the last 12 months live on air.

Bob tells us about a guest appearance from the Intrepid Birdman (who later became a regular presenter and a key part of Thameside). Loads of jingles mostly created by the Birdman many of which seem to have disappeared since. Music news from Tony Lloyd. Loads of people mentioning their mum and dad. There is discussion about whether Thameside should extend hours - this 4 hour extravaganza was quite a contrast to the usual 1 hour shows.

The team are drinking Light Ale (can you still buy that?)

At the end of Bob's show there is a 30 minute retrospective on the first year - Thameside had put out 52 shows uninterrupted and were basking in the glory.

Thameside Radio 90.2 listeners mentioned in the phone calls include Dave Williamson from Hendon, Robert of Chelsea, Debbie Wooley, Simon Michelsberg from Barnet,  Martin Smith of Pinner, Jim Stockwell, Graham King from Orpington and Richard Sugarman from Stanmore.

I've just received loads of great new recordings. So coming soon is  some much earlier stuff including the whole first Thameside Radio 90.2 birthday broadcast, one of the earliest live OBs and also a show from the lovely Sarah (be still my beating heart)!

Many thanks to everyone who has sent in recordings or tapes so far, special mention to Dave (not the Birdman) for the 120 cassettes and Stephen Cruickshank who is still unearthing some amazing material. Please please do keep them coming.

I'm happy to do the converting to  mp3 so if you don't mind lending your tapes for a couple of days you'll get them back with a high quality digital copy with tape heads aligned etc.

Al

Bob Edwards is in a laid back mood. Moody Blues, 10CC, Paul McCartney, Led Zep, Stevie Wonder. Loads of dedications. A listener gives advice about fixing the big end on a BSA motorbike. Steve Scribbler offers to organise a squash tournament - Bob is sure that he can thrash anyone. During the show there is a "meet the listeners" do with some of the Thameside staff at Hammersmith station.

The Thameside Radio 90.2 Good Bite Guide comes from from Pizza Hut in Ealing (£3 for a 13 inch pizza). In 1981 takeaway pizza is a bit of a novelty!

More messages from the the Curly Man's answering machine.  

Dave Birdman plays a wide variety of stuff including "Sir Henry at Rawlinsons End" but he can't find "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park" as it's in the old studio.

Both Bob and Dave plug the Thameside Radio mystery trip (to Brighton) leaving from Turnham Green next week. Bob says he might drive down but needs to get back in time to start the show. Oh the joys of live radio.

Great messages from  Midnight Cinderella, Richard Bradford and Andrew Bird.  

Al

Decades before it became famous as being the cafe where the losing teams in The Apprentice were sent to ponder their fates the Bridge Cafe was a favourite haunt of the Thameside team.

Thanks to Mark for the very kind offer of more recordings. The Thameside Radio 90.2 archive is building up nicely.

Back to regular broadcasts. Bob introduces a big "meet the listeners" evening. Thameside Radio staff go out all over London (Ealing Broadway, Liverpool Street, Wimbledon, Harrow on the Hill, Barnes, Uxbridge, Chiswick, Elephant and Castle, Richmond, Earls Court, Notting Hill Gate and the dolls house shop on the corner of Rossmore Road) giving out stickers, collecting dedications and selling tickets for the Brighton trip.

The Thameside listener charts have Kim Wilde, Motorhead, Depeche Mode, Killing Joke and Kate Bush.

The fast food survey comes from Burger King in Leicester Square followed by an evening watching the fireworks in Hyde Park.

The Curlyman has a phone-in section.

Dave reads out a letter from a listener saying that she has started
The Intrepid Birdman Appreciation Society. At the end of his show he switches the transmitter back on with a scream it has timed out. After the  transmitter finally goes off you can hear the clipped voices and melodic gentle tunes of Radio 2 in the background and quite understand why so many people listened to Thameside Radio once Radio 1 went off air.

Loads of letters and holiday postcards after the extended broadcast. NamesNmaes include John Simmonds, Francis Green, Buzby, Andy Feely of Dulwich, Latymer Upper School, Steve Scribbler, John Henry, Jordan Lee, The Green Belt Festival, Kathy Ann from Henrietta Barnett School,  Jonathan Lovell, Ian Hobbs, Paul Gander, Hayes School, Elspeth & Jose, Andrew Back, Paul Gander and Dave Cunningham.