How To Turn Coal Dust To Fuel Bramley Productions 2022-11-18 | How To Turn Coal Dust To Fuel. With the very high cost of all open-fire solid fuels, this winter I start to use some very old coal dust that has been in plastic sacks for many years and form this in it into burnable fuel briquettes.
Dudley Savage 1977 TV ABC Royal Plymouth Compton #organmusic #Comptonorgans #DudleySavage Bramley Productions 2024-01-05 | Dudley Savage 1977 TV ABC Royal Plymouth Compton. The great Dudley Savage At the Plymouth ABC Compton organ and talks about his long association with the Plymouth ABC/Royal Compton organ. When this was filmed in 1977 he was still broadcasting on some Sunday mornings on BBC Radio 2.
Geraldo Band leader radio Interview 1973. #geraldo #dancebands Bramley Productions 2023-12-28 | Geraldo Band Leader Radio Interview from 22/8/1973. This I believe was one of the last radio interviews that Geraldo ever gave as sadly he died the following May 4th 1974 whilst on holiday in Switzerland aged 69. Born on the 10th of August 1904. He was a prolific broadcaster of his bands and orchestra over the years on radio. Like so many musicians of that period, he started his musical career playing the piano for silent films in a London cinema. Some fascinating stories here from the early days of his time as a band leader and musician Famous names that played in his bands and orchestra are many. From Ted Heath "Trombone" went on to have huge success with his own band in the 1950s. Syd Dale was in the band he went on to write many great tunes. Eric Delaney played drums in the Geraldo band after the war just to name three. There is a letter in this tape box and this tape was sent to Geraldo's widow after his death from the radio station. They apologise to her for some of the quality of the recording on the tape which was not the greatest recording! Then add another 50 years in poor storage which has done even more damage to it but I feel it's very worth a listen still. As a boy, it was my dream to have my own dance band playing my grandparents and parents' 78rpm records of the great dance band on the radiogram we had. But well that was one dream that never came off sadly. Maybe I was born too late for that or to be honest, I did not have the musical talent. But as a child loved thinking up names for my own dance band.
Frank Gordon BBC Broadcast Ritz Birkenhead Bramley Productions 2023-12-24 | Frank Gordon BBC Broadcast Ritz Birkenhead. Another recording from the paperback reel-to-reel tape from the 1950s.One of the largest and most extravagant cinemas/theatres in the North West was the Ritz, Birkenhead. The Ritz Cinema was positioned just off Conway Street, on the corner of Claughton Road and Oliver Street, and opened on Monday the 4th of October 1937. Just over three years after the Gala Opening disaster struck. During an air raid, and after the film performance of 'Stardust' had finished, the audience stayed behind to listen to organist Harold Hunt entertain them until, as they thought, danger had passed. Two bombs hit the building, the first exploded directly in front of the circle killing ten people, including Sally Eglington the cinema's head usherette, a further one hundred people were injured. Although the front of the building and foyers remained intact, the second bomb had all but demolished the rear wall of the cinema. The building lay in a semi-derelict state for several years until after the end of World War II when, in July 1946, local Birkenhead architects M.W. & W.M. Shennan were employed to draw plans for the renovation of the cinema. A second-hand Christie 2Manual 8 ranks organ originally installed in the La Scala Cinema, Glasgow, and later moved to the Regent Cinema, Stotfold, Bedfordshire, was purchased to replace the badly damaged Compton organ. It had been reconditioned by the Wurlitzer Company. The building work progressed with some speed and Billy Cotton and His Band took the stage for the Grand Re-Opening Show Ritz on the 13th of January 1947.The Ritz Theatre had been taken over by the Essoldo Cinemas chain on the 26th of August 1954, and was re-named Essoldo. It was later converted into an Essoldo Bingo Club, then a Ladbrokes Bingo Club and later operated as a Top Rank Bingo Club, before closing as a Mecca Bingo Club in early November 1997. It was demolished in September/October 2000, and the land is now used as a car park with proposals for a housing development.
Douglas Reeve BBC Broadcast December 1950s #Organbroadcast #Douglas Reeve Bramley Productions 2023-12-23 | Douglas Reeve BBC Broadcast December 1950s. This is a Douglas Reeve BBC Light Programme Broadcast From the Brighton Dome Organ sometime in December in the 1950s, As on the Tape box it just said DR 1950s December! So this is well over 60 years old.
Tilly Table Lamp TL136 Repair. Bramley Productions 2023-12-23 | Tilly Table Lamp TL136 Repair. Can we get this going after many years in a box! I never had any experience of Tilly lamps!
Eric Winstone Orchestra BBC Radio 2 1971 Bramley Productions 2023-12-17 | Eric Winstone Orchestra BBC Radio 2 1971. Something a bit different Not Organ! I came across these tapes many years ago they had been pulled out of a skip It seems these tapes belonged to Eric Winstone himself and have very colourful comments on the boxes in Winstone's own handwriting that you can read still as they at some point in time have got damp again. Eric Winstone led a very colourful life Indeed! And for more info do read his Wikipedia page. In the 1950s and was well known for touring Holiday Camps such as Butlins & Pontins with his orchestra in the summer seasons. He was part of a well-known Court case in 1957 when he took Diana Dors to court for failing to turn up to sing with the orchestra at an RAF charity event at Clacton and hence said she had breached her contract. She then sued him for slander after he told the story in a colourful fashion to a newspaper reporter! One of the great big band-style Orchestras of the day way back then. He was featured on BBC radio most of his career as an orchestra leader and pianist. Eric Winstone 1913 to 1974.
Tom Jenkins Plaza Swansea Christie Organ BBC Bramley Productions 2023-12-03 | Tom Jenkins Plaza Swansea Christie Organ BBC.An organist and Christie organ I had never heard before. Sadly very poor quality! As another 5 minutes from the paper-backed tape, the rest had delaminated all too far sadly and this little section took some detailed bodging to get it to play! But thought it was another historic few minutes of a cinema and Christie cinema organ and organist long gone. The Plaza Cinema was a grand imposing building on Swansea’s Kingsway. It was the largest cinema to be erected in Wales and it opened on 14th February 1931 with Paul Whiteman in “King of Jazz”. The cinema was equipped with a Christie 3Manual/10 Rank cinema organ which was opened by Tom Jenkins. Tom Jenkins, a native of Neath, began his musical studies on the piano at the age of seven. Between the ages of twelve and seventeen ne was mainly engaged in piano competitions and Eisteddfodau where he won 185 prizes. His piano teacher, who was also an organist in a large church at Neath, began to give him lessons on the organ, but in less than a year the teacher died and Tom Jenkins took his place as the organist at the age of seventeen.Eighteen months later he became organist and choirmaster and assisted Dr. Hopkin Evans in forming the Neath Choral Society.The war broke out, and he joined the Glamorganshire Yeomanry, where he played the clarinet in the regimental band. After the war, he became an assistant organist toFrederick Dalrymple at Tredegarville Baptist Church. Cardiff, and also served as organist in two other Cardiff churches.He left Cardiff to take up a cinema job, and for four years worked as an organist for silent pictures. When the Cardiff Plaza opened, Tom Jenkins was appointed musical director of the orchestra from 1926 to 1931, since when he has been the organist and manager of the Swansea Plaza. He gave his first broadcast from there in 1932, and subsequently broadcast every week for years.
Organist Entertains Midland Console Memories 1972. Bramley Productions 2023-11-29 | While sifting through more old reel-to-reel tapes! I came across this March 1st 1972 edition of the BBC Radio 2 Organist Entertains. And with the many old BBC Home Service "Midland Console" programme recordings I have posted on Youtube. I thought this was quite an interesting listen!
Reginald Dixon BBC Music To Start Your Day 1976. Bramley Productions 2023-11-27 | Reginald Dixon BBC Music To Start Your Day. This week we have a late Broadcast by Reginald Dixon from 28th March 1976. These Sunday Morning BBC Radio 2 Broadcast with a Brass Band were shared throughout the year with so many weeks of Dudley Savage at the Plymouth Compton Plus Brass Band. Then So many weeks of Douglas Reeve Organ with a Brass Band. And also Reginald Dixon did so many weeks likewise. These are only the Reginald Dixon excerpts from this week in question no band. It's good to have a later broadcast to post, but hard to think this is 47 years ago now! The Organ Reginald Dixon is playing here on the broadcast is the third BBC Theatre Organ which was the Ex Empress Ballroom Blackpool Wurlitzer. Which the BBC purchased and installed in the BBC PlayHouse theatre in Manchester in 1971.
Trevor Willetts Ritz Barnsley BBC Broadcast August 1960 #wurlitzer #organbroadcast Bramley Productions 2023-11-13 | Trevor Willetts Ritz Barnsley BBC Broadcast August 1960. Sadly again not the best quality recording seems like it was recorded off the radio in someone's kitchen back in the day at one point sounded like someone is making a cup of tea and a dog barks a couple of times! But well it is 63 years old. I had never heard the Ritz Barnsley 3/7 rank + piano Wurlitzer organ in the hands of Trevor Willetts who was resident organist for many years right up to the organ being removed I think from the Ritz Barnsley. So another historic full BBC Light Programme 1960s Organ broadcast saved from a very poorly stored reel-to-reel tape.
Reginald Dixon Excerpts BBC Radio 1967 Bramley Productions 2023-10-31 | Reginald Dixon Excerpts BBC Radio 1967. A few more Reginald Dixon offerings here. These are recorded from the old BBC Light programme "Blackpool Night". Which went out in summertime on Saturday evening and often was repeated on Sunday afternoon as well. This was a radio variety show. So here are the Reginald Dixon excerpts from August 1967. These were found on every early Philips Cassette so again recorded some 56 years ago I assume straight off a radio of that period radio. I would assume had been recorded on a small mono cassette recorder of that period. The Cassette tape had only been launched by Philips at the August Berlin Radio show in 1963. So even by 1967 had not taken off due to the price of any cassette player recorder and the cassette tapes. A lot of tape hiss on this recording I tried to reduce this as much as possible without killing the recording which is very easy to do as the recording was quite weak as opposed to older '60s Reel to Reel tape recordings often being far too strong! Mind it is amazing how any of these tapes have lasted so well this had a few breaks which needed the old cassette taken to bits then joined back and put in a newer cassette case to play and copy.
Dudley Savage On BBC Songs Of Praise 1992 Bramley Productions 2023-10-29 | Dudley Savage BBC Songs Of Praise 1992. Use the Chapters below to skip if you just want to see the Dudley Savage Section of the program. BBC Songs Of Praise presenter Pam Rodes Talks to Organist Dudley Savge for a few minutes he is seated and then plays a hyme on the Paul Corin Wurlitzer. This was back in 1992 when his Magnificant Music Machines Museum was open at St Keyne Near Looe Cornwall. This Wurlitzer was originally in the Regent Cinema Brighton then in 1971 was moved to the Pavilion Bath and then moved on to Paul Corin's ownership in Cornwall. Chapters00:00 BBC Songs Of Praise From Looe Cornwall.19:06 Dudley Savage Talks To Pam Rodes.24:26 Dudley Savage End.24:27 BBC Songs Of Praise to end.
BBC Radio 2 Gladys Mills & Reginald Dixon Last Show 1971#Reginalddixon#Mrs Mills Bramley Productions 2023-10-24 | BBC Radio 2 Gladys Mills & Reginald Dixon. This is the last show in this long-running Friday morning BBC Radio2 radio show from 1971. Sadly this one is not the best quality recording I think this was recorded from 1500M Longwave where Radio2 was in those days sadly not a VHF/FM recording as I have said before in 1971 FM was still very patchy in the UK and a lot of people did not even still have radio sets with a VHF/FM band on even back then. Still, it is what it is. I thought it quite historic as their 26-week run came to an end on the 1st of October 1971 in this last show. Of all the many broadcasts Reginald Dixon had done over the years, this was his longest series run on BBC radio as I say at 26 weeks. I was told by an old friend who worked in the production side of Radio 2 back in the early 1970s told me he thought that another series was planned but for some unknown reason never came off in 1972.Maybe by that point in time BBC Radio2 had settled into a more DJ-led daytime feel with longer programmes and Radio2 was beginning to change by 1972. Reginald Dixon was still broadcasting the BBC Wurlitzer in Manchester but was doing a request-type radio show early on Sunday mornings for a half-hour slot.
BBC TV Local News Tribute To Organist Dudley Savagedley Sava Bramley Productions 2023-10-22 | BBC TV SpotLight South West Region news tribute to the organist Dudley Savage MBE. A huge thank you to William Moore who kindly sent me this item. Dudley Savage MBE was a British organist and broadcaster who for many years broadcast a hospital request programme on the BBC West Country Region then BBC Radio 2. On a Sunday morning "As Prescribed" from the (ABC) Royal Cinema in Plymouth with its very distinctive 3/8 Rank + Melotone Compton organ. He had played this organ from 18 in 1938 when the Royal first opened. He both introduced and played requests on the Royal Compton organ. "As Prescribed" ran from June 1948 until 1979. He also gave numerous theatre /cinema organ concerts up and down the country over his long playing career. Another organist of note once wrote saying he had an incredibly distinctive style with a particular gift for harmony. At the time of his passing in 2008, the UK Cinema Organ Society said that Dudley was someone who had delighted organ fans up and down the UK and into Europe over so many years. I do agree with this being a lifelong fan of this superb organist. Sadly Dudley Savage passed away on the 25th of November 2008 in his beloved Cornwall.I have no right of ownership on this clip whatsoever and I have put it on YouTube strictly for historic and educational use only.
Fire Lighters In 5 Mins #firelighters #homemadefirelighters Bramley Productions 2023-10-18 | Fire Lighters In 5 Mins. With the price of firefighters so high for what they are, I decided to try to make my own this year but do they work?
Dansette Needs A New Home ! #vintageRecordplayer #Dansette Bramley Productions 2023-10-15 | Dansette Needs A New Home ! Well what more can I say apart from Reginald Foort getting in on the act as well from the Regal Marble Arch Cinema.
Midland Console BBC Savoy Radford Coventry.#cinemaorgan #wurlitzer Bramley Productions 2023-10-15 | Midland Console BBC Savoy Radford Coventry. Here is a rare BBC Home Service, Midland Console Programme believed to have been recorded in the late 1950s. Now sadly I have to say the quality of parts if not all of this recording is of very poor quality. This again was taken from the paper-backed quarter-inch reel-to-reel tape so has taken an age to get this copied off this tape. As this tape seems to break every few feet you run! As a warning, there is blasting and distortion interference you name it this tape has got it! But I thought this was such a historic broadcast as this I believe was the only time this small Coventry Wurlitzer organ of 2 manuals and 5 ranks of pipes was ever broadcast. In the 1980s with my then great interests in the Forum Cinema Coventry and the 3/8 rank Conacher organ that came from that Coventry Cineam, I became friendly with Clifford Bayliss who still lived in Coventry and had been both organist and manager of the Forum Cinema. The Forum cinema, in Walsgrave Coventry, was also a Philpot family-owned cinema like the Radford Road Savoy. Cillford Bayliss had played all the organs in the Philpot Circuit cinemas and this rather small Wurlitzer was his favourite of all the Philpot cinemas with organs in Coventry. He used to wax lyrical about this Wurlitzer and told me for such a small unit organ how good it sounded whilst playing and in the auditorium of the Savoy Cinema. Interesting to note the great organist Eric Lord opened this small Wurlitzer organ in 1938. A good deal smaller than the 3/19 Paramount Newcastle Wurlitzer he also played The Savoy Cinema Radford Road Coventry. The cinema was built for and was operated by the local independent Philpot Circuit. It was opened on 2nd July 1938 with Gary Cooper in "Lives of a Bengal Lancer". Designed in a splendid Art Deco style to the plans of noted Coventry architect T.D. Griffiths, and was designed by his assistant A. Hendy.The cinema had a modern façade, with large windows above the entrance, which allowed light into the circle foyer. Inside the auditorium seating was provided for 1,350 in the stalls and 500 in the circle. The proscenium was 48 feet wide. The Savoy Cinema was equipped with a Wurlitzer 2Manual/5Ranks organ, which was opened by organist Eric Lord. Above the entrance foyer was a ballroom, which could accommodate 150.In early 1941, a German air raid damaged the Savoy Cinema by blowing its roof off. It was repaired and was set to reopen on Easter Monday, but the building was bombed again, just two nights later. Further repairs were carried out and it eventually re-opened in August 1941.The Savoy Cinema was closed in June 1962. It was initially planned to convert the building into a 10-pin bowling alley.The bowling alley was a short-lived venture, and the building soon became a bingo club. In 2010, it was operated as a Gala Bingo Club. In June 2018 it was re-named Buzz Bingo Club.
Charles Smitton April 1964 BBC Gaumont State Wurlitzer. Bramley Productions 2023-10-02 | Charles Smitton At the Gaumont State Theatre Kilburn London. A BBC broadcast from April 1964 hard to believe is now nearly 60 years ago As always Charles Smitton getting so great sounds from the Gaumont State 4/17 rank Wurlitzer organ. There again this was recorded in 1964 straight from a radio onto a mono tape recorder of the day so the sound quality is by no means up to today's standards.
Time To Sweep My Own Chimney. Bramley Productions 2023-09-29 | Time To Sweep My Own Chimney. It is that time of the year when it is time to get the chimney swept and ready to start having open fires again very important to have a clean soot-free flue as chimney fires can be very nasty when a build-up of soot burns in the chimney and can soon spread to the roof as chimney fires burn so very hot. I have worked on flues that have been on fire many years ago and where the extreme heat has cracked exterior brick and stone work on the chimney! This is how I go about sweeping the chimney.
Vintage TV Now The Right Way Up! Bramley Productions 2023-09-26 | Vintage TV Now The Right Way Up! Who spotted another one of my blunders on the last video re the Bush TV 62 from 1957? After a little more work, the set seems to work extremely well now and I am more than pleased with the results. And the cabinet is in such good condition and has started to clean up so well. The camera does not do the picture justice really and any dark bands you can see are from the camera.
Vintage Bush TV 62 Update Bramley Productions 2023-09-18 | Vintage Bush TV62 Update! So after some more work where I am now with the Silicon sealant bodge on this vintage TV with the perished rubber internal wiring. Will it ever show a picture again? Sorry, I have had to trim out part of the Test Card music as it hit a copyright problem so my apologies I thought this music maybe sneak through but no! at 6:12 to 7:06.
BBC As Prescribed Dudley Savage 1969 Bramley Productions 2023-09-09 | BBC As Prescribed Dudley Savage 1969. While looking and listening or trying to at more old reel-to-reel tapes a few weeks ago I came across another addition of Dudley Savage's "As Prescribed" Sunday Morning Radio show. Dating from the 1st of September 1969 so now 54 years ago and as it went out in early September I thought it was fitting for this video to go out now. It was on sadly another poor shed stored reel-to-reel tape I have tried a new way to dry the tape out and actually dried this out in a small oven! Yes, I did say oven! Tape for tea? No. This was done on a very low setting just to get the tape to run and come off the spool as this tape does tend to go sticky when poorly stored for many years! However, I did get the programme copied off the tape but sadly the music items that Dudley plays are slightly distorted due to how the tape was recorded all those 54 years ago so my apologies about that when you have recordings like this there is sadly little you can do to improve on the sound and the distortion was done on that original day of recording sadly. However, I feel these are so historic I have still decided to upload the video. And on a personal note, I love just hearing Dudley Savage reading the request in his wonderful manner and take on things Radio days like this are long gone when I listen to odd bits of the likes of Radio 2 today! And sadly there can be few people left that he mentions in this recording now we are 54 years on. Some things have changed for the better in that time but other things seemed so much simpler and happier back then. Thank you, Dudley.
Watson Holmes Opera House Blackpool BBC Broadcast 1961 Bramley Productions 2023-09-09 | Watson Holmes Opera House Blackpool BBC Broadcast 1961. One of the Blackpool organists has not featured on my channel before but is a very fine organist I'm told he was a small and very friendly and spritely chap with jet-black hair and was may be overshadowed by the other Blackpool organist of that day. This broadcast dates from 1961. I believe Watson Holmes did, in fact, open the Palace Ballroom Wurlitzer in Blackpool in 1947 when that organ was installed coming from Madame Tussaud's in London to Blackpool and the Palace Ballroom. But it was always thought of as very small for the Palace Ballroom Blackpool and was removed in the early 1960s. A point of interest here is this organ was considered for installation in the New Hall of the then Northampton Grammar School and staff went to view it but was sold before they had a chance to move on with it and hence in time they brought the Forum Coventry Conacher organ instead.
Silicone On A Vintage TV! Bramley Productions 2023-08-27 | Silicone Used On A Vintage TV! This silicon sealant seems to get everywhere these days people seem to think it can be used anywhere. A few weeks ago I saw some pictures where it had been used or tried to be used to seal Theatre Organ Wind chests! Not good! And now I find used here. Whatever next! We will Put this right and see if we can get this set up and running again bearing in mind this set was sold as restored! And working this is not good.
Was This The Best Boat In Its Class Bramley Productions 2023-08-24 | Was this boat the best in its class? A look at another older UK canal and river use GRP boat from yesteryear that could still offer great value cruising on a budget today. I have been Boating for over 56 years now And have written articles over the years for a number of boating publications and magazines on smaller UK inland GRP boats and maintaining them and other boat-related topics. I love talking boats. boatsandoutboards.co.uk/resources/best-starter-river-boats-under-10-000/#:~:text=The%20Nauticus%2027%20was%20an,some%20of%20these%20cheaper%20boats. When looking or buying any older GRP boats it may be wise to have a survey done or certainly inspect the boat out of the water and give the boat a really close examination run your hand on the hull to feel for large bumps or lumps or blisters. And eye in along from the bow along the Hull to see if the hull looks smooth and look for signs of damage. Is any keel intact often GRP sheathing on a wooden keel can start to fall off a keel if the boat has been in shallow water. Always lift floors up in cockpits and look in bilges does water lay in bilges? Inspect fuel and water tanks for leaks or signs of corrosion. Likewise, check the fuel line from tanks to engines. Does the boat smell damp and fusty in the cabin? Look under in the seat locker for dampness or rot on timber. Use your nose in lockers and cupboards Has the hull got star-crazing often where it joins the superstructure from where it has been bumped about over the years in locks etc, looked around all the window rubbers inside and out to see if you can see signs of water ingress if you touch window rubber outside do your fingers get black on the from the rubber if yes this is a sign these window rubbers are life expired look at the glass in windows this is often dated and will give you a date of year approx when the boat was manufactured. Is the engine bay clean and free of oil? Likewise, is the engine clean? Does it smell of Diesel or Petrol in the engine compartment? Does the engine start easily from cold? All these types of things you can do yourself on viewing a second-hand older GRP boat.nauticus.co.uk
Calling All E bikers What Is The Best New E bike? Bramley Productions 2023-08-18 | Can you please advise me or recommend what is the best new e-bike to buy in the UK? My 9-year-old Volt Pulse is showing its age and I'm looking to upgrade to a new e-bike! So would love to get your thoughts and views on the best e-bikes right now! And also what e-bikes to avoid? Any e-bike must be UK road legal as an e-bike! And any good e-bike dealers or online outlets you know? Thanks.
Donald Thorne Granada Tooting BBC 1959 Bramley Productions 2023-08-18 | Donald Thorne Granada Tooting BBC 1959. Quite a rare broadcast of Donald Thorne believed from 1959. Donald Thorne had been a prolific broadcaster on the BBC of many cinemas and their organs. This time he is playing the 4 manual Wurlitzer organ that is in the Granada Tooting in South London. Not the best recording again taken from vintage reel-to-reel tape that is paper backed so it does wobble about a bit in places very hard to get this to run through at the right speed, to say the least, and add to the fact you only have to look at his tape and it breaks or delaminates of the paper backing! So not easy to work with so as this again was very bad stored tape I was quite happy with the end results.
Melody On The Move Robin Richmond BBC Local Radio Bramley Productions 2023-08-18 | Melody On The Move. Another Robin Richmond Electronic organ BBC radio programme. This time this one dates from 1973 and was made for some of the new BBC Local radio stations I know this went out on Local BBC London And BBC Birmingham it may well have gone out on others as well. This time Robin Richmond plays the Rodgers Electronic theatre organ.
Harry Farmer BBC Light Programme 1956 Bramley Productions 2023-07-26 | Harry Farmer BBC Light Programme 1956 Electronic Organ. Another recording from these paperback 1950s reel-to-reel quarter-inch tapes I have. In fact, I have lost count of how many times this tape broke when attempting to play it. This tape has been a nightmare there are more joins in this and to be honest I lost count at the end of just how many there were! And it still would not play well but in the end, I managed to get it transferred and amazingly it does not sound too bad. Harry Farmer had broadcast right from the 1930s for the BBC on cinema organs from many locations but here we have him playing a Hammond organ I assume in 1956 for a 15-minute broadcast.
Around Robin BBC Light programme. Bramley Productions 2023-07-24 | Around Robin BBC Light programme. Organist Robin Richmond way back on the BBC Light Programme in 1961. Found on an old reel-to-reel tape quite a rarety these few minutes of this "Around Robin" programme. Robin Richmond had broadcast many programmes for BBC radio over the year. And will always be best remembered for his long stint hosting the Organist Entertains from his conception of the show in the summer of 1969 up to 1980. Not the best quality recording well it is 62 years old.
Ronald Curtis Odeon Leeds BBC 1968 Bramley Productions 2023-07-24 | Ronald Curtis Odeon Leeds BBC 1968. Ron Curtis playing the wonderful 3/19 rank Wurlitzer organ that was in the Paramount / Odeon Leeds in a late BBC Radio 2 cinema organ broadcast from 1968.
BBC Midland Console Phil Finch Cheltenham Compton Bramley Productions 2023-07-12 | BBC Midland Console Phil Finch Cheltenham Compton. The 3C/8 rank Compton organ was installed in March 1933 for the opening of the Gaumont Palace (later re-named Gaumont then the Odeon Theatre) in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, namely Diapason, Tibia Clausa, Stopped Flute, Violin, Violin Celeste, Krummet, Vox Humana and Tuba. Thus, in the parlance of theatre organists, it was a 3C/8, meaning it had three manuals (the top one being a coupler) with eight pipe ranks. In addition, four sets of tonal percussions were provided; namely Vibraphone, Glockenspiel, Xylophone and Chimes, plus the usual set of drums, cymbals and other special effects.The opening performance on the organ was played by the acclaimed theatre organist of the day, Frederick Bayco. It remained in continuous use in the theatre until 1968 when it was removed for shipping to Australia. Surprisingly, the Cheltenham organ was the first Compton theatre pipe organ to be 'exported' from the UK. It was bought by a commercial concern which owned the Dendy Theatre in Brighton, Melbourne. And later on, went to the Albert Hall Canberra location. Phil Finch was a regular cinema organ broadcaster on the BBC back then often on the Moller BBC thrate organ or other organs. As always this was recorded off a radio onto a 1950s reel-to-reel tape recorder so the sound quality is not up to today's high standards.
BBC Midland Console 1957 Charles Smitton Bramley Productions 2023-07-11 | BBC Midland Console 1957 Charles Smitton Playing the Windsor Theatre Compton Organ in Bearwood Smethwick, near Birmingham. Sadly not the best quality recording! But this was recorded on a 1950s reel-to-reel tape recorder off the radio some 66 years ago. The Compton 3Manual/8Ranks organ, and was opened by organist Reginald Maynard on the 29th of September 1930. The theatre also boasted a café for the convenience of its patrons.As well as films, variety acts were part of the programming in the early days, and after World War II had ended, it became a full time live theatre. The final production was the pantomime “Mother Goose” starring Dave Starr which ran for six weeks, and closed the Windsor Theatre on 6th February 1960. The Compton organ was removed from the building and installed in Oxley Parish Church, Wolverhampton.The building stood empty and unused for several years, and was then converted into an ice rink. This was closed in 1973 and the building again remained unused until 1980, when it became a nightclub. This was to be a short-lived venture, which closed in 1982. It was then converted into a snooker club. By 2017 it was a bar, named Windsor Theatre which feature live music acts. By 2021 the building was unused and was put up ‘For Sale’ by auction on 19th May 2021. It is a locally Listed building. Charles Smitton was a fine organist and broadcast on many organs and for many years for the BBC. He is noted for playing the big Queen Wurlitzer in the Paramount /Odeon Manchester where he was resident organist.
BBC Light Prog Memories The NDO Bramley Productions 2023-07-10 | BBC Light Program Memories the NDO (BBC Northern Dance Orchestra). If like me you grew up in the 1960s in a house where the BBC Light Program was often on. Then you would have heard the NDO in many broadcasts. I know the NDO was always a favourite of my mothers and the volume knob on the big old Pye Fenman valve radio up on the kitchen dresser would have been turned up loud if they play something fast and in a pop style and beat! And she would soon be dancing around the kitchen. What great memories and music this was and the fantastic NDO must be remembered for all the broadcasts they did over the years.
Toast 1962 Style Bramley Productions 2023-07-09 | Toast 1962 Style. This was given to me a few weeks ago after being found in an old house that need modernisation works and had been left in a big old cupboard where it had been left for many years. So can I make it work?
Brexit Parcel madness! Bramley Productions 2023-07-03 | Brexit Parcel Madness! Brexit hit home with me over four weeks ago now when I tried to buy something in Northern Germany. Pre-Brexit this would have been all so easy but the parcel in the end took well over 2 weeks to finally get to me! Here in the UK.
Terance Casey BBC Compton Watford Town Hall 1964 Bramley Productions 2023-06-05 | Terance Casey BBC Broadcast 1964 Watford Town Hall Compton. I have finally got back to searching through my many old organ reel-to-reel tapes. The first one we have here is Terance Casey giving a broadcast in November 1964 on the Compton organ that had been moved from the Gaumont Palace Cinema in Chelsea to Watford Town Hall in 1960. This was a Compton organ of 3 manuals with 13 Ranks of pipes. I was always said to have been one of the best Compton organs. Ternace Casey had opened the Compton organ in the Gaumont Palace Chelsea when it opened in 1934. So it was very fitting he gave this BBC Broadcast some 30 years later in November 1964 when the organ had moved to Watford Town Hall.
Arnold Loaxm Blackpool Tower Wurlitzer Bramley Productions 2023-03-25 | Arnold Loaxm Blackpool Tower Wurlitzer. A Short and rather poor quilty video clip of Arnold Loxam at the Blackpool Tower Ballroom Wurlitzer organ in the early 1990s.
Ena Baga BBC Broadcast State Kilburn 1967 Bramley Productions 2023-03-21 | Ena Baga BBC Broadcast State Kilburn 1967. Ena Baga was such a great organist I was fortunate enough to meet Ena Baga on a number of occasions and heard her play live. She came from such a musical family and was indeed a very gifted musician and organist. I always very much loved her style of playing and the music that she played and I think this is a great programme of music she plays here at the lovely Gaumont State Cinema Wurlitzer organ or 4 manuals at 17 ranks. way back in July 1967. I was lucky and through the great Les Rawle I got to see the State organ chambers a number of times even somewhere I have a set of 35mm slides I took of the chambers and organ console. I really must look those out I was always amazed at how tight for space the organ chambers were for such a vast building and how small the organ blower was for the size organ! Such a shame there is no longer concert here I think I went to so many great concerts at the State over the years.
Robin Richmond Remembers Horace Finch Bramley Productions 2023-03-20 | Robin Richmond Remembers Horace Finch. I found this while listening to some of my old 1971 BBC Radio 2 Organist Entertains taped radio shows. I thought it was interesting as the small section of the Horace Finch BBC broadcast that Robin Richmond plays is in fact 65 years ago to this very day as I'm posting this on March the 20th 2023. In my view, one of the finest organists of that halcyon period in Blackpool when all those great organists like Finch Dixon, and Broadbent just to name three were all so modest saying it was the location that made the sound so good well that is true enough. But it was their unique playing styles and fantastic registration that made this incredible sound for sure.
Trevor Willetts Leeds Odeon Wurlitzer BBC 1967 Bramley Productions 2023-03-17 | Trevor Willetts Leeds Odeon Wurlitzer BBC 1967. Another much later broadcast by Trevor Willetts this time on the magnificent 3/19 rank Wurlitzer in the Paramount/Odeon Theatre Leeds. From the old BBC Light Programme broadcast in January 1967.
Restored Mamod Steam Engine Test Run Bramley Productions 2023-03-14 | Restored Mamod Steam Engine Test Run. At last, the paint was hard enough for a test run of the Mamod Stationry steam engine so will it work after all these years?
Trevor Willetts BBC Ritz Nuneaton Compton Organ. Bramley Productions 2023-03-14 | Trevor Willetts BBC Ritz Nuneaton Compton Organ. Another Midland Console from the late 1950s or early 1960s there again this recording came from that poor paperback reel-to-reel tape. So sadly the quality is not great.
A Mamod For Restoration Bramley Productions 2023-03-14 | A Mamod For Restoration. I found my old Manod stationary engine which had been languishing in a box for well over 40 years. One of the best toys I had back in 1969!
Mamod Steam Engine Restore. Bramley Productions 2023-03-13 | Mamod Steam Engine Restore. Can I get my Mamod Christmas present from 1969 Much loved and treasured Mamod Stationary Steam engine looking in better shape again! after 30 years in a box? Well, watch the video to see!
The Amazing Aladdin Lamp Bramley Productions 2022-12-31 | The Amazing Aladdin Lamp. This Aladdin model 23 paraffin lamp was brought in a box with spare parts many years ago now at a local auction for £5 can I get it going? Thought it would come in handy in any power cuts they keep warning us about that may happen in the UK this winter.As with all paraffin lamps and heaters if used indoors do use them with great caution! And make sure the lamp can't be knocked or fall over also use it in a well-ventilated room well and even better have a Carbon Monoxide detector/alarm fitted in the room you are using a paraffin lamp or heater in.
Thank You & UK Theatre Organ Quiz Bramley Productions 2022-12-24 | Here Are the Answers to the Quiz.1. Simon Gledhill at The COS Marston Green 3/10 Rank Compton organ Birmingham 1980s. This was recorded for the BBC Radio 2 show "The Organist Entertains". This organ had originally been in the Tower Cinema West Bromwich. The Organ has since moved again first to St Martin's School Solihull. And then to Fentham Hall. Hampton-In-Arden, Solihull, West Midlands. Where it still resides today kept in fantastic condition and is still maintained by the Midland District of the Cinema Organ Society members. 2. Robinson Cleaver. At The Savoy Cinema Coventry. At the 2/5 rank Wurlitzer organ. This I believe is the only recording ever made of the small Coventry Savoy Wurlitzer organ. This was recorded for The BBC Home Service "Midland Console" Program in the late 1950s. The organ was a favourite organ of many of the Midland cinema organists who played on the Philpot Cinema circuit. And one-time organist/manager of the Forum Cinema, Coventry. Clifford Bayliss much preferred the Savoy small Wurlitzer to the 3c/8 rank, Conacher, Organ he played in the Forum Cinema Coventry. (Tape From Cillford Bayliss.)3. Robert Wolf. at the BBC Theatre Organ N03 at The PlayHouse Theatre Hume Manchester. The Organ was A Wurlitzer 3/13rank which had been moved in 1970 from the Empress Ballroom Blackpool to the PlayHouse Theatre Manchester by the BBC for their use. This recording was made in the 1980s For the BBC Radio 2 Show "The Organist Entertains".4. Ken Stroud. At the State Cinema Grays Essex. A Compton Organ of 3/6rank This was recorded in the late 1970s or early 80s for the BBC Radio 2 Show "The Organist Entertains".5. Ernest Broadbent. Playing the Worthing Wurlitzer. The Worthing Wurlitzer is a combination of a number of Wurlitzer organs. This was recorded for the BBC Radio 2 show "The Organist Entertains" in the early 1980s.6, Ena Baga. This is one of the rare two 78 rpm records she made during her wartime residency at the Blackpool Tower Ballroom while Reginald Dixon served in the RAF. This has been broadcast many times on the BBC Radio 2 show "The Organist Entertains" first by Robin Richmond the first presenter and Nigel Ogden who took over presenting the show in 1980.7, William Davies. Playing the former Gaumont Chelsea Compton Organ which was a 3/13rank Compton organ and had been moved to Watford Townhall in 1960. And was always considered to be one of the best Compton organs. This recording was made in 1965 for a 30-minute morning broadcast on the BBC Radio Light Program.8. Nicholas Martin Playing The 3/19+ piano Turners Musical Merry Go Round Northampton. The Ex Paramount Newcastle Upon Tyne 3/19 rank Wurlitzer which was removed from the Paramount Theatre Newcastle in 1964. By 1972 After being in Storage since its removal the organ found a new home at Kitchen Bros Garage Showroom in Diss Norfolk where it stayed till 1982. From Diss, it came to Northampton and the new Turner's venue. The Wurlitzer stayed for 20 years at Turners in Northampton before the venue closed. The organ is now in storage. This recording was played on the BBC Radio 2 Show "The Organist Entertains" in the mid-1980s. 9. Geoff Stephenson. Regal Cinema Rotherham 3/9rank Conacher organ. This was recorded in 1970 and the recording was made for the BBC Radio 2. Lunchtime show "Accent On Melody" hosted by Sam Costa. The organ was later moved from the cinema in the 1980s to a home installation in Staffordshire. But has now moved again to Melton Mobrey Leicestershire where it is currently undergoing a full restoration to open in a new exciting venue.10, Charles Smitton. The Winsdor Theatre Bearwood Smethwick West Midlands. The organ is a 3/c8rank Compton. This was recorded in the late 1950s for the BBC Radio Home Service "Midland Console" program. The organ was removed in 1962 and was used in a church installation I believe.11. Trevor Willets.The Ritz Cinema Barnsley. The organ was a Wurlitzer of 3/7rank. This was recorded for a daytime 30-minute broadcast on the BBC Light Program in August 1960. Trevor Willets was the longest-serving resident organist at the Ritz Barnsley who play from 1943 until 1962. The organ was removed in 1969 when it was sold to a private buyer.12. Frank Newman. The Plaza /Granada Cinema Rugby. Which had a Christie organ 3/8rank. A late 1950s or early 1960s recording made for the BBC Home Service Radio "Midland Console" program.
BBC Midland Console Regal Derby Trevor Willets 1950s Bramley Productions 2022-12-20 | BBC Midland Console Regal Derby Trevor Willets 1950s.This recording is from another one of the 1950s paperback reel-to-reel tapes. I have to say the sound quality is not great on this one sadly but I have uploaded this for historical reasons there can't be many recordings of the small Regal/ABC Derby 3m/6 Rank Compton organ out there. On the tape box, it says recordings date 1956 /58. And I have no other info. So I assume this Regal/ABC Derby recording dates from that period. Again a total nightmare to try to transfer this as you only have to look at this 60+-year-old paperback tape and you have a pile of tape and paper backing all over the place! So in a way, I was quite pleased with the end result as I did not even think this reel was going to play! It has spent 9 months in the Airing Cupboard as came from a very damp garage where the paper backing had got very damp. There is no doubt Trever Willits was indeed a very fine organist and for all the cracks and pops and mic blasting on this tape he makes this little 6-rank Compton sound much bigger in this BBC Home Service Midland Console Broadcast.
Reginlad Dixon Last BBC Broadcast of 1969 Bramley Productions 2022-12-18 | Reginald Dixon Last BBC Broadcast of 1969. Here are the Reginald Dixon sections of his last BBC Radio 2 show with Moira Anderson he did in the summer of 1969. This is the last show which went out on the 21st of September 1969 this in fact was the last series that Reginald Dixon ever did from the Tower Ballroom Wurlitzer organ as the following year at Easter 1970 he retired and gave his farewell concert from the Tower Ballroom Blackpool Wurlitzer organ. I assume Reg Dixon would have known this at the time so this must have been quite an emotional recording for him knowing this was the very last broadcast in this series. Reginald Dixon went on to broadcast from the BBC Wurlitzer in the Playhouse Manchester after he had retired from the Blackpool Tower. There again taken from a rather old and frail reel-to-reel tape so not the best quality and was recorded off a 1960s radio.
