Bob Le-Roi Commercial Broadcaster

Knock Deep 1985

1985 was the beginning of the final curtain for UK Offshore Radio, closure was just a few short years away. Arriving in the Thames Estuary in 1983 the 'Communicator', a former Guardline vessel languished in Margate Roads mooring for some months before coming on air. Laser 558, a so called wholly American operation more music less talk format was instantly successful, she cleaned up and hit the British ILR stations badly and even stole listeners from dedicated Radio Caroline listeners

Managers at ILR in the South East, once Pirate's themselves prompted the British Government to take action with what was dubbed 'Eurosiege' here are some pictures from that crazy time : Knock Deep 1985

Royal Iris

With an inborn love of the sea it was during an outside broadcast on the Thames that I noticed a tired ferry hulk close to the Thames Barrier

After a broadcast from a Thames Clipper eager to find out more about the old Hulk. Exploring the Thames Path, since she lay in a secure area permission was sought to access the to view her at close quarters. A subsequent broadcast was made alongside the ship and research began into her history : Royal Iris

Radio Sutch & City - Part 20

For 'fun' Harm Koeders has been producing fine colour images from old monochrome photographs taken during the heady 1960's period of Offshore Radio

His series of pictures covers a variety of the stations that broadcast around the British Coast

But by far and away the most prolific number of images are those of the old Radio Sutch and Radio City that operated from the former Maunsell WWII Army Forts on Shivering Sands

With Harm's permission, we have already inserted a number of his images into the body of our website

However, we felt it worth producing a dedicated page in our series of features on the stories behind Radio Sutch and City. We hope you enjoy : Radio Sutch & City - Part 20

Fort Rinella - Malta

The Big Armstrong 1 Ton Gun, the history in text, video clips and photographs and the gun firing at one of Malta's many coastal Forts : Fort Rinella

Red Sands Radio Productions

The 'Bob's 60's Splash' programme is produced, presented and broadcast from our Thames Estuary Studios. Heard on a growing number of UK stations a large part of Europe and further afield

Whitstable 'Steam Packet' : Public house photographs and history

Grand Fort Tour

Throughout the year the former Pilot Vessel 'X-Pilot' leaves her mooring on the River Medway Estuary at Queenborough, Sheerness and makes for the Second World War structures on sand banks off the Kent coast

The tips take in the sights of the Queenborough Harbour, the 19th Century Grain Gun Tower, Sheerness Docks, Garrison Point Fort, the wreck of the SS 'Richard Montgomery' close to the site of the Nore Fort. Then onwards to the Knock John Channel and the Knock John Naval Fort

Returning is via the Knob Channel to Shivering Sands Army Fort, the Vattenfall Wind Farm on Kentish Flats, the Red Sands Towers before setting back to port

Often conducted these tours give an insight to how it was to live and work on the Towers during both WWII, and the Offshore 'Pirate' Radio period of the mid 1960's : Grand Forts Tour

Offshore Documentaries

Lascaris War Rooms

In the centre of the Mediteraniant Sea was imperative the allies protect Malta's strategic location. The British began constructing a secret underground complex under the upper Barrakka Gardens on the North East side of Grand Habour, Valletta in 1940 : Lascaris War Rooms

The following pages have been updated

: BBMS - Part 2 : New Audio

: Fort Fax : Photographs

: Sutch & City Pics : 7 : 10 & 19 : Photographs

: Red Sands Themes : Photographs & detail

: Red Relics : Extra detail
N.B We are in the process or repacing all site audio from swf 'flash' to mp3 please be patient it's a long job!

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Red Sands Radio Productions, Tankerton-on-Sea, Whitstable, Kent, CT5 2PF, United Kingdom

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