Radio Sutch & City - Part 13

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A return to Shivering Sands with newly discovered material and a long lost 'Fort Friend'?

Anyone for tea? David Sutch does the honours in this picture taken shortly before his sad and premature death on 16th June 1999

An early Radio City taped show play-list, recorded shows were used when the tender visited, normally on a Monday, Thursday or Friday weather permitting

The Fort generally had a crew of three, seldom more than four, so it was all hands on deck to transfer supplies, fuel and water

The journey took 50 minutes each way in good weather the stay over at the Fort was around 20 minutes before returning to Whitstable picking up previously baited pots on the way back

Later once Tony & Paul had fitted the pallet they'd designed the tender held off & supplies could be taken aboard without the boat coming alongside the Tower in rougher conditions than could previously been attempted

Shivering Sands pictured above in 1967

This picture shows both the large antenna & scaffold poles employed for earlier horizontal aerials

The station advertised a power of a Kilowatt from early 1965 but in reality was 800 watts but with the inefficient horizontally slung aerial signal penetration was variable

With the 200' antenna power the amazing transmitter rebuild by Ian West increased to close on 2 Kilowatt but with such an efficient mast sounded much louder

Note that the Bofor's Tower taking the full brunt of the prevailing Westerly winds had already lost lower landing & fendering

A delegation from Radio London prepare to visit the Shivering Sands in June 1966

Pictured aboard a laden Harvester in Whitstable Harbour Tony Pine second left with Reg Calvert in discussion with, back to camera Senior announcer Duncan Johnson & Engineer Martin Newton

The Daily Mail of 25th June 1966

The raid that triggered a series of tragic events

Press pictures: Left Radio City's boss Reg Calvert shot by Oliver Smedley right

Dorothy Calvert assumed control of Radio City 'snapped' aboard the London Victoria - Ramsgate train in June 1966

The Tower of Power's 200' antenna points defiantly skywards

The pallet hoist in readiness for tendering as the Harvester makes its final approach

Dilapidated Catwalk from the Control Tower towards Gun Tower 2 (4) in 1969

Radio City having closed for the final time on 8th February 1967 the Shivering Sands Forts were once again abandoned to the elements & sea birds that make the Towers their home

Several visits by those aspiring to create a hippy commune, believe it or not another Radio Station and those just curious, taking away with them bits and pieces left behind by Radio City

The Generator Hall at the lower level of the Southern Gun Tower (1) an area much modified by Paul Elvey to accommodate a Lister and Detroit flat head diesel generator & two original trolley mounted baby Lister's previously housed in what was the men's washroom

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