Where might this have been then ?

[RichardB]

1920's

[Guest skeets]

1920's

a biit earlier 1907

[DaveH]

a biit earlier 1907

I thought the question was WHERE not WHEN,

But given that the horn on the right appears to be part of a phonograph (for playing cylinders) rather than a gramophone (for playing discs) I would go with skeets estimate on the date (1907) rather than the 1920's.

Having said that, a phonograph, using waxed cylinders could record as well as play back, - is this a recording device for recording someone playing that piano?

Is this an early and primitive recording studio?

We are talking a local location for the WHERE aren't we?

It's not the prototype for EMI Abbey Road studios in London (opened in 1931 I believe) or Thomas Edisons workshop in America is it?

[RichardB]

I thought the question was WHERE not WHEN,

But given that the horn on the right appears to be part of a phonograph (for playing cylinders) rather than a gramophone (for playing discs) I would go with skeets estimate on the date (1907) rather than the 1920's.

Having said that, a phonograph, using waxed cylinders could record as well as play back, - is this a recording device for recording someone playing that piano?

Is this an early and primitive recording studio?

We are talking a local location for the WHERE aren't we?

It's not the prototype for EMI Abbey Road studios in London (opened in 1931 I believe) or Thomas Edisons workshop in America is it?

We are looking for a local location.

Recording studio; well, close, but it has been mentioned on this site as some other kind of place ...

I cannot state the exact year (yes I do know but it would give the game away) but it is most certainly early 1920's. The device in question may indeed be from 1907, however, the place itself opened in the early '20's.

A "non-clue" just for your interest : Violet Carson was known to have been to this place.

[DaveH]

We are looking for a local location.

A "non-clue" just for your interest : Violet Carson was known to have been to this place.

Is it the snug in the Rover Return?

[RichardB]

Is it the snug in the Rover Return?

Belting answer and guess what ?

No !

[DaveH]

Belting answer and guess what ?

No !

Just found the answer on this site.

So as not to spoil the competition I will say no more (nudge, nudge, wink, wink)

But I will PM you the answer.

[RichardB]

Just found the answer on this site.

So as not to spoil the competition I will say no more (nudge, nudge, wink, wink)

But I will PM you the answer.

You are correct and you've discovered my Tsavo wind-up nethod - keep it secret ...

[madannie77]

Is it still a secret?

[hilldweller]

Is it still a secret?

The device with the horn is an early loudspeaker. I had one when I was a lad, you can see the two terminals on the front of the stand. I wish i still had it, I could retire on the proceeds, ( oh I am retired arn't I ).

I think it is the predecessor of Radio Sheffield, the early BBC radio station in Corporation Street.

It was my late mothers proud boast that she had recited a poem as a young lass on the station. Things don't change much do they,

HD

[duckweed]

I read when I was looking up some other records that there was a BBC relay station in Sheffield Central Library for a short time. Anyone know anything about this?

[Bayleaf]

I read when I was looking up some other records that there was a BBC relay station in Sheffield Central Library for a short time. Anyone know anything about this?

There was a tiny BBC radio studio in the Central Library for many years. It was rarely used, and disappeared when Radio Sheffield came along.

I think it was used to file reports rather than broadcast direct.

[hilldweller]

The device with the horn is an early loudspeaker. I had one when I was a lad, you can see the two terminals on the front of the stand. I wish i still had it, I could retire on the proceeds, ( oh I am retired arn't I ).

I think it is the predecessor of Radio Sheffield, the early BBC radio station in Corporation Street.

It was my late mothers proud boast that she had recited a poem as a young lass on the station. Things don't change much do they,

HD

I've been having a mooch around the t'internet and discovered a website with a lot of information about early BBC radio.

It's at:- www.mds975.co.uk

According to that site the BBC Sheffield station at Corporation Street was established 16/11/1923 and operated until 16/5/1931.

It's callsign was 6FL and it transmitted on 306.1 metres on the medium wave (980 kHz). Apparently it was classed as a relay station and the transmitter was rated at around 100 watts. The main stations (London 2LO & Manchester) were rated at around 1.5 KW.

Somewhere in one of my many books on Sheffield there is a picture of the actual transmitter apparatus but I can't locate it at the moment.

In the picture I have the transmitter components are completely open with no enclosures to protect people from the high voltages and R F radiation from the huge inductors and brightly glowing valves.

Today's elf and safety guys would have kittens.

HD

[DaveH]

I've been having a mooch around the t'internet and discovered a website with a lot of information about early BBC radio.

It's at:- www.mds975.co.uk

According to that site the BBC Sheffield station at Corporation Street was established 16/11/1923 and operated until 16/5/1931.

It's callsign was 6FL and it transmitted on 306.1 metres on the medium wave (980 kHz). Apparently it was classed as a relay station and the transmitter was rated at around 100 watts. The main stations (London 2LO & Manchester) were rated at around 1.5 KW.

Somewhere in one of my many books on Sheffield there is a picture of the actual transmitter apparatus but I can't locate it at the moment.

In the picture I have the transmitter components are completely open with no enclosures to protect people from the high voltages and R F radiation from the huge inductors and brightly glowing valves.

Today's elf and safety guys would have kittens.

HD

Just read the new bit in your profile HD

Now, with only 10W RF output power from the transmitter you would have to be driving fairly locally and getting a good strong signal to be playing Status Quo at 140dbA.

You would be Rocking All Over Corporation Street rather than Rocking All Over The World

Unless of course they also had a shortwave 10W transmitter and atmospheric Heavyside and Appleton layer propagation was favourable. ;-)

[hilldweller]

Just read the new bit in your profile HD

Now, with only 10W RF output power from the transmitter you would have to be driving fairly locally and getting a good strong signal to be playing Status Quo at 140dbA.

You would be Rocking All Over Corporation Street rather than Rocking All Over The World

Unless of course they also had a shortwave 10W transmitter and atmospheric Heavyside and Appleton layer propagation was favourable.

Quite why it's necessary to have a sound system with a claimed output power of 4 X 50 watts RMS and eight loudspeakers in a family car I'm not sure but it sure sounds great with the wick turned up a bit. Even with the windows threatening to blow out there's no noticable distortion. Only with the car stationary of course, I very seldom drive with the CD / radio playing and only then at low volume. I don't think Quo were around in 1931 when the station closed, I certainly wasn't.

HD

[DaveH]

Quite why it's necessary to have a sound system with a claimed output power of 4 X 50 watts RMS and eight loudspeakers in a family car I'm not sure HD

200W sound output, so the radio itselfmust be using more than that.

Now in a car,

a ) Using the radio without the engine running would quickly run the battery down. Using 200W on a 12V system requires a current of almost 17A, so a 100Ah battery would power it for around 6 hours at full volume and from a fully charged battery.

b ) Using the radio with the engine running would put a load on the alternator and increase fuel consumption significantly.

c ) Surely 140dbA (which is 10dbA above the pain threshold) in a small enclosed volume, if the windows were shut, would cause immediate and permenant damage to your ears anyway, - even if it wasn't "The Quo" playing.

[hilldweller]

c ) Surely 140dbA (which is 10dbA above the pain threshold) in a small enclosed volume, if the windows were shut, would cause immediate and permenant damage to your ears anyway, - even if it wasn't "The Quo" playing.

Well I did mention in my profile "Wondering why I'm going deaf" Pardon ?

As a young lad I once stood a few feet from the runway at RAF Finningly while 9 Vulcans took off with full re-heat from a point just in front of me. Now that WAS painful.

Incidently I've discovered the photo of the 6FL transmitter. It's on page 3 of Mr.Peter Harvey's Sheffield in the 1930's book.

HD

[DaveH]

Well I did mention in my profile "Wondering why I'm going deaf" Pardon ?

As a young lad I once stood a few feet from the runway at RAF Finningly while 9 Vulcans took off with full re-heat from a point just in front of me. Now that WAS painful.

Incidently I've discovered the photo of the 6FL transmitter. It's on page 3 of Mr.Peter Harvey's Sheffield in the 1930's book.

HD

As I remember from seeing a single Vulcan at Finnengley in 1976, when they pull the stick back to climb and go to full thrust with reheat, not only is it noisy, but the whole of the ground beneath your feet starts to vibrate like there is an earthquake. Probably more to do with low frequency sound, infrasound and resonance combined with the sheer power involved rather than the loudness of the sound in dbA as my hearing did survive this ordeal undamaged.

Same year another aircraft (can't remember the type, but it was a supersonic fighter type plane) flew past at relatively low altitude and at, according to the commentator, at over 900mph was another spectacle to behold. The plane shot past extremely fast, and silently as though it was a glider, then, when the plane had shot into the distance about to reach the horizon only then did the noise and the sound of its engines hit you, - again very loud and shaking the ground, but this time after the plane had almost gone out of sight.

[madannie77]

As I remember from seeing a single Vulcan at Finnengley in 1976, when they pull the stick back to climb and go to full thrust with reheat, not only is it noisy, but the whole of the ground beneath your feet starts to vibrate like there is an earthquake. Probably more to do with low frequency sound, infrasound and resonance combined with the sheer power involved rather than the loudness of the sound in dbA as my hearing did survive this ordeal undamaged. Same year another aircraft (can't remember the type, but it was a supersonic fighter type plane) flew past at relatively low altitude and at, according to the commentator, at over 900mph was another spectacle to behold. The plane shot past extremely fast, and silently as though it was a glider, then, when the plane had shot into the distance about to reach the horizon only then did the noise and the sound of its engines hit you, - again very loud and shaking the ground, but this time after the plane had almost gone out of sight.

Noise? what noise? pardon?

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Djd1pPQZ_LE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[hilldweller]

As I remember from seeing a single Vulcan at Finnengley in 1976, when they pull the stick back to climb and go to full thrust with reheat, not only is it noisy, but the whole of the ground beneath your feet starts to vibrate like there is an earthquake. Probably more to do with low frequency sound, infrasound and resonance combined with the sheer power involved rather than the loudness of the sound in dbA as my hearing did survive this ordeal undamaged.

Same year another aircraft (can't remember the type, but it was a supersonic fighter type plane) flew past at relatively low altitude and at, according to the commentator, at over 900mph was another spectacle to behold. The plane shot past extremely fast, and silently as though it was a glider, then, when the plane had shot into the distance about to reach the horizon only then did the noise and the sound of its engines hit you, - again very loud and shaking the ground, but this time after the plane had almost gone out of sight.

I think I have already mentioned that this was an organised tour in the mid sixties for a bunch of apprentices. It must surely have been a coincidence that we were walked half a mile along the runway and had just got to the take-off point when there was a practice scramble. They all had their Blue Steel Nuclear rockets on board we were assured. Awesome !

We didn't see them come back while we were there. I wonder how many thousand gallons that took, we finished up with about a gallon each on our togs.

HD

[Bayleaf]

In the 60's I was in the ATC, and we often visited Finningley at weekends. The aircraft on standby were served by Quick Reaction Alert crews, who were on immediate readiness. I lost count of the times these blokes had just sat down in the mess with their dinner when some sadist called on the tannoy "All QRA crews" and they had to drop everything and run. Once they'd reached the aircraft they would be stood down, and back just in time for their dinner to be cold.

[History dude]

It's probably the latest BBC digital studio

lol

[DaveH]

It's probably the latest BBC digital studio

You're probably right History Dude

The BBC take our licence fee, use to pay the most nauseaus pillocks they can find obsence amounts of salery to present 3rd rate cheaply made programmes and then have no money left to invest in new programmes (hence endless repeats) or in new technology or new services (hence we are still getting the same old stuff.

If anyone complains to the BBC on programmes such as Points Of View or NewsWatch about this then some arrogant self opinionated programme director is brought out and they will always uphold his decisions over and above any complaint.

Then again, BBC does stand for Biased Broadcasting Corporation doesn't it!

[ukelele lady]

Well I did mention in my profile "Wondering why I'm going deaf" Pardon ?

As a young lad I once stood a few feet from the runway at RAF Finningly while 9 Vulcans took off with full re-heat from a point just in front of me. Now that WAS painful.

Incidently I've discovered the photo of the 6FL transmitter. It's on page 3 of Mr.Peter Harvey's Sheffield in the 1930's book.

HD

My husband was stationed at Finningly and he's partially deaf because of the noise of the aircraft.

He's took me to see aircraft many times but on one occasion at Elvington there was a Victor with

its engine running , I had to walk away it was deafening.

[hilldweller]

I think I have already mentioned that this was an organised tour in the mid sixties for a bunch of apprentices. It must surely have been a coincidence that we were walked half a mile along the runway and had just got to the take-off point when there was a practice scramble. They all had their Blue Steel Nuclear rockets on board we were assured. Awesome !

We didn't see them come back while we were there. I wonder how many thousand gallons that took, we finished up with about a gallon each on our togs.

HD

I should add that in later life I have run my hands over the casing of a Avro Blue Steel Nuclear Stand Off Bomb.

It was located in the Armstrong Sidderley Museum at Mickleover just outside Derby. It was a strange looking beast with Canard wings at the front and a double Armstrong Sidderley Stentor rocket engine located in the tail. A big engine to get it going and a smaller rocket engine to give final Mach 3 flight speed. The vertical bit of the large tailplane was I believe hinged to get it in the Vulcan / Victor.

The big hole where the warhead fitted was empty (gulp). In the early days jet and rocket engines were produced by Armstrong Sidderley, Metro Vicks, and others as well as Rolls Royce. The museum is well worth a visit with some wonderful Armstrong Sidderley cars and early jet engines, but is not ( I believe ) open to the general public only for pre-booked parties.

HD