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Old 14th Apr 2013, 4:08 pm   #1
howard
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Default 1956 Ekco BP257 4 valve battery portable radio

Hello again,

I don't usually acquire battery only valve radios but I couldn't resist this Ekco in its red polka dot cabinet. It arrived in reasonably good condition and totally original and inside it is dated September 1956. Before powering it up I thought I'd first change any wax and paper capacitors and clean its volume potentiometer and waveband switch etc.

This is a fiddly set to dismantle, undo the four screws on the top and remove the knobs at the sides and the chassis will start to emerge from the cabinet but not far enough to really get at the PCB so the ferrite rod aerial was released from the cabinet (3 screws along the back), then the output transformer unscrewed from the inside of the cabinet and finally the loudspeaker released from the cabinet (4 screws) and the whole lot then comes away from the cabinet.

There are only six capacitors to replace on the PCB, which are pictured below ...

3 x 0.01uf
2 x 0.001uf
1 x 1.0uf

Critical resistors were checked and all were within spec. and the 8uF electrolytic on the output transformer was still good. The volume potentiometer was cleaned with some Servisol 10 and the waveband switch contacts which were quite badly tarnished carefully cleaned with some Brasso on a cotton bud. The valve sockets and pins were cleaned, the battery leads connected to my 90v + 1.4v Little Gem battery eliminator, the set switched on and away she went, working well. RF alignment was performed, and it was found to be only fractionally out.

The cabinet was then thoroughly cleaned. The top moulding, tuning wheel and dial assembly were separated from the PCB (remove 2 screws either side and slacken 2 grub screws on the tuning wheel shaft) and then dismantled for cleaning. Everything was cleaned with Sainsburys upholstery cleaner applied with a soft toothbrush, stubborn specks of paint came away with sellotape and brisk scrubbing. The set was reassembled and the odd chip in the red rexine cover touched in with red acrylic paint.

This is a most attractive portable radio and the penultimate battery valve model built by Ekco. It sounds good too and in its polka dot cabinet looks every bit a 1950s portable radio.

Howard
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Last edited by howard; 14th Apr 2013 at 4:13 pm.
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Old 14th Apr 2013, 9:01 pm   #2
vinrads
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Default Re: 1956 Ekco BP257 4 valve battery portable radio

Nice looking set Howard well worth the effort only six components changed after all those years nice clean job . Mick.
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Old 14th Apr 2013, 10:13 pm   #3
Colourstar
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Default Re: 1956 Ekco BP257 4 valve battery portable radio

Nice work Howard, that really does look terrific. In fact it's inspired me to dig mine out, which is in a different colour scheme to yours.

I like the sound of the Little Gem battery eliminator. Are these still available? If so, where can they (or any other battery elminator) be obtained?

Steve
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Old 14th Apr 2013, 10:45 pm   #4
howard
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Default Re: 1956 Ekco BP257 4 valve battery portable radio

Quote:
Originally Posted by vinrads View Post
Nice looking set Howard well worth the effort only six components changed after all those years nice clean job . Mick.
Hello Mick,

It's a well built set, even its early PCB is in excellent condition. I spent more time restoring the cabinet than I did overhauling the chassis.

Howard
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Old 14th Apr 2013, 11:10 pm   #5
howard
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Default Re: 1956 Ekco BP257 4 valve battery portable radio

Quote:
Originally Posted by Colourstar View Post
Nice work Howard, that really does look terrific. In fact it's inspired me to dig mine out, which is in a different colour scheme to yours.

I like the sound of the Little Gem battery eliminator. Are these still available? If so, where can they (or any other battery elminator) be obtained?

Steve
Hello Steve,

The red polka dot cabinet is particularly attractive I think and it's in excellent condition too. There is a BP257 like yours on RMOrg in a Dutch collection so these sets appear to have been exported. There's another one there too in another Dutch collection in a third livery with the Ekco brand name imprinted in the top moulding.

http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/ekco_bp257_bp_257.html

This model appears to be a fairly rare as the only examples on the web are those on RMOrg.

I bought the Little Gem new some five years ago, but I just searched on Google for it and there's no trace of its supplier now. Maybe someone on the forum knows who builds these ?

I guess I really ought to build replica B126 and AD35 batteries for it now.

Howard
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Old 15th Apr 2013, 9:02 am   #6
phil3153
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Default Re: 1956 Ekco BP257 4 valve battery portable radio

Never seen one of these before,the top dial seems to have a much more modern look than the mid 50s
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Old 15th Apr 2013, 10:13 am   #7
Pete the Pom
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Default Re: 1956 Ekco BP257 4 valve battery portable radio

I'm not normally in to valve radios - transistor sets are 'my thing'. But, I really love the look of this set. Nice job Howard!

Cheers

Pete
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Old 15th Apr 2013, 2:08 pm   #8
howard
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Default Re: 1956 Ekco BP257 4 valve battery portable radio

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Originally Posted by pkc2630 View Post
I'm not normally in to valve radios - transistor sets are 'my thing'. But, I really love the look of this set. Nice job Howard! Cheers
Pete
Hello Pete,

Likewise, but this valve portable I thought was exceptionally nice and I couldn't resist buying it. It wasn't cheap either.

Howard
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Old 15th Apr 2013, 9:24 pm   #9
ThePillenwerfer
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Default Re: 1956 Ekco BP257 4 valve battery portable radio

Quote:
Originally Posted by Colourstar View Post
I like the sound of the Little Gem battery eliminator. Are these still available? If so, where can they (or any other battery elminator) be obtained?

Steve
The Vintage Component Company, either direct or via e-Bay.

I also here that Richard Booth at Past Times Radio is developing one.

- Joe
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Old 16th Apr 2013, 12:44 pm   #10
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Default Re: 1956 Ekco BP257 4 valve battery portable radio

Nice looking set and a good job as ever!

Robert
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Old 16th Apr 2013, 8:40 pm   #11
howard
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Default Re: 1956 Ekco BP257 4 valve battery portable radio

Quote:
Originally Posted by ThePillenwerfer View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Colourstar View Post
I like the sound of the Little Gem battery eliminator. Are these still available? If so, where can they (or any other battery elminator) be obtained?
Steve
The Vintage Component Company, either direct or via e-Bay. I also here that Richard Booth at Past Times Radio is developing one. - Joe
A word of warning concerning the Little Gem, when in use with battery valve radios a whirring noise in sync with the flashing light on the Little Gem box is audible through the radios so I only use it when fixing sets. Maybe best to make up replica batteries or maybe wait for Richard Booth to produce an alternative.

Howard
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Old 19th Apr 2013, 4:05 pm   #12
neil29
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Default Re: 1956 Ekco BP257 4 valve battery portable radio

When I started reading the post I remembered who had my one from me, it was steve . but it goes without saying that howard always manages to turn his radios into excellent examples when finished .

Cheers,Neil.
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Old 19th Apr 2013, 8:39 pm   #13
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Default Re: 1956 Ekco BP257 4 valve battery portable radio

It's a lovely set Neil and I'm very grateful to you for putting it my way.

Howard's restoration has inspired me to have a crack at getting it up and running.

Steve
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Old 23rd Apr 2013, 7:55 am   #14
crackle
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Default Re: 1956 Ekco BP257 4 valve battery portable radio

Nice looking set Howard
Mike
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Old 25th Apr 2013, 7:06 pm   #15
SteveCG
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Default Re: 1956 Ekco BP257 4 valve battery portable radio

Thanks for the posting and the pictures. I now know what radio my parents used when on holiday back in the late 1950s/ early 60s. My uncle eventually built an HT battery eliminator (90 Volts).
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