Bush TR90B and TR90D - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

howard · 22nd Jan 2006, 7:27 pm

Hello again,

Ive been busy again, this time with five TR90s which Ive collected over the past few months at bargain basement prices. I bought the TR90B at the last Wootton Bassett meet for £1, well it was scruffy and dirty and its handle was hanging off, but otherwise undamaged. The TR90D I bought on the Internet a few months back. Unfortunately it got damaged in the post, the handle broke and a tiny piece was cracked on the top corner under the fabric, and the tuning scale was completely black but I got a full refund. Lastly, three scruffy TR90Cs, one for £1 from Harpenden and the other two for under £6 each off eBay, one had a broken handle but other than that all were complete just rather scruffy and dirty

. All worked, sort of, all with noisy wavechange switches and volume pots. The TR90B also sounded a bit chesty and buzzed at high volume. I have to say though that these five radios were pretty impressive for 40+ year olds ! My plan therefore was to build one of each model, a TR90B, a TR90C and a TR90D, theyre very similar on the outside and the handle parts and some of the trim being interchangable.

These are fairly straighforward radios to dismantle until one comes to the handle, Remove the two knobs and then inside the two nuts and one slotted headed bolt securing the chassis to the case, The chassis will then lift out still attached to the speaker, with rather short leads though so worth taking that out as well by removing two nuts and brackets and the black protective cover. Two of the TR90Cs and the TR90D had an earphone socket as well which comes off after removal of the outer nut. The perspex and chrome front facia is held in place by two little rubber covered brackets, loosen the nuts move the brackets out of the way and out lifts the facia complete which slots into grooves in the inside of the case. It is possible to take the facia apart by gently prising the chrome tabs upwards and the whole thing then falls apart and makes it much easier to clean. One of the chrome tabs broke though but I found later it wasnt a problem. The handle pins ARE difficult to get off. Theyre held in place by a crimped on metal sleeves at the inner ends and its very tricky getting those off !

I cleaned three of the radios, one TR90B, TR90C and TR90D with my usual upholstery cleaner and all three cases came up quite well

One word of warning, dont clean the underside of the red tuning scale cos the white print will come straight off ! I repaired the corner on the TR90D with some polystyrene glue and then pulled the fabric cover back over it and stuck it back down - an invisible repair. I polished the chrome trim and the large rear slotted screw with Autosol. I finished off the rexine on the TR90B and TR90C with Cockpit shine and it now looks very good on both.

I cleared away all the dust inside with a brush and cleaned the volume pots and the wavechange switches with switch cleaner. I replaced the noisy speaker in the TR90B with one from of the scrap TR90Cs and it sounds fine now. I then reassembled the TR90B and the TR90D, using spares where necessary from the other TR90Cs. The TR90C will have to wait till next weekend cos Ive run out of time

I'll point out the differences between the three models as follows. The TR90B has a brown rexine cover and brown case, yellow BUSH lettering and no earphone socket and OC series transistors. The TR90C a blue rexine cover and a greenish case, one had yellow BUSH letters no earphone socket and OC series transistors like the TR90B and the other two had an earphone socket, black BUSH letters and AF117s. The TR90D has a green fabric cover and cream case, black BUSH letters, earphone socket and AF117s.

My Mum had a blue TR90C back in the 1960s and I remember this attractive little radio well. Theyre quite well built, sound reasonable and are surprisingly sensitive. The cases are very robust but the handles arent

The red scales also have a habit of going dark or fading away and the brightwork on the knobs is easily scratched. But these two have none of these problems now and the TR90C wont either when I finish it next weekend

Phew that was hard work but I am pleased with them

I shall have quite a few parts left over when the TR90C is completed if anyone needs spares, but sadly no handles or tuning scales.

Howard

JoshWard · 22nd Jan 2006, 7:34 pm

They look nice Howard. I really must get one. Until recently there was one in the local antiques centre for £4 but has now disappeared. Me thinks someone in Suffolk is pinchin' all the radios. Anyway the only ones left on sale there are the ones I did not want

.

howard · 22nd Jan 2006, 11:03 pm

Hello Josh,

Yes they are nice little radios, particularly the TR90D with its cloth cover and cream case, despite the troublesome AF117s inside. These arent valuable radios unless absolutely mint, and I have never seen a really perfect one, so the prices for them tend to be low .... all three of these cost me under £20

So I daresay you will soon find another one for £4, or less !

Howard

22nd Jan 2006, 7:27 pm	#1
howard Nonode Join Date: May 2005 Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK. Posts: 2,593	Bush TR90B and TR90D Hello again, Ive been busy again, this time with five TR90s which Ive collected over the past few months at bargain basement prices. I bought the TR90B at the last Wootton Bassett meet for £1, well it was scruffy and dirty and its handle was hanging off, but otherwise undamaged. The TR90D I bought on the Internet a few months back. Unfortunately it got damaged in the post, the handle broke and a tiny piece was cracked on the top corner under the fabric, and the tuning scale was completely black but I got a full refund. Lastly, three scruffy TR90Cs, one for £1 from Harpenden and the other two for under £6 each off eBay, one had a broken handle but other than that all were complete just rather scruffy and dirty . All worked, sort of, all with noisy wavechange switches and volume pots. The TR90B also sounded a bit chesty and buzzed at high volume. I have to say though that these five radios were pretty impressive for 40+ year olds ! My plan therefore was to build one of each model, a TR90B, a TR90C and a TR90D, theyre very similar on the outside and the handle parts and some of the trim being interchangable. These are fairly straighforward radios to dismantle until one comes to the handle, Remove the two knobs and then inside the two nuts and one slotted headed bolt securing the chassis to the case, The chassis will then lift out still attached to the speaker, with rather short leads though so worth taking that out as well by removing two nuts and brackets and the black protective cover. Two of the TR90Cs and the TR90D had an earphone socket as well which comes off after removal of the outer nut. The perspex and chrome front facia is held in place by two little rubber covered brackets, loosen the nuts move the brackets out of the way and out lifts the facia complete which slots into grooves in the inside of the case. It is possible to take the facia apart by gently prising the chrome tabs upwards and the whole thing then falls apart and makes it much easier to clean. One of the chrome tabs broke though but I found later it wasnt a problem. The handle pins ARE difficult to get off. Theyre held in place by a crimped on metal sleeves at the inner ends and its very tricky getting those off ! I cleaned three of the radios, one TR90B, TR90C and TR90D with my usual upholstery cleaner and all three cases came up quite well One word of warning, dont clean the underside of the red tuning scale cos the white print will come straight off ! I repaired the corner on the TR90D with some polystyrene glue and then pulled the fabric cover back over it and stuck it back down - an invisible repair. I polished the chrome trim and the large rear slotted screw with Autosol. I finished off the rexine on the TR90B and TR90C with Cockpit shine and it now looks very good on both. I cleared away all the dust inside with a brush and cleaned the volume pots and the wavechange switches with switch cleaner. I replaced the noisy speaker in the TR90B with one from of the scrap TR90Cs and it sounds fine now. I then reassembled the TR90B and the TR90D, using spares where necessary from the other TR90Cs. The TR90C will have to wait till next weekend cos Ive run out of time I'll point out the differences between the three models as follows. The TR90B has a brown rexine cover and brown case, yellow BUSH lettering and no earphone socket and OC series transistors. The TR90C a blue rexine cover and a greenish case, one had yellow BUSH letters no earphone socket and OC series transistors like the TR90B and the other two had an earphone socket, black BUSH letters and AF117s. The TR90D has a green fabric cover and cream case, black BUSH letters, earphone socket and AF117s. My Mum had a blue TR90C back in the 1960s and I remember this attractive little radio well. Theyre quite well built, sound reasonable and are surprisingly sensitive. The cases are very robust but the handles arent The red scales also have a habit of going dark or fading away and the brightwork on the knobs is easily scratched. But these two have none of these problems now and the TR90C wont either when I finish it next weekend Phew that was hard work but I am pleased with them I shall have quite a few parts left over when the TR90C is completed if anyone needs spares, but sadly no handles or tuning scales. Howard Attached Thumbnails Last edited by howard; 22nd Jan 2006 at 7:49 pm.

22nd Jan 2006, 7:34 pm	#2
JoshWard Octode Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Near Stowmarket, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 1,962	Re: Bush TR90B and TR90D They look nice Howard. I really must get one. Until recently there was one in the local antiques centre for £4 but has now disappeared. Me thinks someone in Suffolk is pinchin' all the radios. Anyway the only ones left on sale there are the ones I did not want .

22nd Jan 2006, 11:03 pm	#3
howard Nonode Join Date: May 2005 Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK. Posts: 2,593	Re: Bush TR90B and TR90D Hello Josh, Yes they are nice little radios, particularly the TR90D with its cloth cover and cream case, despite the troublesome AF117s inside. These arent valuable radios unless absolutely mint, and I have never seen a really perfect one, so the prices for them tend to be low .... all three of these cost me under £20 So I daresay you will soon find another one for £4, or less ! Howard