Roberts R600 - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

wireless_john · 14th Jan 2026, 10:48 am

At the RWB auction before Christmas I bought a box of six Hacker and Roberts radios for £5.

One of them, a Roberts R200 is complete, in quite good condition and working!

The chrome looking parts of it around the tuning scale and round the edges of the teak sides looks a sort of yellow colour. Is that just age or was it intended to be like that?

Also, any advice for cleaning it up, especially the tops of the push buttons and the aluminium tops of the volume and tuning knobs. The tuning knob top is actually loose so will need glueing back.

As an aside, the rest of the box had two Hacker Autocrats, one in quite good condition. A Hacker Hunter which was a wreck but had an original telescopic aerial which will be fitted to another one I have that has a Maplin aerial fitted.

Two Roberts R200, one quite good and the other not so good, and a Roberts R500 which needs a fair bit of attention but is complete and not beyond restoring.

Not a bad fivers worth! I would have paid that just for the Hacker Hunter telescopic aerial!

John

G6Tanuki · 14th Jan 2026, 11:02 am

I have seen that yellowing of 'chromed' trim in the past on older radios. It's not the chrome itself having discoloured, but the parts are actually plastic, chromed, and then over-coated with a thin plastic film.

This film loses transparency when exposed to the UV in sunlight.

wireless_john · 14th Jan 2026, 11:06 am

I was wondering whether its 'fixable' or just leave it as it is. If its just age related, I'm inclined to accept it and leave it rather than trying to make the set look like new.

John

wireless_john · 14th Jan 2026, 11:59 am

Actually., it's not R200, it's an R600! Sorry for error!

John

Paul_RK · 14th Jan 2026, 10:21 pm

I may have been lucky, but any sets I've had looking at all like that have turned out subject to nothing more than a generous film of smokers' tar and general grime, and have given up the yellowness to a gentle cleaning. It's a while since I've had one to do, but I think my usual method was just washing the parts in soapy water, with a toothbrush to help get into the grooves of the knob and pushbutton caps.

Paul

wireless_john · 15th Jan 2026, 10:56 am

I will try that. Thanks.

John

FIXITNOW · 15th Jan 2026, 3:42 pm

its u shaped channel so remove and just flip over , i have done this to a few

Ed_Dinning · 15th Jan 2026, 4:06 pm

Hi John, there is a spray pint called "Plascote" that when used and coated with (it's) clear lacquer can give good results

Ed

14th Jan 2026, 10:48 am	#1
wireless_john Heptode Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Gosport, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 626	Roberts R600 At the RWB auction before Christmas I bought a box of six Hacker and Roberts radios for £5. One of them, a Roberts R200 is complete, in quite good condition and working! The chrome looking parts of it around the tuning scale and round the edges of the teak sides looks a sort of yellow colour. Is that just age or was it intended to be like that? Also, any advice for cleaning it up, especially the tops of the push buttons and the aluminium tops of the volume and tuning knobs. The tuning knob top is actually loose so will need glueing back. As an aside, the rest of the box had two Hacker Autocrats, one in quite good condition. A Hacker Hunter which was a wreck but had an original telescopic aerial which will be fitted to another one I have that has a Maplin aerial fitted. Two Roberts R200, one quite good and the other not so good, and a Roberts R500 which needs a fair bit of attention but is complete and not beyond restoring. Not a bad fivers worth! I would have paid that just for the Hacker Hunter telescopic aerial! John Attached Thumbnails __________________ GQRP Club 4704 - BVWS Member Last edited by Cobaltblue; 14th Jan 2026 at 12:05 pm. Reason: mis-identified

14th Jan 2026, 11:02 am	#2
G6Tanuki Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Wiltshire, UK. Posts: 15,892	Re: Roberts R200 I have seen that yellowing of 'chromed' trim in the past on older radios. It's not the chrome itself having discoloured, but the parts are actually plastic, chromed, and then over-coated with a thin plastic film. This film loses transparency when exposed to the UV in sunlight. __________________ Let's Degauss.

14th Jan 2026, 11:06 am	#3
wireless_john Heptode Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Gosport, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 626	Re: Roberts R200 I was wondering whether its 'fixable' or just leave it as it is. If its just age related, I'm inclined to accept it and leave it rather than trying to make the set look like new. John __________________ GQRP Club 4704 - BVWS Member

14th Jan 2026, 11:59 am	#4
wireless_john Heptode Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Gosport, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 626	Re: Roberts R200 Actually., it's not R200, it's an R600! Sorry for error! John __________________ GQRP Club 4704 - BVWS Member

14th Jan 2026, 10:21 pm	#5
Paul_RK Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Fakenham, Norfolk, UK. Posts: 4,941	Re: Roberts R600 I may have been lucky, but any sets I've had looking at all like that have turned out subject to nothing more than a generous film of smokers' tar and general grime, and have given up the yellowness to a gentle cleaning. It's a while since I've had one to do, but I think my usual method was just washing the parts in soapy water, with a toothbrush to help get into the grooves of the knob and pushbutton caps. Paul

15th Jan 2026, 10:56 am	#6
wireless_john Heptode Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Gosport, Hampshire, UK. Posts: 626	Re: Roberts R600 I will try that. Thanks. John __________________ GQRP Club 4704 - BVWS Member

15th Jan 2026, 3:42 pm	#7
FIXITNOW Nonode Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Ely, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 2,103	Re: Roberts R600 its u shaped channel so remove and just flip over , i have done this to a few

15th Jan 2026, 4:06 pm	#8
Ed_Dinning Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, UK. Posts: 8,942	Re: Roberts R600 Hi John, there is a spray pint called "Plascote" that when used and coated with (it's) clear lacquer can give good results Ed