Fradan?

[Nuvistor]

It was Bob Bell from what I have been told, I have Johns last name but didn’t want to post it. I have done a search on his name but come up with nothing.

[GRID LEAK]

The two shops in Platt Bridge were Bell Radio at the traffic lights junction of Walthew Lane and Bolton Rd. The other was Jimmy Case's shop on Walthew Lane near the big hardware store. Jimmy Case also did regunned crt's and bingo blowers. The only Tom Sharples shop that I know of was on Market St. Hindley in fairly close proximity to Bell Radio's Hindley branch. Bell's service dept. was at Platt Bridge.

John

[Nuvistor]

I don’t remember Jimmy Case but Sharples did had a shop in Hindley, I don’t know if Sharples also were in Platt Bridge.
The information about Bob Bell came from someone who worked there in the 60’s.

[Alf]

Back in the 60s, this building opposite Iceland, was used by Sharples in Platt Bridge, their service centre was in Hindley.

[Nuvistor]

Sharples had a shop as well in Hindley, now Birchalls but has moved to another premises in Market street.
I don't remember the shop in PB but know the building in the link.

[Pentode]

Hi all.
I worked for Fradan Radio... Frank didn't have a shop in Hindley, it was in Millgate Wigan, opposite the pub.

Initially he had the shop on Leigh Road, the PA workshop being behind the shop down the backs in Irvine Street. I worked in the shop doing 'shop' repairs, I did help out from time to time in the PA workshop, my job was repairing TV', and audio equipment. I can't remember when but we moved to Bradshawgate next door to Waterfield's bakery, we still had the PA workshop behind the Leigh Road Post Office.

I left the employment just before he shut the shop a while later on Leigh Road... I think, he moved to some premises at Victoria Mill, Kirkhall Lane.

Yep, we built the good ol' EL34 PA amps. and a copy of the Watkins Copy Cat tape loop echo unit, then going to a endless tape loop like the eight tracks I repaired, then went to bucket delay line chips eliminating the mechanics.

Don't know what's happened to him and Dick who ran the PA shop.

Dave

[Nuvistor]

Hi Dave,
Thanks for all the information, until this thread I had forgotten all about Fradan Radio.

[Pentode]

His son Geoff also worked in the shop, we did heck of a lot of music centres of many brands, being a Sony agent we repaired Sony equipment. They had PA systems in many clubs all over the North West, Oldham, Manchester etc.

Lol, you can always tell if it was a woman artist..... the Beyer mics. was always heavily coated in lipstick, had one or two echo units with beer spilt inside, cracking the EL34's.... then -:

Along came this guy, "this radio kit don't work", not surprised when I opened it every component was glued.....! His wife along side him, "Oh, he courteously fitted every component leaving each one to dry at least an hour ". 'YAK, what a mess', he used that silver looking glue that looks like solder forget the name, it took me a good half day clean all the mess off.

Dave

[Pentode]

Originally Posted by Alf

He briefly had a shop in Hindley Green, opposite Organ Street, then moved to Atherton.

Just to clarify.... the only electrical shop in Railway Road was Minster Electrics, yes there was a TV shop in Railway Road on the left hand side going down.... but that was way long ago, it wasn't Fradan radio.

The shop on Wigan Road Leigh, near Organ street, opp. the Sportman Hotel was C&F electrical, they did do repairs but Bill the owner did electrical site installations contract, TV servicing was just a sideline to keep the shop opened.

Dave

[Alf]

Obviously, there's need for clarification here, the shop was on Atherton Road, Hindley Green, Organ Street was given as a reference point only, the Organ Street I'm referring to was not in Leigh.

[Pentode]

Sorry I got confused, C&F Electrical opp. The Sportsman (has been made into a house), it's Cotton Street isn't it round by there not Organ Street as I was thinking, my fault.

Dave