BVWS Royal Wootton Bassett 6th July 2025

[murphymad]

Hello Everyone,

It's that time again.

The BVWS Royal Wootton Bassett Swapmeet and Auction is on Sunday 6th July.

There are currently 22 tables booked and 280 auction lots.

Something for everyone. If you are a beginner and just want a cheap radio to practice on or a good source of valves and parts, there are plenty to choose from.

There are many 1920's items. Lots of 1930's -60's Radios.

The star of the show is the BBC Marconi AXBT Microphone on its original desk stand.

You will find all the event details on the BVWS website.

There will be a plentiful supply of Choc Ices too !!!

It should be a little cooler by Sunday so that will be nice.

see you there,


Auction catalogue and 350 pictures have been sent off to Paul for processing and will be available on the BVWS website soon.


Mike...

[Paul Stenning]

The photos and catalogue are now on the BVWS website here: https://www.bvws.org.uk/auctions/photos.php/2025-07-06-royal-wootton-bassett

The catalogue is also attached.

[Valvepower]

Great stuff… Got my ticket and looking forward to it, I’ll be wearing a Radio Caroline Tee shirt as usual.

I’m on the lookout for some good large glass type 6V6G’s for an up and coming ‘odd-ball’ project. It goes without saying at a sensible price

Terry

[murphymad]

Auction all setup and ready to go!

A full house in the main hall not forgetting the large Bring & Buy stall in the side hall.

Auction start at approx. 12:30

See you there,

Mike...

[Paul Stenning]

Disappointed that I can’t be there this time, it’s always a great day.

[Pamphonica]

Another great RWB done and dusted, thanks to all the hard workers in Mike's crew. I don't think I have ever seen so many auction porters on stage at one time!
BTTT had a good day selling bits and pieces for funds, and the hall seemed well-filled when I had a quick wander around.
I bought both the Pam (Pamphonic) items in the auction for very reasonable prices, and also acquired an early Pam transistor portable for a paltry £2 from the BVWS stall. If you are looking for a cheap project in future, that BVWS stall was stuffed with interesting radios at £2 (and later £1!).
The auction went well, with a few clearly very desireable items being sold at moderately eye-watering prices, including spy radios and a superb BBC microphone,
All in all a perfect day out, in excellent company, with perfect bacon baps from Jim in the kitchen.
Well done all, and thanks.
-Jeremy

[Valvepower]

Well, that was A Grand Day Out…

Agree…, thanks to all the hard workers in the BVWS. I had Jim’s final ‘priced to sell’ sausage bap!

In a moment of madness, I bagged the Murphy Scene One A859 stereo radio (aka a Nordmende Spectra-Futura) in the auction. Located the schematic and there loads of good ‘ole discrete semiconductor circuitry to get my teeth into. Its so darn late 60's and early 70s...

Bagged another B&O Beolit 707 on the bring and buy stall.

Suprise of the day was seeing and buying a Bush TR104 ‘Long Player Radio’ … never seen one before

One thing… I lost my Rohan Jumper/fleece sometime during the day, it could have been at the swapmeet – or later that evening – I’m not sure…. I spoke to Greg and Robbie, but they said nothing had been handed to ether of them...

Terry.

[Laurence Smith]

My thanks also to everyone involved in making the event happen. I had a great day and came away with some unexpected and very interesting items!

[ajs37]

Yes - thoroughly enjoyed the day I hadn't been for a couple of years. Left away with more than I came with (or intended!) but possibly saved them from the fire!
Thanks to all!
Andy

[high_vacuum_house]

A little late, but just to add that this was another cracking event and the weather managed to behave for most of the day! Many thanks to all of the organisers and to the as usual entertaining auction! I came away with the CAT 6 valve, the odd Pye mains/battery portable radio and then finally at the end, I took pity on and picked up the unsold Philips tablegram.

I was surprised that there were very few if any 405 line television sets in the auction or the stalls this time.

Did anyone save the console gramophone or the nice looking radio sideboard?

I managed to find the correct separate concentric twin lin/log pot with mains switch in a box under a table which will allow me to continue with the Dynatron TV32 as the original one has been broken off internally.

Christopher Capener

[Helder Crespo]

Have been looking for a Bush TV22 rubber mask for some time. No luck so far. Didn't yet manage to go to one of these BVWS events or any other event, with the exception of a couple of afternoons at the Dulwich museum when I was living nearby, but these were not centred in buying/selling parts or sets. Would one of the BVWS events (I'm thinking Biggleswade in October or RWB again in December) be a good place to find such a part?
- Helder

[newlite4]

Christopher, the sideboard radio was given away free after the auction. Helder, there is a fair chance that you could pick up a scrap TV22 chassis at the vintage radio events.
Neil

[Helder Crespo]

Originally Posted by newlite4

Christopher, the sideboard radio was given away free after the auction. Helder, there is a fair chance that you could pick up a scrap TV22 chassis at the vintage radio events.
Neil

Thanks Neil. A scrap chassis could be helpful, but may not come with a mask, as the latter is usually mounted on the case.
Helder

[Paul Stenning]

The auction results are now on the BVWS website here: https://www.bvws.org.uk/auctions/results.php/2025-07-06-royal-wootton-bassett

[Dave Moll]

Rats! I wish now that I had left a bid for the Edison phonograph. Someone got a bargain.

[m0cemdave]

If item 108 (an AP 5G CW Tx) really sold for £5, that was a truly amazing bargain.
I hope it went to somebody who will use it, rather than a mercenary...

[Ian - G4JQT]

Just been looking at the auction results. Some good prices for a few interesting items, but oh dear - very disappointing for some of the unusual or once-collectable domestic sets. But I guess the market is saturated - those of us who collect stuff have all that we want, and the pool of buyers is inevitably decreasing, and their collections are saturating the market further.

Add to that the imminent demise of AM broadcasting, where the market for the non-technical collector who wants a talking-point, vintage set for listening to the Archers on has collapsed too.

OK, I'm not stating anything that hasn't been said before; there'll always be technical enthusiast who get around the lack of broadcasts with pantry transmitters, and a few collectors who simply enjoy the aesthetics of non-functioning radios from different periods. Nevertheless, it's sad to see an era drawing to a close...

[Gridiron]

The AP 5G Tx did go for £5 but it did have an extra meter fitted which ruined the front panel , in my opinion.
Anyway I had a fairly good day there, most of my Bring and Buy stuff sold, I did buy the Admiralty G73 Wavemeter by accident in the auction, thinking I was bidding on something else! But not too displeased with this, although a bit of a boat anchor it was remarkably accurate when tested.
Mike.

[newlite4]

I only bought the early '50s French Reela radio in the auction, the one with the rather annoying painted tin side cheeks! It was only £10, but it is all restored and running now following a re-cap and re-string and the addition of a front vallance and card back. Only trouble is finding a suitable shelf space because of the oversize side cheeks, they really stick out! Lovely radio though and a fantastic day out with a very busy stall, looking forward to the December event.
Neil