Wartime Civilian Utility Radio

[Topfmine]

Hi all been on this site in the past a good few years ago but back into radios again.
Just bought a Wartime Utility Radio which i am sure has been mentioned in posts before many a time. I have just started to strip it down to clean it up and get working again. The Casing is starting to clean up very well with years of grime bring out the two tone pine effect which looks very impressive for a utility radio. Need to fix a few things like a new back board which i have with sticker but is missing about a 1/4 of it, so i will laser cut out the vent holes then copy and make the white label take out the marks etc unless someone has already done this, plus make the gold and red label for the top of the casing. I need to source speaker cloth to match, if anyone can advise. The dial has clean up very well and i even saw someone replicate the exact markings. The dial cord needs sorting as its not the correct cord. I also need to clean and re finish some rusty screws and finally check over the valves etc and fire it up. Any advice would be welcome. The wood casing i think will oil it rather that varnish, bring out the colour of the wood.

[wartime sounds]

Hi Topfmine,

Excellent choice of radio's (I would say that as I collect them!) and sounds like you are making good progress in the restoration process so far.

Sounds like also that you have been lucky with the cabinet as in my experience these don't seem to fair very well at all with the passing of time.

Not sure if it helps with the advise but I have a website dedicated to the Wartime Civilian Receiver, hopefully that might give some answers to any questions that may arise and please feel free also to message me for any specific information or help.

Kind regards,

Peter

[simpsons]

Peter

What an interesting and professionally produced website. What did these radios sound like compared to the commercially designed product in a similar cabinet?

Was the poor reception, no pun intended, by the buying public due to the utility cabinet design or other reasons?


Chris

[David G4EBT]

Welcome to the forum.

Quite some years ago I made a replica back for my Wartime Civilian Receiver using a router jig, which was messy noisy and time consuming. (I later made several others but there won't be any more). If you have laser facilities, that will be so much easier. If you'd like a tracing of the full panel, I can pop you one in the post. (The bottom row of holes on the right on the original panel has one slot missing. Instead, it has two holes. I believe that this was so that a two-pin mains plug could be stored there.

A much-respected fellow forum member who is no longer active on the forum (Tony Thompson, 'Aerodyne'), created a paper back-panel label, which I printed on 'aged' paper as it look too new and inauthentic if printed on white paper. Another forum member many years ago created a set-top label, as near as can be to the gold and red of the original, replicating the text. The set-top labels were not stick-on paper, they water-slide transfers.
As the dial on mine was a mess, I created a waterslide transfer on clear waterslide paper. resprayed the dial and fitted the transfer. (I no longer have the artwork for that).

I've got one paper label left and two set-top transfers. (There won't be any more).

If you'd like them, let me have your postal name and address and I'll pop them in the post FOC.

On sets which still have the set-top label still fitted, it poses something of a dilemma, in that over the ensuing 80 years, they have degraded, so if anyone wants to 'pimp up' the cabinet, do you leave the original or replace it? (It's not a Chippendale chair!).

Incidentally, having been born in 1939, with wartime and post-war austerity, and rationing which didn't end until 1954, I knew only too well what the term 'Utility meant, but I've given up on trying to explain that it isn't, and never was a 'Utility' radio. Goods were classed as either 'luxuries' (things you could do without during wartime), or 'necessities' - clothing, furniture for newly-weds setting up home and those bombed-out and re-housed.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CC41

Utility items carried the 'CC' mark 'Controlled Commodity' and didn't attract purchase tax. To purchase them meant that you needed coupons from a ration book. The Wartime Civilian Receiver was not considered a 'necessity' so fell into the 'luxury' category and thus attracted purchase tax, and wasn't cheap. (175,000 mains ones were made, and 75,000 battery ones).

A bit more about that in post #8 at this thread at the link below, including a copy of the BVWS article about the WCR:

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?t=170209

Pic 1: Original top label
Pic 2: Replica waterslide top label
Pic 3: A replica back panel
Pic 4: A pic of the dial
Pic 5: Back panel paper label

If you'd like the back panel label and two set-top waterslide transfer, please send me a PM with your details.

Every good wish with the restoration.

[Paul_RK]

Originally Posted by Topfmine

I need to source speaker cloth to match, if anyone can advise.

I think individual manufacturers just used whatever speaker cloth they had to hand, knobs likewise - there are many variations of both that are original to the sets. Have you been able to identify the maker of yours?

I've two here and the better preserved of them appears never to have had any treatment to the cabinet, beyond maybe an initial wipe of oil and probably some furniture polish over the years: so I expect its initial appearance was of pale fresh wood.

Paul

[wartime sounds]

Hi Topfmine,

As Paul says, most of the actual construction of the radio was left up to the individual manufacturers and as a result they often used spares from their stock held before the war so things like the knobs, IF Tx's etc being fitted from spares from other models of their range. This can make a "helpful" way to identify who manufactured it if the U number (used as an identification code) is missing. Not all manufacturers stamped it into the chassis, some were paper stickers.

If you need any help in identification yours if it is missing the identification code then please feel free to private message me. Likewise for any additional help or information.

Hi Chris,
Thanks for the kind comments about the website. I have sent you a private message in response to your questions asked as I did not want to go off topic with my ramblings!

Peter

[David G4EBT]

Originally Posted by simpsons

Peter

What an interesting and professionally produced website. What did these radios sound like compared to the commercially designed product in a similar cabinet?

Was the poor reception, no pun intended, by the buying public due to the utility cabinet design or other reasons?


Chris

Peter's website is top notch!

Most electronics production during the was years was of course dedicated to the war effort, so as early as 1941 1930s radios were failing and components were scarce, apart from which, even if parts were available, some radios were beyond economic repair. (Field coils for mains energised speakers for example). It wasn't of course known how long the war would continue, and it wasn't until July 1944 that the WCR became available, which was after D-Day, June 6 1944, by which time it was evident that the war was coming to an end. VE Day (Victory in Europe) was 8 May 1945, VJ Day (Victory in Japan) was 15 August 1945.

It was generally known that Long Wave broadcasting would recommence, and the WCR was only MW. No doubt had the radio been available earlier on in the war, given that if you wanted a new radio it was 'Hobson's choice', no doubt as many as could be made would have been sold, but it was so near to the end of the war, that I think many potential customers waited till after the war for more choice. As to it's austere appearance, which was doubtless intended, it would have looked in keeping with the Utility (CC41)styling of furniture, which was remarkably well made.

After World War II, UK longwave broadcasting resumed on July 29, 1945, with the launch of the BBC Light Programme, which used the long-wave frequency of the pre-war National Programme. This marked the return of the BBC's regional structure and the introduction of a new programming format focused on light entertainment. I think may more WCRs were sold at a discount after the war ended, some converted to Long Wave to make them more saleable.

It's surprising how many are still around and occasionally pop up.

A collection isn't complete without one!

[Richard_FM]

I've found the Wartime Civilian Receiver project an interesting one, especially how almost every British radio manufacturer was commissioned to make them.

Quite a few were sold after the war ended & they were available at a discount, I've been told their inability to receive long wave made them less desirable compared to the newer more stylish sets on the market which could receive LW.

At least the simple design meant a long wave conversion kit was an easy fit for an enthusiast.

[Topfmine]

Originally Posted by wartime sounds

Hi Topfmine,

Excellent choice of radio's (I would say that as I collect them!) and sounds like you are making good progress in the restoration process so far.

Sounds like also that you have been lucky with the cabinet as in my experience these don't seem to fair very well at all with the passing of time.

Not sure if it helps with the advise but I have a website dedicated to the Wartime Civilian Receiver, hopefully that might give some answers to any questions that may arise and please feel free also to message me for any specific information or help.

Kind regards,

Peter

been looking at your very informative web page, It seems I picked good radio. at first I thought the casing was marked quite badly but the marks are varnish scuff marks which is not damaged to the wood but where the varnish has lightened to look like a dent. One think a would include on your page is the speaker cloth, what would substitute a similar cloth and if other wartime civilian receivers had different patterns of cloth rather than one pattern. I would if I could like to be in keeping with the original. When I removed the wooden cloth support I could see what it looked like originally as part of it was squashed between the casing and board, I will try and post pictures when I sort out the logging in issue.

[Topfmine]

Originally Posted by David G4EBT

Welcome to the forum.

Quite some years ago I made a replica back for my Wartime Civilian Receiver using a router jig, which was messy noisy and time consuming. (I later made several others but there won't be any more). If you have laser facilities, that will be so much easier. If you'd like a tracing of the full panel, I can pop you one in the post. (The bottom row of holes on the right on the original panel has one slot missing. Instead, it has two holes. I believe that this was so that a two-pin mains plug could be stored there.

A much-respected fellow forum member who is no longer active on the forum (Tony Thompson, 'Aerodyne'), created a paper back-panel label, which I printed on 'aged' paper as it look too new and inauthentic if printed on white paper. Another forum member many years ago created a set-top label, as near as can be to the gold and red of the original, replicating the text. The set-top labels were not stick-on paper, they water-slide transfers.
As the dial on mine was a mess, I created a waterslide transfer on clear waterslide paper. resprayed the dial and fitted the transfer. (I no longer have the artwork for that).

I've got one paper label left and two set-top transfers. (There won't be any more).

If you'd like them, let me have your postal name and address and I'll pop them in the post FOC.

On sets which still have the set-top label still fitted, it poses something of a dilemma, in that over the ensuing 80 years, they have degraded, so if anyone wants to 'pimp up' the cabinet, do you leave the original or replace it? (It's not a Chippendale chair!).

Incidentally, having been born in 1939, with wartime and post-war austerity, and rationing which didn't end until 1954, I knew only too well what the term 'Utility meant, but I've given up on trying to explain that it isn't, and never was a 'Utility' radio. Goods were classed as either 'luxuries' (things you could do without during wartime), or 'necessities' - clothing, furniture for newly-weds setting up home and those bombed-out and re-housed.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CC41

Utility items carried the 'CC' mark 'Controlled Commodity' and didn't attract purchase tax. To purchase them meant that you needed coupons from a ration book. The Wartime Civilian Receiver was not considered a 'necessity' so fell into the 'luxury' category and thus attracted purchase tax, and wasn't cheap. (175,000 mains ones were made, and 75,000 battery ones).

A bit more about that in post #8 at this thread at the link below, including a copy of the BVWS article about the WCR:

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?t=170209

Pic 1: Original top label
Pic 2: Replica waterslide top label
Pic 3: A replica back panel
Pic 4: A pic of the dial
Pic 5: Back panel paper label

If you'd like the back panel label and two set-top waterslide transfer, please send me a PM with your details.

Every good wish with the restoration.

Hi David yes I would love a back panel label and two topside water transfers, that would be great, a tracing of the back panel holes will help a lot creating the software for cutting. I will pm you with my details. many thanks for helping out.
Not sure if I should give the casing a light oil or varnish. Another thing I have to sort out is the dial cord as it's not the right cord more like fishing wire but I have seen a video how to correctly fit the cord which is connected to a spring.

[Topfmine]

Originally Posted by Paul_RK

I think individual manufacturers just used whatever speaker cloth they had to hand, knobs likewise - there are many variations of both that are original to the sets. Have you been able to identify the maker of yours?

I've two here and the better preserved of them appears never to have had any treatment to the cabinet, beyond maybe an initial wipe of oil and probably some furniture polish over the years: so I expect its initial appearance was of pale fresh wood.

Paul

Hi Paul I wonder what the variety of cloth they used for these radios from different manufactures or was there just one pattern. I have seen different patterns but was wondering if they were replacements may be the original cloth was hard to get in post war times when it got tatty and torn and just replace what was available. I have seen the variety of knobs.

[Topfmine]

I am interested to know what you could receive on these set, was there a lot of variety to listen to or was you limited. Could you get ITMA and all of the BBC broadcasts etc, not sure what was the standard back then if you compare it to the 4 tv channels a while back, we had BBC1&2 channel 4 and ITV. what was on the menu back then and could this set do all.

[Paul_RK]

Originally Posted by Topfmine

Hi Paul I wonder what the variety of cloth they used for these radios from different manufactures or was there just one pattern. I have seen different patterns but was wondering if they were replacements may be the original cloth was hard to get in post war times when it got tatty and torn and just replace what was available. I have seen the variety of knobs.

I expect in most cases the cloth used was leftover stock from making a different model of radio, so could be found on at least one model in the manufacturing company's early wartime or immediate pre-war range, and it wouldn't surprise me a bit if different cloths were used on a single manufacturer's Wartime Civilian sets according to what they had to hand.

Have you been able to establish the maker of yours yet? My better example is a Solectric (coded U41 on the chassis rear): not as far as I can find a company that produced any other domestic radios; its speaker cloth was mostly missing, so I washed and fitted one taken from a wrecked Pye set of the period.

Paul

[Simon Gittins]

To see what was on, there is an archive of the Radio Times:
https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/issues

[Paul_RK]

Originally Posted by Topfmine

I am interested to know what you could receive on these set, was there a lot of variety to listen to or was you limited. Could you get ITMA and all of the BBC broadcasts etc, not sure what was the standard back then if you compare it to the 4 tv channels a while back, we had BBC1&2 channel 4 and ITV. what was on the menu back then and could this set do all.

Some of the German WWII sets were very simple radios suited only to receiving powerful stations, but the UK Wartime Civiliian was quite as good a receiver as average domestic radios of the day, just limited in not having either long wave which wasn't in use at the time, or short wave which gave access to a wider range of overseas stations but was only provided by, in general, sets in the more expensive half of the domestic market.

The Wartime Civilian, then, would have offered the BBC's domestic stations (though as the dial indicates these were curtailed for a while to "Forces" and "Home"), and could also pick up a wide variety of medium wave stations from across Europe. It needs at least a short length of wire plugged into the back as an aerial, and the longer and better the aerial the more stations it could receive with good audio quality and minimal interference.

[dave walsh]

i've got one of these curious "Utility" sets. They probably made a great contribution to the war effort and morale at the time! I lived in a flat in Hull on Annlaby Road [1969] which had some utility furniture still in use [no radios though]. It was all functional but lacked any glamour. There was a hefty couch with a sprung iron frame that folded out into a bed but it was more like a bear trap and quite dangerous. I compared the wartime set with the Eddystone EC10 in a recent thread of that name by C Mos [25/6/25] because they are both relatively small items and have always been sought after-holding their price! I suggested that might be because they are more acceptable in a domestic location and that the war time set, in particular, was more in the antique market range. Thinking about the amount of time and detailed attention given to this "woodie" by all the different owners, I wonder if it's the "Heath Robinson/ Make do and mend" aspect [as outlined by David and others] that continues to be the attraction now

Dave W

[See_Mos]

I also have one of the 'unfinished' cabinet versions. When I first got it about forty years ago the cabinet looked like bare wood but over the years it has become like a very fine matt sheen so I wonder if it was originally waxed?

The numbers printed on the chassis are C6 1086. The knobs look very much like Pye and the chassis has a grey paint finish which is also like some of the early post war sets made by Pye.

When I first got it there were a lot more stations on MW than there are now and I thought it performed quite well considering the design.

[Topfmine]

Originally Posted by Paul_RK

I expect in most cases the cloth used was leftover stock from making a different model of radio, so could be found on at least one model in the manufacturing company's early wartime or immediate pre-war range, and it wouldn't surprise me a bit if different cloths were used on a single manufacturer's Wartime Civilian sets according to what they had to hand.

Have you been able to establish the maker of yours yet? My better example is a Solectric (coded U41 on the chassis rear): not as far as I can find a company that produced any other domestic radios; its speaker cloth was mostly missing, so I washed and fitted one taken from a wrecked Pye set of the period.

Paul

Still looking to see if i can find a code.

[Topfmine]

Originally Posted by Simon Gittins

To see what was on, there is an archive of the Radio Times:
https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/issues

Thanks for the link, gives me an idea what they listened to back in the day.

[Topfmine]

Originally Posted by Paul_RK

Some of the German WWII sets were very simple radios suited only to receiving powerful stations, but the UK Wartime Civiliian was quite as good a receiver as average domestic radios of the day, just limited in not having either long wave which wasn't in use at the time, or short wave which gave access to a wider range of overseas stations but was only provided by, in general, sets in the more expensive half of the domestic market.



The Wartime Civilian, then, would have offered the BBC's domestic stations (though as the dial indicates these were curtailed for a while to "Forces" and "Home"), and could also pick up a wide variety of medium wave stations from across Europe. It needs at least a short length of wire plugged into the back as an aerial, and the longer and better the aerial the more stations it could receive with good audio quality and minimal interference.

Looking at the BBC link i did see ITMA recorded a week before not as a live show broadcast on Sunday at midday 12.30.