Ferguson RC01

[Dansette72]

Hello all,
Hopefully this message is in the correct place.
I've a Ferguson RC01 radio,twin cassette recorder which I've owned from new and bought for £49.99 back in 1988 (from my local Co-op Dept Store).
Apart from the tip of the metal Aerial which is missing a small piece, it's in it's original condition and still functions fine.
It has an impressive array of inputs/outputs either side (aux in/line out/surround speaker sockets/mic sockets/headphone sockets etc..) and is very loud!
I've tried a google search to find out any info on it but without success and can't even find a google image - theres nothing major I need to know, but I'm interested to read info etc. on it - does anyone know of anywhere I could try?

One other thing ... the metal RCA sockets at the sides are slightly grubby - what could I clean them with ?

[camtechman]

Unfortunately, at the time when you bought your RC01, Ferguson (Thorn) were in flux and what with Thomson Elec sniffing around Thorn for a merger/take over many products were probably made in the far east. This usually meant that, from a technical point, there was little info about products, even then.

However, you can buy a service manual for you machine from here:

http://www.shopingathome.com/Circuit...s/Ferguson.htm

You have to scroll down the list until you find the RC01

[Tractorfan]

Hi,
In light of what Camtechman has said, I imagine the same machine probably bore other brand names besides Ferguson.
Cheers, Pete

[Dansette72]

Thanks for the replys.
The only other name on the machine is the 'Thorn' or do you mean it was rebadged with another brand name?

Back in the mid '80s my Dad bought a 'Sharp' twin radio cassette with detachable speakers and I've seen a Ferguson RC02 model on ebay recently which looks very similar .

[camtechman]

Back in the mid '80s my Dad bought a 'Sharp' twin radio cassette with detachable speakers and I've seen a Ferguson RC02 model on ebay recently which looks very similar .

Manufacturers often "Badge Engineer" their products. Especially if they are made by a third party company, sometimes these third party companies also make the same internal product but with a different external case and then it's badged with another makers name on it.

This is nothing new, e.g, when Bush radios were owned by the Rank Company, Rank also owned the Murphy radio company (before Rank came along Bush & Murphy were independent companies) and Bush badged radios & similar Murphy badged looking radios were for sale by Rank.

Mind you, once famous companies - now extinct but their names owned by venture capitalist companies and products never made by the original company now appear for sale. For example "Bush" washing machines, Clock Radio sporting the famous but extinct "BSA" motor cycle company.