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Old 20th Dec 2020, 3:27 pm   #1
MurphyNut
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Default Ferranti 147 (1947)

I was drawn to this radio because I just liked the look of it, in part because it looks rather like something Murphy might have produced. I think these must be quite rare as very little can be found about them in pictures or text on line.

Unfortunately, it sustained a bit of damage on its way to me, but it hasn’t spoilt my enjoyment of it. The set was sold to me as not working with an issue with one of the valves. The first job was to check the capacitors and make sure it was electrically safe. There was evidence of previous work done in the replacement of old wax capacitors, a few had been missed so I did these. The mains lead had been replaced with a horrible grey one, it’s safe but I’ll change that for a nice period looking fabric one at some stage.
The smoothing capacitors looked original and their values spot on so I left them. I had previously bought a replacement for the said faulty Rectifier valve, But I thought I’d power the set up anyway to see if it was now ok since I’d changed those capacitors. Well, that valve was certainly not happy! I was given a spectacular firework display with purple sparks going off brightly inside accompanied by strange clicking sounds. It was fascinating and a bit scary, I hadn’t seen anything like this before, I switched off the set pretty fast.
I then put in the replacement valve and tried again, this valve was much happier and gently glowed orange and the radio came alive and sounded really good.
It was used for a few hours with no issues until it developed a fault, I started to get a “howling” noise when tuning in on LW, I pinned this down to the EF39 valve. The red screening coating was in poor condition, some missing and the rest flaking off. Someone suggested wrapping the valve in tin foil. I did this and the problem solved straight away, it doesn’t look too good but it’s a stopgap until I buy a good replacement, they seem readily available.
The knobs, ornamental speaker ring and tuning scale surround are Bakelite, spayed cream. The paint has chipped quite badly in places and worn away on the knobs so I’m going to respray them.
The front is very unusual in being a coarse woven material, in fact it’s identical to an old Lloyd Loom chair I have. This looks like woven cane but is actually wire with some sort of durable coating over it. Probably the reason it’s survived in such good condition, it’s remarkable tough.
I wonder if Ferranti bought a job lot from Lloyd Loom to use on this particular model.
This front was just slightly grubby and cleaned up well. The sides and top are made in one section of bent plyboard with an attractive walnut veneer. This was still in very nice condition with hardly any deterioration to the original finish, so only required a clean and wax polish.
The damage sustained was to the glass tuning scale, basically snapped in two. I made a reasonable job of repairing it with fast setting araldite glue.
When back in the cabinet, it didn’t notice as much as I thought it might, so I’m quite happy about that, but I’m still on the lookout for undamaged one.
This is a lovely set, well made and much bigger than it looks in the pictures, it’s 26 inches wide with a quality speaker inside which it gives the radio a lovely deep pleasing tone.

It now performs really well with no hum or distortion. I think it’s quite stylish too, not a set to blend into the corner of a room but more a statement piece that proclaims “I’m a radio!”
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Old 20th Dec 2020, 5:00 pm   #2
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Default Re: Ferranti 147 (1947)

"I switched off the set pretty fast".

But not before you took a picture, eh Clive?

As an old Ferranti boy l have a lot of affection for their sets and I think this is really nice.

Well done!
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Old 21st Dec 2020, 10:09 am   #3
MurphyNut
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Default Re: Ferranti 147 (1947)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kentode View Post
"I switched off the set pretty fast".

But not before you took a picture, eh Clive?
I can't take credit for that picture, it was one posted up with the advert prior to me buying the set! I just saved the image for inclusion on this thread.

I only witnessed that "display" for a few seconds, that was enough!
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Old 21st Dec 2020, 11:27 am   #4
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Default Re: Ferranti 147 (1947)

Yes, I like that, good looking set and unusual design. Might be worth checking if the dial is the same as the 148 which seem to be a bit more common, I can't remember seeing one of these before.
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Old 21st Dec 2020, 1:03 pm   #5
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Default Re: Ferranti 147 (1947)

What a lovely set! - and the size of that mains transformer!!
it will looks splendid when you have finished it clive!
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Old 21st Dec 2020, 4:26 pm   #6
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Default Re: Ferranti 147 (1947)

No - I've never seen this model before too! The scale looks remarkably similar to that in my Ferranti 145 ........ which also exhibited 'rectifier aurora' during restoration [maybe it's a 'Ferranti thing' eh?].

I love the way each wavelength's scale is discretely illuminated by its own bulb as each specific wavelength is selected ..................
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Old 21st Dec 2020, 8:18 pm   #7
Stuart R
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Default Re: Ferranti 147 (1947)

Hello Clive,

One of these appeared at a BVWS auction in 2018. I liked the styling too and was tempted to make a bid, but I have to be strict as I really don't have room for any more. Now I know it's larger than its looks suggest, I feel a bit better for passing it by.

13th from the end here: https://www.bvws.org.uk/auctions/pho...ootton-bassett.

The tuning dial does look very Murphy.

Best Regards,

SR

Last edited by Stuart R; 21st Dec 2020 at 8:19 pm. Reason: Hard to spot the set amongst all the thumbnails.
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Old 21st Dec 2020, 10:29 pm   #8
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Default Re: Ferranti 147 (1947)

I’ve only ever seen one of these in the flesh! And they are huge beasts. It was in the antique / junk shop in Sutton-on-sea on the Lincolnshire coast, no idea how much it was, knowing them it probably wasn’t cheap! Sadly it was out the back in the leaky shed, but it must have sold, as it’s not there now! I even took a photo of it, dated August 2013. I was talking to someone at the NVCF who spotted the photo as I was scanning through to show him something else, and he commented that it was quite an interesting radio, and earlier than I thought it was.

Regards
Lloyd
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Old 22nd Dec 2020, 8:53 am   #9
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Default Re: Ferranti 147 (1947)

In 1947 that must have looked like something from a science fiction film, although I've no idea which one!
What a handsome looking set, very futuristic.
Perhaps that was the designers intention, to get people to look forward to better days ahead?
As others have said, that mains transformer looks like it means business, the rectifier was a mere snack!
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Old 22nd Dec 2020, 9:38 am   #10
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Default Re: Ferranti 147 (1947)

There seems to be radiogram version, A model 447 designed by Christopher Nicholson also from 1947. Even more striking in it's unusual design.
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Old 22nd Dec 2020, 10:04 am   #11
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Default Re: Ferranti 147 (1947)

I agree, very murphy-like. Looking back through Radio!Radio! shows Ferranti have had a few adventurous designs in their output through the ages. Many of the late 40's/early 50's ones seem to make use of the same or similar scale and knobs. The ones I've got are all decent performers once given the treatment!
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Old 22nd Dec 2020, 9:50 pm   #12
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Default Re: Ferranti 147 (1947)

Love that Radiogram version! That design must have frightened off the average buyer in 1947 though!
Steve.
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Old 22nd Dec 2020, 11:44 pm   #13
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Talking Re: Ferranti 147 (1947)

Quote:
Originally Posted by music-centre View Post
Love that Radiogram version! That design must have frightened off the average buyer in 1947 though!
Steve.
It would frighten off any feint hearted soul! It's screaming: "I'm a radio - listen to me!"
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Old 23rd Dec 2020, 12:47 pm   #14
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Default Re: Ferranti 147 (1947)

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tractionist View Post
No - I've never seen this model before too! The scale looks remarkably similar to that in my Ferranti 145 ........ which also exhibited 'rectifier aurora' during restoration [maybe it's a 'Ferranti thing' eh?].

I love the way each wavelength's scale is discretely illuminated by its own bulb as each specific wavelength is selected ..................
The chassis, speaker, transformer and tuning scale are very similar to the Ferranti 146 too, although the 146 I owned originally had cardboard block reservoir and smoothing capacitors mounted under the chassis.
It looks like Ferranti used this chassis design for quite a few years.

John
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Old 23rd Dec 2020, 1:03 pm   #15
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Default Re: Ferranti 147 (1947)

Quote:
Originally Posted by MurphyNut View Post
There seems to be radiogram version, A model 447 designed by Christopher Nicholson also from 1947. Even more striking in it's unusual design.
Presumably one of his last designs as he died in 1948.
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Old 23rd Dec 2020, 1:21 pm   #16
MurphyNut
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Default Re: Ferranti 147 (1947)

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Quote:
Originally Posted by MurphyNut View Post
There seems to be radiogram version, A model 447 designed by Christopher Nicholson also from 1947. Even more striking in it's unusual design.
Presumably one of his last designs as he died in 1948.
I would imagine, I did a bit of research on Christopher Nicholson, not only designs for Ferranti radio but a modernist architect too.
He was keen on gliding and designed the Art Deco London Gliding Club building (still standing) Ironically he died aged only 44 in a gilding accident.
Hope the Mods don't mind this slight digression.
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Old 25th Dec 2020, 11:56 am   #17
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Default Re: Ferranti 147 (1947)

You can get a new glass dial made though its expensive.

You get the original scanned on a high resolution scanner, then photoshop the crack out, send the file to a glass specialist who will make you a new dial.

Expect to pay around £200 in total
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Old 25th Dec 2020, 1:23 pm   #18
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Default Re: Ferranti 147 (1947)

The times I've had damage done to sets is damn infuriating, if only people packed them with a tiny bit of commonsense. Even when I tell the idiots how to pack them, it usually gets ignored!!!!
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Old 26th Dec 2020, 10:54 pm   #19
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Default Re: Ferranti 147 (1947)

I must say that radio looks very 'Bauhaus' in its cabinet design.


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