Sobell S325 found in skip with Caroline. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

johnlees · 27th Feb 2007, 8:44 pm

No, it's Radio Caroline! Found a Sobell S325 transistor radio today in a skip. Put a battery in it and it works.
It has 4 wavebands - LW, MW, MWbandspread and SW. The bandspread goes from about 190mtrs to 215mtrs and has "Caroline" and "Luxembourg" on it.

Please tell me I'm wrong but I've never seen a radio with "Caroline " on the dial before. Must be just me, I suppose. Was it common to have this?

Regards, John.

paulsherwin · 27th Feb 2007, 9:08 pm

Good find John.

A few radios did have 'Caroline' marked at one time. It wasn't very helpful, because there were lots of other stations which came and went, and Caroline itself had 2 frequencies (Caroline South and North).

Paul

stuie319 · 27th Feb 2007, 9:41 pm

Hi John

As Paul says, some manufacturers did put caroline on the dial and sometimes radio london as well, it was frowned on by the authorities and the practice didnt last long. If a tranny has one of the offshore stations listed on the dial it makes it easy to date, its almost certain to be 1965. Nice find

Regards Stu

Darren-UK · 27th Feb 2007, 11:01 pm

Hi John,

Is the S325 similar to my S327 of which I've attached a pic ? The 327 is one of those weird 'Duplex' radios with twin tuning scales.

Radio London also appeared on a few radios and this is the case with my Sobell S327 although the pic isn't especially clear.

johnlees · 27th Feb 2007, 11:15 pm

Hello all. No, Darren, your radio is nothing like mine at all, not even vaguely . It's totally different. Unfortunately I haven't (yet) got a digital camera so can't post a picture but I did find a picture of mine at http://www.vintage-radio.com/manufac...ts/sobell.html so have a look at that.

Darren-UK · 27th Feb 2007, 11:24 pm

Ah yes John, I remember now, the 325 is the one that looks like a Perdio Grosvenor

. Thanks anyway

.

stuie319 · 27th Feb 2007, 11:37 pm

Hi again John,

Just had a look of the pic of your sobell, its virtually identical to a GEC set in my collection, which also has caroline on the dial, i seem to think i've seen a marconi version somewhere as well. Pretty little sets in my opinion.

Regards, Stu

johnlees · 27th Feb 2007, 11:41 pm

That's amazing. It's virtually identical except for the branding.

radioman · 28th Feb 2007, 10:45 am

I also have one of these radios which is identical to the Sobell in the picture but mine is branded Masteradio.

Andy

Paul Stenning · 28th Feb 2007, 10:55 am

The same Trader sheet covers the Sobell, McMichael and three GEC versions but doesn't mention Masteradio. They were all brands of the same company by that point.

johnlees · 28th Feb 2007, 12:39 pm

Thanks, repliers, for all your interest in this radio. MAYBE even transistor radios are vaguely interesting - MAYBE !

JoshWard · 28th Feb 2007, 6:46 pm

I remember seeing one of the GEC versions in an antiques centre for £4, I was very tempted but it had sold by the next time I visited. Something which I thought about buying a lot was the McMichael version of which one came up for auction on ebay last year. Josh.

27th Feb 2007, 8:44 pm	#1
johnlees Hexode Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK. Posts: 283	Sobell S325 found in skip with Caroline. No, it's Radio Caroline! Found a Sobell S325 transistor radio today in a skip. Put a battery in it and it works. It has 4 wavebands - LW, MW, MWbandspread and SW. The bandspread goes from about 190mtrs to 215mtrs and has "Caroline" and "Luxembourg" on it. Please tell me I'm wrong but I've never seen a radio with "Caroline " on the dial before. Must be just me, I suppose. Was it common to have this? Regards, John. __________________ Now that's the kind of Long Wave I like ! (Severn Bore near Gloucester) Last edited by Station X; 27th Feb 2007 at 9:07 pm. Reason: Title corrected.

27th Feb 2007, 9:08 pm	#2
paulsherwin Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Oxford, UK Posts: 27,176	Re: Sobell S325 found in skip with Caroline. Good find John. A few radios did have 'Caroline' marked at one time. It wasn't very helpful, because there were lots of other stations which came and went, and Caroline itself had 2 frequencies (Caroline South and North). Paul

27th Feb 2007, 9:41 pm	#3
stuie319 Pentode Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Stockport, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 229	Re: Sobell S325 found in skip with Caroline. Hi John As Paul says, some manufacturers did put caroline on the dial and sometimes radio london as well, it was frowned on by the authorities and the practice didnt last long. If a tranny has one of the offshore stations listed on the dial it makes it easy to date, its almost certain to be 1965. Nice find Regards Stu

27th Feb 2007, 11:01 pm	#4
Darren-UK Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Blackpool, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 4,061	Re: Sobell S325 found in skip with Caroline. Hi John, Is the S325 similar to my S327 of which I've attached a pic ? The 327 is one of those weird 'Duplex' radios with twin tuning scales. Radio London also appeared on a few radios and this is the case with my Sobell S327 although the pic isn't especially clear. Attached Thumbnails

27th Feb 2007, 11:15 pm	#5
johnlees Hexode Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK. Posts: 283	Re: Sobell S325 found in skip with Caroline. Hello all. No, Darren, your radio is nothing like mine at all, not even vaguely . It's totally different. Unfortunately I haven't (yet) got a digital camera so can't post a picture but I did find a picture of mine at http://www.vintage-radio.com/manufac...ts/sobell.html so have a look at that. __________________ Now that's the kind of Long Wave I like ! (Severn Bore near Gloucester)

27th Feb 2007, 11:24 pm	#6
Darren-UK Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Blackpool, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 4,061	Re: Sobell S325 found in skip with Caroline. Ah yes John, I remember now, the 325 is the one that looks like a Perdio Grosvenor . Thanks anyway .

27th Feb 2007, 11:37 pm	#7
stuie319 Pentode Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Stockport, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 229	Re: Sobell S325 found in skip with Caroline. Hi again John, Just had a look of the pic of your sobell, its virtually identical to a GEC set in my collection, which also has caroline on the dial, i seem to think i've seen a marconi version somewhere as well. Pretty little sets in my opinion. Regards, Stu Attached Thumbnails

27th Feb 2007, 11:41 pm	#8
johnlees Hexode Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK. Posts: 283	Re: Sobell S325 found in skip with Caroline. That's amazing. It's virtually identical except for the branding. __________________ Now that's the kind of Long Wave I like ! (Severn Bore near Gloucester)

28th Feb 2007, 10:45 am	#9
radioman Heptode Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Ayr, Ayrshire, UK. Posts: 620	Re: Sobell S325 found in skip with Caroline. I also have one of these radios which is identical to the Sobell in the picture but mine is branded Masteradio. Andy __________________ G-QRP #12697

28th Feb 2007, 10:55 am	#10
Paul Stenning Administrator Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Cardiff Posts: 8,967	Re: Sobell S325 found in skip with Caroline. The same Trader sheet covers the Sobell, McMichael and three GEC versions but doesn't mention Masteradio. They were all brands of the same company by that point. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Paul Stenning Forum Admin/Owner and BVWS Webmaster

28th Feb 2007, 12:39 pm	#11
johnlees Hexode Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, UK. Posts: 283	Re: Sobell S325 found in skip with Caroline. Thanks, repliers, for all your interest in this radio. MAYBE even transistor radios are vaguely interesting - MAYBE ! __________________ Now that's the kind of Long Wave I like ! (Severn Bore near Gloucester)

28th Feb 2007, 6:46 pm	#12
JoshWard Octode Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Near Stowmarket, Suffolk, UK. Posts: 1,960	Re: Sobell S325 found in skip with Caroline. I remember seeing one of the GEC versions in an antiques centre for £4, I was very tempted but it had sold by the next time I visited. Something which I thought about buying a lot was the McMichael version of which one came up for auction on ebay last year. Josh.