Radio 270 was due to launch on 1st April 1966. Unfortunately the mast snapped in a storm and the ship had to return to harbour until a new one could be erected. These pictures were taken while the Oceaan 7 was in Grimsby docks awaiting the construction and fitting of the new aerial mast. While this work was going on, disc-jockeys Hal Yorke (real name Norman Wingrove) and Paul Burnett lived on the ship with Captain Jan and his son Tommy. The descriptions, below, are in Hal's own words. |
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LEFT: Sunset over beautiful Grimsby, pearl of the east coast, as Oceaan 7 lies at her berth awaiting a new transmitting mast.
RIGHT: Such an attractive neighbourhood for our six weeks in port. |
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LEFT: Jan and Tommy carrying out routine maintenance to one of the winches. RIGHT: Oceaan 7 lying alongside a Grimsby trawler at the next berth. |
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LEFT: Paul Burnett.
RIGHT: Mealtime at Radio 270. The worst thing about living aboard for two weeks at a time was the awful food. Apart from the occasional freshly-caught dab or lobster, it was an extreme example of the reason British food has such a bad reputation worldwide. |
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LEFT: Radio 270 secretary Jane Young in her other identity as an actress waiting in her dressing room at Scarborough's Library Theatre during
a production of Noel Coward's Private Lives. Jane invented the DJ name Hal Yorke for Norman Wingrove, who had recently played Prince Hal and who was born in York.
RIGHT: The remains of the damaged mast. |
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LEFT: Tommy emerging from the hatch of a cable locker.
RIGHT: Jan at a tea break in the main cabin. At rear is a disc jockey's sleeping bunk. At night the bunks were enclosed by curtains. Sleeping accommodation for the ship's crew were in the foc'sle. As you can see, sleeping arrangements were pretty spartan. |
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