Chiltern Radio The early Years

A look at the golden years of Chiltern Radio serving Herts, Beds, Bucks, Northants from the early to mid 1980's. Features Paul McKenna, Bill Young, Tony West and a Dallas recording session with legendary artists from the PAMS jingle company

[@deanakennedy3878]

Great to have this! I listened to Chiltern Radio in the 80's. Not only are the new stations crap, FM is a fast dying format now, I haven't listened to FM Radio in probably 12 years. I love music, so I stream it free on various Android apps. No commercials, no people talking. It's great!

[@pigshead100]

Nothing today comes close to Chiltern's early days.McKenna,Bill Young,Chiltern reports,then Tony West.If it could be marketed today it would be priceless.Even the attention to the quality of the jingles. Thanks Phil for the memories. Alan @ Clophill

[@SaltyReward]

Northants 96 - The Hot FM. I was a massive fan. Fantastic presenters, beautiful jingles and great music. I love the travel news bed. I so miss The Chiltern Network.

[@photowalk.podcast]

Wonderful memories of that building... even the brown sound proofing design! There was a buzz about that building I don't think I ever found again in my entire career!

[@cequip69]

Great to see this Phil, thank for posting. one stand out moment from back in the day was a young kid calling in and asking. "How do you stop Phil Fothergill from drowning.......... take your foot off his head" Always stuck with me all these years. Miss Chris Seymour's Rolling Quiz, was a great format.

[@Philfothergill]

Wow memories. Thanks for the comment

[@keithspencer1529]

after the pirates we enjoyed ILR local radio across the UK many stations of which I visited as I had a real passion for radio , Chiltern Radio were Brill broadcasting from a school in Chiltern Road Dunstable I liked the djs and the soul shows and the radio jingle was great well put together thank you Phil Fothergill Martin Collins Louie Martin and all the others for the great days of entertainment

[@Philfothergill]

+Keith Spencer Thanks for those great comments Keith.

[@Goodchappy]

Yes thank you Phil for what you did at Chiltern, I was so sad when Chiltern was taken over. I was was never a fan of Radio 1 or Radio BORE as you once put it in one of your sketches :-)

[@voice.of.reason]

Herts, Beds and Bucks really had one of the best ILR stations in the country, when you look back. Thank you Phil for putting this together. I wonder if the shareholders in 1995 now regret their decision to allow the GWR takeover. They killed so many great radio stations. Scandalous.

[@stevebeds]

Back in 1983 I remember that on our way back from School we would call into Chiltern Radio if we heard an artist was in. I met Paul Young and some Kajagoogoo members but having left school in Summer 1983 I recall a year or so later a friend of the family knew Phil Fothergill and I was subsequently invited to have a look around the station one day. Great memories for me too as the radio station building was originally my junior school. I love or should I say now appreciate the jingle!

[@stephenalden605]

The Hot FM/ Chiltern radio 97.6 and SuperGold 828 were great stations. With great music mixes and jingles.

[@PendragonShowJumping]

Radio was pure magic back then, great fun to work in, I joined the sales team summer of 1987, regards to all :)

[@chrisv9489]

Wonderful memories. I was an Engineer at Dunstable from 1981-88 Chris V.

[@Philfothergill]

+Chris V great to see you here Chris

[@Andy-Robus]

great watching that - brought back good memories , I was born in Houghton Regis and grew up in Dunstable and it was so exciting tuning into Chiltern radio's first broadcasting day on AM Radio up until then we only had Radio 1 in the area and it was not local or give you any of the local news or events, but Chiltern radio changed all that. Very exciting. A week before Chiltern went to air I would listen to the pre-launch trailer over and over again. 2 songs I remember were Joan Armatrading 'im Lucky' and Simon and Garfunkle 'The Boxer' and Phil Fothergill and Paul McKenna and peter wagstaff(?) and bill you asking listeners to join them and listen in - great times and great to see this video up on here.

[@mixinstyle]

Such cool memories! Used to listen to chiltern radio in the early - mid 80s. Remember at night they used to play the disco mixes of hits, remember those? I didn't know that these were simply the 12" versions of the hits rocking the charts back in the day. Chiltern was the only radio station that played the extended versions of tunes such as Kajagoogoo too shy, and songs by Imagination.

[@cwarbu01]

Thanks for the video, brought back very old memories of the studios in Chiltern Road, when was on Louie Martin's show. Always remember the sound proofing in the studios, splicing tape and eveyone always frantically pressing the combination locks to get through the doors, also the outside broadcast in MK shopping centre. Thanks for the video.

[@Goodchappy]

I didn't expect to find anything about Chiltern Radio. I used to listen to it intensely from late 1981 to about 1995 when it was taken over :-( I miss it, the replacement company killed local radio as it was when Chiltern was around. I loved all the jingles, in fact I used to record them off the radio and still have them. The ones in this video are different from what I have which were probably between 1983 to 1985. Bill Young's Monday Moan line, Pete Wagstaff, Philly and Billy on Saturday..

[@expertiseontap]

Gosh, I just stumbled across this video. Thanks for producing it Phil. I remember that studio open day and queuing for ages just to get a glimpse of the studios!

[@SasquatchAtTheSpaceDisco]

Thanks for the upload. This is really interesting stuff. I'm researching the Megatron flying saucer restaurant that used to be at Alconbury, Cambs. Some people have said that it had adverts broadcast on Chiltern, Mid Anglia, and Hereward in the early 1990s. Does anyone know where we might find recordings from that time, either in public archives or private collections? It might also have been mentioned on the news or by DJs, not least because people reported it as a genuine UFO when it opened in 1990. It would be great to see what we can find.

[@davepoulton2591]

I remember being dragged into the studios most weekends when my dad worked for Chiltern. Loved running loose around the halls & even got to meet Julian Lennon. Great days

[@derekbunning8727]

i loved chiltern radio,still remember the soul shows hosted by martin collins and louie martin,the rolling quiz with chris seymour and neil francis,paul o reilly sunday night at 7pm after kid jensons network chart,happy days and great radio,sadly long gone,nice to hear martin collins on magic now and paul phear who hosted the breakfast show on chiltern radio,now on smooth radio.

[@Philfothergill]

+Derek Bunning Many thanks for sharing your memories Derek

[@Goodchappy]

Memories overload watching this and reading the comments.

[@stevebeds]

That vevue was my old school and one of my best friends back then was Rowena!

[@hedgiebit]

Memories! I went out with Rob Chance,one of your radio engineers, that was a long while ago!

[@Philfothergill]

Thanks Alan. Great times and happy memories

[@Goodchappy]

So that's what Sim Harris looked like! Thank you so much for uploading this. I used to listen to Chiltern Radio from 1982 more or less, non stop till it was taken over by GWR. I was addicted. I miss it as local radio has never been the same. Bill Youngs Monday moan line and Philly and Billy on Saturday morning, Pete Wagstaff, Steve Fountain to name a few.

[@merlinonline67]

I once wound Bill Young up live on air on his moan line, wish I had kept the tape!

[@radioman01]

Thank-you Phil for this, and my first proper job in the radio business.

[@simonjharrisson]

Such a shame that Chiltern went along with so many other great stations. Chiltern and Leicester Sound were 2 of the biggest sounding stations. Never ever listen to what has replaced them.

[@TheMarkybailey]

Phil. Thank you SO much for posting this stuff. Chiltern (and your programming) are the reasons I got into radio. Putting faces to those singers of the chiltern song is magic! Thanks, mark

[@jordandarian4105]

instablaster.

[@roganms]

HI, I remember and will have to put my video up here of them building the station literally .

[@albertdesalvo7273]

Who was the Chiltern Radio operative who had a slot reporting the gossip at the time while having Ike Turner's (and his Kings of Rhthym) New Breed Part 1 instrumental track playing in the background? The year would have been around 1990-1. Great memories, and judging by the video, it looks like Chiltern Radio was one big happy family.

[@merlinonline67]

Really miss Andy Gelder and Nick Lawrence on the breakfast show from back in the 90's. Also back in the 80's, there was Scott Shannons Rocking America, brilliant time to be a teenager! I'm surprised no one has done a tribute internet radio station!

[@Philfothergill]

Thanks for this great feedback. First one for 4 years on this site. lol.

[@Andy-Robus]

I went to the Chiltern Road Studio open day way back then, I might even star in this video.. although I couldn't see myself - from what I can recall it was great day though

[@keithspencer1529]

My pleasure take care and good luck Phil ....

[@arunwalker]

Thanks Phil for your reply.

[@simonjharrisson]

The jingles were great, somehow I found the entire 1983 and 1984 packages and downloaded the lot!! Sad, eh??

[@fluxington]

Where from?

[@simonharrisson2837]

@@fluxington It is so long ago now, but I will check. PM me.

[@Philfothergill]

Arun. The Gentlemen at 26secs left to right are Stuart the financial controller, Peter, sales director, Phil Fothergill programme director, Colin Mason, managing director, and Richard Robinson, chief engineer.

[@arunwalker]

Great memories. Could you identify the gentlemen in the photo @ 26 secs please. Thanks.

[@stevebeds]

At 12 minutes and 05 seconds into the video who is the lady with glasses? She reminds me of my former headmistress Mrs Hall who ran Chiltern Road Lower School when I was just 5 years old. Is it her?

[@AndyIvanBell]

Hi Phil! I'm over the moon about stumbling upon this! Thank you so much for producing such a great video about your great station. What foresight you had to video so much of these precious and delightful days. I don't know if you'll remember but I used to work there part time while I was still at school. I started by stacking carts and filling out PRS forms for Tara and reclaiming 1/4" tape in the Bedford studios before being tech op for Chris on Sunday for Seven Days then with Jerry Allen on Organ Showcase. I'd absolutely love to chew the fat, please give me a shout on email or @andyivanbell on Twitter if you'd like to. Cheers!

[@Philfothergill]

+Andy Bell Wow Andy thanks for those great memories. Sorry for taking so long to reply to you

[@chrishulse5305]

Anyone know what music is being played at 13:40?

[@dream_hxgxn1613]

Does any one remember the dance group Chiltern Kiss?

[@jward2266]

From the mighty Sandy Heath transmitter. N and P windows, better by design.. etc

[@simonguettier]

I was offered a job by yourself at Chiltern in, ooh gosh, I think somewhere between 85-87 probably. Unfortunately your enforced (and unfair) departure from the station meant I was never able to take up the appointment - a great disappointment at the time. Although I had a pretty successful career subsequently (now retired), I have always regretted not being able to take it up. Colin Mason, who I had dealings with often in subsequent years, was not a nice person in any sense. My best wishes to yourself. Simon

[@hogshouse]

12:45... I had one of those teddys... lol

[@giagnorio86]

Paul McKenna?!

[@Philfothergill]

+giagnorio86 Paul is now hugely successful and now lives mostly in Los Angeles

[@chrishulse5305]

14:04 disaster tape? doom music?

[@Philfothergill]

Yes it was a standby tape of serious music in case of a royal death or major tragedy.