Radio Scotland

Operating from The Comet, a former lightship, Radio Scotland began broadcasting on late New Year’s Eve 1965, on 242 meters. The ship was fitted out with two 10000-watt RCA transmitters, along with a 145-foot dipole mast.  The station’s offices were located at Radio Scotland House, 20 Cranworth Street, Glasgow W2.

In charge of the organisation was Tommy Shields, a former employee of DC Thompson publishing. Shields had previously been involved with several abortive attempts to launch land-based stations in Scotland, dating back to 1947. He was also involved with the formation of Scottish Television. He was obviously a man determined, in one way or another, to bring local broadcasting to the north of the U.K.!

December 1965: The 500-ton Comet was towed to Dunbar. It was originally planned for the station to be in position on December 27th, but it was delayed by three days after the towlines broke several times

Tommy Shields

A great deal of last minute technical work had to be completed to get the station on the air in time to bring in the New Year. This caused the station’s initial transmissions to be on low power.  But on the 16th of January,  the station increased its power to 20.000 watts when important transmitter components finally arrived. The early days of the station were marred by frequent transmitter problems, which lead to frequent spells of dead air.

The station opened at 23:55, on December 31st 1965, with a statement from Tommy Shields: “Good evening. This is a proud moment for me and, indeed, for all of us here. For after many months of trial and tribulation, Radio Scotland is now a floating reality. Thanks to the skill and ingenuity of a dedicated band of radio engineers, and the loyalty of our team, we have been able to convert a former Clyde built lightship, The Comet, into one of the most modern offshore broadcasting stations in the world. Now, our aims are simple and straightforward- to provide a new, exciting form of entertainment radio, and to offer advertisers a new, simple and economic medium in which to sell to millions of homes in Scotland and northern England.”

Amongst the first voices to be heard on the station were those of Dave Kinnard and Paul Young. Telegram messages were read out, and pre-recorded  messages of congratulation from artists such as Spencer Davis and Alex Harvey were aired.

The Comet

Advertising rates varied from £28 for a 30-second peak time rate, down to £4 for a 7-second off peak rate. The station’s first sponsors were a Scottish soup company, with the first advertising slot been taken by The News of the World newspaper. The station also ran competitions for the listeners, under the name “The Sixpenny Snowball,” with the proceeds going to local charities and good causes.

Radio Scotland’s programme was a mixed bag, including the expected top 40 material and sponsored religious shows, plus a large amount of  Scottish music shows, showcasing both modern and traditional recordings. The most memorable of these was Jack McLaughlin’s weekly show. McLaughlin, forced to play music which was definitely not to his taste, hammed it up to the full, linking records in a style which was probably incomprehensible to any of the station’s few listeners south of the Highlands. What exactly are “Huchters and Tuchters” (sp?) anyway? Scotland’s management were evidently not amused, and pulled the show after a few weeks. The listeners, on the other hand, lapped it up, and when pro-McLaughlin mail arrived by the mailbag full, the show was re-instated.

Radio Scotland became the first of the offshore station’s to have its own magazine, “The Clan 242.” The fan club was handled by a former beauty queen Cathy Spencer,  and offered listeners pictures, stickers, badges etc.  Many top recording stars of the day would also appear at the station’s legendary Clan Balls, which were hosted at some of Scotland’s top discotheques and clubs.