Back in the 1980s, BBC Radio 1 FM went off-air overnight. This is what the shutdown sounded like.

1980s BBC Radio 1FM nightly closedown

In the 1980's, BBC Radio 1 went off-air overnight. Every morning it would start with a montage of jingles, this recording is from Monday 31st July 1989.

BBC Radio 1 FM startup Mon 31st July 1989 with Adrian John

Side B - From the now defunct Alfasound, I purchased this tape at the end of 1989. On side A was Trent 10 (including Sound FM Leicester and GEM AM) by Alfasound and Century 21. Side B included Trent 11 from Alfasound and JAM which aired a couple of months later in January 1990.

Alfasound and JAM - Trent 11, Sound FM and GEM AM aired 1990

Here is a clip from Leicester Sound FM (date unknown) in which Kenny Hague successfully manages to handle being on-air with only one working CD player. Mike Salisbury (who was on-air before Kenny between 8am-10am Sundays) lends a helping hand.

Leicester Sound FM Kenny Hague and Mike Salisbury CD Player Failure

This clip features the final moments of 'Music with a Country Flavour' presented by Matthew Carr, the midlands radio network news intro, travel with Max Thomas at AA Roadwatch and a John Taynton jingle.

BBC Midlands Radio News intro travel and John Taynton jingle

This compilation of clips is taken from the Sound FM (Leicester) Music Jam. Featuring promos for Diana Luke, Kid Jensen, Sounds Country, Talkback, a very long advert from Teledisc and an interesting use of the audio silence in the song 'Calling all the Heroes' by It Bites.

Sound FM (Leicester) Music Jam clips

Some of these Mercia jingles will be familiar to listeners of Leicester Sound in the early 90s.

A selection of Mercia FM jingles from the early 1990s (Muff Murfin)

In the summer of 1990, DLT hands over to Steve Wright's Radio 1 Roadshow.

August 14th 1990 BBC Radio 1 FM Roadshow in Bournemouth with Steve Wright

Mark Hayman takes listeners across the East Midlands on Trent FM and Sound FM from 1990 into 1991.

Sound FM (Leicester) Transition from 1990 into 1991

From the early days of satellite radio, here is a Radio Nova news intro into ITN radio news.

Radio Nova news intro

From the early days of satellite radio, here is how Radio Luxembourg ended their daily English programmes.

Radio Luxembourg daily closedown

Radio Luxembourg promote a new jingles package created by TM Jingles.

Radio Luxembourg TM Jingles Promo

On Saturday 8th December through into Sunday 9th December 1990, the Midlands was hit by heavy snowfall and strong winds causing blizzard conditions. This compilation of clips is from Saturday 8th December, when Sound FM in Leicester opted-out of the Trent network to provide local information in this pre-internet era.

Sat 8th Dec 1990 Sound FM (Leicester) - The Great Blizzard of 1990

On Saturday 8th December through into Sunday 9th December 1990, the Midlands was hit by heavy snowfall and strong winds causing blizzard conditions. On Sunday 9th December 1990, Sound FM in Leicester opted-out of the national Network Chart Show to provide local information in this pre-internet era. This compilation of clips features Mark Hayman and David Lloyd.

Sun 9th Dec 1990 Sound FM (Leicester) - The Great Blizzard of 1990

As heard on Leicester Sound, this is the Pepsi Network Chart Show start-up from October 1994.

Pepsi Network Chart Show Intro October 1994

As heard on Leicester Sound in November 1994, this is how the show handed-back to local output.

Pepsi Network Chart Show Outro Nov 1994

From the late 80's or early 90's, this is a clip featuring the Radio Broadland (Norfolk) news intro. This was received over 120 miles away in Leicester during 'tropospheric ducting'.

Radio Broadland (Norfolk) News Intro

From the late 80's or early 90's, this is a #RadioBroadland
 (Norwich) ad break. This was received over 120 miles away in Leicester during 'tropospheric ducting'.

Radio Broadland Ad Break

Saturday 15th December 1990, one week after blizzards struck Leicestershire, Sound FM's David Lloyd hands over to Andy Miller.

Sound FM (Leicester) 1990 David Lloyd hands over to Andy Miller

Clips from Kenny Hague's Sound FM (Leicester) show. Features adverts for the 1988 Olympics telephone line, Dewhurst Butchers, Granby Halls Home Life Exhibition and AFG Motorama. Also includes the opportunity to buy a Sport Aid 1988 T-Shirt and what's-on guide.

1988 Sound FM (Leicester) Kenny Hague

In 1989 on Sound FM (Leicester), David Lloyd hands over to the Music Jam.

Sound FM (Leicester) 1989 David Lloyd hands over to the Music Jam

In 1989 on Sound FM (Leicester), David Lloyd provides a weather update.

Sound FM (Leicester) 1989 David Lloyd weather

A short clip from the Music Jam with Mark Hayman in 1988.

Sound FM (Leicester) Music Jam in Melton

Kenny Hague provides the latest weather update on Leicester Sound.

Leicester Sound Kenny Hague weather update

In 1990 BBC Radio 1FM did not broadcast 24 hours a day, it would start each day with a jingle montage. This is how it sounded at the start of the Jackie Brambles early breakfast show. Apologies for the poor audio quality.

BBC Radio 1FM 1990 startup into Jackie Brambles Early Breakfast

Here is a promo for the Adrian Juste show followed by the start of the BBC Radio 1 Roadshow with Mike Read in Barry Island, Wales on August 4th 1989.

1989 August 4th - BBC Radio 1 FM Roadshow Barry Island

Between 1989 and 1991, BBC Radio WM (Birmingham) ran a separate service on 1458KHz for east Birmingham called WM Heartlands. Here are a couple of clips.

BBC Radio WM Heartlands short clip

Recorded from the 1557KHz medium wave transmitter of Northants 96 in the 1980s.

Northants 96 into and out of the news

A promo for the Business Programme on Leicester Sound in the 1980s followed by Mark Hayman's Music Jam.

Leicester Sound Business Programme promo into the Music Jam

Back in 1991 televisions were generally mono speakers, but stereo was available from satellite by hooking-up an Amstrad receiver to a stereo Hi-Fi system. Here is the Sky Movies theme in stereo.

1991 Sky Movies Theme in stereo

Back in 1991 televisions were generally mono speakers, but stereo was available from satellite by hooking-up an Amstrad receiver to a stereo Hi-Fi system. Here is the Sky News top of the hour ident in stereo, followed by headlines in mono.

1991 Sky News stereo ident and headlines

1991 - It's the Sky World News Hour, but we can't hear the presenters.

1991 Sky World News Hour technical issues

In 1991 when there were just 16 satellite channels on the Astra 1A satellite (until March 1991 when Astra 1B launched), Lifestyle ran a satellite jukebox overnight to rival MTV. Although this is recorded on a stereo system, the ident was broadcast in mono.

1991 Lifestyle Satellite Jukebox startup

From 1991, here is the Sky News Live at 5 theme. Although it was recorded on a stereo system, it was broadcast in mono. A very similar theme was used for ITV's Central News at this time.

1991 Sky News Live at 5 Theme

Here is a Sky Sports boxing promo followed by the early 1990s ident. Although recorded on a stereo system, it was broadcast in mono.

Early 1990s Sky Sports boxing promo and ident

Back in 1991 televisions were generally mono speakers, but stereo was available from satellite by hooking-up an Amstrad receiver to a stereo Hi-Fi system. Here is the launch of The Movie Channel in stereo.

1991 The Movie Channel Launch

Here is the 1991 launch night schedule for British Sky Broadcasting's The Movie Channel.

1991 The Movie Channel launch night schedule

Here is the stereo Movie Channel Ident into the very first film broadcast during the BSkyB era.

1991 The Movie Channel Ident into the first film broadcast

Back in 1991 televisions were generally mono speakers, but stereo was available from satellite by hooking-up an Amstrad receiver to a stereo Hi-Fi system. Here is the Sky One Monday evening schedule broadcast in mono followed by the ident in stereo.

1991 Sky One Monday evening schedule and stereo ident

I grew-up in the 80's and 90's listening to radio in and around Leicester and I often recorded random station output. I am now revisiting these tapes before they go into the dustbin.

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