Radio Scotland was an offshore pirate radio station broadcasting on 1241 kHz mediumwave (242 metres), created by Tommy Shields in 1965. The station was on the former lightship L.V. Comet, which had been fitted out as a radio station in Guernsey using RCA technology and engineers, it was anchored at locations off Scotland, usually outside territorial waters.

History

The station began on 31 December 1965 and featured DJs including Paul Young, Richard Park, Stuart Henry and Jack McLaughlin with a céilidh programme that promised to tickle the "tartan tonsils". Later disc-jockeys included John Kerr, Tony Allan, Ben Healy, Mark Wesley (as Mark West), Alan Black, David Kinnaird, Charlie Whyte, Pete Bowman, Larry Marshall, Bryan Vaughan, Mel Howard, Roger Gale (now Sir Roger Gale, Conservative MP and Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons), Eddie White, Drew Hamlyn, Jimmy Mack, Cathy Spence, Stevie Merike and Brian McKenzie (as Brian Webb). Its headquarters, Radio Scotland House, was a building at Cranworth Street, Hillhead in Glasgow. Cranworth Street also made taped programmes - using 1/4" magnetic tape - which were taken to the ship by tender.

The Comet was initially off Dunbar

The station was popular in Scotland with the '242 Clan' fan club' and 242 monthly magazine. It was also seen as profitable, and one of the 'big six' pirate stations, along with Caroline South, Caroline North, Radio London, Radio 390 and Radio 270.

The station closed on 14 August 1967 Shields had repeatedly lobbied the Government to exempt Radio Scotland and wanted terms under which the station might continue legally. One of his arguments was that the station broadcast into areas where it was not possible to receive BBC radio. Shields died just six months after the station's closure, aged 49.

The majority of the crew and presenters were at a party in Glasgow to say farewell to Radio Scotland on the last night. It was left to Andy Main, electrical engineer and occasional late night DJ, to give the last transmission and put Radio Scotland off air. Prior to the recorded 'last hour' show which finished at 11.59 pm, Tony Allan and Mark West presented a programme talking about past shows and DJs and playing their signature tunes.

Many presenters went to other stations, including BBC Radio 1, Radio Caroline, Radio Luxembourg, Radio Clyde and BBC Radio Scotland.

See also

  • Radio Free Scotland

References

  • History of Radio Scotland on the Ross Revenge website
  • History of Radio Scotland on the Radio London Website
  • Radio Scotland memories on the Offshore Radio site
  • Story of Radio Scotland on a local website about Buckhaven in Fife