The Radio 270
T
eam
The founder of the Radio 270 project was also it's first Chairman, DON ROBINSON. He set it up as Radio Yorkshire Limited in late 1965.
A successful entrepreneur for many years, Don was later a board member of Yorkshire TV & Tyne Tees TV as well as Chief Executive of several leading national companies in the world of entertainment, including The London Dungeon and Flamingoland.
Don was very involved in sport, as a semi-pro wrestler and a professional rugby player. He later served as chairman of Hull City AFC. Don and his wife Jean lived just yards from the sea in his beloved sunny Scarborough and passed away in November 2025.
The Marine Superintendant who organised purchase and refitting of Radio 270's ship was well known Scarborough fisherman BILL PASHBY. Bill's family have a long pedigree in the Scarborough fishing industry and he was sent to find a suitable boat that could lie out at anchor for long periods. Originally it was intended to pre-record all the programmes at a studio in Newcastle, so little attention was given to accomodation for DJs on the ship.
NEWSREADERS
Stacey Brewer |
Steve Taylor |
John Aston |
Robin Best |
Julian Hewitt |
Philip Hayton |
Albert Hough / Hart |
Phillip Hayton |
Jeff Jones |
RADIO 270 DJs' THEME TUNES
Roger Gale
A Walk in Forest. Horst Jankowski
Pete Bowman
Bird Rocker by The Ventures,
then These Boots are Made for Walking
Rusty Allen
Deep in the Heart of Texas, DUANE EDDY
Brendan Power
Rockin Goose DUANE EDDY
Ross Randell
Skyliner MITCH MURRAY
Guy Hamilton
Tomorrows World & Iechyd-Da Alan Price Set
Philip Hayton
Countdown Dave Baby Cortez
Mikimo
Rainbow Round My Shoulder, TED HEATH
Paul Burnett
Peridot BOB MILLER
Hal Yorke
Man of Mystery The Shadows.
Dennis Straney
On the Street where you Live Quincy Jones
Paul Kramer
Kinda Kinky The Ray McVay
Finchley Central New Vaudeville Band
ALEX DEE
Along the Boulevard by Joe Loss Orchestra
ED MORENO
So Whats New Herb Alpert
Bob Snyder
Quite A Beat by Sandy Nelson
ROGER KEENE
In the Midnight Hour Little Mack & Boss Sounds
MIKE BARRON
Climb The Apples BOB WALLIS
NEDDY NOEL
Bye Bye Love,
later an arrangement of his own
Another early recruit to the Radio 270 board was LEONARD DALE AIEE, MIEE, who was asked to chair the company which owned and operated Radio 270. He was Radio 270's biggest shareholder. His family owned a thriving electrician's business at Filey which at that time specialised in connecting up the many remote farms across Yorkshire to the mains. To get the most remotest farms some power, Dale Electric had recently branched out into first the supply and then the building of electric generators, a business in which they have now become world leaders. Dales now provide service & maintainance for over 10,000 generators around the world.
One of the first meetings of prospective shareholders was held at the Pavilion Hotel in Scarborough. Don Robinson had invited along WILF PROUDFOOT as a guest and prospective advertiser. During the Q&A session a debate ensued as to whether it was thought there was any risk in the venture. Wilf told the investors they might be better throwing their money off the cliff top, but this seemed to spur them on and by the time the station launched there were over 200 shareholders on the register of operating company, Ellambar Investments Ltd. Wilf became one of the largest investors and was asked to become Managing Director.
Radio 270
DJs
Roll of Honour
(PD - Programme Directors)
Roger Gale PD
Ben Toney PD
Len Marten
Allen Ives
Bob Dewing
Hal Yorke PD
'Neddy' Noel Miller * PD
Brendan Power
Alex Dee
Mick the Mod
Jeff Bridger
Leon Tippler
Andy Kirk
Dennis 'Menace' Straney PD
Roger Keene
Roger King
Ed Moreno
Bob Snyder
Paul Burnet
Roly Roland
Paul Kramer
Vince 'Rusty' Allen PD
Ross Randell
Mike Barron
Guy Hamilton
Julian Hewitt
Jeff Jones
Robin Best
Phil Hayton
Richard Andrews
Pete 'Boots' Bowman
Mike Hayes St Mgr
Marcus West (Mark Wesley)
David Sinclair (your friend)
Steve Taylor (Jack McLaughlin)
Phil Oakley
Dennis The Menace on the air
Legal matters of Radio 270 were dealt with by TONY RYLANDS who practiced law for many years in North Yorkshire. Also on the board of Directors were TIM JACKSON who later helped found ILR stations Radio Tees in North Yorkshire and Yorkshire Coast Radio in Scarborough, plus local businessman ROLAND HILL who was a poultry farmer. Peter Asquith was a director too, as was chartered accountant Hylton Armstrong FCA and Mrs S. Stapleton. Marine matters were dealt with by another founder, Commodore Bill Pashby.
One of the first meetings of prospective shareholders was held at the Pavilion Hotel in Scarborough. Don Robinson had invited along WILF PROUDFOOT as a guest and prospective advertiser. During the Q&A session a debate ensued as to whether it was thought there was any risk in the venture. Wilf told the investors they might be better throwing their money off the cliff top, but this seemed to spur them on and by the time the station launched there were over 300 shareholders on the register of operating company, Ellambar Investments Ltd. Wilf became one of the largest investors and was asked to become Managing Director.
Ship's Captains; Capt Jan Zoetebier, Capt Kroon, Capt Olaf Hodgson.Capt Frank Graves. Capt John Ashby, Capt Chas Broughton
Mates Tinus Kuyper, Tom Kroon,
Gordon Bailey, Frank Dalton. Ken Lester, Gordon Vasey
Engineers: Peter Duncan, Russ Tollerfield, Henry Poppleton, Ken Lester, Keith Robinson, Chris Shepherdson,
Stephen Muir-Field, Pat Hargreaves, Trev Grantham, Peter Welburn, Harry Elliott.
Mariners: Tom Zoetenbier, Pete Scott, Bob Sabin, Bob Sabin, Eric Hall. Dave Murphy, Charlie Broughton, Harry Dawson.
Chefs Norman Dancer, Geoff Westoby
Station Minister:
Rev Hedley Pickard of Bempton
Sales Staff: M Innes, M Geoffrey, V Allen
Office Staff: Stella Ellis, Jane Young, Maggie Lucas and Carole Miller. Carole came over from Australia with her husband, Noel Miller (better known as DJ Neddy Noel). Carole also handled liaison between the office and the DJs on board the ship, In the early days some of the Radio 270 Set administration work was done by Judy Atkinson.
Ownership of
Radio 270
RADIO 270 was owned and operated by a Honduran company, Progressiva Compania Commercial SA of Panama. The radio ship the "Oceaan VII" was owned by a separate company: Marmado Cia Naviera SA of the Honduras. Noel Miller, an Australian citizen, was the official UK representative of the companies.
Both the central American companies were represented in the UK by a British company formed in 1965 by Don and Len, called Ellambar Investments Ltd of Scarborough. At the station's launch in Summer 1966, Ellambar had over 150 investors on the company's Share Register, 95% of them local to the North Yorkshire area. They included shopkeppers, formers, garage owners, and the deputy headmaster of Filey High School, George Simpson.
No, it wasn't Brendan Power, it was Ben Toney. Ben joined Radio 270 in the very early days of the station from Radio London (Big L) where he had been Programme Director. He didnt stay with Radio 270 very long, but returned home to the USA.
Some years later he was made an Admiral in the Texas Navy. It was rumoured that this was because one of his DJ coilleagues on Big L (it was Pete Brady) had saved the life of a Texas pilot in the US Air Force who had to ditch his plane in the North Sea near the Radio London ship, the MV Galaxy. "This is absolutely untrue and was not the reason at all," confessed Ben
"Several months before I became involved with Radio London, I was a delegate to the Democratic Party of Texas," he explained "At the convention, I was elected to the Permanent Organization Committee for the State Democratic Party. This is why Governor John Connelly made me an Admiral."
We salute you, Admiral Ben Toney, for all your work on the Radio 270 programmes.
Which Radio 270 DJ
wa
s a real life Admiral?
York actress Jane Young was also one of Radio 270's voices in 1966
Carole Miller & Maggie Lucas
seen here working their way through just one day's mail in the Radio 270 office on Scalby Road in sunny Scarborough.
Brendan Power, suitably attired for another stretch on the North Sea!
A July 1967 line up of the Radio 270 men on the deck of the Oceaan 7: Ross Randell, Mike Barron, Keith Robinson, Rusty Allen, Jeff Hewitt and Paul Kramer.
One of the first meetings of prospective shareholders was held at the Pavilion Hotel in Scarborough. Don Robinson had invited along WILF PROUDFOOT as a guest and prospective advertiser.
During the Q&A session, a debate ensued as to whether it was thought there was any risk in the venture. Wilf told the investors they might be better throwing their money off the cliff top, but this seemed to spur them on. By the time the station launched there were almos 200 shareholders on the register of operating company, Ellambar Investments Ltd. Wilf became one of the largest investors and was asked to become Managing Director.
RADIO 270 DJs' THEME TUNES
Roger Gale A Walk in the Black Forest. Horst Jankowski
Pete Bowman Bird Rocker by The Ventures,
then These Boots are Made for Walking
Rusty Allen Deep in the Heart of Texas, DUANE EDDY
Brendan Power Rockin Goose DUANE EDDY
Ross Randell Skyliner MITCH MURRAY
Guy Tomorrows World & Iechyd-Da Alan Price Ser
Philip Hayton Countdown Dave Baby Cortez
Mikimo Rainbow Round My Shoulder, TED HEATH
Paul Burnett Peridot BOB MILLER
Hal Yorke Man of Mystery The Shadows.
Dennis Straney On the Street where you Live Dave Macey orch'
Paul Kramer Kinda Kinky The Ray McVay Band
Alex Dee Along the Boulevard by Joe Loss Orchestra
Ed Moreno So Whats New Herb Alpert
Bob Snyder Quite A Beat by Sandy Nelson
Roger Keene In the Midnight Hour Little Mack & Boss Sounds
Mike Barron Climb The Apples BOB WALLIS
Neddy Noel Bye Bye Love, later an arrangement of his own
Garner 'Ted' Armstrong, who was heard every day on Radio 270 at 6:30pm in the programme 'The World Tomorrow', from the Worldwide Church of God.
Some of the 270 men at the messroom table: Phil Hayton, chef Geoff & DJ Paul Kramer.
Phil became a well known face on the BBC TV 9 Oclock news, Geoff Westoby raIsed a family in Gainbororugh in Lincolnshire but Paul died in a tragic motor accident on Battersea Bridge in London in 1968.
Carole Miller tackles yet another two baskets of fan mail for Radio 270; were YOUR letters among them?
Student journalist PHIL HAYTON, a popular 270 voice in 1967, who later became a regular face on the BBC-TV 9pm news.
Mark Wesley (aka Marcus West) left Radio 270 in 1967 to join another ship farther up the coast, Radio Scotland. He then moved to Radio North Sea before joining Radio Luxembourg. Mark also had an impressive career in music production and promotion.
Today Mark lives in Essex, produces movies and writes books. His recent novel FRACK! is all about oil exploration, something that's a very controversial subject in Yorkshire right now. Click the book covers for more details.
Mark Wesley
Critics say:
"Brilliantly structured…crackles with energy, superb writing." "Knife-edge drama…an atmosphere heavy with danger." "Genuinely difficult to put down."
Click covers for details
Mark's latest book is Dead City Exit. James Stack, ex captain, special forces, is blackmailed by British SIS into recovering TOPAZ, a top-secret, edge-of-science device that's been abandoned in the most violent city in North Africa. A 355 page thrill-packed story - click the cover for details.
Dennis The Menace
Mike Hayes Hal Yorke
Paul Burnett Roger Scott
Rusty Allen Roger Keene
Mike Barron Paul Kramer
Ross Randell Phil Hayton
Brendan Power Alex Dee
Boots Bowman Neddy Noel
Dave Sinclair Robin Best
Leon Tipler Bob Snyder
RADIO 270
Souvenir DVD
This rare film was shot on board Oceaan7 by Radio 270's best known DJ of 1966, Neddy Noel. He has personally mastered this montage and mixed with memorable archive recordings of Radio 270 you can watch anytime, forever! It comes with a full colour four-page booklet summarising Radio 270.
A real collectors' item!
This exclusive product shows life on board the radio ship Oceaan 7 and features the images and voices of most of the Radio 270 men. Produced by Neddy in his studio in Australia, every Radio 270 fan will want a copy of this limited edition DVD to hear their favourite DJs and keep for posterity:
and Radio 270 T-Shirts, etc
This rare film was shot on board Oceaan7 by Radio 270's best known DJ of 1966, Neddy Noel. He has personally mastered this montage and mixed with memorable archive recordings of Radio 270 you can watch anytime, forever! It comes with a full colour four-page booklet summarising Radio 270.
A real collectors' item!
This exclusive product shows life on board the radio ship Oceaan 7 and features the images and voices of most of the Radio 270 men. Produced by Neddy in his studio in Australia, every Radio 270 fan will want a copy of this limited edition DVD to hear their favourite DJs and keep for posterity:
for details
and Radio 270 T-Shirts, etc
The late MIKE BARRON, one of Radio 270's most energetic and experienced DJs who came along for the last few months of the 270 voyage in 1967. Mike later went to work in TV continuity in the West Country and ran a hospital radio station in Leeds. He died in the 1980s; RIP MIke.
Radio 270
Souvenir DVD
This rare film was shot on board Oceaan7 by Radio 270's best known DJ of 1966, Neddy Noel. He personally mastered the montage of memorable Radio 270 archive recordings that you can watch anytime, forever! It comes with a full colour four-page booklet about Radio 270.
A real collectors' item!
This exclusive product shows life on board the radio ship Oceaan 7 and features the images and voices of most of the Radio 270 men. Produced by Neddy in his studio in Australia, every Radio 270 fan will want a copy of this limited edition DVD to hear their favourite DJs and keep for posterity:
only £5.95
in the UK or £9.95
posted to RoW
Excellent book describing
over 130 formats for radio stations,
available now on Amazon.
For more details click book cover
The latest title in the
Look inside the radio station
book series from World of Radio
Capt Jan Zoetebier, Capt Kroon,
Capt Olaf Hodgson.Capt Frank Graves
Capt John Ashby, Capt Chas Broughton
Tinus Kuyper, Tom Kroon, Frank Dalton
Ken Lester, Gordon Vasey,
Peter Duncan, Henry Poppleton,
Stephen Muirfield, Chris Shepherdson,
Keith Robinson, Russ Tollerfield,
Pat Hargreaves, Trevor Grantham,
Harry Elliott, Phil Selman
Tom Zoetenbier, Peter Scott, Tom Smith,
Bob Sabin. Eric Hall. Dave Murphy,
Charlie Broughton, Harry Dawson.
Norman the Dancer, Geoffrey Westoby
M Innes, Maurice Jeffrey,
Stella Ellis, Jane Young, Judy Atkinson,
Maggie Lucas and Carole Miller.
Carole came over from Australia with her husband, Noel Miller (better known as DJ Neddy Noel). Carole also handled liaison between the office and the DJs on board the ship. In the early days, the Radio 270 Set administrative work was done by Maggie & Judy.
Radio 270 DJ Mike Hayes with his lurid Multicolourbound shirt on Bridlington pier.
Radio 270 DJ PAUL KRAMER on deck
Engineer Stephen Muirfeld
CAPTAINS
MATES
ENGINEERS
MARINERS
CHEFS
SALES
ADMIN
RADIO 270
PROGRAMMES
Collated by Dennis Boreham
The 270 Show,
270's Super Hit 40 Countdown
Agent 270
Afternoon Show
Back with the Beat
Barron's Boundaries
Breakfast Show
Cold Cream and Currlers Show
Commuters Special
Dennis the Menace Show
Early Bird
Early Morning Sleepwalkers
Farewell Dance Party
Hiya Pals it's Hal's Show
In the Power House
Ladies Morning Show
Lunch Date
Mikey Mo Breakfast Show
M.H. Evening show
Midnight Hour
Midnight Up
Munchtime at Lunchtime
Musical Matinee
Music for the Housewives
Paul Burnett Twelve Hours Later
Peter Phantoman
Power House Party
Radio 270 Fun 40
Rock and Roll Party
Roger Scott Commuters Special
School Special
Siesta Time
Swap Shop
Teenbeat 66
That Wise Guy again
The 720 Show
The Be-Oh De-Oh Do Show
Wise Guys Lunchtime show
The World Tomorrow (Garner Ted)
The Sunday Times Hour of Jazz