I did a forum search and some Googling but can't seem to find much. I know that Radio Caroline is the pirate radio station that is referenced in Radio Silence, but what is 452? Is it some reference to radio frequency?

Radio Caroline operated first at 199 meters, the 259 meters, and later on other wavelengths. Nowhere can I find it documented that it operated at 452 meters (about 660 kHz). Poetic license?

Interesting History here.. again, no mention of that frequency..

http://www.radiocaroline.co.uk/history1.asp

Radio Caroline was my constant companion when I was studying in London. I found it by chance, not knowing in 1986 that "Caroline 452" was a reference to pirate radio (yeah, I was completely oblivious.) Tuning in stations on my new radio (after going out to buy the right plug end for it - a really weird shopping experience for an American) I heard: "This is Radio Caroline - *ding ding* - broadcasting from the North Sea at 558 Khz." My jaw just about hit the floor. I immediately made the mental connection (looking up at Dolby on my wall.) Ah, I miss the fine folks on the Ross Revenge. (That was 86-87.)

My roommate and I listened to Caroline all the time. It was rare for us to tune out, unless the signal died. Of course, I also listened to the shipping reports late at night, too, once I found them.

Thanks to whomever started this thread. I'm feeling very nostalgic for my year in London now...

- Merujo
http://merujo.blogspot.com

Originally built during WWII ,These things apparently are still there and were used by the Pirate radio stations during the 60's and 70's.They are are currently abandoned. Thery look like the Tripod Martian War Machines described by HG Wells in "The War of The Worlds" striding in the water. Vacation home anyone?

http://www.undergroundkent.co.uk/maunsell_towers.htm



Here you can make out a Faded painting of the Word Radio on the side

Ha, those are cool, SID! Reminds me of "Sealand", one of those abandoned military platforms that a fellow claimed as his own nation back in the sixties, and has lived there since... although, I think it was abandoned just recently due to a fire.

Is that where OMD got the idea for that song? Hmm

I read the article on those platforms. How cool would those be to explore if they weren't so dangerous now. The photos are beautiful. Thanks for sharing!

I'd be cool to spend time on one of these platforms, perhaps as part of an amateur radio "DXposition" (where ham radio operators go to some remote location just so other hams can log a contact with someone there.)

How would a person go about getting up into those tripods, I wonder? Helicopter?? Are there ladders up some
of the "legs", maybe :!::?::!::?::?:

Ooooh, rusty metal, what fun. Ya know, a liberal coating of Vaseline might have prevented some of
that corrosion... maybe WD-40 hadn't been invented yet either...say, I think I read somewhere that WD-40 is
just kerosene anyway

Love and tetanus shots {owwwwwie!!!},

Krazy Kara! :P

maybe WD-40 hadn't been invented yet either...say, I think I read somewhere that WD-40 is
just kerosene anyway

WD - is - water displacement...... good for various stuff like freeing up water rusted hinges (is there another type of rust?) but it doesn't protect long term. What a sad post, eh!

Even sadder post fact fans - WD-40 was developed to protect Trans World Airlines (TWA) fleet of Convair 880 jets which were withdrawn from use at the end of the 1960's and parked in the desert North of Los Angeles at Mojave. After 39 attempts they came up with a useable Water Dispersal formula 40 which went on to greater success than the aeroplanes. They sat in the desert for over 25 years looking for a new buyer, at one time even being converted to freighters. There were no takers and they were broken up for scrap late 1990's.

One amazing aeroplane, so named because it flew at 880 feet per second. Surpassed only by the larger version that Convair produced later - the 990. And yes, it did 990 feet per second.

Cheers, 98

And I killed this thread dead too ...

Think I'll change my ident to thread-killer.

98

I've driven past that airplane graveyard many times on my way to and from Mammoth. It's kind of creepy!

Where do old airplanes go to die?

Aerial view

used to fall asleep listening to caroline as a child-turn the dial till the needles in the white!

Hi - I also searched the web site at http://www.radiocaroline.co.uk/ but no references to 452, maybe the number is a reference to something else.....

Last night I was watching a documentary about British children's TV of yesteryear, and Camberwick Green was mentioned
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camberwick_Green
- it turned out (new to me) that the policeman was called Constable McGarry Number 452. I wonder if this stuck in Thomas's mind somehow and resurfaced as Caroline 452 years later?

If it's true, I claim a prize

AndyJ - I really hope you're right - it would be brilliant - Dolby inspired by Camberwick Green. Maybe we'll hear some Trumpton or Chorlton and the Wheelies references in his new CD.

Wow--- cool thread!!!!

If only I had known about all this BEFORE I did my drawing!!

Oh, well, at least I'd heard of Sealand and WD-40 before...

Hello little old lady.

Great thread! Yes, I was utterly oblivious to Radio Caroline until this discussion...

I don't mean to derail the post any further, but wern't these planes used in the "close Encounters of the Third Kind" Movie?

Sealand is a place on the Wirral. Sealand Road was the name of the old Chester City football stadium before the new Deva Stadium was built.

Thank you guys for elucidating all the facts! I had no idea what the song was about until now.
But I drew this yesterday when I had the song stuck in my head all day.... I was trying to make it kind of feel like the song but I dont think the colors are quite right.

[quote="SpaceIntruderDetector"]Originally built during WWII ,These things apparently are still there and were used by the Pirate radio stations during the 60's and 70's.They are are currently abandoned. Thery look like the Tripod Martian War Machines described by HG Wells in "The War of The Worlds" striding in the water. Vacation home anyone?

http://www.undergroundkent.co.uk/maunsell_towers.htm

These things are AWESOME !

WOW Great drawing, klumsyk!!

I love the whole space-age thing you got goin' there.

Sorry, Demona Dragon, they weren't in that movie. These aircraft at Mojave at jet airliners - in the movie they used Grumman Avengers I think, single seat aircraft carrier based propeller navy planes - the same or similar to the type that disappeared in the Bermuda triangle during/just after WW2. In fact there was a whole squadron flying in formation that became disoreintated and all were lost - a very strange event that led to further enhance the Bermuda Triangle myth.

BTW love your lyric quote - one of my favourites and it was one of the things that pushed me into taking the plunge and marrying Mrs.98!!!

Cheers, 98/1000

I have aksed Thomas the question 452 ?
and his answer was it just fitted right lyricaly and is like a call sign (Ham/CB)
thats it, it doesnt mean anything.

How disappointing! I was enjoying reading everyone's guesses - my fave was camberwick green.
Now that's put an end to the speculation!! We need a new topic to speculate on.. let me think.......
where did Thomas get the wellies from for the cover of 'windpower?'

I know this is why Thomas keeps pretty tight lipped publicly about the meaning in his art, or lyrics at least. I think Snoopy's comment probably re-inforces his policy is correct. I think its important to understand that a very significant part of the song writing process, for some songs at least, is just to fit words to melody, phrasing and rhyme. Beauty is still in the ear of the beholder though!

I personally find it fascinating to hear what lay behind the meaning of some of the lyrics, but I think that's just because I love the mechanics of what Thomas does so much.

Cheers,
Andrew