Good old days of radio

I have been fascinated about “space” ever since I heard a programme on the “wireless” in the early 1950s.

I wonder how many out there remember Journey Into Space, which was broadcast on the Light Programme in 1953-1958. It was a space adventure written by Charles Chilton about four spacemen, Jet Morgan (Captain), Doc, Mitch and Lemmy. The first story, Operation Luna, was about the conquest of the moon and consisted of 18 episodes. The second story, The Red Planet, a journey to Mars and the third story (1958) was World in Peril, in which the Earth was in danger of being attacked by aliens.

I can still remember how I was used to listen to it. I would sit at the table in the kitchen/living room, rest my head in my arms on the table and close my eyes and then let the story unfold in my mind. At the time as I later learnt there were more listening to the programme than watched TV.

It is still possible to listen to Journey Into Space as every now and then it is broadcasted on BBC Radio 4 Extra and a few years ago I purchased all three stories on a MP3 disc.

In 1981 a new 90-minute adventure was broadcast on Radio 4, and although I didn’t hear it at the time I managed to catch it on BBC4 Extra a few years ago.

In those days we didn’t have a telly until the summer of 1960 and so I listened to a lot of the radio and a lot of the programmes from that time are aired on BBC4 Extra —

Jimmy Clitheroe Show, The Goon Show, Educating Archie plus the serials, Paul Temple, Simon Templar (The Saint) are just a few of many that come to mind.

Those were the days.

Ray Hill, Greenfield Road, Rotherham