Radio One Roadshow Vehicles

Radio One Roadshow Vehicles

by

Xeno Christophe

The Radio One Roadshows were an annual event that took place throughout the summer during the 1970 s, 1980 s and 1990 s. The shows were extremely popular with the general public and were broadcast every morning across the nation. The roadshow vehicles that accompanied the shows became a very important part of the events as they were held on countless beaches around the United Kingdom.

In all, there were four Radio One roadshow vehicles throughout its history, so I thought it would be a good idea to take a walk down memory lane and write a small piece about the vehicles that drove the iconic Radio Roadshow.

Radio One Roadshow Vehicles Mark One (1974 1975)

This has been described as essentially a caravan with an attached drop-down stage , it is safe to say that this roadshow vehicle was pretty basic and would have lacked any of the comfort and technology that is prevalent today. Unfortunately I have been unable to find any record of the make and model of this vehicle.

Radio One Roadshow Vehicles Mark Two (1976 1981)

The roadshow vehicles anti had been with Mark Two as this was an articulated, trailer mounted combination which boasted a fold down stage plus two off stage areas for the technical equipment and hospitality. When this vehicle was decommissioned by Radio One at the end of 1981, it was taken up by BBC s Saturday Superstore and was used as the Delivery Van . It became the Saturday children s show roadshow vehicles element for their outside broadcasts.

Radio One Roadshow Vehicles Mark Three (1982-1989)

As the popularity of the outside broadcasts grew, the need to enhance the roadshow vehicles capabilities increased and the BBC acquired Mark Three. This articulated trailer has a much larger and higher stage, plus a bespoke roof area. The roadshow vehicles space was also enhanced to include a larger area for audio production and office space for the BBC production staff. When Radio One had finished with it, it was re-branded and launched as the Radio Two roadshow vehicle.

Radio One would use back up vehicles in the shape of 7.5 and 12.5 ton trucks for the roadshow vehicles right up to 1989. These trucks would carry the majority of the audio gear, which had grown to such an extent that they could double as roadshow vehicles themselves with separate stages and room to the host the engineering, audio and technical crew. Two of these trucks are now owned by a private company and act as roadshow vehicles in their own right on a regular basis still to this day.

Radio One Roadshow Vehicles – Mark Four (1990-199)

As the 1990 s began, it was necessary to have two roadshow vehicles to cater for much bigger live performances and larger crowds, the main vehicle would house the main audio and technical equipment and the primary stage, the second roadshow vehicle would back up the main vehicle and provide office and green room facilities to the entertainers, having two roadshow vehicles working in tandem greatly enhanced the capabilities of the roadshow as a whole. These roadshow vehicles had bespoke PA lifts installed to allow the huge speakers to be easily lifted on to the roof of the trucks.

Following the BBC s decision to update the roadshow format and concentrate on one day festival style events, the

roadshow vehicles

were sold off to a private company where they are still available for hire today.

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