proudly presents a history of


It was on Friday May 23rd 1980 when Mercia Sound (now Mercia FM) hit the radio airwaves...




...the time was 6:58am when Ian Rufus opened the station Click for audio click to hear Ian Rufus opens the station

Originally broadcasting on 220 meters medium wave & 95.9 VHF (FM) in stereo
- now broadcasting on 97 and 102.9 FM.
Mercia Sound was the 21st independent radio station to go on air.
 The studios based in Hertford Place, Coventry CV1 3TT - England


Dedicated to those who made 'Mercia Sound' a great radio station!
Visitors to date
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IBA test transmission tapes

...to hear edited highlights from the two original 1 hour long tapes used for
Mercia Sound's test transmissions click below:
Test transmission tape reel two edit
 
Day one audio highlights

...to hear edited highlights from Gordon Astley's first hour and
Dave Jamieson's first few hours click below:

Good Morning Mercia - Gordon Astley edited highlights
Through 'til One - Dave Jamieson edited highlights


Mercia Sound site menu

This site was updated on 27 March, 2008.
There are quite a few large images on this site so please be patient while they load.
Profiles:

 Gordon Astley
Beverley Napier Barrett
 Sarah Blizzard
 Bob Brolly
 Tom Clapton
 Jenny Costello
 Francis Currie
 Ted Elliott
Tony Gillham
Rob Gurney
 Roger Hall
 Jeff Harris
Tony Harrison
Jim Hawkins
 Gary Hynes
Dave Jamieson
Mark Jeynes
 Rob Jordan
 Mark Keen
 Bernie Keith
 Diane Kemp
 Jim Lee
Mike Liggins
Stuart Linnell
Andy Lloyd
John Mills
 Annie Othen
 Alan Perry
 Paul Robinson
 John Roder
Mike Salisbury
 Marc Silk
 Philip Shepherd
 Dave Simms
Clive Skelhon
Donald Steel
 Karl Stein
 Glen Thompsett
Alan Turner tributes
Jim Twyneham
 John Warwick
Stuart White
 Steve Williams
 Ian Woods
 Matthew Wright


 Credits & Contributions
 Features:
1st Mercia record playlist
 10th birthday memories
21st birthday reunion
 22nd birthday reunion
 25th birthday reunion
Advertising on Mercia Sound
Audio archive
Car stickers
 Carol concerts
Coventry Evening Telegraph cuttings
Coventry Evening Telegraph adverts
 Desktop wallpaper download
Equipment
 Forum
 Golden rules book 1986
 Heritage quiz
 IBA's television and radio features
 In their own words
Jingles - 1st package
 Jingles - 2nd package
 Jingles - 3rd package
 Jingle package listing
Lateral Thinking Quiz
Location of studios
Names and faces
 News team
Newspapers
 Meet the Mercia presenters
 Megamixes
Memorabilia
 Mercia magazine
Mercia mix
Mercia mouth waterers
 Miscellaneous images
Music of 1980
 Offices
 Photograph album
Production studio
 Poll
 Programme archive listing
 Programme schedule (1st)
 Programme schedules
 Promotional flexidisc
 Sangeet sarita
 Six of the best quiz
 Stationery
 Video archive

The original Mercia presentation team:
Below are the main presenters who first appeared on the airwaves of Mercia Sound and
made it one of the most popular and most listened to stations ever!
Gordon Astley
Presenter of
'Good Morning Mercia'
Click for audio
Click to hear Gordon's
opening words


click here for more on
Gordon
Dave Jamieson
Presenter of
'Through 'til One'
and
'Saturday Night In'
Click for audio
Click to hear Dave's
opening words

click here for more on
Dave
Weekdays 5.00 a.m. - 9.30 a.m.
Gordon Astley is Mercia Sound's early riser. He's the man
who gets Coventry, Warwickshire and Leicestershire off to
a great start with a fast-moving mixture of music, news,
traffic and travel information, today's birthdays, weather
forecast and his own unique brand of humour. Gordon, who
has worked in radio stations abroad as well as in this
country is also nationally known as one of the presenters
of a top rated television pop-show.
  

Weekdays 9.30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Dave Jamieson is the soft spoken Scot who takes
thousands of listeners through the morning with music,
news, personality guests and a panel of experts who'll
help you with just about any problem you've got.
If your problem is where to go the 'What's On' service will
help you. If it's what to cook for yourself or your kids
there's a mouthwatering recipe at 10.15 a.m. every day.
Dave began his career in hospital broadcasting. He lists
his interests as the English canal system and the collection
of totally useless information.
 
 

Stuart Linnell
Presenter of
'Afternoon Delight'
and
'Sportacular'
Click for audio
Click to hear Stuart's
opening words

click here for more on
Stuart

Tony Gillham
Presenter of
'Radioactive'
and
'Mercia Musicomputer'

click here for more on
Tony

Weekdays 1.10 a.m. - 4.00p.m.
Stuart Linnell makes the afternoons easy
The latest sounds on record are mixed with provocative
interviews, your chance to swap unwanted items at the
Mercia Trading Post and the service of Mercia Action,
news and the latest weather reports. On Saturday
afternoons Stuart hosts a fast moving sport and music
programme which majors on the local sporting scene.
League soccer, county cricket and top class rugby as
well as all the minority sports are featured in Sportacular.

  
Weekdays 4.00 p.m. - 7.00 p.m.
Tony Gillham is the man who'll see you safely home
through the rush hour traffic. The latest traffic and travel
reports blend with up to the minute news and the best in
music and Tony doesn't forget those at home either,
with competitions and features to keep you entertained
and informed. Tony, a man of many talents to add variety
to your listening, is a keen photographer and astronomer.
 
 

John Warwick
Presenter of
'Night Express'
and
'Lazy Sunday'
*second edition photo

click here for more on
John

Andy Lloyd
Presenter of
Saturday Breakfast,
Sunday Morning,
Sunday Night
and Holiday Relief

click here for more on
Andy
Original photo and information not available
- can you help?
Kevin@kpsenterprise.co.uk
 

Andy Lloyd is Mercia Sound's 'Jack of all trades'
presenting a variety of shows each week ranging from the
Saturday breakfast show to the Tuesday night New Wave
programme. Andy, who at 24 is the youngest Mercia
presenter, is a lawyer by training but decided early in his
career that the dry world of court room wasn't for him.
Andy is a keen squash player and even serves on a
Parish Council.
 
 

Jim Lee
Presenter of
'From Me to You'

click here for more on
Jim
Main on Air studio

Sundays 12.00 p.m. - 2.00 p.m.
Jim Lee helps you relax at Sunday lunchtime with his
request programme. Dedications and messages are
wrapped in your favorite music. Jim is a local lad born
in Nuneaton and began his career with the Coventry
Hospital Broadcasting Service.
His hobby is broadcasting!

   Original main on air studio.
Photograph courtesy
Jim Hawkins
 
 
Freelance Mercia presenters:
 
Sarjit Myrrpurey
 Presenter
"Aakash Deep"
Roger Hall
Presenter
"That Certain Sound"
Norman Wheatley
Presenter
"Mercia Folk"
 
Executive staff members:
 

Ian Rufus
 Programme
controller


Click here
for Ian's
opening
message

John Manley
 Head of sales
Ian Pettman
 Chief engineer
Robbie Mason
 Commercial
producer
 
Welcome leaflet
 

If you lived in the Mercia Sound transmission area you may well have had this A5 size leaflet
posted through your letterbox.


Click for larger image



Click for larger image
 
A warm welcome - taken from the Coventry Evening Telegraph
 



'Early class as Mercia Sound goes on air'

Walsgrave Junior pupils went to school
extra early to listen in to the first
days broadcast.

The first record played:
Dan Hartman's - 'This is it' Click for audio
No such thing as cd's then!

click here for full story.
 
     
 
 






This page is part of the KPSENTERPRISE web site: www.kpsenterprise.co.uk
For further information or comments e-mail:
Kevin.Sykes@kpsenterprise.co.uk

This site is owned and operated by Kevin Sykes, it is not in any way linked to
Mercia FM, Mercia Sound ltd or GCAP!

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