BBC Local, Radio Shropshire

I was wondering what to write about in this post. Until I hear the Drive time show on Radio Shropshire today.

Anyone that knows me knows the love I have for my counties local BBC radio station.

Adam and Vicki, the shows presenters where saying how it was the shows 3rd birthday, and that back on Monday the 27th of September 2010 they where teamed up to do the show, after John Darvall left the station.

This made me think about the station, a station that first went live on 23 April 1985, St Georges Day. (I am too young to remember that day. cough)  The Slogan for the starting year was "Live in 85",  It started with just one transmitter based on the Wrekin television mast (near telford) linked to the main studio. Converted from an old supermarket at Boscobel Drive, Shrewsbury, the studio has given the station a great base right in the middle of the county.

Now, i can see you falling asleep at my geeky out burst, I shall skip all the technical stuff I have found online about the station.

Going back to Adam Green and Vicki Archer, and they comments on the shows birthday. The day of the first show, I turned my radio on with worry about the changes to the stations shows, as, well to be honest. the station had some cracking output, and i was worried the changes could be for the worst.

However, the stations editor had done something that is hard to do.Kept the tone and cracking output the same with new teams and gentle changes.  Pairing up the morning presenter, Eric Smith with the mid afternoon presenter Clare Ashford for the morning show, even if Clare groans at Eric's bad jokes. Leaving Jim Hawkins to do this great morning show. Then extending Colin Young's lunchbox from 2 to 3 hours, more about that later. then getting a new team of Adam and Vicki to replace John Darval on the drivetime slot.

Now a bit about each show,

Clare Ashford and Eric Smith on the breakfast show. Both are far too quick witted for that time in the morning. Even If i think Eric has a key to my bad joke Emporium.

Jim Hawkins does a mainly talk based show with some great music sprinkled though it. Showing the human side of Shropshire, Giving a new angle on local stories and people. With the core idea of helping people out along the way.
I have spoke to him on a few occasions when he did his "On the bench" in Oswestry. On the bench is where he goes to a bench somewhere in the county and talks to whoever come and talks to him. It a great idea, and gives real insight into the lives of Salopians.

Colin Young's afternoon show. It has a fun personal feel, with some fun interaction bits. like on the road, you have to guess the place in Shropshire with cryptic clues. And hitting the headline, where you have to give a song to match the headline. Some times I try to get Col to read out the most weirdest answers to both of these, usually ending up with a comical comment from him.

Colin also loves doing things out and about the county. and has pre recorded bits where he finds out about things in the county or has a go and doing something. He has in the past tried doing an outside broadcast from the last Wrexham and Shropshire railways train, with some technical problems due to being on a moving train. Something he did not have trouble with when in March 2013 he broadcast his lunchtime programme from a narrowboat on the Llangollen canal in north Shropshire for a week.
Sometimes I do wonder if this escaping the studios has something to do with him being the Longest serving member of the station, being with the station from 1985.

Adam Green and Vicki Archer, with the drive time show. With more interaction with schools out, a guessing game where Vicki's children (only 2 of the 3, the baby cant talk yet) explain an object, it's harder than it sounds. Then there is place of the week, a place in Shropshire that they visit and learn about, taking us along for the ride.

There is another show that is not on daily, that I really enjoy. In fact I am listening to it as I writing this posting. That is Colin Young's Trunk Of Funk. A cracking little show that help lift my mood.

Colin has a knowledge of disco, soul, funk and all that type of music that is second to none. and always puts on a upbeat show, that and his band of Trunkateers meet up on facebook during the show for what can only be described as a mad 3 hours of interaction.

The fact that Delivering Quality First (DQF) threatened to end the show, the amount of support of the show, pushed it into a new 2200 - 0100 friday time slot, and opened up the simultaneous transmission from 3 station Radio Shropshire, Radio Stoke and Hereford and Worcester to include BBC Coventry & Warwickshire and BBC WM. Making it a West Midland region Show. Something many listeners from the original 3 stations said should of be done years ago. and in my personal opinion is the only good thing to come out of the DQF shake up,
Saturday is not the same without Saturday night with Jim Hawkins.It is a shame that it went, as it was a really uplifting specialist show. another brilliant show that was made by Radio Shropshire. 
 
The trunk of funk and the friendly day show, really help to lift my mood, and help me think happier thoughts.

So As you can see, BBC Radio Shropshire can keep lone workers like myself sane and informed about the county I live in, and it always help keeps me the right side of the black dog, by being good it job.

And most of all Being the voice of Shropshire. 

Till next time Dear Reader, Stay Safe.