This little Bush BR8419A Radio Cassette had been sat on a shelf unused at work for years. It probably belonged to a guy who retired a couple of years ago. Last week I happened to go down to the workshop and saw it was in the waste paper bin! A contractor was in doing PAT (Portable Appliance Testing) which regulations say needs to be done in a company every two years. The person who runs the workshop said that as it hadn't been used since last time it was tested he didn't think it was worth getting it tested again, and I was welcome to take it home if I wanted it. It dates from when Bush was owned by the Rank Organisation, who owned all sorts of companies including Cinemas, Film Distribution, Motorway services etc. People in the UK might remember their trademark shown at the start of their films They also made TVs in the UK, their last sets being made as a joint venture with Toshiba that, after losses, ended up being bought out by Toshiba. Back to the Radio Cassette, as the label states it was made in Taiwan. All ten knobs and buttons along the top are turned Aluminium. It isn't quite as old as I thought, one list of service sheets on a website said 1979. The styling, with the vertical tuner scale it looks similar to a Japanese made one that was in the very first Argos catalogue in 1973. As received the Radio works well with good tone. The cassette didn't work. Looking inside I found segments of dry brittle belt at the bottom of the case. At least it hadn't gone sticky. A new belt from one of those Ebay packs of assorted ones restored playback. Unfortunately I screwed the back on before taking a photo but I have drawn it one to an earlier photo. The metal plate above the flywheel has to be removed to put the belt around the groove in it. Fast Forward is still very weak, while the cassette door is loose as I found one of the pivots from the plastic chassis snapped off and inside the case. A piece of history that would have ended up scrapped if I hadn't happened to be in the right place at the right time.
