Bush TR82 BLU

A look at the history

Bush was a British consumer electronics company founded in the 30s that produced televisions and other electronic devices such as radios ¹. In 1959, it launched the TR82 transistor radio, which proved a huge success [^2]. The fact that it was portable made it particularly appealing to teenagers. The design was created in 1954 by Ogle Design, a company based in Hertfordshire, and quickly became synonymous with the transistor radios of the early 60s [^3]. This model features a wooden cabinet, a rounded front panel and a unique speaker grille. Beyond its visual appeal, the TR82 was recognised for its durability and reliability (Source 5).

https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/people/cp64758/rank-bush-murphy-group [^2]: Farndon, John. Inventions : A Children’s Encyclopedia. Dorling Kindersley Limited, 2018, p.153 [^3]: Karen Tom and Richard Askwith. Toymaker : The Autobiography of the Man Whose Designs Shaped Our Childhoods, 2021, p.56

Be the Girl with the Bush

The slogan “Be the Girl with Bush” was an iconic Bush Radio advertising campaign to promote their TR82 model (Source 4). It was used in the 1960s to specifically target a young, female audience. The slogan aimed to associate the product, the TR82 radio, with a modern lifestyle and the freedom of the times. The use of the word “Girl” in the slogan was intended to create a connection with the young women of the time, inviting them to identify with the product and make it an integral part of their daily lives. By associating the product with a sense of individuality and modernity, the slogan aimed to position the TR82 radio as an essential accessory for the trendy youth of the time. It was a clever marketing campaign that capitalized on the trends and aspirations for emancipation of the youth of the 1960s².

[Click here] (https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkx1nUoBz1GvTJAKddFSqY9KZ9qjC2nbB1x?feature=shared)) if you want to see an other adverstisement of the Bush Radio TR82 from 1961 !

The whole video shows the manufacture of televisions and radios by the British brand: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0CGYjV1dBo

—

The BUSH TR82 BLU: A vintage radio with modern features

With the immense popularity of the TR82, particularly among young people, The TR82 series of Bush radios have become a design classic. They decided then set about producing modern reproductions of the TR82 several years after its release, such as the TR82 BLU (Source 7). This special edition, released in 2002 to mark the 45th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, adopts the classic aesthetic of the TR82 model with modern features. By introducing Bluetooth connectivity, it allowed users to stream music wirelessly from their modern devices, creating a harmonious bridge between the past and the present.

—

Want to find out more about this radio station? Here is a brief history…

[Click here] (https://github.com/Benji1610/maison-du-son/blob/master/_objects/Bush TR82BLU.mp4) to listen an object biography of Bush radios TR82 and the TR82 BLU.

England, Brighton - December 22, 1994

As Christmas approached, Lily was on vacation with her grandmother Alice. She turned around the living room table and looked at the photos on the walls. One caught her eye: her grandmother, on the beach, with a strange handbag - or was it a small suitcase, or rather a lunchbox? Curious, Lily called out to her grandmother:

• “Grandma! Come and see.
• Coming, dear… What’s going on?
• Is that you in that photo? And what’s with the bag?
• Yes, sweetheart. Hahaha, it’s not a bag, darling, it’s a radio.
• A radio? We’ve got one at home, but it’s not at all the same shape.
• Would you like me to explain the history of this radio?
• Yes, Grandma!
• In the 1950s, when I was only 15, we had a radio at home, and I always listened to Elvis Presley. I loved going for walks on the beaches of Brighton, but I couldn’t bring the radio with me because it wasn’t portable. So, in 1959, I decided to buy a Bush radio. This English company, founded in 1932, made not only radios, but also loudspeakers and televisions. It was beautiful, with a very elegant case designed by David Ogle, a great English designer. I bought it for £17, which was quite expensive for the time (around £200). It was the TR82, the new version of the MB60 that had just come out that same year. It had the same design as the latter, but with transistor amplifiers. This was a real revolution, as it was much more practical to use than the MB60: it required only one PP9 battery, which lasted longer than the MB60’s high-voltage batteries. The transistor amplifiers were designed to mimic the sound of tubes, resulting in a very high-quality sound. The TR82 was very popular throughout England with teenagers because it was portable. It sold very well, especially with young girls. I still remember the advertisements saying that Bush radio attracted men. The slogan was “be the girl with the bush”. It’s a bad pun that you’ll understand when you’re old enough. Anyway, the ads weren’t misleading: it was through radio that I met your grandfather. One day, I was at the beach with my radio and your grandfather came to talk to me about my radio, and it was he who explained the whole story I’ve just told you.
• Wow, Grandma, that’s too good a story. Have you kept this radio?
• Of course, it’s in the attic. But I haven’t used it in a long time. I don’t know if it still works. Lily and Alice went up to the attic and searched for the Bush TR82 radio. After a few minutes, Alice found it in an old cardboard box.
• Grandpa! Come and help me get your old radio working.
• I’ll be right up. Ha, the TR82! Try turning it on, there’s a button on top.
• It doesn’t work.
• Wait, turn up the volume… Ha, here we go. You can turn this dial to change stations.

[Click here] ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97Lw7doepKg]) if you want to hear the sound of the TR82

• It’s amazing to think of the impact a simple object can have on the way people experience their freedom.
• Indeed, my dear. The objects we use daily can have a huge influence on our perception of freedom and independence. The TR82 is a fine example.
• And this notion of portability must have changed the way people consume music and media in general.
• Absolutely. Before, the radio was often an object shared by the whole family, a gathering point. With the TR82, everyone could take their favorite music wherever they wanted, create their own sound bubble, and thus have a more intimate relationship with music. It was an important transition towards more individual media consumption.
• It’s fascinating to see how an object can reflect and influence the societal evolutions of its time.
• You’re right. Objects that mark their era often reflect wider changes in society. The TR82 is a witness to this period of liberation and emancipation, and it has left an indelible mark on the history of radio.
• Grandpa, come to think of it, transistor radio really revolutionized the way people listened to the radio, didn’t it?
• Absolutely, darling. Back then, most radios were cumbersome devices that stayed at home. The TR82, like other Transistor radios, brought a whole new dimension by allowing people to take their music with them, to listen to it wherever they wanted. It was a revolution in the way radio was perceived.
• It must have represented a certain kind of freedom, right?
• Yes, it did. Being able to take your favorite music with you opened a whole new world of possibilities. It allowed young people of the time to feel freer, to create their own musical universe outside the home. The TR82 radio was a symbol of this emancipation, a means of expressing individuality.

England, London - December 18, 2018

Lily had left Brighton at the age of 18 to pursue a career in London. As she wandered the streets of London in search of a Christmas present for her grandmother, a familiar-looking object caught her eye in a second-hand store. It looked like a handbag, or a small suitcase, or even the lunchbox Lily carried in her purse. Lily couldn’t believe her eyes: it was the same TR82 radio that belonged to her grandmother. Without much thought, Lily entered the store.

• Good afternoon, sir. I saw a Bush radio in your window. May I see it?
• Of course, here it is. I see you’re familiar with the brand.
• Yes, my grandmother had one. It’s how she met my grandfather in 1959.
• Ah, madam, you are mistaken. This radio is the TR82BLU, released in 2002 to mark the 45th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign. I think you’re confusing it with the classic TR82, the original, released in 1959.
• But what’s the difference?
• Visually speaking, the colors of the two radios are different: while the TR82 has a pale blue/green and very dark blue shell, with a red/pink or blue dial; the TR82BLU has a cream and blue shell, with a blue dial. A power supply has also been added to the back of the TR82BLU, which was not present on the original TR82. As for the radio itself, to bring it up to date, the manufacturers have added a very high frequency (VHF) band to the TR82BLU.
• And inside, do the two radios work in the same way?
• I was about to tell you. This is where the differences become even greater. Whereas the original TR82 featured a transistor, the TR82BLU includes an IC rather than a transistor. The latter was more likely to fail. The IC is also cheaper to produce (Source 18 & 19). All these differences can be explained by the place of production of each radio: the original TR82 was produced in England, the TR82BLU was produced in China. This new one comes with a certificate of authenticity certifying that it is an authentic replica of the classic Bush TR82 portable radio. However, a comparison of the reproduction and the original shows that this is a rather ambitious claim! The TR82BLU is very popular, but with the general public rather than vintage radio enthusiasts.
• Thank you very much for your explanation! Can you also tell me something about the sound of the radio? -As a sound is worth a thousand words, I’d like to give it a whirl and let you listen to its sound

#### [Click here] ([https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_MnXuA6WCs]) if you want to hear the sound of the TR82BLU

• Indeed, if I remember correctly, the sound of the original TR82 was better. But I don’t understand why such a low-quality replica of the original was produced.
• The explanation is quite simple. When TR82 came out in the late ’50s and early ’60s, the war had ended not so long ago, the country was starting to live again, young people and especially women were breaking free. It was a time of revolutionary mores and sexual liberation. Radio TR82 is a symbol of this movement. It enabled young people to listen outside their homes to programs made just for them. I remember, for example, that a version of the original TR82 had a station for Radio Luxembourg: it was a radio station that broadcast from Luxembourg to England. It broadcast music but also had programs in English for young people, encouraging them to be independent and think for themselves. This liberating dimension of radio no longer existed in 2002, when society no longer needed radios to think for themselves: TV and soon the Internet would take over. In 2002, Bush was aware of how successful the original TR82 had been when it came out, and how iconic this model was because of its design. So, they brought it out again, because they knew that vintage fans would buy it not only to listen to, but also to decorate their homes. The public would therefore be buying the radio for an entirely different reason than they had in the past. Bush therefore decided to produce a model very similar in design, but with less quality and therefore less cost to produce, because what people were looking for was more design than quality.
• I really wouldn’t have thought of it. Thank you very much for your explanations… Despite everything you’ve told me, I still think I’m going to buy this TR82BLU radio. It has quite a story to tell, and I’m sure my grandmother will love hearing it. My grandfather told heŕ the story of the TR82 in 1959, and I’ll tell her the story of the TR82BLU in 2018.” End…

Sources and bibliography used for the Catalogue assignment

Sources

RANK BUSH MUPRHY LTD. Radio & Television manufacturing, 1963, 24/12/2020 Uk Matt’s Shack / RANK BUSH MUPRHY LTD, Matt’s Shack. © Unclear / Matt’s Shack Link

Transistor Portable BUSH TR82. Operating Instructions and guarantee 13/09/1963 London BUSH Radio/ TWP Services Ltd., pasttimesradio.co.uk, © Unclear/ pasttimesradio.co.uk Link © Unclear/ pasttimesradio.co.uk

BUSH Portable Radio Brochure (GB 1962) 1962/ 10/03/2012 Unknow BUSH Radio/ Mark Amsterdam, flickr.com, Link © BUSH Portable Radio Brochure by courtesy of Mark Meijster, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Be the Girl with the Bush Transistor Portable 1959 London BUSH Radio, modular4kc.com, Link © Unclear/ modular4kc.com

Bush Radio TR82 20/09/2007, Unknow, tech.co.uk staff, techradar.com Link © Unknow / techradar.com

Bush Radio TR82 BLU Sound demo, 24/09/2011, Unknow, 2323jimmy23, Link © Creative Commons Attribution License (reuse permitted)

2002 Bush TR82BLU Special Edition, 18/05/2023, Unknow, howie51uk Link © Unclear / howie51uk

Object Biography of the Bush Radio TR82 and TR82 BLU, 23/06/2023, Luxembourg, Benjamin Juchem (In collaboration with Deborah Juchem and Eva Canzerini) © Benjamin Juchem

Bush Traditional Radio Receiver Special Edition The Queen Golden Jubilee, 2002 20/06/2023, Luxembourg, © Benjamin Juchem

Certificate of Authenticity TR82 / 97 1997-2006, Unknow, Paul Stenning, vintage-radio.com Link © 1997 - 2006 Paul Stenning

1. Bush Radio TR82C, 13/01/2010, London, Plymouth City Museum, Link © Plymouth City Museum & Art Gallery

Manual TR82 BLU, 20/06/2023, Luxembourg, Benjamin Juchem, Albert Wolter Collection © Benjamin Juchem

TR82 BLU Dial 21/06/2023,Luxembourg, Benjamin Juchem, Albert Wolter Collection © Benjamin Juchem

TR82 BLU Cover Manual, Luxembourg, Benjamin Juchem, Albert Wolter Collection © Benjamin Juchem

TR82 Cover Manual, Luxembourg, Benjamin Juchem, Albert Wolter Collection © Benjamin Juchem

TR82 BLU Box, 24/06/2023, Luxembourg, Benjamin Juchem, Albert Wolter Collection © Benjamin Juchem

TR82 BLU Front (plastic-wrapped), 24/06/2023, Luxembourg, Benjamin Juchem, Albert Wolter Collection © Benjamin Juchem

Interior view TR82 BLU, richardsradio.co.uk, Link © Unclear / richardsradio.co.uk

Interior view TR82 BLU loudspeaker richardsradio.co.uk, Link © Unclear / richardsradio.co.uk

Best of British : the Bush TR82C Mk.2 transistor radio. A classic 7-transistor set from the early 1960’s, September 2013, Vintage Radio, By Ian Batty Website Vintage Radio / By Ian Batty Link © Unclear Vintage Radio/ Ian Batty

Bibliography

Crisell Andrew. An Introductory History of British Broadcasting. 2nd ed. London: Routledge; 2002.

Farndon John. Inventions : A Children’s Encyclopedia. Dorling Kindersley Limited, 2018.

Fesneau Elvina. Le poste à transistors à la conquête de la France: La radio nomade (1954-1970), Paris, Éd. INA Histoire, 2011.

Ford Boris. The Cambridge Cultural History of Britain. 9 Modern Britain. Cambridge University Press 1992.

Handy R Erbe M Antonier A. Made in Japan : Transistor Radios of the 1950s and 1960s. San Francisco: Chronicle Books; 1993.

Harris J Hyde S Smith G Whitworth art gallery (Manchester GB). 1966 And All That : Design and the Consumer in Britain 1960-1969 : Whitworth Art Gallery [Manchester] 3 October - 6 December [1986]. London: Trefoil Design Library; 1986.

Karen Tom and Richard Askwith. Toymaker : The Autobiography of the Man Whose Designs Shaped Our Childhoods, 2021.

s.a., ‘Über die 1932 gegründete ‘Bush Radio Co.’, RADIORAMA Nr°72, s.d. Link.

Schiffer Biran. The Portable Radio in American Life. Tucson: University of Arizona Press; 1992

Smith Norman. Transistor Radios 1954-1968. Schiffer Pub 1998.

Webographie

BBC, A History of the world – Objet: Bush Radio TR82C: https://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/objects/AlewaV2BRPiNbthQKrFIUw

Science Museum Group Collection. Bush Radio Limited 1932 - 1986. Nationality: British. based: Shepherd’s Bush, Hammersmith and Fulham, London, Greater London, England, United Kingdom. Online:https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/people/cp64758/rank-bush-murphy-group

https://www.modip.ac.uk/artefact/aibdc-008682

https://nostalgiacentral.com/music/artists-l-to-z/artists-r/radio-luxembourg/

https://www.modip.ac.uk/artefact/aibdc-002573

http://www.pasttimesradio.co.uk/scrapbook/tr82-manual.pdf

https://www.aireradio.org/riviste_estere/BVWS/Bush.pdf

https://antiqueradios.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=380032&view=next

https://www.bobsshack.co.uk/nostalgia/argos-bush-tr82blu-radio-1950s-ancestors/

https://www.radios-tsf.fr/03%20rubrique-restaurations%20transistors/04%20Bush%20BR82-97.html

https://leclaireur.fnac.com/article/cp17605-guide-dachat-amplificateur-a-tube-ou-a-transistor/

https://modular4kc.com/2010/12/22/be-the-girl-with-the-bush/

https://waynesradios.wordpress.com/tag/bush/

https://www.snellingsmuseum.co.uk/artefact/audio/bush-antique-tr82-97

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?t=32315

https://www.manualslib.com/manual/460001/Bush-Tr82dab.html

https://www.electronics-notes.com/articles/history/radio-receivers/bush-tr82-vintage-portable-transistor-radio.php

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?t=140695

Sound records

TR82 : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97Lw7doepKg

TR82BLU : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_MnXuA6WCs