Portadyne transistor radio

Selected to attract a radio enthusiast to the game, this Portadyne transistor radio is one for which we have some information that requires expansion and validation.

Portadyne transistor radio
case solved
Case number - AIBDC : 0_2180
This large radio with a grill front and round dial has a rounded edge and is covered in a patterned textured PVC. The dial has an injection moulded polystyrene cover. It has been suggested that the designer was a Mr Hoffmeister working to Ronnie Goodall.
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DesignerUnknown - Wanted
ManufacturerPortadyne
CountryUK
Date1950 - 1970 (circa) - Wanted
Dimensionsheight 180 mm, width 270 mm, depth 80 mm
Materialsplastic, PS, polystyrene, PVC, polyvinyl chloride, plasticised polyvinyl chloride, metal
Methodinjection moulded
Colourbrown
Inscription"Portadyne Transistor" (front)
Images on this site are for non-commercial, educational use only. MoDiP has done its utmost to obtain clearance from all IPR holders before adding images to this catalogue, if you believe that any image has been used without permission please contact us on modip@aub.ac.uk.
href=" http://www.10most.org.uk/artefact/portadyne-transistor-radio"

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Phil Blume
Phil Blume
15/08/13

AIBDC : 0_2180 Portadyne transistor radio You just have to love the styling of this thing.

Sophie Mudd
Sophie Mudd
15/08/13

It's the mock snakeskin i love.

Phil Blume
Phil Blume
09/11/13

Find it here: http://10most.org.uk/artefact/portadyne-transistor-radio

Susan Lambert
Susan Lambert
25/11/13

The indefatigable Ian15.mdx has moved on to this radio and writes: 'I have had a very interesting email exchange with Lorne Clarke, the excellent Archivist to the British Vintage Wireless Society. Lorne has made a big effort to research your Portadyne radio, for which he deserves much credit. These are primarily his findings - so in this case I am really just the messenger. Lorne writes; Hello Ian I believe this set was actually manufactured c. 1962 by Dynaport Radio & Television Ltd., and branded Portadyne. Regarding the exact location of the Portadyne and Dynaport works, attached are 1941 phone directory entries for the two companies showing that they both resided at 18 Gorst Road, North Acton, NW10.' ' I can't follow why the fact that they share an address means the one that does not have its name on the radio was actually its manufacturer. I have asked for clarification and will probably feel very stupid when it arrives.

Phil Blume
Phil Blume
27/11/13

To remind users that interesting material posted here may be copied to www.10most.org.uk or www.modip.ac.uk for posterity.

Susan Lambert
Susan Lambert
27/11/13

More wonderful information via Ian15.mdx: Lorne Clark writes - Attached is an extract from the 'Radio and Television Servicing' series of books with confirmation of the manufacturer and the branding of Portadyne sets from that era. The page lists a number of 1962 models but without examining the set itself I have no way of knowing the model in question is listed. Is the set available for inspection? Even if the set didn't have a model number, it could probably be identified from the circuit topology (the full service sheet, of which the attached page is just an extract, has circuit diagrams for all models listed). That would clinch the year of manufacture I think.

Rob Bartlett
Rob Bartlett
27/11/13

According to http://www.radiomuseum.org/dsp_hersteller_detail.cfm?company_id=6358 Portadyne were located in Gorst Rd., London NW10. I've looked through all the images on that site & unfortunately none of them match.

Susan Lambert
Susan Lambert
12/12/13

Ian15.mdx has found this:

Ian Holdsworth
Ian Holdsworth
29/01/14

AIBDC:0_2180 Portadyne Radio A letterhead giving confirmation of Portadyne's address.

Ian Holdsworth
Ian Holdsworth
29/01/14

AIBDC:0_2180 Portadyne Radio I have had a reply from Lorne Clark, The archivist of the British Vintage Wireless Society. Lorne writes; Hello Ian From what I can see, the transistors and diodes used suggest that it this is indeed one of the 1962 models mentioned on the service sheet extract that I sent. I don't think we can pin it down to the exact model without finding a model number plate on the set or finding an advert with a picture. However, I am confident that it was manufactured by Portadyne and branded Dynaport c.1962. Quite often the electrolytic capacitors were marked with their date of manufacture. Might someone be able to have a look at the ones in this set? It would provide additional indication of year of manufacture.

Susan Lambert
Susan Lambert
29/01/14

Great stuff, Ian. We will take another look.

Susan Lambert
Susan Lambert
29/01/14

Additionally Lorne has sourced a patent that shows that an Illes Hofmeister and Dynaport Television and Radio Ltd took out a patent in 1955 for 'Improvements in relating to Cathode Ray Tube Apparatus' - you can see the vital page in the Evidence locker. He has also found reference to an Illes Hofmeister, who in the London Gazette, 3 May 1960, p.3129, is described as ' a Radio and Television Designer'. Taking these two pieces of evidence together with the fact that a former employer of Dynaport/Portadyne - the names are a play on each other after all - telephoned MoDiP some while ago with the news that he believed Hofmeister to have designed this radio, I am inclined to accept him as the designer. I've just posted a message on a 'find your ancestry' page where someone referred to an Illes Hofmeister who came to England in 1939. That could just clinch it.

Susan Lambert
Susan Lambert
05/02/14

We've had another look inside this radio. No dates. Lorne has done a wonderful job but short of finding an advertisment we can't get closer than 'probably dating from 1962'. Nothing from the Ancestry site. I think we should go with Illes Hofmeister as the designer, also 'probably' and close this case.

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Case notes

Susan Lambert's picture

Portadyne transistor radio, Case AIBDC : 0_2180

Submitted by Susan Lambert on Sat, 30/11/2013 - 17:25.

Probably manufactured by Dynaport Radio & Television Ltd in 1962

25/11/13

 Ian15.mdx has been in touch with Lorne Clarke, Archivist to the British Vintage Wireless Society.The 1941 telephone directory shows that Dynaport Radio & Television Ltd and Portadyne both resided at 18 Gorst Road, North Acton, NW10 and the page below which lists 1962 models confirms that Dynaport Radio & Television Ltd were manufacturers of the Portadyne 1962 models.

He has also supplied details of a patent taken out jointly by Dynaport Radio and Television Ltd with Illes Hofmeister, who in the London Gazette, 3 May 1960, p.3129, is described as ' a Radio and Television Designer'.

Now we need to clinch that this Portadyne transistor radio is indeed a 1962 model.

 

Designed by Illes Hofmeister (probably) and dating from 1962 (probably)

We know that Dynaport Radio and Television Ltd manufactured 1962 Portadyne models, that Dynaport took out a patent jointly with Illes Hofmeister in 1955 and that the latter is described as a radio and television Designer in a London Gazette of 1960. We also received a telephone call prior to this project from an ex-employee who told us that he believed this radio to have been designed by Illes Hofmeister. We are also assured by the Archivist of the British Vintage Wireless Society that the radio dates from about 1962.  A few too many probablies that I would choose but also probably as far as we will get. I propose updating the documentation on the MoDiP site in the light of this information and closing the case.

 

Case Solved

Title: Portadyne Transistor

Designed: Illes Hofmeister, probably

Manufactured by: Dynaport radio and Television Ltd

Manufactured for: Portadyne

Date: c.1962

Participating agents: Ian15.mdx