Pye Cambridge radio - need your help in restoring.

[TARYAMS]

Hello

I have been recently given my grandfather's old Pye Cambridge radio. And while my research online has resulted in many opting to give away or discard their radio due to the difficulty in restoring, I am committed in bringing mine back to life, no matter the cost or effort, as it has such sentimental value for my mother and I. One of the few things left from a fire that destroyed many memories. I would appreciate anyone's help in identifying the exact model, components needed to restore (happy to take videos or pics of the inside and follow any testing instructions) and locating online dealers or sites where I could find the necessary replacement parts.

Thank you kindly.

Taryam

[ms660]

http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/pye_p53.html

?

Lawrence.

[short wave]

Hi Taryam is it this one?

http://www.radiomuseum.org/r/pye_p35p_3.html

good luck with the restoration
regards s-W

[Chris55000]

Hi!

If the set's original back-cover is still present there should be a type/model number on the back somewhere it identifies the set's type, which you will need to obtain what we refer to as the service-sheet.

It doesn't look like either a P28, P35 or a P53 as none of those models have a magic-eye!

This is a technical publication containing:-

1) A drawing of the set in symbolic form called a circuit diagram - think of it as the "Ordnance Survey Map" of the set;

2) One or more layout drawings of the receiver's internal chassis and components;

3) Some written information explaining how to adjust the internal adjustments - note - these must NOT be touched unless we advise, when we do see a need for this we will explain exactly how to make the adjustment correctly;

4) Information on the correct "operating voltages" expected on the valves, with the set in a "ready to use" condition but not tuned to a station;

I can advise on the electrical/electronics aspects of your restoration and there are other Members who have excellent chassis & cabinet restoration skills and will be pleased to go from there!

First of all tho, what equipment for electronics work/repair do you have?

Chris Williams

[ukcol]

Hi Taryams,

As posts above, it looks similar to the P35 or P53 but I've not seen those control knobs before. It is probably an export version of one of those two models. Export versions of British sets can usually be identified by a lack of a Long-Wave tuning range.

See if you can find a restorer who is willing to take it on in this section :

http://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/f...play.php?f=146

[Edward Huggins]

If you have difficulty in finding someone local to you (and the parts) it could be shipped back here to the UK to be restored. Remember your costs are liable to be quite high and do note this early 1950s Radio only receives AM wavebands.

[paulsherwin]

As Colin says, this is probably an export model. They are conventional enough, the main difference from domestic models being the deletion of LW and the addition of a tuning eye. Sometimes they have an extra amplification stage which is obvious as the tuning capacitor will have 3 sections rather than 2.

The components needed to restore it are quite easily available, but you need some specialist skill and experience to do the work. It will be very expensive to ship the radio to Europe or the US for restoration.

The most common fault in 1950s radios like these is leaky wax capacitors which need to be replaced. I don't know if this is still true if the radio has spent its life in a hot desert climate though.

[ms660]

There's usually an ID plate fixed to the rear of the chassis that has the model number on it.

Lawrence.

[HamishBoxer]

T18D? or have I got the wrong model?

[ms660]

If you mean the T19D then it has different knob spacing.

P53 is the nearest I've found so far on Google.

Lawrence.

[Station X]

A close up picture of the tuning scale would show whether this is a set built for export.

[HamishBoxer]

Thanks Lawrence, I was indeed thinking of T19D.

[peter_sol]

I don't think that is a magic eye more like a reflection in the glass

[Paul_RK]

Taryam will be able to confirm what it is - my first thought was a magic eye, but I doubt the set would have been shipped with so crude a modification to the tuning scale. Second thought is that it may be a pygmy bulb used for scale illumination, heat from which has destroyed the surrounding print.

I'd say it's bound to be an export model. This one's scale

http://www.hifivision.com/sale-owner...and-radio.html

looks closer to it than others are, but isn't identical.

Paul

[TARYAMS]

Hi, my thanks to everyone for the quick response. It was purchased in Cairo in 50s/60s. My mother has just brought it back from there to me here in the United Arab Emirates (Dubai). As many of our kind friends have said, shipping would be much too expensive due to the weight. I personally have no equipment but i am willing to purchase what is required online. However, as Edward mentioned, if the radio only receives AM there isn't much purpose in bringing it back to life as we have no AM stations. I'm wondering would it be possible to convert it to an FM with some more up-to-date parts? Converting the inside perhaps to more current technology? Perhaps blasphemy to some, i realise, but keep in mind the end goal is to sit next to my mom and bring her to life, listening to some local stations as we reminisce. Thanks.

I'll take a few shots outside and inside to answer the model question.

[paulsherwin]

This radio almost certainly has a 'gram' input. These were intended for use with a record deck fitted with a crystal cartridge, but the input will work with any line level source, such as an FM tuner or CD player. Even an iPod or MP3 player can be connected.

Radios of this type are sometimes referred to dismissively as 'tea planter specials' nowadays. They were sold to British expats working in far flung corners of the British Empire as that institution was winding down. It's possible to imagine their owners sitting somewhere very hot a long way from home, listening to the BBC World Service and feeling homesick.

[TARYAMS]

Thanks Paul, I can certainly picture the same and probably got quite a good price for it on the markets of Cairo during those days. Here are some pics, would love to hear anyone's advice and how to bring it back to life, in anyway possible.

[Station X]

At the bottom left of picture 4 there appears to be a Model No./Serial No. Plate. Is anything discernible on it?

[Edward Huggins]

If you were able to get the amplifier part working again, you could add a small FM (e.g. Sony) radio and connect its earphone output to the gram input socket. Then there is the issue of tuning it. Mabe if the little radio is fixed to the rear panel, you could put your hand over the top or side and tune it in that way. This would maintain the original appearance.

[TARYAMS]

Thanks Edward, i would be happy with that. Any guidance on how and what tools i would need?

Station X, will check today and report back. Thanks.