Tommy, Duncan & Hayley are back with another ramble through the past—this time dipping into the world of cash & carry warehouses, CB radios, novelty songs, and everything in between. From blagging their way into wholesale stores in the ’80s to the golden age of bulk loo roll, the team take a nostalgic wander through everyday adventures that somehow feel epic.

Along the way, they swap stories of wartime bunkers turned tourist attractions, the strange fame of Roland Rat, saucy seaside postcards, and why Captain Beaky will forever live rent-free in their heads.

Add in a detour through Orwell’s 1984, the lost art of sending postcards, and the glory days of CB radio handles, and you’ve got an episode that’s as random as it is hilarious.

Listen for:

Tales of sneaking into cash & carry warehouses as “shopkeepers”

Rats in pop culture—from Orwell to Michael Jackson to Roland Rat

Seaside nostalgia: Blackpool rock, postcards, and Butlins legends

The novelty hits and children’s TV icons that defined a generation

CB radio culture: handles, “eyeballs,” and the loneliness of late-night chatter

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This week, Tommy, Hayley, and Duncan dive into a lively mix of memories, mishaps, and misheard lyrics. From nostalgic reflections on News at Ten to the quirks of old-school weathermen and the unexpected afterlives of 80s pop stars, the conversation takes plenty of funny turns.

They reminisce about when the whole nation gathered for News at Ten, why it’s no longer the same communal experience, and the charm of magnetic weather boards complete with falling letters and the legendary “F in Fog.” Famous faces such as Reginald Bosanquet, Alastair Stewart, and Wincey Willis get a mention, as do music icons from A Tribe of Toffs to Hawkwind, Showaddywaddy, and The Beatles.

The episode also explores the joy of misheard lyrics and old adverts, with Hayley recalling an unfortunate Fairy Liquid trauma. There are flashbacks to once-popular perfumes and aftershaves like Charlie, So…?, Old Spice, Brute, and High Karate, as well as nostalgic cookbooks and TV chefs from Mrs Beeton and Delia Smith to Lloyd Grossman.

Tufty the squirrel makes an appearance as the unlikely road safety hero, and there are side tangents about squirrels being “rats with good PR,” Tommy’s memories of Through the Keyhole, and why fantasy football doesn’t quite work for everyone.

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We’d also love to hear from you! Get in touch with your thoughts, memories, or misheard lyrics - To get involved with the show, you can send in voice notes or messages via WhatsApp on 07405 341500, or email ramblingretrononsense@gmail.com.

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In this episode, Duncan, Hayley, and Tommy tuck into memories of their first ever curry house experiences, from Worthing and bright orange tikka masalas of family nights out.

Along the way, they explore retro food, quirky restaurants, and some wonderfully nostalgic tangents — including the curious world of concrete garden gnomes.

The conversation takes in Duncan’s first Indian meal in the 80s, debates over whether Cobra beer or red wine really pairs best with curry, and Hayley’s vivid memories of patterned carpets, sitar music, and neon-orange chicken tikka masala. Classic sides such as Bombay potatoes, garlic naan, and onion bhajis feature heavily, as do the quirks of curry houses that still offered prawn cocktail or omelette and chips alongside their menus.

There’s talk of Vesta curry kits and the strange era of processed “exotic” meals, as well as a discussion about authenticity versus modern makeovers in Indian restaurants. After-dinner rituals like hot towels and After Eight mints make their appearance too. The conversation then drifts into the world of garden gnomes, eccentric neighbours, and even John Major’s dad, who once made concrete gnomes for a living.

From there, the ramble continues into the quirks of house names versus house numbers, first radios and Walkmans, and the joys of tuning into the American Forces Network. The trio also revisit classic TV moments, from The Wide Awake Club to Noel Edmonds’ farm-based reality show.

To get involved with the show, you can send in voice notes or messages via WhatsApp on 07405 341500, or email ramblingretrononsense@gmail.com.

Follow Rambling Retro Nonsense on Twitter/X, Instagram and Facebook to join in the conversation.