Rambling Retro Nonsense
A weekly podcast where Tommy Boyd, Duncan Barkes and Hayley Hayes unpack (sometimes) hilarious, ridiculous, and surprising memories—one story at a time. Filled with laughs, nostalgia, and great conversation, Rambling Retro Rambles offers a light-hearted trip down memory lane - or cycle lane - for anyone who loves to revisit the past with humour and heart.
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Spaghetti Out of a Tin and Whispering Alexas
08/11/2025
Spaghetti Out of a Tin and Whispering Alexas
Tommy, Duncan, and Hayley are back with another generous helping of retro rambling – this time dishing up memories of tin-can cuisine, 80s dinner party disasters, and the perilous art of recording the telly without missing Bullseye. Hayley kicks things off with a creamy confession (spoiler: it involves cheese on toast and squirty cream), while Tommy fondly recalls being ID’d for a Black Forest gateau in Waitrose. From there, it’s a trip through the golden age of vol-au-vents, fondue forks, and why British pizza in the 80s didn’t come with dip – unless you were in Croydon. Then it’s on to the tech trauma of VHS timers and SCART leads, with listener Kev sharing the horror of being the designated “recorder” during a family holiday. Duncan's opinions on electrical sockets and we discover the terrifying reason why you shouldn’t trust a whispering Alexa. Also covered: Spaghetti in a tin, school dinner pink sponge, and Arctic Roll etiquette Pizza: fancy cheese on toast or something more sacred? The bomb plot that involved a VHS recorder Top Cat vs. Boss Cat, and the mystery of Yogi Bear’s rebrand Favourite lightbulbs and the secret life of halogen fittings And fondue parties that feel oddly… sensual Hosts: Tommy Boyd, Duncan Barkes, and Hayley Hayes Get in Touch with Us! Still traumatised by a fondue fork injury? Ever programmed a VHS successfully? Can you still taste that tinned spaghetti? We want to hear from you! WhatsApp: 07405 341500 - leave us a voice note, go on you know you want too! Email: Don’t forget to like, follow, subscribe, and leave a five-star review. It helps keep the retro nonsense rambling along.
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Spitting Footballers, Plasticine Psychos & the Wimpy
08/03/2025
Spitting Footballers, Plasticine Psychos & the Wimpy
Tommy, Duncan, and Hayley are back for another nostalgic ramble, this time tackling the big topics: childhood toys, 80s fast food, and bedroom walls plastered with boybands and glow-in-the-dark stars. Duncan kicks things off with his first-ever McDonald’s (Western Road, Brighton – Big Mac, no cheese), before the gang reminisce about the golden era of Wimpy, the mystery of Casey Jones, and the dream of hosting a birthday party in a red plastic booth. From there, it’s a headlong dive into retro board games and toys. Snakes & Ladders philosophy, Guess Who? aggression, the Operation buzzer, Action Men with missing limbs, and the slightly disturbing things Tommy used to do with Plasticine. There’s also some strong debate over Barbie vs. Cindy, a surprise train ride with Bananarama, and the slightly depressing truth about magnetic beard kits. Also covered: disco balls, yo-yos, revising next to a cactus, and the art of spitting like a footballer (badly). Get in touch with us! WhatsApp: 07405 341500 - leave us a voice note! Email: Follow us on the socials and say hi: X: Insta: Facebook:
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Lucozade, Leaf Blowers & The Lost Art of Boredom
07/27/2025
Lucozade, Leaf Blowers & The Lost Art of Boredom
With Duncan out of action (laid up with a sore throat and, according to Tommy, possibly communicating in Morse code), Hayley and Tommy take the reins for a warm, witty wander through retro memories – and things we’ve perhaps lost along the way. This episode is packed with chatter about the forgotten joy of being bored on a Sunday, why David Nixon was the real magic man before Paul Daniels came along, and how sick days meant two things: daytime telly and a bottle of Lucozade on the bedside table. There’s a heartfelt dive into Saturday night variety shows (when telly was still a family event), the old magic of Top of the Pops, and the slow death of silly fun on TV. Elsewhere, the conversation veers off into Blue Peter badge bragging, school excuses, and Hayley’s accidental foray into soft porn literature… for GCSE English. Yes, really. We touch on retro snacks, chip shop nostalgia (what even is rock salmon?), and the odd competitiveness of trainspotting – complete with tartan flasks and disapproving glances. Tommy has a vendetta against Christopher Biggins’ drive-by insult, and we get deep into the vinegar wars: Sarson’s vs. the mysterious sweet chip shop blend (spoiler: Hayley has a life hack). Also featuring: leaf blowers, jet washers, air fryer evangelism, department store despair, and the kind of daytime telly comfort that only Four in a Bed can bring. Get in Touch with Us! WhatsApp for messages or voice notes: 07405 341500 Email:
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Pedantry, Black Bag Shops & A Northern Buffet
07/20/2025
Pedantry, Black Bag Shops & A Northern Buffet
Tommy, Duncan, and Hayley are back with another nostalgic meander, and this week it’s full of misremembered timelines, shady shopping scams, and a fair amount of dodgy song lyrics. The trio dive headfirst into the peculiar joys of pedantry – from people who write in about incorrect Heartbeat era soundtracks to the viewer who spotted a wrongly turned stopcock in the Have I Got News For You opening credits. Yes, really. Tommy recounts the fine art of generating “self-righteous indignation” during his Fleet Street days, and the team wander into the wild world of talk radio – both in the UK and the more theatrical, call-screened approach of 1990s America. There’s a side-trip to Oxford Street’s mysterious black bag auction shops (spoiler: scams), before things take a turn toward Brighton – including tales of the Evening Star pub, a blind pianist named Albert, and the kind of rugby songs that should probably stay in the past. We get philosophical about pubs that made us feel like we belonged, the rise and fall of private shops, and the magic of a shared packet of scampi fries. Also: Tommy’s trauma over a beige tank top. Get in Touch with Us! Did you buy a black bag of mystery from a shop that disappeared the next day? Do you still know the words to “Ilkley Moor Baht ‘At”? Or maybe your first item of clothing was just as traumatising as Tommy’s tank top? We want to hear your stories. WhatsApp for messages or voice notes: 07405 341500 Email:
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Petrol, Pirate Radio & The Great Green Stamp Heist
07/14/2025
Petrol, Pirate Radio & The Great Green Stamp Heist
Tommy, Duncan, and Hayley return with another wonderfully rambling wander through the past, this time lighting up memories of cigarette brands, full-service petrol stations, and the days when you could collect green stamps to trade in for table lamps. The trio chat about tobacco sponsorship in sport (yes, including those black-and-gold JPS cars), the curious economics of butchers’ Christmas clubs, and a time when coat hangers could fix anything from your car door to your carburettor. Things get lively as they discuss pirate radio legends like Laser 558 and Wolfman Jack, revisit DIY radio kits from Tandy, and reminisce about the thrill of being saluted by an AA man in white gloves. There’s also a healthy dose of 1980s furniture woes (MFI anyone?), a smattering of Happy Days trivia, and a cracking tale involving a Mini and an explosive petrol spill. Listeners Jeanette and Dave pop up too — with memories of donkey rides in Weymouth and a surprisingly heartfelt defence of Eldorado. Get in Touch with Us! Do you remember collecting petrol station Smurfs? Ever get your turkey through a butcher's Christmas club? Or maybe you’ve still got a Wolfman Jack cassette buried in a drawer somewhere? Whatever your retro nonsense, we want to hear it. WhatsApp for messages or voice notes: 07405 341500 Email:
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Crackerjack, Cremola & Kitchen Confessions
07/07/2025
Crackerjack, Cremola & Kitchen Confessions
Tommy, Duncan, and Hayley take another delightful trip down memory lane, starting with the iconic children's TV show "Crackerjack!" They share behind-the-scenes stories, hilarious details about the "Double or Drop" game, and the legendary Crackerjack pencil. The conversation then meanders through childhood experiences with old money, special puddings like Angel Delight and Viennetta, and the evolution of snacking. They also reminisce about classic kitchen gadgets like the hostess trolley and delve into a heated debate about modern appliances, specifically the controversial air fryer and its ability (or inability!) to truly "bake" a potato. Hosts: Tommy Boyd, Duncan Barkes, and Hayley Hayes Get in Touch with Us! What are your memories of Crackerjack, old money, or classic kitchen gadgets? Do you have a strong opinion on air-fried baked potatoes? We'd love to hear from you! WhatsApp: 07405 341500 Email: Join us on our socials - just search for Rambling Retro Nonsense on X, Facebook and Instsagram and follow/like us! Don't forget to like, follow, subscribe, and leave us a five-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts!
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Simple Pleasures & Banned Childhood Toys
06/29/2025
Simple Pleasures & Banned Childhood Toys
Join Tommy, Duncan, and Hayley as they dive deep into the simple, often unglamorous, pleasures of British seaside holidays from their childhoods. From nostalgic trips to Happy Eaters and Little Chef, to amusement park adventures and the peculiar charms of "What the Butler Saw" machines, they reminisce about days spent without elaborate plans. The conversation then takes a surprising turn as they recall a host of now-banned or frowned-upon childhood toys, including Seki-guns, cap guns, and even homemade crossbows, sparking a humorous debate on how times have changed. Plus, hear their tales of learning to cycle and swim, and a memorable story of a very thirsty family in an underground car park! What are your fondest childhood seaside memories? Did you have any of the "banned" toys mentioned in this episode? Or perhaps you have a hilarious story about learning to cycle or swim? We'd love to hear from you! Email: Send us a voice note via WhatsApp: 07405 341500 to appear on the pod. Don't forget to like, follow, subscribe, and leave us a five-star review wherever you listen to your podcasts!
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A Taste of Things To Come..
06/22/2025
A Taste of Things To Come..
Join Tommy, Duncan, and Hayley in "Things that make you feel warm inside" as they ponder a perplexing modern mystery: where have all the car stickers gone? From "My other car is a Porsche" to football club affiliations, the hosts share their theories on this fading trend. The conversation then swerves into hilarious and relatable recollections of their very first "proper" jobs, complete with demanding bosses, mind-numbing tasks, and the odd ingenious escape plan. The trio also delves into the evocative power of classic TV theme tunes and the changing landscape of home entertainment, finishing with a look at future nostalgia and an appreciation for a truly versatile entertainer. Get ready for a dose of shared nostalgia and a few laughs! Say hello: Send us a voice note via WhatsApp: 07405 341500 to appear on the pod.
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