WHEN I printed a story last Monday asking about Relay radio -- a cardboard box with a piece of mesh at the top, but seemingly no radio workings inside -- I thought that Mrs Margaret Mills, of Stamforth Drive, Breightmet, who sent the query to me, was perhaps having a "senior moment". But no, no, no . . . she was right!

Mrs Mills said that she recalled the radio from when she was a child in Iron Street, Horwich, and asked how it worked.

I have had a number of responses (I cannot name everyone because much of the information was the same), but among them was a call from Mr Kevin Ludlow, of Westhoughton, who said that it worked like a basic loudspeaker system, and was the forerunner of today's cable television.

However, a letter from Mrs Freda Vinten, of Victoria Road, Horwich, really did explain everything. And she should know, because she worked for Horton Relay at 63/65 Winter Hey Lane, Horwich, for several years after she left school.

"The company was founded by three men, Mr Charles Case, Managing Director, a well-known local man, Mr C. Hallows and his son, Arthur, of Little Lever," she writes.

"Mrs Mills mentioned that there was only one programme, but in fact there were two. The back room of the premises housed huge receivers and amplifiers. The service operated from 6am until 11pm and was manned continuously during this time. Customers used to leave it on all night as it acted as an alarm clock.

"The electricity supply was a little erratic at times, and when the factories and works closed at 5.30pm, there would be a great surge of electricity which needed to be monitored.

"In Horwich there were a lot of terraced streets with only a gas supply and no electricity. It was easy to get permission from landlords for way leaves (dictionary definition: a right of way granted by a landowner, generally for payment and typically for purposes such as the erection of telegraph wires or laying of pipes, but in this case for 'radio' cables).

"Linesmen were employed to attach brackets to chimneys, and the transmitting lines were attached to these brackets. A lead cable was taken from these brackets, a hole bored in the window frame of the house, then attached to the flex which fed the speaker. The speaker had a volume control on the side, and the selection switch would be fixed to a suitable point, probably the inner window frame.

"There were booster stations at Sefton Fold Farm, at Victoria Road and at the Cottage Hospital in Brunel Street, belonging to the LMS Railway and previously used for accidents on the locomotive works.

"I had very happy times there, as all the customers were very pleasant and used to chat about the programmes they enjoyed. They came in with their weekly contributions."

Mr Eric Jolley, of Crown Lane, Horwich, writes: "I was brought up in Scholes, Wigan, and remember that on my 11th birthday in July, 1945, we had Relay radio installed. On the back of the radio was a cable and plug, and on the living room wall next to the window was a piece of wood with three sockets which you plugged in to.

"One plug was for the Home Service programme and the other for Light Service programme. I recall programmes such as Dick Barton, Special Agent being on each night, and Sports Report.

"I don't know the technical details, but there must have been cables outside the house similar to telephone cables we now have entering the house."

Well, Mr Jolley, now you do know, from Mrs Vinten's details, how it all worked.

Thank you, everyone, for your information, and apologies to those whose names do not appear.