The Ekco CR152 is a British valve-operated car radio introduced in 1954 by Ekco. It’s an interesting example of 1950s automotive electronics, particularly because it offered a rather ingenious form of station presetting before push-button car radios became commonplace.
The CR152 was intended for installation in a wide variety of British cars rather than being exclusive to one manufacturer. It was available in several versions to suit different dashboards and speaker arrangements.
The CR152’s most distinctive feature was its system of three independent tuning drums. Rather than memorising a station electronically, each drum was mechanically adjusted to a chosen broadcast station. The driver could then select one of the three stations using a rotary switch. A hinged cover gave access to the drums for adjustment. This arrangement had several advantages: stations could be selected quickly, the preset positions were clearly marked, and there was no need to search the dial while driving.
The service manual for this radio is available in the Members’ Area.
