No collection of Pye transistor radios would be complete without a Piccadilly 6000. Its sheer size commands attention!

Produced in 1966, Pye’s version of the Philips L6X38T is a rare model that I managed to buy at a local boot fair. It caught my eye amongst various tools and parts as I’d never seen one before. The Philips Transworld de luxe featured in the classic Bond film Diamonds are Forever and looked odd in its tan faux leather Pye livery.

Side by size comparison of Phillips L6X38T and Pye 6000. Main difference is the Pye's faux wood speaker grille and tan leatherette case

Pye Piccadilly 6000 and Phillips L6X38T side by side

Sneaking yet another radio in without the wife seeing has evolved over the years but she soon discovers them sitting on a shelf or hiding in a corner. At over 250mm wide this radio was never going to be inconspicuous. Seeing the Piccadilly shares the same controls at the Transworld I’d thought it could become a donor for my James Bond radio’s damaged push buttons.

On closer inspection the tatty Piccadilly had minor surface dirt and grime plus the inevitable paint splatters hinting at its past life. It’s too good to pluck for parts. A fresh set of batteries — it consumes 6 D cells — found a working radio of sorts so is in the stack for a full restoration. So if you have found one and it needs repair, keep a lookout for a later post.

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