Collaro record player
"One of the first to have a disc stacking system which enables the pre-loading of six discs and then automatically plays the next in the stack using a fascinating mechanical process.
Bought from Teleradio, a shop in Fore St Edmonton, by my parents in the late 1950s, it was and still is a high-quality piece of kit. It works but would benefit from a new stylus. It will play all three record sizes and speeds available at the time - 78rpm; 45rpm; and 33.33rpm known as LPs at that time.
It arrived in 1 Denton Road N18 at around the time of my interest in and the explosion of pop music on 45s as they were known. I acquired a growing collection of music thanks to the generosity of my parents and grandparents who lived with us. I played them at full volume which was not very popular!
I continued to use the Collaro into my teenage - by that time my parents had invested in a radiogram, and we had moved to Winchmore Hill.
Most records were bought from Dancy’s record shop in Silver Street, Edmonton which was located about 50m east of the station, across the road from the Regal Cinema. My fond memory of this shop is the booths where one could listen to a disc before buying and the large external loudspeaker located in the doorway. This was extremely loud and could be heard above the noise of the traffic.
I recall first hearing Carole King’s song “It might as well rain until September” whilst stationary on my bicycle waiting for the traffic lights to change. I bought the record soon after and I still have it, along with all the others in my childhood collection.
I hope you enjoy seeing and hearing about this equipment which was a significant part of my life many years ago now."
