Month: April 2026

IC Union Hustings: 1986

40 years ago, on the evening of 6 March 1986, STOIC was live on air at 6pm. It was the evening round-up programme of that day’s coverage of the IC Union Hustings. This was now a traditional yearly event for STOIC dating back to 1975 when Mark Caldwell presented the first live coverage from the Great Hall.

This year, the presenters were Sarah Allsop and Alan Rose, who gave background on how to vote at the end of the programme. As usual, this went out live from the college TV studio in Electrical Engineering. And, because it was live, I’d been asked to direct it, as will be seen in the end credits. I have not included any of the actual coverage from the Great Hall, but rather only the main opening and closing. The live coverage was very long and of poor-quality picture and especially the sound. However, this edit will remind you of how the programme was presented live from the studio; you may have even watched it yourself at the time.

You’ll notice the usual earpieces so that I could give instructions to the two presenters during the live segments (you might even hear some of it on the studio sound!). So let’s look at what you might have watched at the time, way back on 6 March 1986, ahhhh, those lovely archives.

Colin Grimshaw – April 2026

C&G Pedal Car Race: 1982

In February 1982, STOIC’s Mike Hackett ventured into the coldest Prince’s Gardens to discuss pedal cars. It was City and Guilds who were in training for the Bristol Pedal Car Race. Sadly, I can’t find any details of the end result, so we are left not knowing how well C&G did. The photo on the left is from Felix, dated 1980. The very last Felix reference to “pedal cars” was in 1984, so maybe it just disappeared from student life, like lots of traditional Imperial events seem to have. If you know better, please let me know.

Anyway, enjoy this STOIC archive interview with Tim Bell from City and Guilds and watch some rare colour footage of the pedal cars in action.

 

Colin Grimshaw April 2026