Thanks Jon. This was a wonderful voyage of nostalgia.

As a teenager I had a portable Clarion tape deck (https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/gbc_clarion.html?language_id=2) which I'd bought from my cousin. It got a lot of use and I learnt how to splice tape and make tape loops back then. I'd record the latest hit records off the radio to share with friends and family. I did some basic repairs on the player, and learnt to solder when the leads and plugs needed fixing. The Clarion died eventually and probably got junked sadly.

I always wanted - but never acquired - a big reel-to-reel player like a Grundig, Philips, TEAC, or whatever. Great to hear about your adventures in this area!