I live in North East Essex and also remember very well hearing the early years of Radio Orwell on 257 (1170). It was never quite as enjoyable for me as the likes of Radio Mi Amigo but had a fascination as it talked about places I had heard of locally and businesses.
In fact, I seem to remember that radio Mi Amigo had to change frequency when Radio Orwell started as it was on the next channel (up one?) to it and splashed all over Radio Orwell near the edges of it's coverage area.