[reel-to-reel-man]

I did not see the episode but if Wearite decks as far as I know started life in 1948 possibly a little earlier but the first available the sold should have been the Series 100

http://www.vintagerecorders.co.uk/Ferrograph100YD.htm

The later ones where series 2 and onwards, the series 2 had no counter like my 100YD but the lifting handle is on the front of a series 2 not in the centre of the recorder, My machine was built in 1949.

The earlier decks start from 1037 made by AEG called the tonescriber (German) and I would have image by 1049 the Marconi Stille

http://www.bbctv-ap.co.uk/tapes.htm

(Go to bottom of page)

Steel tape recorder where in the BBC form the late 30's to the early 50's when a brand new invention came out, the paper tape, the EMI BTR-1 was the first to use this, in 1948 the domestic Brush Sound mirror came out, the TP sound mirror came shortly after.

http://www.vintagerecorders.co.uk/galllsoundmirror.htm

It may have been set in the 40's but most cheap budget recordings would have been one on wire and expensive budgets on steel tape.