Two more TV acquisitions. Admiral and Westrex. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

FERNSEH · 26th Feb 2023, 6:31 pm

Giving up vintage? Not me, I just keep on buying more stuff.
Arrived yesterday an Admiral 12" bakelite cabinet console TV set from 1950 and a "Westrex" portable TV set. The latter was made by NEC of Japan in the early sixties, it's an all-valve receiver. Both sets were made for the USA 525/60hz system with 4.5Mc/s sound spacing.

DFWB.

Panrock · 26th Feb 2023, 6:35 pm

We will look forward to your adventures with these!

Steve

stevehertz · 26th Feb 2023, 6:59 pm

Nice buys. I once owned a console Bakelite TV. Struggling to recall its make now, but it was British.

Edit. I think it was this Sobell. Anyway, Gordon Bussey had it from me.

FERNSEH · 26th Feb 2023, 8:01 pm

Hi Steve,
I have a Sobell T121 bakelite console TV set and an earlier Admiral TV, the 10" tube console model, also bakelite.
I'm told the 12" Admiral does work. OK on 625 line signal source using a channel A3 or A4 modulator.

DFWB.

stevehertz · 26th Feb 2023, 8:17 pm

You'd never think that they'd make a bakelite console. I wonder if Ekco moulded the cabinets? I'd tend to think they did.

usradcoll1 · 26th Feb 2023, 8:32 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by FERNSEH

Giving up vintage? Not me, I just keep on buying more stuff.
Arrived yesterday an Admiral 12" bakelite cabinet console TV set from 1950 and a "Westrex" portable TV set. The latter was made by NEC of Japan in the early sixties, it's an all-valve receiver. Both sets were made for the USA 525/60hz system with 4.5Mc/s sound spacing.

DFWB.

I have the table model version of the Admiral. It has the 20Z1 chassis, which is the last of the 12" models Admiral offered. It's an easy set to restore and works well when restored. At least the plastic control cover isn't missing, as most of the sets out there are.
I also had one of those Westrex sets. It was badged as a "Weststar". It was one of the earlier Japanese imports of the day.
Dave, USradcoll1 too many years of this foolishness!

newlite4 · 26th Feb 2023, 8:53 pm

The Admiral console is an absolute belter David, I have always had a soft spot for those sets, second only to the Emerson 639 which is a rather cute table set. I would have been very wary about getting the Admiral over here in one piece, how on earth was it packed?
Neil

FERNSEH · 26th Feb 2023, 10:23 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by newlite4

The Admiral console is an absolute belter David, I have always had a soft spot for those sets, second only to the Emerson 639 which is a rather cute table set. I would have been very wary about getting the Admiral over here in one piece, how on earth was it packed?
Neil

It was bought from a TV collector who lives in Carlisle. He kindly arranged to have it transported to my place near Gateshead.
But how did these receivers find their way to England?
The attachment shows the rear of the set. Single chassis assembly unlike the previous model which has a separate power chassis on the base of the cabinet.

DFWB.

FERNSEH · 26th Feb 2023, 10:27 pm

usradcoll1 wrote: "I have the table model version of the Admiral. It has the 20Z1 chassis, which is the last of the 12" models Admiral offered."

Hi Coll, does the table model housed in a bakelite cabinet?

DFWB.

usradcoll1 · 27th Feb 2023, 2:27 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by FERNSEH

usradcoll1 wrote: "I have the table model version of the Admiral. It has the 20Z1 chassis, which is the last of the 12" models Admiral offered."

Hi Coll, does the table model housed in a bakelite cabinet?

DFWB.

It has a bakelite cabinet! I don't think they were offered in a wood cabinet.
As I stated before, It was the last of the 12" models that used a round CRT.
They did make console and table models a little later using rectangular CRT's, 14&16". After about 1952, they quit making bakelite consoles, only table models. Bakelite models remained in their line until the 1955 model year.
I bought and sold a lot of them when I was younger!

Dave, USradcoll1.

usradcoll1 · 27th Feb 2023, 2:43 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by FERNSEH

Giving up vintage? Not me, I just keep on buying more stuff.
Arrived yesterday an Admiral 12" bakelite cabinet console TV set from 1950 and a "Westrex" portable TV set. The latter was made by NEC of Japan in the early sixties, it's an all-valve receiver. Both sets were made for the USA 525/60hz system with 4.5Mc/s sound spacing.

DFWB.

Getting back to the Westrex, the one I worked on used an electrolytic heater dropper capacitor. It was bad! Being new at the hobby, I never ran into one used for this purpose. No US made sets did it this way.
I ended up using a regular heater dropper resistor.

Dave, USradcoll1

German Dalek · 27th Feb 2023, 7:48 am

Hi,
The better way is using a MP-cap, they don´t make troubles, were common
in the 60s in Germany and beware you from a high electricity bill.

Btw., I have a 10" Admiral, a blond console, bought it from an antique mall close to
Westminster/MD more than 30 years ago.

The Westrex construction looks RCA-like. CRT seems to be a 8DP and something.

Regards,
German Dalek

26th Feb 2023, 6:31 pm	#1
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,444	Two more TV acquisitions. Admiral and Westrex. Giving up vintage? Not me, I just keep on buying more stuff. Arrived yesterday an Admiral 12" bakelite cabinet console TV set from 1950 and a "Westrex" portable TV set. The latter was made by NEC of Japan in the early sixties, it's an all-valve receiver. Both sets were made for the USA 525/60hz system with 4.5Mc/s sound spacing. DFWB. Attached Thumbnails

26th Feb 2023, 6:35 pm	#2
Panrock Nonode Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Worcestershire, UK. Posts: 2,533	Re: Two more TV acquisitions. Admiral and Westrex. We will look forward to your adventures with these! Steve

26th Feb 2023, 6:59 pm	#3
stevehertz Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK. Posts: 8,832	Re: Two more TV acquisitions. Admiral and Westrex. Nice buys. I once owned a console Bakelite TV. Struggling to recall its make now, but it was British. Edit. I think it was this Sobell. Anyway, Gordon Bussey had it from me. Attached Thumbnails __________________ A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever.. Last edited by stevehertz; 26th Feb 2023 at 7:05 pm.

26th Feb 2023, 8:01 pm	#4
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,444	Re: Two more TV acquisitions. Admiral and Westrex. Hi Steve, I have a Sobell T121 bakelite console TV set and an earlier Admiral TV, the 10" tube console model, also bakelite. I'm told the 12" Admiral does work. OK on 625 line signal source using a channel A3 or A4 modulator. DFWB.

26th Feb 2023, 8:17 pm	#5
stevehertz Dekatron Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Rugeley, Staffordshire, UK. Posts: 8,832	Re: Two more TV acquisitions. Admiral and Westrex. You'd never think that they'd make a bakelite console. I wonder if Ekco moulded the cabinets? I'd tend to think they did. __________________ A digital radio is the latest thing, but a vintage wireless is forever..

26th Feb 2023, 8:53 pm	#7
newlite4 Octode Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Bath, Somerset, UK. Posts: 1,805	Re: Two more TV acquisitions. Admiral and Westrex. The Admiral console is an absolute belter David, I have always had a soft spot for those sets, second only to the Emerson 639 which is a rather cute table set. I would have been very wary about getting the Admiral over here in one piece, how on earth was it packed? Neil __________________ preserving the recent past, for the distant future.

26th Feb 2023, 10:27 pm	#9
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,444	Re: Two more TV acquisitions. Admiral and Westrex. usradcoll1 wrote: "I have the table model version of the Admiral. It has the 20Z1 chassis, which is the last of the 12" models Admiral offered." Hi Coll, does the table model housed in a bakelite cabinet? DFWB.

27th Feb 2023, 7:48 am	#12
German Dalek Hexode Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Düsseldorf, Germany. Posts: 368	Re: Two more TV acquisitions. Admiral and Westrex. Hi, The better way is using a MP-cap, they don´t make troubles, were common in the 60s in Germany and beware you from a high electricity bill. Btw., I have a 10" Admiral, a blond console, bought it from an antique mall close to Westminster/MD more than 30 years ago. The Westrex construction looks RCA-like. CRT seems to be a 8DP and something. Regards, German Dalek __________________ And now something completly different: MARC BOLAN, he was/is the real king of Pop Music!