Can anyone identify this TV?

[Focus Diode]

From the magical "Special Branch series 1" DVD box set!

Lovely switch off too- a slowly decreasing square!

Lovely!

I suspect it's some sort of cable tv, possibly Rediffusion? I can't make out the brand though.

Any ideas?

Brian R

[Focus Diode]

I had relatives who had a similar set at the time, the right buttons were switches to select 625 or 405 lines. There was also a red pilot light above the on-off switch. Not quite the same model as the attachments show though.

A feature was the ability to hear the TV or radio sound through the TV speaker just by selecting the knob to channel A or whatever.

Who actually made these sets? There's an obvious brand name on the set on the attachments, but it's doesn't appear to be Rediffusion.

Cheers,
Brian

[CanonMan]

It looks like one of the TV sets our family had when I was a nipper.

I think it was called a Rediffusion Pembroke. Dunno who built it, though...

[Focus Diode]

The famed tv turns up again, this time in "Public Eye", (Superb Network DVD- totally unedited)Colourstar has been in touch to confirm it is a Rediffusion, and this model also turns up in "On The Buses" as well.

Obviously due to limitations the quality isn't as good as on the DVD (from 2" B&W 625-line VT), but by the look of it the "REDIFFUSION" has been crossed out on the front(!). Below this is "television", in lower case lettering.

As to who actually manufactured these sets and circuit design, anyone know?

Cheers,
Brian R

[dazzlevision]

Hello,

Rediffusion designed and made made their own sets for many years. They were used by their cable TV network customers (on the twisted pair distribution network). They also made normal "off air" sets for their retail/rental shops.

In addition, they also made some sets for others, such as the Bush model TM121 (for the Rediffusion cable TV system), circa 1962. Their sets also appeared under the "Top Rank" brand - they were in my old secondary school in the 1960s, when a wired radio/sound/public address system was installed in all classrooms.

The last sets made by Rediffusion were their Mark 4A colour sets, circa 1985.
At that time, they closed their manufacturing operations (at Bishop Auckland, in the North East), design centre in Chessington and sold the shops to Granada TV Rental.

Regards,

Dazzlevision

[Mike Phelan]

I remember the "Doric" branded Rediffusion mono valve TVs - ISTR they actually designed and made them. Lots of through holes with DJs on the double-sided PCBs.

[MALC SCOTT]

Rediffusion MK10/11 cable set. Model no 2T2300/2311.

[standing wave]

Yes the set in question was a MK10, they were used for general purpose monitoring at both Thames TV and LWT.

There was also an off-air version, fitted with a turret tuner for VHF 405 and 4 push buttons for UHF. They were not very reliable sets, lots of dry joints and scorched panels. All the main panels were plug-ins with system switching done by bowden cables.

The sets came in both 19 and 23 inch screens, and when they were working the picture quality was fairly good. In the mid seventies a number of the sets were rebuilt by Rediffusion; the system switch was removed and a new cabinet, plus 20 inch tube fitted. In the Redihire, South London region of Rediffusion, these sets were branded as 'Thames'.

I don't think many of these were made, as the MK 12 was in full production by this time.

Terry.

[Focus Diode]

Fascinating! Thanks for all your replies. I know relatives had a similar but not identical set in the late '60s, early '70s. It was replaced by a colour cable set, presumably with the hybrid Mk1 colour chassis, which remained in use until the service closed down in the eatrly 1980s.

I was fascinated to learn some were branded "THAMES", especially in view of the Rediffusion connection. LWT of course took over the Wembley studios initially as well!

Cheers again!
Brian

[MALC SCOTT]

The model which was named Thames had nothing to do with Thames Television. Most Rediffusion mono cable sets were named after rivers/cities. Cheers

[standing wave]

I don't know the reasoning behind the Thames branding, but there was the connection between Thames Television and Rediffusion, who were the original shareholders, along with ABC television.

All Thames TV employees got the same staff discount as Rediffusion employees when they rented from Rediffusion.

I was trying to remember the names of some of the other sets Rediffusion had, but the only one that comes to hand is the Bush 19" 161, which was numbered a 191 and given the name 'York'.

Terry.