Guess the make of this TV? - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

FERNSEH · 16th Jun 2015, 12:51 pm

From the front cover of the November 1959 Practical Television magazine.
A picture of one of the latest TV sets. Note the compact design and the fireball tuner positioned on the side of the cabinet.
But which firm made this set.

DFWB.

newlite4 · 16th Jun 2015, 12:56 pm

AW4380 CRT, rounded corners, looks like an ALBA 655T.
Neil

FERNSEH · 16th Jun 2015, 1:08 pm

Hi Newlight, it's not an Alba.

DFWB.

mark pirate · 16th Jun 2015, 1:35 pm

I can spot that it uses a fireball tuner. possibly a Philco?

Mark

Nuvistor · 16th Jun 2015, 2:06 pm

Hi David,
I won't spoil it, I cheated and looked in the magazine but is the photo reversed on the cover of the mag?
Frank

BassoonBloke · 16th Jun 2015, 2:11 pm

Just a guess here but,

I think I see what must be doubled sided printed circuit board, so is it a GEC ?

Alan.

FERNSEH · 16th Jun 2015, 3:14 pm

Good afternoon Gentlemen,
It's not a GEC or a Philco.
Hi Frank,
I had suspicions about that picture. By convention the tuner should be on the righthand side of the cabinet.

DFWB.

mark pirate · 16th Jun 2015, 3:24 pm

Difficult one this, does not look anything like one of the major manufacturer's of the time. Possibly a Defiant or Peto Scott?

Mark

thermionic · 16th Jun 2015, 7:25 pm

David, Is it a Pam?

SimonT.

Heatercathodeshort · 16th Jun 2015, 7:31 pm

Knowing David I suspected a nastyradio Masteradio but it is not. I know what it is but like Frank I don't want to spoil it...yet!
I can give a clue. 54 PRU....John.

FERNSEH · 16th Jun 2015, 9:03 pm

It's not a Peto-Scott, Defiant or Pam and definitely not a Masteradio.

Hi John, a 54 PRU? No idea what that is.

DFWB.

Nuvistor · 16th Jun 2015, 9:25 pm

I can say I have never seen one before but I have heard the makers name, but for cheating I would never get the name.

Nuvistor · 16th Jun 2015, 11:34 pm

I have a word with David, he suggests "Queen Bee" has a clue, my clue was somewhat different but on the same lines.
Frank

peter_scott · 17th Jun 2015, 12:14 am

It doesn't appear to have any IF cans! It is just an artist's impression of a general TV?
Having the tuner on the left side is a bit odd too.

Peter

Duke_Nukem · 17th Jun 2015, 8:57 am

Hmm, tuner on the wrong side ... hmm ... thats silly ... so it must be Philips or Stella ?

I have a Stella where all the controls are on the wrong side (ST1007U) though thats a later set.

TTFN,
Jon

ms660 · 17th Jun 2015, 9:40 am

Spencer West?

http://www.americanradiohistory.com/...on-1959-11.pdf

Lawrence.

thermionic · 17th Jun 2015, 10:19 am

Hmm.... KB? Could be a Brimar tube...

SimonT

Restoration73 · 17th Jun 2015, 10:25 am

Let's not discriminate against the left handed here.

FERNSEH · 17th Jun 2015, 10:33 am

Hi Lawrence,
You got it! It's likely to be the model 180. Information for this set can be found in the 1959/60 Radio and Television servicing book. Pages 597 to 600.
Peter queried about the IF transformers. The picture seems to indicate that there isn't any, but in fact they do exist of course, they are located under the chassis. Somehow the manufacture got away without using screening cans.
Most of the components were soldered on the top side of the printed circuit board, alongside the valves.
I believe the model 180 was not a bad set, in fact it was used by a Midlands TV rental firm called "Queen Bee".
Spencer-West closed down in 1961. It wasn't just the smaller companies like Masteradio and Spencer-West, there were many other casualties around 1960 to 62. Ekco, Cossor, Peto-Scott to name three others.
Anyone seen a Portadyne TV? that companies' last model was the 110.

DFWB.

FERNSEH · 17th Jun 2015, 6:20 pm

Spencer-West model 180: Diagrams showing the layout of components on the top side of the PCB and on the underside the IF transformers.
Hi john,
but what is 54 PRU?

DFWB.

16th Jun 2015, 12:51 pm	#1
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,444	Guess the make of this TV? From the front cover of the November 1959 Practical Television magazine. A picture of one of the latest TV sets. Note the compact design and the fireball tuner positioned on the side of the cabinet. But which firm made this set. DFWB. Attached Thumbnails

16th Jun 2015, 12:56 pm	#2
newlite4 Octode Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Bath, Somerset, UK. Posts: 1,806	Re: Guess the make of this TV? AW4380 CRT, rounded corners, looks like an ALBA 655T. Neil __________________ preserving the recent past, for the distant future.

16th Jun 2015, 1:08 pm	#3
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,444	Re: Guess the make of this TV? Hi Newlight, it's not an Alba. DFWB.

16th Jun 2015, 1:35 pm	#4
mark pirate Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK Posts: 5,185	Re: Guess the make of this TV? I can spot that it uses a fireball tuner. possibly a Philco? Mark

16th Jun 2015, 2:06 pm	#5
Nuvistor Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 9,433	Re: Guess the make of this TV? Hi David, I won't spoil it, I cheated and looked in the magazine but is the photo reversed on the cover of the mag? Frank

16th Jun 2015, 2:11 pm	#6
BassoonBloke Pentode Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: East London, UK. Posts: 231	Re: Guess the make of this TV? Just a guess here but, I think I see what must be doubled sided printed circuit board, so is it a GEC ? Alan.

16th Jun 2015, 3:14 pm	#7
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,444	Re: Guess the make of this TV? Good afternoon Gentlemen, It's not a GEC or a Philco. Hi Frank, I had suspicions about that picture. By convention the tuner should be on the righthand side of the cabinet. DFWB.

16th Jun 2015, 3:24 pm	#8
mark pirate Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Worthing, West Sussex, UK Posts: 5,185	Re: Guess the make of this TV? Difficult one this, does not look anything like one of the major manufacturer's of the time. Possibly a Defiant or Peto Scott? Mark

16th Jun 2015, 7:25 pm	#9
thermionic Heptode Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 989	Re: Guess the make of this TV? David, Is it a Pam? SimonT. __________________ The honesty of imperfection..........

16th Jun 2015, 7:31 pm	#10
Heatercathodeshort Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Warnham, West Sussex. 10 miles south of DORKING. Posts: 9,147	Re: Guess the make of this TV? Knowing David I suspected a nastyradio Masteradio but it is not. I know what it is but like Frank I don't want to spoil it...yet! I can give a clue. 54 PRU....John.

16th Jun 2015, 9:03 pm	#11
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,444	Re: Guess the make of this TV? It's not a Peto-Scott, Defiant or Pam and definitely not a Masteradio. Hi John, a 54 PRU? No idea what that is. DFWB.

16th Jun 2015, 9:25 pm	#12
Nuvistor Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 9,433	Re: Guess the make of this TV? I can say I have never seen one before but I have heard the makers name, but for cheating I would never get the name.

16th Jun 2015, 11:34 pm	#13
Nuvistor Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 9,433	Re: Guess the make of this TV? I have a word with David, he suggests "Queen Bee" has a clue, my clue was somewhat different but on the same lines. Frank

17th Jun 2015, 12:14 am	#14
peter_scott Dekatron Join Date: May 2003 Location: Edinburgh, UK. Posts: 3,274	Re: Guess the make of this TV? It doesn't appear to have any IF cans! It is just an artist's impression of a general TV? Having the tuner on the left side is a bit odd too. Peter __________________ http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterScott/videos Last edited by peter_scott; 17th Jun 2015 at 12:35 am.

17th Jun 2015, 8:57 am	#15
Duke_Nukem Octode Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Birmingham, West Midlands, UK. Posts: 1,268	Re: Guess the make of this TV? Hmm, tuner on the wrong side ... hmm ... thats silly ... so it must be Philips or Stella ? I have a Stella where all the controls are on the wrong side (ST1007U) though thats a later set. TTFN, Jon

17th Jun 2015, 9:40 am	#16
ms660 Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 13,454	Re: Guess the make of this TV? Spencer West? http://www.americanradiohistory.com/...on-1959-11.pdf Lawrence. Last edited by ms660; 17th Jun 2015 at 9:41 am. Reason: link

17th Jun 2015, 10:19 am	#17
thermionic Heptode Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 989	Re: Guess the make of this TV? Hmm.... KB? Could be a Brimar tube... SimonT __________________ The honesty of imperfection..........

17th Jun 2015, 10:25 am	#18
Restoration73 Nonode Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Surbiton, SW London, UK. Posts: 2,801	Re: Guess the make of this TV? Let's not discriminate against the left handed here.

17th Jun 2015, 10:33 am	#19
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,444	Re: Guess the make of this TV? Hi Lawrence, You got it! It's likely to be the model 180. Information for this set can be found in the 1959/60 Radio and Television servicing book. Pages 597 to 600. Peter queried about the IF transformers. The picture seems to indicate that there isn't any, but in fact they do exist of course, they are located under the chassis. Somehow the manufacture got away without using screening cans. Most of the components were soldered on the top side of the printed circuit board, alongside the valves. I believe the model 180 was not a bad set, in fact it was used by a Midlands TV rental firm called "Queen Bee". Spencer-West closed down in 1961. It wasn't just the smaller companies like Masteradio and Spencer-West, there were many other casualties around 1960 to 62. Ekco, Cossor, Peto-Scott to name three others. Anyone seen a Portadyne TV? that companies' last model was the 110. DFWB. Last edited by FERNSEH; 17th Jun 2015 at 10:38 am.

17th Jun 2015, 6:20 pm	#20
FERNSEH Dekatron Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, UK. Posts: 7,444	Re: Guess the make of this TV? Spencer-West model 180: Diagrams showing the layout of components on the top side of the PCB and on the underside the IF transformers. Hi john, but what is 54 PRU? DFWB. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by FERNSEH; 17th Jun 2015 at 6:27 pm.