Vintage Radios, TVs etc in films and on TV (NOT ANACHRONISMS)

[Hybrid tellies]

On the last episode of George Gently I saw a HMV 1376 sitting on a shelf in one of the officer's houses. Looked in nice condition.

[McMurdo]

A TV set in a Fanny Cradock Gas Council promo film on 1963. Not sure if it's a real one or a mock up

[Richard_FM]

I remember there was something on TV a few years ago which was set about the turn of the 1970s.

One of the characters was a teenage girl with a correct for the time TV in her bedroom, something which made my Dad remark her family would have had to be rich to afford, even if it was a small portable set.

[Peter.N.]

If you have seen the Waitrose Christmas advert you will notice that the power goes off but they are still roasting a turkey in what looks like an electric oven. In addition the Tan Hill Inn is not on mains electricity, it has a generator in a shipping container to the left of the pub - or at least it did the last time we went, so its unlikely that the power would have gone off and come on again.

Peter

[Heatercathodeshort]

Originally Posted by McMurdo

A TV set in a Fanny Cradock Gas Council promo film on 1963. Not sure if it's a real one or a mock up

That could be a Decca DR101 series slightly disguised. John.

[ms660]

There's a closer view at 2:12...:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsdvL6TCX6k

Lawrence.

[Boom]

Originally Posted by McMurdo

A TV set in a Fanny Cradock Gas Council promo film on 1963. Not sure if it's a real one or a mock up

I'm sure that is the same set that was propped on The Human Jungle last night on Talking Pictures.

[ms660]

The knob skirts have their function on them, for the top two the top one is On/Off/Brilliance next one down is Tuning.


Lawrence.

[McMurdo]

No-one's mentioned Back in Time for Tea yet? Another Murphy radio, (forum member?) and later on a Baird TV. All good stuff.

['LIVEWIRE?']

I've just watched tonight's edition of 'Back in time for Tea', and I'm certain that someone mentioned that Baird in the 1950s had a factory in Yorkshire, so the 14" TV was made locally. It may in reality have been loaned by a forum member.

[dave walsh]

I don't want to seem "biased" but this Northern series seems much less precious than previously. The Murphy A92 "Stationmaster" [another pun] was in period, although somewhat advanced for a working class family perhaps,so maybe artistic licence can apply? I've got one on the landing and a better one somewhere else. Apparently the Government used them at the start of the War. I was told officers had them in their troop train carriages, presumably running on a Vibrator Unit or maybe batteries?

I think I've got the same TV but in a different cabinet. Some vintage footage of TV factory work plus the same old Pathe News Train Spotting feature! The "1920's" Kitchen Range seems to be in error. No central fire or side ovens. From a much grander property I would suspect and nothing like the one that my Gran made unbeatable Bread and Butter Pudding in during the late 50's.

Dave

Sussex

[McMurdo]

Did anyone recognise the chassis the women were working on?

Sarah said (of 1956) "tellies were being made very close to home. The biggest factory in Europe was Baird's, in Bradford."

There was also a bit about the introduction of ITV; for our northern family, Granada.

[Andrew2]

That telly in 'Back in time for Tea' had bright pale green knobs. Were they correct or were they changed by the director to give an 'authentic' 50's look?

[dave walsh]

Yes it was good to see the footage about Granada getting established. My daughter [27] asked what was the fuss about? I said the the BBC got a shock
My comment re the A92 wasn't just about the quality of the set [and they are nice looking] but the fact that they actually had an RF stage. It was said [I think in Radiophile Mag] that they were used at the beginning of the war until the dedicated communications receivers started to come through and this was what caught my interest. The use by Army Officers was info volunteered by an elderly chap in Milton Keynes selling his 92. It was obviously an "Officer Class" set but that useage may have just been entertainment en-route perhaps?
Either way the possibility that the "Stationmaster" Model travelled on the "permanent way" is a bit ironic in itself.

Dave W

[dazzlevision]

Originally Posted by 'LIVEWIRE?'

I've just watched tonight's edition of 'Back in time for Tea', and I'm certain that someone mentioned that Baird in the 1950s had a factory in Yorkshire, so the 14" TV was made locally.

That factory would have been the Ambassador factory, in Brighouse.

In 1954, Baird Television Ltd, of Lancelot Road, Wembley, Middlesex, amalgamated with the Hartley group of companies and was then known as Hartley-Baird Ltd. The Hartley group included Hartley Electromotives Ltd and Duratube & Wire Ltd.

In 1955, Hartley Baird acquired Ambassador Radio & Television Ltd. Originally set up by R N Fitton and he remained as Managing Director of Ambassador Radio & Television and became a director of the parent company.

Hartley Baird was then taken over by Camp Bird Ltd – a mini conglomerate, of Camp Bird House, 39 Dover Street, London, W1 (by at least 1958 - as seen on a Hartley Baird Ltd letterhead, dated 13th February 1958).

Baird Television looks to have relocated to the Brighouse Works, according to the address shown on some Baird mid-50s service manuals.

Camp Bird went into receivership and the Baird TV manufacturing operation ceased. Radio Rentals acquired the name in 1961 and Baird badged sets were then made in Radio Rentals subsidiary Mains Radio Gramophones Ltd, of Bradford. MRG had factories in Lidget Green (main factory), Windhill and Batley.

As for the claim in the programme that "the Baird TV factory was the largest in Europe", I remain highly sceptical.

[Heatercathodeshort]

I think the TV chassis may be the Ferguson 315T series. The last picture rings no bells at all. J.

[emeritus]

I have never seen any Ambassador product in the flesh, but here are a TV and a Radio flyer from the early 1950's.

[AC/HL]

Originally Posted by dazzlevision

As for the claim in the programme that "the Baird TV factory was the largest in Europe", I remain highly sceptical.

I've heard of that claim for the Radio Rentals factory, but not the earlier Ambassador one.

[Graham G3ZVT]

I was asked to supply a "70s" style TV for Granada's "The Flying Pickets" special in 1983.
I chose this GEC.
https://youtu.be/mCRy4QJrQ4g?t=146

[ColinTheAmpMan1]

This may be a bit tenuous, but SWMBO and I watched "The Mercy" a few days ago. In an early scene in Donald Crowhurst's house in Teignmouth, there was a case in the background which reminded me strongly of a Brennell tape recorder. Since the lid was closed, I couldn't be confident, but certainly the catches on the lid and the carry-handle looked familiar....

Another recent film which we saw has lots of electronic contraptions in various backrounds; the film in question being "The Shape of Water", which is set in a research facility in Baltimore which was in some way connected to the Space Race. I will say no more as I might be accused of committing a "spoiler".

Colin.