Fools on the hill - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

28th Mar 2020, 9:15 pm

Just watched the "BBC 50" programme The Fools on the Hill, fantastic. Crikey 34 years ago I watched it on live telly.

dave walsh · 28th Mar 2020, 11:29 pm

Yes part of the BBC 50th Anniversary Celebrations in 2006-recorded it then.
There's also the November 2011 Doc! Not forgetting the Beatles somehow strangely appropriate song in 1967. Did Paul McCartney know about the scepticism back then I wonder? Probably not!

Dave

peter_scott · 28th Mar 2020, 11:35 pm

I think the book "Here's Looking at You" came out about the same time as "The Fools on the Hill" and I always associate the two.

Peter

Richard_FM · 29th Mar 2020, 12:04 am

I watched in when it was on BBC4 a few years ago.

The woman being sprayed with ammonia when the cyanide instant developing tank leaked is a scene I remember.

dave walsh · 29th Mar 2020, 12:23 am

Erratum-1986 not 2006

Dave

peter_scott · 30th Mar 2020, 9:22 pm

ppppenguin (Jeffrey) contacted me today. In 1985/86 he was working at Thorn-EMI Central Research Labs which is where he got interested in vintage TV. He helped with the restoration of an HMV 900 in their little museum area and arranged 405 signals for it. He and a few others were invited to witness part of the recording of "Fools on the Hill" and has a copy of the full script.

Peter

Davewantsone · 30th Mar 2020, 9:45 pm

I watched it on YouTube, it may still be on there.

Station X · 30th Mar 2020, 10:01 pm

It is:-

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

chriswood1900 · 31st Mar 2020, 11:57 am

Great programme well worth watching, I think it tells the story very well.

31st Mar 2020, 12:58 pm

I wonder what we will get in 2022, BBC 100.

Quote:

Great programme well worth watching, I think it tells the story very well.

I do wish someone would do a "restored" DVD of it, my copy is fairly carp. Not that it removes from the story (and I am not a style over content chap), a story like that needs a bit more quality. There must be the original tape somewhere.

Catkins · 1st Apr 2020, 11:57 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by peter_scott

ppppenguin (Jeffrey) contacted me today. In 1985/86 he was working at Thorn-EMI Central Research Labs which is where he got interested in vintage TV. He helped with the restoration of an HMV 900 in their little museum area and arranged 405 signals for it. He and a few others were invited to witness part of the recording of "Fools on the Hill" and has a copy of the full script.

Peter

Thanks Peter, that's a nice tale. Thorm-EMI Central research labs must have only been a few years from closure at that time. By the time I started to look for research jobs in the industry (after my PhD), AFAIR it had gone. It would have been on my list of possibilities.

I knew they had a little museum, but, I don't know what happened to it. Does anyone know?

peter_scott · 1st Apr 2020, 5:44 pm

Hi Phillip,

To quote Jeffrey:

"AFAIK, all the TV related kit from the EMI CRL museum went to Bradford. Since Bradford now exhibits very few historic TV bits I assume it's all in store. The Science Museum group has deaccessioned items in the last few years but mostly odd assemblies. A big deaccession was an ex BBC OB truck: https://becg.org.uk/projects/bbc-ehx86v-cmcr20/
Currently owned by Martin Pritchard within the BECG family. "

Peter

Davewantsone · 6th Apr 2020, 7:25 pm

I mentioned earlier that I had watched "Fool On The Hill" a few years ago. I decided to watch it again on Sunday evening but this time on two of my 405 line sets! I saw on another forum asking for people to photograph the Queen on Sunday night at 8. I am not a member of that forum but I thought I would include the photos as well.

6th Apr 2020, 8:41 pm

A fairy sent me a much better version, (thank you fairy) I watched it again, a lovely show.

28th Mar 2020, 9:15 pm	#1
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Fools on the hill Just watched the "BBC 50" programme The Fools on the Hill, fantastic. Crikey 34 years ago I watched it on live telly.

28th Mar 2020, 11:29 pm	#2
dave walsh Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ramsbottom (Nr Bury) Lancs or Bexhill (Nr Hastings) Sussex. Posts: 5,817	Re: Fools on the hill Yes part of the BBC 50th Anniversary Celebrations in 2006-recorded it then. There's also the November 2011 Doc! Not forgetting the Beatles somehow strangely appropriate song in 1967. Did Paul McCartney know about the scepticism back then I wonder? Probably not! Dave Last edited by dave walsh; 28th Mar 2020 at 11:35 pm.

28th Mar 2020, 11:35 pm	#3
peter_scott Dekatron Join Date: May 2003 Location: Edinburgh, UK. Posts: 3,274	Re: Fools on the hill I think the book "Here's Looking at You" came out about the same time as "The Fools on the Hill" and I always associate the two. Peter __________________ http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterScott/videos Last edited by peter_scott; 28th Mar 2020 at 11:49 pm.

29th Mar 2020, 12:04 am	#4
Richard_FM Nonode Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Stockport, Cheshire, UK. Posts: 2,002	Re: Fools on the hill I watched in when it was on BBC4 a few years ago. The woman being sprayed with ammonia when the cyanide instant developing tank leaked is a scene I remember. __________________ Hello IT: Have you Tried Turning It Off & On Again?

29th Mar 2020, 12:23 am	#5
dave walsh Dekatron Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ramsbottom (Nr Bury) Lancs or Bexhill (Nr Hastings) Sussex. Posts: 5,817	Re: Fools on the hill Erratum-1986 not 2006 Dave

30th Mar 2020, 9:22 pm	#6
peter_scott Dekatron Join Date: May 2003 Location: Edinburgh, UK. Posts: 3,274	Re: Fools on the hill ppppenguin (Jeffrey) contacted me today. In 1985/86 he was working at Thorn-EMI Central Research Labs which is where he got interested in vintage TV. He helped with the restoration of an HMV 900 in their little museum area and arranged 405 signals for it. He and a few others were invited to witness part of the recording of "Fools on the Hill" and has a copy of the full script. Peter Attached Thumbnails __________________ http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterScott/videos

30th Mar 2020, 9:45 pm	#7
Davewantsone Hexode Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 291	Re: Fools on the hill I watched it on YouTube, it may still be on there.

30th Mar 2020, 10:01 pm	#8
Station X Moderator Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Ipswich, Suffolk, IP4, UK. Posts: 21,288	Re: Fools on the hill It is:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCtijZAQJEY __________________ Graham. Forum Moderator Reach for your meter before you reach for your soldering iron.

31st Mar 2020, 11:57 am	#9
chriswood1900 Octode Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Dorridge, West Midlands, UK. Posts: 1,483	Re: Fools on the hill Great programme well worth watching, I think it tells the story very well. __________________ Chris Wood BVWS Member

1st Apr 2020, 5:44 pm	#12
peter_scott Dekatron Join Date: May 2003 Location: Edinburgh, UK. Posts: 3,274	Re: Fools on the hill Hi Phillip, To quote Jeffrey: "AFAIK, all the TV related kit from the EMI CRL museum went to Bradford. Since Bradford now exhibits very few historic TV bits I assume it's all in store. The Science Museum group has deaccessioned items in the last few years but mostly odd assemblies. A big deaccession was an ex BBC OB truck: https://becg.org.uk/projects/bbc-ehx86v-cmcr20/ Currently owned by Martin Pritchard within the BECG family. " Peter __________________ http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterScott/videos

6th Apr 2020, 7:25 pm	#13
Davewantsone Hexode Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Wigan, Greater Manchester, UK. Posts: 291	Re: Fools on the hill I mentioned earlier that I had watched "Fool On The Hill" a few years ago. I decided to watch it again on Sunday evening but this time on two of my 405 line sets! I saw on another forum asking for people to photograph the Queen on Sunday night at 8. I am not a member of that forum but I thought I would include the photos as well. Attached Thumbnails

6th Apr 2020, 8:41 pm	#14
Guest Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Fools on the hill A fairy sent me a much better version, (thank you fairy) I watched it again, a lovely show.