ATV and the Nottingham Forest Fire...

[Colourstar]

I recently came across again the dramatic photos taken during a fire at the Nottingham Forest Football Stadium on Saturday 24th August 1968. Luckily no lives were lost, although the ATV outside broadcast gear didn't fare too well. You can just make out three television cameras at the top of the scaffold tower in the first picture. Its possible to see the camera cable of the middle one in flames.

Later that year, the December 1968 edition of 'Practical Television' carried this interesting follow up article:


CAMERA TUBES SURVIVE INFERNO

English Electric Valve Co. Ltd. TV camera tubes were the only components to survive the fire which engulfed the ATV network camera tower at the Nottingham Forest football ground on 24th August.

The tower was immediately over the central area of the fire and three cameras with two monitors and other associated equipment were totally enveloped in flames.

After the fire was extinguished, two of the 4 1/2 in. type 7295C image orthicon TV camera tubes were salvaged and returned to the EEV factory at Chelmsford. When tested, both tubes were in perfect working condition. Their performance was still as good as new, despite having been subjected to the fire. They were cleaned, fitted with new bases, then returned to ATV for further service.

Damage to the third camera was so severe that it was impossible to extract the remaining image orthicon from the distorted scan coils'.

I'd be interested to know what cameras ATV was using at this time. It's difficult to make out much from the photo other than a couple of box-type zoom lenses. I think ATV generally used Pye equipment in the b&w era. I wonder how the event was handled live on air? I guess the cameramen had the presence of mind to abandon their kit and get out pretty quickly, so pictures from the ground would have vanished fairly early on. Possibly there is still ATV Today film news footage of the event in the archives.

Steve


Steve

[ukcol]

A camera in flames at 1:23secs into this video of the fire. It happened on my 22nd birthday and this is the first I was aware of it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEU6Kd1x_Fw

[Graham G3ZVT]

A still from that montage.

[beamcurrent]

The cameras were Pye Mk7 type 842116 Image Orthicons. These were the last generation of cameras produced by Pye before it was taken over by Philips. They were then marketed by Philips as the LDM53.

Whilst the cameras in the fire were very badly damaged and really beyond economic repair at the time the camera chassis/framework was still the basis of re-building a camera.

These passed to TV enthusiasts, members of the BATC, who rebuild them. One was rebuilt as original and was shown at various BATC shows by it's owner Alan Watson.

The second camera body was partially rebuilt to be a two tube colour camera by Joe Rose. It was never finished and after Joe died it passed into my collection of cameras.

I also have a complete working Pye Mk7, one that Pye never sold, the pictures are here:- https://www.tvcameramuseum.org/pye/mk7/pyemk7page1.htm

Few of these cameras were sold in the UK as broadcasters were reluctant to invest in new plant as colour was soon to arrive.

[PaulM]

Just to complete the story -

Alan Watson was a good friend of mine and encouraged me greatly as a teenager venturing out in the world of collecting broadcast TV cameras, building things from scratch and generally feeling my way towards a career in electronics. Sadly, Alan died very suddenly some years ago at a relatively young age having just spent a happy afternoon working on his other passion - a Lighting F6 interceptor at RAF Binbrook!

Alan's Pye Mk7 worked very well. He always did things to a high standard - something I've tried to follow in all of my conservation/preservation work, he set a good example to us all. Just last September his son John put his head round the door of my 'Southern' TV OB truck which we were showing at the RAF Scampton airshow. It was years since I'd seen him and much banter was exchanged, including the status of Alan's cameras. I'm pleased to report that hey are well looked after and still in good condition as a family heirloom which remind everyone of the very capable, generous and ever helpful Alan (fondly known as 'Megawatt Watson' in recognition of his VERY powerful home-manufactured PA systems!).

The Pye Mk7 was in direct competition to the Marconi MkV and was a worthy competitor, but it never made the sales of the MkV which continued to sell for export well into the late 1970s, including a huge order for Egyptian Television in 1968. There was still a market for black and white, but not in the UK. After the Philips takeover, Pye seemed to lose their drive for export and the Marconi black and white cameras took virtually all of the foreign business for UK manufactured black and white Image Orthicon cameras.

Best regards,

Paul M
www.golden-agetv.co.uk
www.projectvivat.co.uk

[PaulM]

The Egyptian order noted in my Post #5, was 1978 not 1968. Typo., sorry.

Years just fly by these days . . .

Paul M

[stevehertz]

All very interesting, great thread.

[Colourstar]

Absolutely fascinating info - and far more than I expected!

It's great to know that there was a happy ending for at least two of the cameras from the fire.


Steve