Here is a second collection of threads from the Tech Ops mailing list, once again many of them telling stories of how life really was for those who worked for the BBC.
The conversations have been edited – hopefully to create a better “flow” – but always the intention has been to keep the Tech Ops mails as intact as possible.
Some of the conversations may be a little “off topic” but they reflect the concerns and interests of those of us who were there during the greatest days of the BBC.
We worked for the best Broadcasting organistion in the world in the 1960s, with the best programmes, the best equipment and, of course, the best technical expertise. What we learned and did then remained with us for ever …
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A Lament for TVC
The BBC Television Centre at White City in West London was the headquarters of BBC Television between 1960 and 2013.
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Acronyms
The BBC loved initials for everything – we reported to HTOTelS or rather, Head of Technical Operations, Television Service. Acronyms were everywhere, it seemed …
A full list of Tech Ops related Acronyms, Abbreviations and Initials is provided in another posting on the Tech Ops web site, to reach it, please click here.
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Asbestos
A former BBC Engineer Appeals to ex-Colleagues after Mesothelioma diagnosis.
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Aspect Ratios
In the days of Black and White Telly, the cameras had an aspect ration of 4×3 (rather spoiled by the fact then domestic TVs had an aspect ration of 5×4). Now with Plasma and LED television displays, High Definition televsions transmissions and so on, aspect ratios have changed as well.
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BBC Ident Colours
In 1988 the BBC decided it needed a stronger corporate brand image.
Colour bars of Red, Green and Blue were used.
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BBC TVC Cafeteria
Menus, Luncheon vouchers and more …
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Biddy Baxter (more about Biddy)
More stories about Biddy Baxter and Blue Peter.
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Captions, Animations and Captain Pugwash
In the 1960s, animations for TV involved bits of card being moved in front of TV cameras – unless they were done on film using a rostrum camera.
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Christmas Tree O Christmas Tree
Christmas Tree symbols on personnel files …
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“Dixon of Dock Green”
“Dixon of Dock Green” was a Light Entertainment production, not drama: the directors were Light Entertainment directors!
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From Avenger to Play School
Julie Stevens was the first “Avengers” girl then became a “Play School” presenter – and worked with the toys…
And Humpty was auctioned …
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High Definition TV – old style
A PDF of a 1949ish book about Television. Something for engineers and sound persons alike!
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How lucky we were to have the Vinten Hydraulic Pedestal
The Vinten Hydraulic Pedestal with ring steer together with the balanced Vinten head was the ped used in most of the BBC Studios by the mid 1960s: track, crab, pan tilt and crane all one-man operated and beautiful to use. There were other dollies and cranes in use, none matching the Vinten for ease of use.
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Nation shall speak at PPM 4 unto Nation
The BBC Peak Programme Metre or PPM, originally designed by C. G. Mayo of the BBC’s Research Department, became the subject of several formal standards, eventually as IEC 60268-10:1991.
Alignment level (0 dBu) and Permitted Maximum Level (+8 dBu) correspond to scale marks ‘4’ and ‘6’ respectively.
Line Up (in the 1960s – 1970s) consisted of adjusting the volume of 1000 cycle tone on the circuit to read 4 on the PPM.
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Noises Off
Diagetic and Non-diagetic sound?
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“Old Shows”
Brief memories of some shows from the late 1950s to early 1970s that have not been mentioned elsewhere.
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Our World (2)
Our World was the first live, international, satellite television production, which was broadcast on 25 June 1967. Since the first “Conversation”, more pictures about the Beatles contribution have come to light …
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Out of the Unknown
A television science fiction drama series broadcast on BBC2 in four series between 1965 and 1971. Each episode was a dramatisation of a science fiction short story. Some were written directly for the series, but most were adaptations of already published stories.
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Steam Powered Tech Ops
Working with steam trains, interested in steam trains, woken up by steam trains …
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Spotlight 1962
An edition of “Signpost” from 1962, was about television and was recorded in TC5 includes…
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The Support Proximity Effect and Percussive Maintenance
Cussed equipment wakes up with percussive maintenance – or the threat of hospitalisation…
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The Idiot
In January and February 1966 BBC-2 transmitted an adaptation of “The Idiot” by Fyodor Dostoevsky. Little information is available elsewhere about this production.
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The Skills Are Not Being Handed Down
Dramas including “Jamaica Inn” and “Quirke” transmitted in 2014 attracted a great deal of attention – for all the wrong reasons. It seems that the skill and techniques drummed into Tech Ops in the earlier days of Television are not being handed down to the newbies with digital handheld equipment.
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Transmitter Towers, Eagle Towers etc
More information and pictures about transmitter towers in general, Eagle towers and the 150lb Balanced pair circuit in London.
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Transport, PAWN and Wood Norton Hall
The name Wood Norton Hall was not used byt the Great Western Railway – was it because it was a Protected Area? The Mayflower Bus – and sucessor(s) ran from the Club in Evesham to the Hall.
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We are the Management …
Bean Counters and management in general do not know what happens on the shop – or studio – floor (gallery).
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Which Production? Which Studio?
A guessing game that many of us indulged in during the time after supper break and before line up. What production is on TV now? Live or a recording? What studio is/was the production done in?
The questions continue!
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