For those wondering, this is a recreation made using an old audio recording and recreated captions. It's from the Transdiffusion DVD from a few years ago.
Indeed he did. Thames Television (a sort of amalgamation of ABC and Rediffusion) took over Rediffusion's weekday London region franchise, and most of the ABC announcers were re-located to Thames. Out of a job in London, Redvers joined Yorkshire Television, a brand new franchise specifically for the Yorkshire / Lincolnshire area (beforehand, the Northern region franchise had covered both sides of the Pennines).
Why am I, a Canadian, so ridiculously fascinated by British TV minutia and ephemera like this? If anyone can think of a plausible answer, I'd appreciate hearing it. Also, I wish I could've seen the beginning of that pro wrestling show.
I'm a Yank; I can relate. For me, it's just that inexplicable nostalgia I get despite never having viewed any of those startup sequences, tacky CGI idents, or closedowns featuring pompous renditions of the national anthem.
I’m a Brazilian expatriate living in America; having watched thousands of ephemera from both Brazilian and American televisions, I can relate with that fascination. It’s always been a fascination of mine to find videos from television stations in other countries. I guess it’s just plain curiosity and, after all, a country’s television industry reflects their values, so I guess it’s also some sort of tourist activity for me 😂
The ITV idents have a starkness, clarity and charm that is missing from much modern graphic design. The people behind these channels were pioneers but there was also a lot of talent and imagination around in the latter half of C20. Working within the constraints of 405 line black and white television, and competition between regions, pushed the designers to make something distinctive, clear and memorable. Less is more. Great that it still has international appeal.
pubwebmaster ... Kudos to that! I’ve always been more interested in those old videos from ITV than the ones from the BBC, if only because the last of ITV is certainly a glorious one, what with local television in Britain still being a thing back then.
This one is obviously a recording from the time (1967) and recorded on a bank holiday shortly before Rediffusion lost its franchise as the clock with the adastral star showing 4PM (or 16:00 on the digital display at the bottom) and the presenter (Redvers Kyle?) announcing professional wrestling, Rediffusion would be announcing children's TV (at 4:45) on other days.
As I remember (prior to Small Time starting the evening at 4.45pm) the startup sequence was usually: Test Card D (and music) fade to black at 4.30pm, followed by (what I believe is referred to as) pulse/bar and sawtooth patterns on screen until around 4.40pm, when the Picasso tuning signal (with the Rediffusion music) came on as shown here. As far as I know there was actually no test card and 400Hz tone at all during the startup.
I well remember switching on the tv on returning from school and seeing and hearing Redifussion starting up their transmissions countless times. A great tune, and what a ceremoniously and grand start up routine it was complete with the sombre tones of Redvers Kyle making the announcement. The continuity announcers I remember apart from Redvers were Muriel Young and Jon Kelly. And yes I can recall Ollie Beak, Fred Barker and Pussycat Willum! Anyone remember Lawrie West, the weatherman?
Yes remember all that well having been brought up in London in the 1960's. Also can recall Nick Worrall as an announcer, with Fred Barker and Ollie Beak sitting with the Muriel, Redvers or Jon making announcements in Children's tv. Five O'Clock Club, Orlando yes!
Strictly speaking, Thames wasn't formed by an amalgamation of ABC and Rediffusion. Thames was formed by ABC and Rediffusion's parent companies (ABPC and BET), ABC continued as a production company, producing The Avengers until ABPC was bought by EMI Films. Yorkshire Television employed quite a lot of ex-Rediffusion production staff, including Redvers Kyle.
I was 7 when this came to our screens and lived in wonderful Staines. You can't forget this iconic logo and the astral star. Rediffusion should be where Virgin are today - they should have never sold the set rental business to Granada / Visionhire! When they did that the Rediffusion 'empire' (it was huge) crumbled. They lost the broadcastingfranchise to Thames. You had to turn the clunky tuner knob to Channel 9 to receive it terrestrially. Cable TV was piped throughout housing estates in those days by high-frequency coaxial cables and you had to rent a set, made in Bishop Auckland, Durham, to receive programs via the cable. I think Rediffusion broadcast Monday - Friday and Associated Newspapers group took over at the weekend hance the name Associated Rediffusion.
What ever happened to the Rediffusion announcer Jon Kelley? I remember he had a small part in the series UFO, but other than that nothing. I wonder if he is still around?
This is Rediffision. Broadcasting on the London station of the Independent Television Authority. This is Rediffision London Television, and now it's time for some professional wrestling.
The clock is a Smiths Sectric and works on the principle that 50 Cycles per Second (50 Hz) was l second as the clock works off mains electricity. The digital display was by flip over and not by LED or LCD.
Rediffusion, to me, was a curious form of television which continued to play the sound of the telly even after turning it off - a little white and grey box-like thing (we never had one at home - only in the psychiatric unit I was in) - the choice of channels varied from one area to another - in my area (Cleveland), the channel arrangement was as follows - the box went all the way round to L or M, but only A to F had any channels on them: A - BBC Radio 4 VHF (as it was then) B - BBC Radio Cleveland (the local station) C - Tyne-Tees D - Yorkshire (a bit ghosty, but I was surprised to get it at all - the signal came from a place somewhere in Billingham - even in Middlesbrough, we were too far north to receive it at all by normal methods - replaced by Channel 4 when it started in 1982) E - BBC 1 F - a curious hybrid of BBC 2, BBC Radio 1 and (in picture only) Yorkshire, for some weird reason - in those days, BBC 2 used to literally close down during the day - so the place radiating the signal put out audio of Radio 1 of the same quality you got on a conventional radio (it was still on 247 in those days) - I was surprised one day to tune into BBC 2 to listen to Radio 1 - only to hear Radio Tees being radiated - someone must have knocked the tuner - complete with ads and everything - adverts on the BBC!
Arthur Vasey when I lived in Stevenage we had a primitive cable setup from Rediffusion Cablevision with a box which connected to the TV by a co-ax cable. We could get such delights as Super Channel, Screensport, Sky Channel and Live TV...
Mark Atkins I forgot to add that we also had Rediffusion Cablevision as well in Middlesbrough - I think that replaced the original setup - my sister had it - we applied, but got ripped off - available channels included Sky Channel, which, at the time, showed old American TV shows like Charlie’s Angels - it morphed into Sky One - there was also Music Box, which Yorkshire Television put out overnight as a sustaining service as an attempt at 24 hour telly, a channel that combined The Children’s Channel with Screen Sport and, for a bit extra, TEN, which stood for The Entertainment Network - an early iteration of Sky Movies, I guess - channels like Super Channel were added later!
If this was a made-up video,[I know Redifusion was real] this was a very good one. Southern[Here in the South of England] was slightly more laid back. in it"s start up A former disabled carer. GOD BLESS!
Since I lived in the North East I never saw I a Rediffusion start up-however the ITA were not using transmitter names on the Picasso anywhere by this late date, so the mock must be wrong in that respect. For much of the 60's tone was used at the start of the Picasso-whether that requirement had been dropped by 1967 I can't remember. It certainly had by 1968.
What is the tone for? I really like this music. What is it? The symbol appeared on the Ovaltine Light Advert. At the end of the advert this man says "Hi Honey, I'm Home!" What is the function of the Test Card?
However,Paul, I'm sure you're entitled to a bit of poetic licence here, as it would be mind-numbingly boring to have (on RUclips) around 10 minutes of silence with a couple of basic patterns before the Picasso card!
![[REC] Associated Rediffusion startup - 1955](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/AxOo7Pf7p-Y/mqdefault.jpg)
![[REC] Associated Rediffusion startup - 1955](/img/tr.png)
![[REC] Rediffusion London Startup 1967](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/--3QQzXoocA/mqdefault.jpg)
4:52
_"This is Rediffusion, London's television. Now it's time for our visit to professional wrestling."_
For those wondering, this is a recreation made using an old audio recording and recreated captions. It's from the Transdiffusion DVD from a few years ago.
Thanks!
This is perhaps the most epic startup theme of all time. Rediffusion deserved to last longer.
Brings back memories of the'Five O'Clock Club with Muriel Young, Howard Williams, Ollie Owl and Fred Barker. Redvers Kyle was the announcer.
Indeed he did. Thames Television (a sort of amalgamation of ABC and Rediffusion) took over Rediffusion's weekday London region franchise, and most of the ABC announcers were re-located to Thames. Out of a job in London, Redvers joined Yorkshire Television, a brand new franchise specifically for the Yorkshire / Lincolnshire area (beforehand, the Northern region franchise had covered both sides of the Pennines).
I think that 'The Widespread World of Rediffusion' Jonny Dankworth is fantastic!
Why am I, a Canadian, so ridiculously fascinated by British TV minutia and ephemera like this? If anyone can think of a plausible answer, I'd appreciate hearing it. Also, I wish I could've seen the beginning of that pro wrestling show.
I'm a Yank; I can relate. For me, it's just that inexplicable nostalgia I get despite never having viewed any of those startup sequences, tacky CGI idents, or closedowns featuring pompous renditions of the national anthem.
I’m a Brazilian expatriate living in America; having watched thousands of ephemera from both Brazilian and American televisions, I can relate with that fascination.
It’s always been a fascination of mine to find videos from television stations in other countries. I guess it’s just plain curiosity and, after all, a country’s television industry reflects their values, so I guess it’s also some sort of tourist activity for me 😂
The ITV idents have a starkness, clarity and charm that is missing from much modern graphic design. The people behind these channels were pioneers but there was also a lot of talent and imagination around in the latter half of C20. Working within the constraints of 405 line black and white television, and competition between regions, pushed the designers to make something distinctive, clear and memorable. Less is more. Great that it still has international appeal.
pubwebmaster Well said.
pubwebmaster ... Kudos to that! I’ve always been more interested in those old videos from ITV than the ones from the BBC, if only because the last of ITV is certainly a glorious one, what with local television in Britain still being a thing back then.
This is really a rather jolly tune.
Thinking of Victor Lewis Smith today as he owned the AR logo and copyright for many years. Will be missed
0:38 For those who don't want to hear a single tone for over half a minute.
This one is obviously a recording from the time (1967) and recorded on a bank holiday shortly before Rediffusion lost its franchise as the clock with the adastral star showing 4PM (or 16:00 on the digital display at the bottom) and the presenter (Redvers Kyle?) announcing professional wrestling, Rediffusion would be announcing children's TV (at 4:45) on other days.
1:20 This is Rediffusion
1:16 Broadcasting on the London station of the Independent Television Authority
As I remember (prior to Small Time starting the evening at 4.45pm) the startup sequence was usually:
Test Card D (and music) fade to black at 4.30pm, followed by (what I believe is referred to as) pulse/bar and sawtooth patterns on screen until around 4.40pm, when the Picasso tuning signal (with the Rediffusion music) came on as shown here.
As far as I know there was actually no test card and 400Hz tone at all during the startup.
redsnapper1959 the VT staff needed their cuppa at 4:30, hence the long test card ;-)
I well remember switching on the tv on returning from school and seeing and hearing Redifussion starting up their transmissions countless times. A great tune, and what a ceremoniously and grand start up routine it was complete with the sombre tones of Redvers Kyle making the announcement. The continuity announcers I remember apart from Redvers were Muriel Young and Jon Kelly. And yes I can recall Ollie Beak, Fred Barker and Pussycat Willum! Anyone remember Lawrie West, the weatherman?
Trevor Dance, Yes.
YES. ILL REMEMBER REDVERS KYLE, JON KELLY AND MURIEL YOUNG. THERE WAS GOOD DAYS OF REDIFFUSION. I DO REMEMBER THE 5 0 CLOCK CLUB
Yes remember all that well having been brought up in London in the 1960's. Also can recall Nick Worrall as an announcer, with Fred Barker and Ollie Beak sitting with the Muriel, Redvers or Jon making announcements in Children's tv. Five O'Clock Club, Orlando yes!
YES I REMEMBER THE WEATHER MAN, REDVERS KLYE, JON KELLY AND MUARAL YOUNG. THEY WERE THE GOOD DAYS OF REDIFFUSION
@@andrewescalona8447 Laurie West was the weatherman.
Makes me want to stand and salute
Strictly speaking, Thames wasn't formed by an amalgamation of ABC and Rediffusion. Thames was formed by ABC and Rediffusion's parent companies (ABPC and BET), ABC continued as a production company, producing The Avengers until ABPC was bought by EMI Films. Yorkshire Television employed quite a lot of ex-Rediffusion production staff, including Redvers Kyle.
Same here, only as I remember the character was an owl OK, but he was called Ollie Beak!
I thought the Croydon Beulah Hill transmitter started in 1955, I seem to remember spending many late nights then fitting converters.
Is there a recording of Rediffusion's last few minutes before it merged with ABC to become Thames?
I was 7 when this came to our screens and lived in wonderful Staines. You can't forget this iconic logo and the astral star. Rediffusion should be where Virgin are today - they should have never sold the set rental business to Granada / Visionhire! When they did that the Rediffusion 'empire' (it was huge) crumbled. They lost the broadcastingfranchise to Thames. You had to turn the clunky tuner knob to Channel 9 to receive it terrestrially. Cable TV was piped throughout housing estates in those days by high-frequency coaxial cables and you had to rent a set, made in Bishop Auckland, Durham, to receive programs via the cable. I think Rediffusion broadcast Monday - Friday and Associated Newspapers group took over at the weekend hance the name Associated Rediffusion.
I find it funny how auto generated subtitles calls Rediffusion "Reader Fusion"
Lol
It was pronounced slightly sloppily at least once in the audio.
The announcer on here for those that may not know, is, Redvers Kyle
A legend!
Ah, yes, the famed Yorkshire announcer.
Yes, Redvers for the ITA announcement BUT Robert Gladwell for the continuity anno. over the clock!
My favourite part is from 3:40 I love the way it sounds there
sadly, sometimes I find myself humming this in the shower !
What ever happened to the Rediffusion announcer Jon Kelley?
I remember he had a small part in the series UFO, but other than that nothing. I wonder if he is still around?
This is Rediffision.
Broadcasting on the London station of the Independent Television Authority.
This is Rediffision London Television, and now it's time for some professional wrestling.
I'm glad someone else remembers 'Small Time' too.
Hi Paul! Can you add a credit to us with a link to transdiffusion.org in the description, please? Thanks!
I like ya channel
Ah. Another rip from the transdiffusion DVD.
3:55
You are quite right heisdoctorwho. It was 'Ollie Beak'. I had forgotten that.
The clock is a Smiths Sectric and works on the principle that 50 Cycles per Second (50 Hz) was l second as the clock works off mains electricity. The digital display was by flip over and not by LED or LCD.
love it wobbly picture cool as
My auntie used to rent her TV off of Rediffusion
Rediffusion, to me, was a curious form of television which continued to play the sound of the telly even after turning it off - a little white and grey box-like thing (we never had one at home - only in the psychiatric unit I was in) - the choice of channels varied from one area to another - in my area (Cleveland), the channel arrangement was as follows - the box went all the way round to L or M, but only A to F had any channels on them:
A - BBC Radio 4 VHF (as it was then)
B - BBC Radio Cleveland (the local station)
C - Tyne-Tees
D - Yorkshire (a bit ghosty, but I was surprised to get it at all - the signal came from a place somewhere in Billingham - even in Middlesbrough, we were too far north to receive it at all by normal methods - replaced by Channel 4 when it started in 1982)
E - BBC 1
F - a curious hybrid of BBC 2, BBC Radio 1 and (in picture only) Yorkshire, for some weird reason - in those days, BBC 2 used to literally close down during the day - so the place radiating the signal put out audio of Radio 1 of the same quality you got on a conventional radio (it was still on 247 in those days) - I was surprised one day to tune into BBC 2 to listen to Radio 1 - only to hear Radio Tees being radiated - someone must have knocked the tuner - complete with ads and everything - adverts on the BBC!
Arthur Vasey when I lived in Stevenage we had a primitive cable setup from Rediffusion Cablevision with a box which connected to the TV by a co-ax cable. We could get such delights as Super Channel, Screensport, Sky Channel and Live TV...
Mark Atkins I forgot to add that we also had Rediffusion Cablevision as well in Middlesbrough - I think that replaced the original setup - my sister had it - we applied, but got ripped off - available channels included Sky Channel, which, at the time, showed old American TV shows like Charlie’s Angels - it morphed into Sky One - there was also Music Box, which Yorkshire Television put out overnight as a sustaining service as an attempt at 24 hour telly, a channel that combined The Children’s Channel with Screen Sport and, for a bit extra, TEN, which stood for The Entertainment Network - an early iteration of Sky Movies, I guess - channels like Super Channel were added later!
If this was a made-up video,[I know Redifusion was real] this was a very good one. Southern[Here in the South of England] was slightly more laid back. in it"s start up A former disabled carer. GOD BLESS!
God bless you and the care you have given.
Thank You. GOD BLESS!
1964-1968, actually.
Since I lived in the North East I never saw I a Rediffusion start up-however the ITA were not using transmitter names on the Picasso anywhere by this late date, so the mock must be wrong in that respect. For much of the 60's tone was used at the start of the Picasso-whether that requirement had been dropped by 1967 I can't remember. It certainly had by 1968.
What is the tone for? I really like this music. What is it? The symbol appeared on the Ovaltine Light Advert. At the end of the advert this man says "Hi Honey, I'm Home!" What is the function of the Test Card?
I thought wrestling was a late night or Saturday afternoon show, but this seems to indicate a Mon-Fri afternoon showing.
ATV did weekends until lwt started up
Mr Kyle went onto ytv yes?
indeed he did, right from its start in July 1968 when the new franchises came into operation.
4:25 Clock! I have the Flash version from 625.tv!
REDVERS KYLE WAS HEAD ANONCER OF REDIFFUSION AND ALSO JON KELLY
This startup's from 1964 cause the Picasso would've said London if it was from 1967
Ch 9 VHF 405 lines .
However,Paul, I'm sure you're entitled to a bit of poetic licence here, as it would be mind-numbingly boring to have (on RUclips) around 10 minutes of silence with a couple of basic patterns before the Picasso card!
All of that pretentious build up to the farce that is professional wrestling!