The interior of the Royston factory. One of these is CMCR9! We think it may well be the one to the right of frame. The reason is that it obviously has no internal fittings yet, while the others do, and we know that C9 was the last of the three Pye units to be completed. Perhaps this means that the one in the outside shot might also be C9, as it has no racks behind the cab.
The PC80 can be seen on a test rig in the foreground. The lighting control panel is on the floor. These were not used in practice, and were later removed. The frames behind are the sliding racks for the vision control positions.
Here is a bit of real anorak stuff. The PC80 in the foreground is a PC80, not an LDK3, as it has a G101 cable. But it says 'Philips' on the side. I have copies of a memo from Pye instructing engineers commissioning the cameras to remove the Philips badges and fit Pye ones, so this was presumably before that was done. All in the name of 'Buy British', then an important BBC directive. Sadly, you won't find much electronics of British manufacture in a modern TV studio.
The young gentleman in the background burrowing into a PC80 very kindly sent me these pictures, he was involved with the original acceptance tests for the BBC.
What a fascinating set of pictures, detailing the 'state of the art' of colour television over 40 years ago, and of course of great importance in the story of CMCR9. |