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North 3 History and Restoration

CMCRs - History

North 3- Restoration

North 3 in service

CMCR1 Wales

CMCR1- The first BBC Colour MCR


The first scheduled colour Outside Broadcasts in the UK were from Wimbledon in 1967. The vehicles used were the first (Type 1) Colour Mobile Control Rooms (CMCRs) which were going to replace the existing black & white MCRs. They were built by  BBC Research and Development, using cameras made by Philips, via Pye of Cambridge. Although colour cameras had been around for some years, (notably the RCA 'Coffin' Image Orthicon), they were not really practical for the full programme service the BBC envisaged. The LDK3 cameras chosen for OB use were actually developed by Philips in Holland, who had patented the Plumbicon pick-up tube, which made practical, reliable and relatively compact colour cameras a viable proposition. The LDK3s were re-badged as Pye PC60s to satisfy the BBC's 'Buy British' policy). The colour system to be used had been finally settled on after years of tests- PAL, (Phase  Alternate Lines) which gave considerable advantages over other systems available.  Experience gained with the Pye cameras led to a contract placed for nine enlarged and developed OB units with Pye, who also built one of the best compact sound desks on the market, so it formed a 'state of the art' broadcasting facility.


North 3 in service

North 3- Restoration

North 3 in service

CMCR9- At the Lyceum, London 1970


This photo was taken very early on in C9s career by a photographer working for Pye, presumably for publicity purposes. We have some programmes confirmed as produced with C9 (then Lo5) from 1970/7, including The Proms, Frank Sinatra, Shirley Bassey and many Match of the Days, Test Cricket etc. A notable OB was the live coverage of climbing the Gogarth cliffs on Anglesey over the bank holiday Monday in 1970, when C9 was used due to the capability of working with longer cable lengths compared to the 2001s on the other London based units. This programme, the first ever live coverage of climbing in colour was featured on the cover of the Radio Times. (Full details and photos -see link below.)

We know that during the Birmingham period it did many Gardener's Worlds from Percy Thrower's gardens (as in the picture with driver Ron Lane), and also Come Dancing, racing from Silverstone and many others, including an early location video drama based in Birmingham. 

After transfer to Manchester we have a more detailed list from1980 until the last known OB in 1982. Click below for more details.

Programme History

North 3- Restoration

North 3- Restoration

North 3- Restoration

C9 Midlands Ron Lane

CMCR9- Birmingham Driver Ron Lane


After many years storage in damp conditions, North 3 was in pretty bad shape. Mechanically, although the engine started quite easily, it was running badly, leaked water and air, and the clutch and brakes were seized. With the help of a local mechanic we got it driveable enough to get it on to a low-loader, which brought it up to Chester to the premises of Farrall's Haulage. Director Mark Farrall was invaluable with his help and contacts in the classic vehicle world, and it was nearly a year at their yard.

At first we concentrated on getting the vehicle mobile, before looking at any of the electronics. Then, with the help of a couple of friends who had worked on it at Manchester, we began to try and get some of it working. Some units were missing, some hoplessly corroded, others were repairable but with a lot of time and patience, parts of it gradually came back to life. Damp had caused the wires to many transistors to rust away, so components would fall off the boards if they were shaken. There were no original cameras, but we had two PC80s that had come from North 1, which had sat derelict in a field near Rye for over 20 years. Two ex-Glasgow studio EMIs were also installed, and work proceeded on getting the sound desk working. 

North 3- Restoration

N3 interior as found

The production gallery covered in dust and corrosion after years of storage. Virtually nothing was in working order, so where do you start?

Driving N3 out of storage at Honiton

Driving North 3 out of the aircraft hangar in 2009 where it had been for over a decade.

It was about to be reversed onto Farrall's low loader for the journey back up north.

Old crew reunited at Kelsall in 2010

In 2010 North 3 had its first outing- to the Kelsall Steam Rally. No equipment was working yet. Retired BBC crew Jerry Clegg, John Chester and Con Jones came to visit the old girl. (Con is sadly no longer around.)

North 3 (C9) in service

A Pye publicity picture of a Type 2 taken at Lavenham near Cambridge, may be CMCR 9 but not yet registered

Pye pic interior

Pye brochure pic of interior.

Either C7, 8 or 9

Pye Factory

The Pye assembly area- these are C7,8 and 9 as the camera is a PC80

Pye pic- Type 2 sound

A Pye publicity picture of the Type 2 sound area 

Type 2 vision area Pye pic

Type 2 Vision area- again a factory photo.

In 1970, its first year of operation, C9 was based in London and was Unit 5. This was a publicity shot for Pye showing it in action, at the Lyceum Theatre

Pye sound desk pic

The sound desk iat the Lyceum n 1970

C9 vision 1970

Vision Supervisor Roger Neal in foreground, at the same Lyceum OB in 1970. Bahind him are John King, Dan Cranefield and Campbell Ferguson.

Roger Neal, (In red) in the Vision supervisor's position in N3

on the Royal Holloway University ADAPT project in 2016.

(click photo to see a video about this project) 

(Pic: 'Broadcast' magazine)

In August 1970 C9 was used for the live televising of Joe Brown climbing South Stack cliffs in Anglesey. The climb was ocovered all day on Bank Holiday Monday

N3 on the road- early shot

An early shot of C9 on the road, unknown location thought tobe near Epsom.

C9 as CM1- side view

After a year or so C9 was exchanged with Birmingham. Its designation changed from Lo5 to CM1 (Colour Midlands 1). It was based at Pebble Mill studios. Click picture to see film clip. (With thanks to History of the BBC. www.bbc.co.uk/historyofthebbc)

CM1 at The Magnolias

CM1 pictured at 'The Magnolias'- Percy Thrower's house, where 'Gardeners' World' was first televised.

CM1 South Wales MOTD

CM1 pictured at a 'Match of the Day' by a football ground in South Wales

In 1979 C9 was moved to Manchester to become North 3. However this shot was taken in Westminster. Click to see a short clip from an 8mm film - and another of N3 at Troon in 1982 (with thanks to Jerry Clegg)

C9-N3 at Aintree

North 3 at an annual fixture- the Grand National at Aintree. This was 1982, the new Type 5 scanner is visible behind as well as a mobile VTR truck

N3 Troon

One of the last OBs done by N3 was the 'Open' Golf from Troon in 1982. Several scanners would have been involved

North 3 (C9) Restoration

N3 at Honiton

North 3 in storage at Honiton Airfield

N3 prod gallery

The production gallery. Everything was corroded and faulty

N3 vision/power

Vision mixer and power distribution. Everything covered in dust and rust

N3 on transporter

On Farrall's low loader on the 300 mile trip home

N3 at Farralls

In Farrall's workshop to start work on the vehicle

Engine

The engine witth leaking and corroded water pump removed

engine 2

The engine with new water pump, front plate and reconditioned alternator- ready for overhauled radiator

rear drum

Brake drums were siezed and needed heat to get them off

Mudguard

Rear mudguards were corroded through, new sections were fabricated by Geoff James of Nescliffe who 

paintshop 1

Strip down for body repairs and re-painting

Paintshop 2

Paintwork preparation at Nescliffe

Paintwork finished

Paint job finished- ready for sign writing

Signwriting
Paintwork finished

Paint job complete

Cheshire run 2011

On the Cheshire Run 2011

2001 testing

EMI 2001 camera set up inside with repairs under way. The test chart was outside

Monitors

The vision mixer was one of the first units to get working, along with the monitors, which have all required repair- multiple times

monitor

Almost every piece of equipment was faulty. Even this little 5" monitor needed the EHT transformer rewinding

Colour monitors

The BBC had replaced the oriiginal Pye colour monitors with 19" Prowests in the 1970s. Getting and keeping them working has been an ongoing challenge

Pye sound desk

The Pye sound desk was complete but had been attacked by corrosion and was riddled witht faults. Many hours of work were spent on it, including by expert audio engineer Tom Goodwin, sadly no longer with us

N3 sound crew

Sound crew re-united and ready for action on the ADAPT project in 2016

Jerry Clegg

Former N3 Sound Supervisor Jerry Clegg in the hot seat

N3 Events

N3 on A556 AP 2010

N3 on the way to Astle Park Steam Rally in 2010. Bodywork restoration and signwriting not yet done- and driver still on 'L' plates!

N3 at NBH

BBC Manchester reporter Dave Guest going live on the last edition of 'Northwest Tonight' from New Broadcasting House , Oxford Road. This was the last programme made there before the move to Media City in November 2011.

Theatre of Dreams 2013

Anne Reid and Brian Cox on location with N3 in the background on 'Theatre of Dreams' in 2011. N3's film debut.

Salford 2011

Cameraman John Chester with one of the PC80 cameras at the Manchester Science Fair at Salford University in 2011. N3, in new paint and livery was parked right outside the building on the Media City piazza in Salford.

Salford 2014

N3 and a current BBC satellite news van attract visitors outside the BBC studios at Media City in Salford, in 2013. We were linked to a TV history display which we set up inside the Salford University Science Fair

Wilslow 2013

The Mayor of Cheshire signs the visitors book at the Wilmslow Show in 2013

Vision engineers John Coupe, Roger Neal and Peter Foster at the controls during the ADAPT project by the Royal Holloway University in 2016. Click to see video.

At the opening of the Pye Museum in Cambridge in 2019. We set up 2 of the original cameras inside the museum and visitors including many ex Pye employees came inside. To see a video click here.

Dan Cranefield 2019

Former Vision Supervisor Dan Cranefield who conducted acceptance testing on N3 in 1969, at the controls again- 50 years later in 2019.

N3 The Crown

N3 and the Dodge links van on set at Elstree Studios for The Crown in December 2019

N3 FW1

N3 outside the fictional TV studios of 'TVC' on location in St Helens for 'Funny Woman' (Sky Max)

N3 Kelsall 2023

N3 and LO23 at Kelsall Steam Rally in 2023

D&J 2023

Showing Sir David Jason round N3 on 'David and Jay's Touring Toolshed' in 2023

Video Highlights

A short video montage of some events with North 3 since restoration.

(With thanks to History of the BBC ;

 www.bbc.co.uk/historyofthebbc)

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