Welcome to our completely new website - rebuilt after 25 years online!
Welcome to our completely new website - rebuilt after 25 years online!
By the late 1980s a lot of changes had already taken place in TV technology, and more were on the way. Advances in miniaturisation of components and the introduction of microprocessors was making cameras smaller and lighter. Charge Coupled Devices (CCDs) had superseded tubes for image pickup, and multi-core camera cables had been replaced by much cheaper and more reliable Triax. Videotape recorders had reduced in size enormously following the change from open reel to Beta SP format cassettes. An OB vehicle with full programme making including recording and editing was now possible, and in a smaller vehicle than the previous generation. The BBC decided that a smaller vehicle would be useful for regional programmes or those with venues all over the UK such as Antiques Roadshow, Songs of Praise etc, and of course sports.
In 1990 Sony UK at Basingstoke were commissioned to build 5 Type 7 scanners, which were to go to Wales, Scotland/N.I., West and North. One was to be retained in London, as it was realised that a vehicle that could access the difficult parking conditions around London venues would be very useful. Lo23 was the first of the units to enter service arriving at Kendal Avenue in January 1991, remaining there until the BBC sold the entire OB operation to SIS.
This photo shows two of the Type 7s under construction at he coachbuilders Smiths (Great Bentley) Ltd. - It is not possible to say which they are of the five. They were fitted with Sony BVP70 cameras, GVG100 vision mixer and Sony Beta SP BVW75 VTRs, and a Calrec 'M' Series 24 channel sound desk. Construction and testing took place during 1990 and 91. Critical BBC acceptance tests required returns for modifications for various problems. Lo23 did its first OB for 'The Clothes Show' in January 1991. Not sure of the location.
It had many interesting adventures, including going to Moscow, Tbilisi in Georgia, and the Winter Olympics in Austria.
It was used for the live broadcast of the ordination of the first female priests in the Anglican church at Bristol Cathedral in 1994, and many other religious, sports, and current affairs programmes.
In 1999 it was given a complete re-fit as one of the first digital wide-screen production vehicles in the BBC. The cost of this was around £750,000- excluding labour, which was supplied by BBC staff in Manchester. It was used that year at Windsor castle for the wedding of Prince Edward. In 1992 it was at Glastonbury for the Festival, as well as covering the Boat Race, Badminton Horse Trials, The London marathon and The Culture Show. In later years it spent a while on the set of Eastenders, at Elstree.
Lo23 was illustrated in the IBA exhibition catalogue 1990, shown at Sony in Basingstoke while being fitted out.
Lo23 at Wimbledon 1992. Wimbledon was always a big outside broadcast job with more than one scanner linked together. Here it looks small next to one of the huge expanding side units.
The original production desk with PAL mixer (GVG 100) before digitisation in 1999
The original Type 7 production/engineering monitor stack before digitisation in 1999
Bristol Cathedral 1994- Ordination of Women Priests
Windsor Prince Edward's Wedding
During the digital refit in 1999 at Manchester.
All the cabling had to be replaced with digital-capable
The new digital sound area after the refit.
Glastonbury 2002
Internal shot of the vision and production monitor stack fro the director's seat. Taken at Silverstone F1 motor racing in 2004.
Badminton Horse Trials 2006
U23 at an MOTD in December 2006- note new BBC livery. The last before take over by SIS.
A rare interior view of the Production/Vision Gallery- on the same OB- showing widescreen monitors for transmission and preview.
Vision Engineer Dave Seton with Lo23 in Tbilisi, Georgia- Inauguration of the President in 2008
U23 in the SIS depot in November 2009, still in regular use. Now in SIS livery, although traces of BBC decals are still visible.
As it arrived in 2013- saved from the scrapyard by a few days.
VT area as it was when Lo23 first arrived
Work progressing in the VT area. The pictures are from Digibeta machines now re-installed, or from a Quantel Paintbox (ex BBC Glasgow studios)
Production/Vision gallery as originally found - it looks more complete but a lot was missing- the monitors had not been removed as they were considered worthless
The sound area- the worst part. The digital sound desk and most of the equipment and monitor speakers had all gone
Sound area floor- a lot of work was needed here! When the cable duct traps were lifted, bundles of cut-through audio cables were found. Most were not identified, so had to be identified by sending tone up them and listening to every hole on the jackfield with a pair of cans.
The sound area- it had to get worse before it got better
The Calrec sound desk from Lo24 (which had already been scrapped) was bought as part of the deal, so the decision to revert the sound area to analogue was an easy one. It was stored in my garage for several years before it was ready to be re-fitted
The sound area completed. All equipment (including DAT, Minidisc, CD-R) working. (DA-88 has now been replaced with a 32 track HDD recorder)
Much of the restoration would have been almost impossible without the help of all the manuals, operation notes and ring-binders full of diagrams left inside, donated by SIS or former crew members
Pictures on the monitors at last. Ikegami 388 cameras now installed and working
The bodywork didn't look too bad at first- until we investigated further...
The body cross-member was completely rotted through, something had made a nest inside it. Catalytic corrosion had eaten away both steel and aluminium
There was nothing for it but extensive surgery. Drastic action was needed
Removing all the rotten section, getting new pieces fabricated and rebuilding was done over several years in between other committments
At last, body work was finished and Lo23 was ready for the paint shop. All SIS branding was removed and the body repainted in the original BBC colours
Paintwork was undertaken by Geoff James commercials of Nescliffe near Shrewsbury. They did a thorough job at the right price
Paintwork completed, 2018. Ready for graphics
Ready for action in 2022
With North 3 at Kelsall rally in 2023 -as seen on 'David & Jay's Touring Toolshed' - (BBC2)
Copyright © 2025 On The Air Ltd. - All Rights Reserved.