Remember these.? All our yesterdays

This is the place for posts that don't fit into any other category.

Moderator: RichardW

Post Reply
Peter.N.
Moderating Team
Posts: 11563
Joined: 02 Apr 2005, 16:11
Location: Charmouth,Dorset
My Cars: Currently:

C5 X7 VTR + Satnav Hdi estate Silver
C5 X7 VTR + Hdi Estate 2008 Red

In the past: 3, CX td Safaris and about 7, XM td estates. Lovely cars.
x 1199

Re: Remember these.? All our yesterdays

Post by Peter.N. »

I remember it well. I started in the TV trade in 1954 when we had one station, BBC, black and white and 9" screens or if you were wealthy 12". You could get a magnifier for the 9" which improved it a bit.

In '55, ITV started, a leap in technology although they still used valves, we worked many a late night fitting band 3 converters to receive ITV just before it started.

I had been in the trade 15 years when colour started and most of the early sets still used some valves although transistors were slowly taking over. I was on a steep learning curve comprehending colour circuits but got there eventually. They weren't 'plug and play' like they are now, you could spend an hour or more setting them up in customers homes to get them right.

Don't read to much into what the presenter said about secondhand TV values, the only ones really valuable are pre war sets because there are so few left. We scrapped lots of them in the '50s because people wanted the smaller more modern sets and of course they weren't all that old then, now you could pay up to 10,000 pounds for a pre war set. Most 1950s sets are not worth much more than 30-40 pounds as there are still thousands of them left.

Very nostalgic all this. :-| :(

Peter
User avatar
mickthemaverick
Donor 2024
Posts: 13524
Joined: 11 May 2019, 17:56
Location: Hertford
My Cars: 70+ former cars (list available) including 11 Citroens, 3 Renaults
Current cars: 2004 Subaru Legacy 2.5 SEn, 1994 Mazda MX3
x 6011

Re: Remember these.? All our yesterdays

Post by mickthemaverick »

I too remember those times Peter although I was still at school. We had a 12" (Dad preferred the TV to a car) Ferguson B&W TV in an oak cabinet with doors which only ever received BBC. When they began to show Casey Jones in 1957 we had to go next door to watch it on our neighbours "posh" tv with ITV!! :-D We did not get ITV until 1961 so I was always out of the playground chats about TV. We did not have a telephone in the house until I started work for the GPO and my first two weeks wages of £4 8s 6d each went to paying for a telephone installation. We did not catch up with colour until 1972 and I got married in 1973 and had a new 17" Ferguson TV as a wedding present. It went downhill from there!! :twisted: :lol: :-D
I used to be indecisive, now I'm not so sure!
I used to ride on two wheels, but now I need all four!
User avatar
NewcastleFalcon
Posts: 24566
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 10:40
Location:
My Cars:
x 6866

Re: Remember these.? All our yesterdays

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

I found it fascinating Peter particularly the photographs.

Once the Humber Super Snipe Estate was ditched they had a succession of Citroens from DS through CX to XM so I read with interest this comment from the article
The green Citroen rusted away the back door falling off only weeks after it was replaced by the grey one. (K690 EUL) (1992).

Not the best car for the job really, as the much-vaunted suspension was always fully pressurised due to the weight it carried, nonetheless it was exciting whizzing down the back straight at Newbury at nearly 80mph to pick up the horses for their second circuit. Health and Safety where were you?
Regards Neil
Only One AA Box left
687 Trinity, Jersey
User avatar
mickthemaverick
Donor 2024
Posts: 13524
Joined: 11 May 2019, 17:56
Location: Hertford
My Cars: 70+ former cars (list available) including 11 Citroens, 3 Renaults
Current cars: 2004 Subaru Legacy 2.5 SEn, 1994 Mazda MX3
x 6011

Re: Remember these.? All our yesterdays

Post by mickthemaverick »

I just found this site which will bring back the memories Peter:

https://www.oldtechnology.net/colour4.html
I used to be indecisive, now I'm not so sure!
I used to ride on two wheels, but now I need all four!
User avatar
NewcastleFalcon
Posts: 24566
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 10:40
Location:
My Cars:
x 6866

Re: Remember these.? All our yesterdays

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

Uncle Tom and Aunty Hilda were the first in the extended family to have a colour TV. Whether they had it badly installed or couldnt quite get the hang of the colour/contrast/brightness adjustments, although a novelty, their picture was in general awful...too red if I recall right.

I think we got a colour TV in time for the Munich Olympics in 1972, and Holland were definitely playing in orange in the 1974 World Cup Final.

REgards Neil
Only One AA Box left
687 Trinity, Jersey
Hell Razor5543
Donor 2023
Posts: 13727
Joined: 01 Apr 2012, 09:47
Location: Reading
My Cars: C5 Mk2 VTX+ estate.
x 2993

Re: Remember these.? All our yesterdays

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

When I first got a colour TV I found (for me, at least) the best way to set it up was to turn the colour completely down (to B/W), adjust the brightness and contrast, and then bring the colour back up.
James
ex BX 1.9
ex Xantia 2.0HDi SX
ex Xantia 2.0HDi LX
Ex C5 2.0HDi VTR
Ex C5 2.0HDi VTR

C5 2.2HDi VTX+
Yes, I am paranoid, but am I paranoid ENOUGH?
Out amongst the stars, looking for a world of my own!
User avatar
mickthemaverick
Donor 2024
Posts: 13524
Joined: 11 May 2019, 17:56
Location: Hertford
My Cars: 70+ former cars (list available) including 11 Citroens, 3 Renaults
Current cars: 2004 Subaru Legacy 2.5 SEn, 1994 Mazda MX3
x 6011

Re: Remember these.? All our yesterdays

Post by mickthemaverick »

I used to find most people had too much colour, heads always looking flushed but I think it was the novelty value that made that happen. I used to adjust ours so that David Coleman or Peter West looked the right colour flesh and left it like that. Often I would get home from work to find the TV taken over by native american indians and had to readjust so I could watch it!! :-D
I used to be indecisive, now I'm not so sure!
I used to ride on two wheels, but now I need all four!
Peter.N.
Moderating Team
Posts: 11563
Joined: 02 Apr 2005, 16:11
Location: Charmouth,Dorset
My Cars: Currently:

C5 X7 VTR + Satnav Hdi estate Silver
C5 X7 VTR + Hdi Estate 2008 Red

In the past: 3, CX td Safaris and about 7, XM td estates. Lovely cars.
x 1199

Re: Remember these.? All our yesterdays

Post by Peter.N. »

That's the secret, flesh colour. I had problems with colour in the early days as I'm red-green blind, well not actually blind but lacking sensitivity, I use to set the TVs up in the workshop and the customers would phone up and say all the faces are green - they looked all right to me. I would have to go to the customers house and turn up the red gun until the customer was satisfied with the colour.

I eventually overcame the problem. when setting it up on the bench I turned the red up until it was bright enough for me to see, I then turned it down until I just couldn't see it and that was spot on, never had a problem after that. Green traffic lights still look blue to me though.

A lot of people had the colour turned up way to high in the early days, I think they just wanted to get value for money. :-D

Peter
User avatar
NewcastleFalcon
Posts: 24566
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 10:40
Location:
My Cars:
x 6866

Re: Remember these.? All our yesterdays

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

I'm sure I can remember getting something like this out of a cereal packet

http://www.alphaville.com/IMAGES/spacemanclimber.jpg

The 1960's were of course an exciting time for Space Exploration

http://cerealoffers.com/Kelloggs/Rice_K ... acemen.jpg
Only One AA Box left
687 Trinity, Jersey
User avatar
mickthemaverick
Donor 2024
Posts: 13524
Joined: 11 May 2019, 17:56
Location: Hertford
My Cars: 70+ former cars (list available) including 11 Citroens, 3 Renaults
Current cars: 2004 Subaru Legacy 2.5 SEn, 1994 Mazda MX3
x 6011

Re: Remember these.? All our yesterdays

Post by mickthemaverick »

Spooky that you mention space exploration. Only 2 days ago SWMBO set out to bake a cake for the first time in 14 years. Sadly she ended up with a passable model of the lunar surface!!
Own work
Own work
I used to be indecisive, now I'm not so sure!
I used to ride on two wheels, but now I need all four!
Peter.N.
Moderating Team
Posts: 11563
Joined: 02 Apr 2005, 16:11
Location: Charmouth,Dorset
My Cars: Currently:

C5 X7 VTR + Satnav Hdi estate Silver
C5 X7 VTR + Hdi Estate 2008 Red

In the past: 3, CX td Safaris and about 7, XM td estates. Lovely cars.
x 1199

Re: Remember these.? All our yesterdays

Post by Peter.N. »

I think 'Journey into space' replaced 'Dick Barton.

Peter
Peter.N.
Moderating Team
Posts: 11563
Joined: 02 Apr 2005, 16:11
Location: Charmouth,Dorset
My Cars: Currently:

C5 X7 VTR + Satnav Hdi estate Silver
C5 X7 VTR + Hdi Estate 2008 Red

In the past: 3, CX td Safaris and about 7, XM td estates. Lovely cars.
x 1199

Re: Remember these.? All our yesterdays

Post by Peter.N. »

I thought you might be interested, its what we paid to be connected to main drainage just before we came down here in 1970.

Comp FP Cain.jpg
Last edited by myglaren on 29 Jun 2020, 21:25, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Personal details removed
User avatar
NewcastleFalcon
Posts: 24566
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 10:40
Location:
My Cars:
x 6866

Re: Remember these.? All our yesterdays

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

Peter.N. wrote: 29 Jun 2020, 13:19 I thought you might be interested, its what we paid to be connected to main drainage just before we came down here in 1970.
"We have pleasure in quoting you as under and trust to be favoured with your acceptance"
Where has all that politeness and formality gone :?: How could you refuse?

Regards Neil
Only One AA Box left
687 Trinity, Jersey
Peter.N.
Moderating Team
Posts: 11563
Joined: 02 Apr 2005, 16:11
Location: Charmouth,Dorset
My Cars: Currently:

C5 X7 VTR + Satnav Hdi estate Silver
C5 X7 VTR + Hdi Estate 2008 Red

In the past: 3, CX td Safaris and about 7, XM td estates. Lovely cars.
x 1199

Re: Remember these.? All our yesterdays

Post by Peter.N. »

Yes, different world then.

Peter
User avatar
NewcastleFalcon
Posts: 24566
Joined: 25 Feb 2009, 10:40
Location:
My Cars:
x 6866

Re: Remember these.? All our yesterdays

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

Springing from a dogwalk conversation with the ex RAF chap who assisted with the Alan Eckford story.....

He mentioned Miles Aircraft and how he had flown a Miles Messenger many many years ago and he had watched a British Pathe film on them recently.

Well I'm not sure if it was this one...but its fascinating....proper education/education/education Only 4 minutes or so but a different world!



This little film is on the miles Messenger and how in the future we'd all be flying around in planes as our own personal family transport....why hasnt that happened then :?: :-D



Regards Neil
Only One AA Box left
687 Trinity, Jersey
Post Reply