Archive locations

[Nick Eden]

I understand that much of the ITV archive is now centrally based at Yorkshire TV in Leeds. This would include all the current ITV stations with the exception of Scottish, Grampian, Ulster and Channel. Also not included would be Southern, Thames, TVS, Westward, TSW, Associated-Rediffusion and ABC.
Does this mean that the warehouse that Granada had at Manchester Airport is now no longer in use as an archive? Also, what about the Carlton archive based at Perivale (I believe): is that still in use or has everything been moved to Leeds?
I read on another forum that Southern's archive is based at an abandoned fire station in Kent and it made me wonder where other archives are physically based-eg TVS (now owned by Disney?). I understand that TSW and Westward are based at the South West Film Archive in Plymouth.
I do worry that smaller archives may become uneconomical to maintain: if nothing is ever used for TV sales or for a DVD release, then is it not feasible that someone takes the decision to dump the archive in a landfill or at least some of it.
I have read the posts on here about landfill sites being flooded with water and compacted and I would hate to think of this ever happening again!!!

[Mike womersley]

The Southern Library is still safe in the Hampshire area. An ex member of staff as even got hold of a 2" m/c to transfer many progs that have survived.

[H Hartley]

Welcome back Mike!,
I think you have just dropped yourself in it ;D
there has been a fair few Freewheeler and Southern questions while you were away

Would you know if 'the master' ' brights boffins ' 'time for blackburn' 'junkin' 'houseparty' survive in some shape or form?

[Deleted]

The ABC Television archive is held by Canal + in Pinewood Studios (along with Canal +'s film archive).

[Nick Eden]

Good to hear that both ABC and Southern's archives are still with us.
The information I read about Southern's archive being held in Kent is obviously wrong- I wonder if the writer was thinking of TVS instead?
Can you tell us Mike what sort of state the Southern archive is in? Has much been junked or is it fairly intact? Southern was around for nearly a quarter of a century so there should be a fair amount of material. I have fond memories of much of Southern's output for children, having grown up in the 1970s with things like The Famous Five and The Flockton Flyer (I'm sure that was Southern?).
Is there any chance of Southern Star doing a deal with Network, similar to the one Granada and Freemantle have done, so that some of their treasures can see the light of day on DVD?
Lastly can you say whereabouts in Hampshire the archive is located please?

[Mike Womersley]

The Southern Kid's Colour series of the 70's still survive. Progs like Junkin and the Master now longer exist apart from publicity stills which came to light last year. The Network TVS archive is at present with Fox Kids in the states.

[Hugo Danby]

Nick said:

Also, what about the Carlton archive based at Perivale (I believe): is that still in use or has everything been moved to Leeds?

It is still there although now under the guise of Granada No plans for it to go to Leeds as far as I'm aware.

[Gary Robinson]

The Flockton Flyer was shown in the early days of Sky on the Childrens Channel,also whats left of Freewheelers!

[nickdjones]

As operating Superintendent of the West Somerset Railway in 1976-79 I facilitated the filming of Flockton Flyer, who used the railway as it's principal location for the 2 series x 6 episodes. I am trying to get copies from the archives of a couple of episodes that I appeared in.
ITV-Meridian informed me that the Southern Archive is in fact now held at the Granada Library in Leeds, and that episodes of Flockton Flyer are shown in the catalogue.
However, so far, there seems to be uncertainty about the ownership of the rights - one reply I've received states that the rights are owned by Fox. This could indicate an amount of confusion between TVS and Southern TV.

[Aidan lunn]

no-one here has mentioned about the STV archive fire in 1973. does anyone know anything about this? How was it caused? how much damage was actually done to the building & the recording equipment. also what happened to scottish television's broadcasts during the fire & how did it affect STV's programme output. how did they make their local news for example?

[Andy Henderson]

I can tell you exactly what I was told happened to STV's archive, it was destroyed by fire in 1969. There are varying versions of how this happened. I was told by an inside source that the Theatre Royal balcony was stacked with material. This seems plausible when you realise that there are virtually no STV b/w programmes left. It is probably the worst hit company. Priceless material long gone. What remains comes from unusual sources, such as the first night programme held in the ITN archive and the BFI holding a 405 line VT of the 5 years anniversary show. Nothing remains of popular 60s programmes such as 'Francie & Josie' (two Glaswegian Teddy Boys). Some good news is that at least one enthusiast taped these on reel to reel. All of these recordings are in private hands. I even heard that the master tape of 'Scotlandia' (the start up from 57 to early 80s) was thrown in the skip (literally). Even in the 70s, there are huge, gigantic gaps. Earliest surviving PAL recording was from 1973!

[Michael the first]

Just to add a bit of info to Scotish TV b/w archive holdings,I've seen a clip from The One O'clock Gang on an ITV prog recently and I know in the 90's Kalidascope screened a b/w 405 line play that had John Gregson as a bent car salesman.
Did'nt know STV archive caught fire in the year I was born,1973.
Surprised even former Scotish tv announcer Tony Currie never mentioned it when he did an ident presentation at the sep '05 Kal event.
Can anyone throw more light on what b/w STV material is left;and does anyone know how the fire started?

[Andy Henderson]

"Just to add a bit of info to Scotish TV b/w archive holdings,I've seen a clip from The One O'clock Gang on an ITV prog recently and I know in the 90's Kalidascope screened a b/w 405 line play that had John Gregson as a bent car salesman.
Did'nt know STV archive caught fire in the year I was born,1973.
Surprised even former Scotish tv announcer Tony Currie never mentioned it when he did an ident presentation at the sep '05 Kal event.
Can anyone throw more light on what b/w STV material is left;and does anyone know how the fire started?
"

Whoah there a minute.

One O'Clock Gang is part of the '5 Years Anniversary'.

STV caught fire in 1969!

I think about no more than two dozen full programmes in their archive, plus a few more in the BFI.

'Bent' Car Salesman?! Do you mean the cars or the salesman ?!?

[Craig Halliday]

Andy,

You wouldn't happen to know what the 1973 recording is of?

Was it in 1970 that STV started broadcasting in colour? Interestingly, I've seen a Scotland Today news report in black and white (on film) from as late as 1974. I wonder when the last programme/report in black and white was made and broadcast by STV - or indeed made/broadcast by any UK station. And if it still exists, of course. And I'm not talking about anything done in monochrome for "artistic" reasons.

I think I might have strayed into Mausoleum Club territory with this post! Sorry!

[Andy Henderson]

I can't remember what the 73 tape was (memory not that good as was 13 years ago), but I think it was a Scottish entertainment show (kilts and dancing etc). They started in colour in 69, first major colour production was 'Redgauntlet', but this was on film and survives intact. A lot of these news broadcasts were in b/w even then as with BBC Scotland. Even local comedy shows were in b/w.