The Navy Lark 60th Anniversary release ...

[Stephen Byers]

The Navy Lark 60th Anniversary release will include previously missing episode: Series 2, Episode 20: Return to Potarneyland from 26th February 1960.

Full Details:

Both CD and Download editions will include:

Left Hand Down a Bit, presented by Leslie Phillips and featuring:

s01e02 Operation F.ag End (5 April 1959) [pilot]
s01e08 The Hank of Heather (17 May 1959)
s02e16 The Lighthouse Lark (29 January 1960)
s05e03 A Deliberate Bashing (19 April 1963)
s09e18 Mr Phillips at Dartmouth (29 October 1967)
The Jubilee Navy Lark (16 July 1977)

Bonus items:

A Navy Lark mini-episode from The Light Entertainment Show

Two episodes from spin-off series The Embassy Lark:
National Grumpshnog Week (Series 1, 12 April 1966)
Sub-Lt Phillips Drops In (Series 3, 16 April 1968).

Bob Holness Presents: Farewell to the Paris, which sees Leslie Phillips and Jon Pertwee reminiscing about the making of The Navy Lark.

A previously 'lost' episode of The Navy Lark: Series 2, episode 20 - Return to Potarneyland. First broadcast on 26th February 1960.

The Download version also includes another eleven episodes:

s03e17 Commodore Goldstein (22 February 1961)
s04e04 The Northampton Hunt Ball (6 October 1961)
s06s10 Chasing the Kepeac (29 November 1963)
s07e07 Let Loose with a Chopper (22 August 1965)
s08e09 Mr Phillips' Promotion (30 October 1966)
s10e02 The Redundancy Drive (20 October 1968)
s11e11 The Forbodians Hijack Troutbridge (8 March 1970)
s12e02 Impressions For Survival (23 May 1971)
s13e12 Friday the 13th (11 Jun 1972)
s14e07 Povey, An Admiral at Last (9 September 1973)
s15e02 NANA (16 November 1975)

[Stephen Byers]

Only five more to find!!!

* Navy Lark

23. 2- 7 27 Nov 1959 "Gunboat to Gumba"

28. 2-12 1  Jan 1960 "The Route March"

36. 2-20 26 Feb 1960 "Return to Portarneyland" (maybe)

80. 4-18 12 Jan 1962 The Cornish Exercise

* TV Lark
T09. 22 Mar 1963 The Top Secret Rocket Trials

[roberthammond]

Gunboat to Goomba isn’t missing - that was included on the Series 12 boxset. Likewise The Route March is also back in the archive and was included with the Series 7 boxset.

[Stephen Byers]

So only three more to find then:

* Navy Lark
36. 2-20 26 Feb 1960 "Return to Portarneyland" (maybe)
80. 4-18 12 Jan 1962 The Cornish Exercise

* TV Lark
T09. 22 Mar 1963 The Top Secret Rocket Trials

Are the scripts extant?

[roberthammond]

There wasn’t a complete run in the BBC Archive at Caversham when I was researching the series a couple of years ago - but that’s not to say the Wyman family doesn’t own a full run. Frustratingly (for me) it was the latter years that was lacking in general paperwork and scripts at Caversham, the earlier years are very well covered.

[Stephen Byers]

Anyone got the 60th anniv. box set and downloads yet? Wondering what bitrates the audios are at. Hopefully MP3 320kbps!!!

And how good is the lost ep. now found 'Return to Portarneyland'?

[Stephen Byers]

Reports are that most (all?) of the added extras are actually missing from the CDs and downoad options. Also the files that are available are low bitrate and sound awful. Definitely not up to the Beeb's usual standard. Trust Amazon / Audible to screw things up - at a price.

Someone opined a 'Troutbridge-sized foul up.'

[Stephen Byers]

More than a "Troutbridge-sized foul up"

====

From Penguin Random Books

Dear Sir,

Thank you for getting in touch with your queries regarding The Navy Lark 60th Anniversary Edition. I’m sorry you are disappointed with the product.

With regard to your concerns:

* I will be speaking to our website team in order to list the cast more accurately on www.penguin.co.uk - this is due to the way data feeds out from our internal systems. Thank you for highlighting it to us- we’ll make it better.

* If you have any problems with the software for downloading the Audible version, I would advise speaking directly to their customer service team. They are a separate company from us so we aren’t able to advise on their systems. They will also be able to advise on the bit-rates you can download files at. Their customer service link is found here: www.audible.co.uk/contactus [despite my stating that the Audible staff have been less than helpful]

* We are aware that the original copy and the CD show that there is bonus content including the programme ‘Left Hand Down a Bit’. This is in fact incorrect, and we are updating our description of the product and will be reprinting the CD with new artwork shortly to more accurately reflect the contents list.

Once again, I apologise for your disappointment in the product, and I hope that you will be able to resolve your concerns about the audio download with Audible.

Yours Sincerely,

J.... L....
Commissioning Editor
Audiences and Audio
Penguin Random House UK
Tel: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Web: www.randomhouse.co.uk
Web: www.penguin.co.uk

====

[Stephen Byers]

The scandal is that the so-termed Bonus content including the missing 'Return to Portarneyland' is *NOT* actually available even if you have paid for it.

[Ed Brown]

According to Andrew Pixley, the missing episode 'Return to Potarneyland' is only available if you buy the download from Audible, but is not included on the CD -- even though Random House will happily tell you differently.

Don't believe Random House. A disappointed buyer I spoke with confirmed to me that the missing episode is not on the CD.

[Stephen Byers]

If the missing ep. is only available from Audible then 1/ why is Penguin / Random advertising it as available on the CD, 2/ in so advertising it on the CD Penguin / Random is clearly perpetrating a deliberate fraud, 3/ how do you download it from Audible is you have bought the CD - I mean do you have to pay again, 4/ from Audible it will be low bit rate - all of their downloads sound terrible, 5/ it will be unavailable to those who don't want Amazon crap apps on their device.

Frankly the whole release has been a cock up of Troutbridge proportions. I think I'll wait and get it for free from a download site.