The 1960s

The first videotape machines in the BBC were the VERAs (read the VERA story in Beginnings) with the first transmission taking place on April 14th 1958. By the Autumn of that year, the first VR1000 two inch recorder had been delivered and VERA faded into history.

The 1960s was the decade of great growth for the BBC and Television Recording. Television Centre, a purpose designed building, was opened, and Television Recording moved into the Basement which would be its home for the next 30 years. It was the decade in which the VR2000, the second generation of quad head machines was launched, possibly the best VTR of its kind, electronic editing began to replace razor blades, colour television began, the Apollo missions took man to the Moon and England won the World Cup.
The menu below will take you to various aspects of Television Recording, 1960s style

Plans The development of Television Centre
The Basement How the Basement videotape area grew
Sports Days Sport was a major user of VT from day one
VT Bowls A June lunchtime in 1964
Hardware A look at the VT machines of the 1960s
The Area Photographs of cubicles
People Photographs of people in VT
Slomo The age of Action Replay
Ten Years of VT An article by John Nash in Ariel
This the BBC 1 The VT section from "This is the BBC"
This is the BBC 2 OB and VT section from "This is the BBC"
This is the BBC 3 The Boat Race from "This is the BBC"
Ten Years Some video clips of the 60s
Mobile VT Mobile VT in the 1960s
VT News News VT in the 1960s
Ephemera Pictures that don't fit elsewhere!!
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