Well, that was unnecessary 😶

WEBSITE UPDATE (2/2): A mechanical Yorkshire clock as seen in 1983, but I wonder if it was introduced in 1982 when Yorkshire updated its ident? Possibly the last mechanical clock before the electronically-generated one arrived? The hour markers resemble plant pot tags 🙂 625.uk.com/tv_logos/svg...

WEBSITE UPDATE (1/2): In 1982 when Welsh programmes moved to S4C, HTV Wales introduced a new ident which appeared to have been bodged together from other bits. The symbol was thicker than for the WEST version! (Based on @kecskebak.bsky.social's Flash files.) 625.uk.com/tv_logos/svg...

Fellow TV nerds may appreciate this live stream from a BBC GNAT clock generator www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0M9... (It's the prototype - hence the funky artwork demonstrating all the features)

On Boxing Day 1983, BBC 1 treated us to a special Christmas closedown clock. The following night it was a different colour! (See them both at tvark.org/branding/bbc...) @tvark.bsky.social @tvroom.bsky.social

For some reason I've updated sub-TV for the first time in 20 years (and that is not an exaggeration) - I've brought it into the 21st Century by converting it to Node, but you'll be pleased to know I've not changed the turn-of-the-century aesthetic. Videos are inline now! www.sub-tv.co.uk

WEBSITE UPDATE: To celebrate the start of festive continuity on BBC One, here's the 1984 electronic clock that was adapted for the season... 625.uk.com/tv_logos/svg.... It may be this was reserved for closedowns only. And the white 'snow' shadow appeared in a slightly different position every night!

It's cold outside, but not to worry - I'll fire me clock up for heat.

This ad popped up in my YouTube feed earlier. Could someone lend Secret Escapes an 'o', they seem to have run out.

WEBSITE UPDATE: On this day in 1997, the balloon idents launched, on which the BBC showed off its new corporate logo. To celebrate, here's the balloon-era clock from Northern Ireland re-created. Thanks to @nmsni.co.uk for the background image. 625.uk.com/tv_logos/svg...

Pages from Oracle in 1973 just shown on ITV News at 70...

New watch face. Thanks to @nmsni.co.uk for extracting the background from the GNAT original hardware. 😎

HQ capture (3/3)

On this day in 1970, London Weekend began using a new logo on screen, with a flowing blue, white and orange stripe. There was also a version with the orange and blue reversed, which introduced S1E7 of Don't Drink the Water. To celebrate, I re-created it: 625.uk.com/tv_logos/svg....

Deeply saddened to hear that Mr Voiceover Ray Brooks has passed away. For me he'll be remembered as Mr Benn drinking R Whites in 1991 :(

40 YEARS AGO TODAY: it's twelve noon in London, 7am in Philadelphia, and around the world it's time for Live Aid. Uploaded this very morning, everything except the music from the BBC2 (and BBC1 after the late news) marathon. www.youtube.com/watc...

WEBSITE UPDATE: The ITV/C4 re-creations now number one hundred. The eight new additions include ATV and Central production captions and clocks from Scottish including this colourful affair... 625.uk.com/tv_logos/svg... (More...)

A final closedown from our brilliant colleague David Olver after 47 years as an announcer with BBC Northern Ireland. Looking forward to a celebration with him this evening.

WEBSITE UPDATE: Finally revised the page about the BBC 1 'COW' following the 40th anniversary of EastEnders in February. The lovely people at BBC Wales, who resurrected their device for live presentation duties, kindly sent me some photos, so we can look inside the box! 625.uk.com/tv_logos/bbc...

it's that time of week again

"Cooler", surely, Google? #teampixel

IT’S OUT TODAY! On hearing that we’d received several enquiries, the Major shot up from his morning drink and said “WE CAN’T AFFORD TO TURN DOWN HALF A DOZEN SALES! GET THEM ON EBAY, MAN!” With the website and downloads to follow, I’m proud to say it’s now buyable. Links in comments.

The most Welsh Rugby image of all time

Woke up feeling all nostalgic for Saturday morning children’s TV. For me, growing up in Britain in the 70s and 80s, Saturdays were all about Swap Shop, Superstore and Tiswas. Here I try to play their theme tunes, including the Swap Shop original by @mikebatt.bsky.social

Biggest commitment to a 3 second joke I've ever seen

sub-TV.co.uk has a reader suggesting the boxed ATV Colour Production caption appeared with "AN" above it on a schools programme. Probably. We do know that version appeared at the end of Crossroads for at least a month. It was also there on Mon 27-Mar-1973 but gone the following day...

sub-tv.co.uk/atvendcaps.asp has the ATV Production slide from Crossroads 3533 where Meg departs on the QE2. It suggests it probably used Paul McCartney & Wings' theme. BUT it was a brass band playing Sailing. (Although apparently a VHS release used the standard theme.) archive.org/details/cros...

Twenty years ago yesterday (gah! missed it by one day), sub-tv.co.uk by @jaseinblack.bsky.social had its last update. Which is a shame, because I finally have an answer to one of the questions it posed on its ATV pages ... :-)

I set my ZX Spectrum HTV logo to music...

It went out with sound. Preceded by the Test Card with a new, smaller logo and HD in the version box.

When we tribute, we tribute good! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🌍📺 #Eastenders #40years #TVPres #WeAreTVPresentation

40 YEARS AGO TODAY: big things coming to early evening BBC1 from tomorrow.

And here’s how we did it, to introduce Life On Mars - www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/epis...

Another bit of BBC Wales ident revival from 2006. This one involved dusting off and re-powering the old mechanical globe, replacing a blown bulb with one from Steve’s car and getting veteran BBC Wales Announcer Geraint Jones to record his VO from the commentary booth at the Welsh Open Snooker.

40 YEARS AGO TODAY: something new is on the way, three times a week.

Here we go, it's far from perfect and not animated, but just to prove it's (almost) possible 😁 #TeletextArt #HoldMosaicHell

Another bit of Welsh TV branding we revived. It’s from the same era as the mechanical globe, brought back to life in 2011. If you were watching the news on BBC Wales tv back in the 70s or early 80s, this is what was on screen just before it 🕘📺🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 #WeAreTVPresentation

TVBEurope talks to the team who brought a piece of broadcasting history back to life on BBC Wales last night @matt.cymru www.tvbeurope.com/live-product...

I can guarantee it was like that back in the 80s because the only COW to come live from the original hardware tonight was the BBC1 Wales tx! vimeo.com/1056578810

The story of how Mark and Dave brought a COW back to BBC Wales. vimeo.com/1056578810

If you recall, the final series of Life on Mars came with a CGI BBC1 Colour globe. Except for viewers in Wales, where they got the original physical model out, put a new bulb in, and got an original 1970s announcer to record the intro.

🟦 CLEAN FEED | BBC One COW ident dusted off for EastEnders anniversary. Network, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales versions aired. www.youtube.com/watch?v=tEW2...

Resurrecting a thing for tomorrow night. #TVPres #BBCWales

A LUCKY ESCAPE! Jimmy Savile had auditioned/tested for the Wombles narraton before they found Bernard Cribbins. Here's a letter to me inviting me to try. I don't remember ever trying for it, I stuck to the music and singing, and they found Bernie Cribbins soon afterwards. #Wombles #JimmySavile

I was on this :-). (Not the first episode, but later in the run.)

#OnThisDay 9 February 1981 TOO RUDE TISWAS - A Royal Act Is Banned The #Tiswas children's TV team had to re-write their act yesterday. They were told that a stage act they had rehearsed was too rude to set before Princess Margaret at the first Children's Royal Variety Performance.

It could have been very different.

WEBSITE UPDATE: If regional ITV identity is your thing, I've added a re-creation of a colour clock from Ulster Television 625.uk.com/tv_logos/svg...