How they could have used more of these: 1 Start of day 2 No 3 No 4 Newsflash 5 Advert breaks (this or 9) 6 Advert breaks 7 No 8 No 9 Advert breaks (this or 5) 10 Standard ident (before most shows) 11 Schools TV 12 Comedy/ sitcoms 13 Full length movies 14 Political/ News analysis 15 No 16 London only 17 Breakdown slide/ time filler
It's strange with many things how the one chosen you just know was the right one and nothing else would have done. Thank you so much for uploading these.
Oh, I don't know; now I've heard them, I think those based on "Oranges and Lemons" and/or the Westminster chimes would have been better. There's nothing particularly London about the chosen one.
@@Stumpyblue Lol. Not a ‘bad boy’ in the eyes of the Beeb yet; so probably somewhere on BBC Radio One. He also made the comedy/satire series ‘Nice Time’ for Granada TV in 1968.
The one they finally decided upen at 1.20 is based on the traditional street vendor song 'won't you buy my sweet violets' or lavender etc. It was adapted by Johnny Hawksworth for the ident called 'Salute to Thames'.
I confess. My hands are in the air. I found cv2000 tape of these logos in the attic above the admin building Thames Teddington along with other treasures. Pleased to have saved for the nation. For those familiar the attic was just under John Taskers training studio. I had to point my Panasonic to a Pye monitor off the CV2000. The tape was 405 line.
Many thanks for retrieving this piece of tv history. So many of my favourite programmes growing up were preceded by the iconic Thames indent. Such happy memories.
Thames Television still exists to this day as an independent production company, now owned by FremantleMedia after losing the ITV licence in January 1993
MondySpartan it doesn’t. It became defunct in 2003. The license ended in 1993. The ‘Thames’ brand was revived in 2012 by Fremantle when Talkback Thames was divided into four separate production companies (Thames, Talkback, Boundless and Retort).
What we need is the original 15 local company structure of ITV resurrected; with the likes of Thames, London Weekend Television and ATV leading the pack.
First of all, I don't know why I am watching this, I think I've gone nuts. Secondly, I'd have chosen the last one, because it seems like the orchestra went nuts too.
A few were obviously wrong, but most would have been fine. If any of these "alternatives" had become the norm, we would have accepted it as that inimitable "Thames logo" ident audio. Familiarity breeds acceptance, in other words.
@@TheSmart-CasualGamer That’s true, as it would make Rediffusion really angry to not get the dominant side. Well ABC got it, as Thames even broadcasted some of ABC’s programs!
_"But why did Thames use so many ID variants in 1968?"_ They didn't use that many. This footage is for testing to determine which musical piece works best with the ID. The one that's chosen is the one they've used in actual broadcasting from that point on.
Who wins? You decide! Just dial 100 and ask the operator to put you through to Mr Willoughby-Smyth who will be happy to take down your particulars.. :)
It was also the original version. Frankly, you could tell it was the one they were going to use - why otherwise make a full-length version of it (the last track)?
I liked Rediffusion, but you can't beat Philip Elsmore's "This is Thames from London, and now, over to ITN, for News at Ten, with Reginald Bosanquet, and Sandy Gall," Serious news, with an edit of music, "The Awakening", by the Johnny Pearson Orchestra, as well as "the Bongs". Me, and many others would love ITN to revert to this, and the early evening news to use the Malcolm Arnold, "Non Stop" tune .Come one ITV, (ITA in my day), do the decent thing.
Just a simple crossfade/dissolve. One section has the mirrored effect, then it's spliced with a still of the ident. At least, that's how I see it, because if you look very closely during the fade, you can see everything shift very slightly.
Jordan Bahr I still can't see it! it sounds simple, most people prob don't give a second thought, but I really can't understand what they are cross-fading too
It's all good. It's like fading between two similar pictures in a slideshow, or a frame change in a stop-motion movie. The difference in the two frames is a nominal change - small enough to make the shot look clean, but big enough for the viewer to know that a change actually occurred. With the Thames logo, you have the pan shot of the illustration with the mirror effect underneath, and the crossfade goes to the actual logo itself (The scenic shot with the "River Thames" reflecting everything but the wordmark). Sorry for the long read.
Jordan Bahr on the earlier tests, at the beginning of the clip, you can see a slight change in alignment on the bottom mirrored view: so this supports what you are saying. on the colour idents, it is almost perfect. how could they possibly have got the alignment and colour grading so perfect between the real mirrored image and a static cross-fade on another slide. baffles me.
My only guess is that they had to tweak it not only between the B&W/Color switch, but also for the transition between screen resolutions - 405-line Marconi to 625-line PAL. Plus, film technology had progressed enough by 1969 (first use of color ident) that the design could be perfected more easily.
One of the sounds like it's accompanied by the Salvation army. I can just imaging the poor director pulling his hair out over these - but very interesting post.
How they could have used more of these:
1 Start of day
2 No
3 No
4 Newsflash
5 Advert breaks (this or 9)
6 Advert breaks
7 No
8 No
9 Advert breaks (this or 5)
10 Standard ident (before most shows)
11 Schools TV
12 Comedy/ sitcoms
13 Full length movies
14 Political/ News analysis
15 No
16 London only
17 Breakdown slide/ time filler
It's strange with many things how the one chosen you just know was the right one and nothing else would have done. Thank you so much for uploading these.
Oh, I don't know; now I've heard them, I think those based on "Oranges and Lemons" and/or the Westminster chimes would have been better. There's nothing particularly London about the chosen one.
@@timmsw20 the one they chose is based on Oranges and Lemons
But where’s Kenny?
@@Stumpyblue Lol. Not a ‘bad boy’ in the eyes of the Beeb yet; so probably somewhere on BBC Radio One. He also made the comedy/satire series ‘Nice Time’ for Granada TV in 1968.
The one they finally decided upen at 1.20 is based on the traditional street vendor song 'won't you buy my sweet violets' or lavender etc. It was adapted by Johnny Hawksworth for the ident called 'Salute to Thames'.
And that exact one at 1.20 appeared on the first few Benny Hill show's before they made the ident in colour.
Bill Jenkin 1:13 Sounds Like A Prototype Version
0:44 That one too.
1:29 Tamesis TV.
The one at 0:37 sounds like "Won't you buy my sweet red roses" from the intro to "Who will buy?" in "Oliver!"; or is that the same thing?
I confess. My hands are in the air. I found cv2000 tape of these logos in the attic above the admin building Thames Teddington along with other treasures.
Pleased to have saved for the nation.
For those familiar the attic was just under John Taskers training studio.
I had to point my Panasonic to a Pye monitor off the CV2000. The tape was 405 line.
Many thanks for retrieving this piece of tv history. So many of my favourite programmes growing up were preceded by the iconic Thames indent. Such happy memories.
2:03 Thames. A talent for... Bong!!! Thanks for all of your support on Thames Television (1968-1992/'93)! Moving to Carlton...
2:22 It's meant to be an ident, not a bloomin' symphony!
Joshua Coombes This is a Mash-up to all of the Thames ident jingles they put to see which one would be the official.
Cami J. Green He was talking about the last ident.
I’ve always loved the idea that they intended to use that as a form of start up music
@@DIMON_CAMI he was talking about the long one at 1:22.....
@@annabellaandrewkingdon7972 The long one is not at 1:22.
Don't care what the idents might have been, just bring Thames Television back!
agree
Thames Television still exists to this day as an independent production company, now owned by FremantleMedia after losing the ITV licence in January 1993
@@MondySpartan Correct but I want Thames to be the ITV contractor for London.
MondySpartan it doesn’t. It became defunct in 2003. The license ended in 1993. The ‘Thames’ brand was revived in 2012 by Fremantle when Talkback Thames was divided into four separate production companies (Thames, Talkback, Boundless and Retort).
What we need is the original 15 local company structure of ITV resurrected; with the likes of Thames, London Weekend Television and ATV leading the pack.
2:21 I need the full version!
allrighter 04 Me too!
0:38, 1:13, 1:20, 2:22 - My favourite versions!
2:22
1:20 my favourite
@@Arishia_879 0:02 - My favourite version
First of all, I don't know why I am watching this, I think I've gone nuts. Secondly, I'd have chosen the last one, because it seems like the orchestra went nuts too.
Agreed - bit of an overkill with the music.
Come on its tradition. My favourite is the one at 1:55.
Among all of those ident jingle tests, 1:21 is what was eventually be used.
The one from 2:21 sounds like it should be in a Carry On movie!
thefrecklepuny exactly
'Meanwhile, back at Glamcabs...'
2:21
A few were obviously wrong, but most would have been fine. If any of these "alternatives" had become the norm, we would have accepted it as that inimitable "Thames logo" ident audio. Familiarity breeds acceptance, in other words.
1:21 That's the jingle for Thames Television that we all remember.
Amazing...eventually they replaced Nelson's Column with the then new BT Tower in the colour era.
I like the Oranges and Lemons tune best.
+Kevin Longman Me too
@@independentpuppy7520 0:02 That sounded like the full version of my PR Art Video remake high pitched
My favorites are the original theme at you all know where and 2:20
All the test jingles sound great. Thames should have used them all IMHO.
1:29 Sounds very medieval.
Sounds Egyptian to me.
I get it, The 1979 Carlton mock ident used the 1968 third Thames TV test music!
@1:25 most Aussies and brits would be familiar with
1:46 scared the 😱 out of me!
It's not even scary 🙁
@@aziliman1402 To me it is!! Very unsettling…
1:20 my fav
Should have chosen Oranges and Lemons
"Enter Delius" is when my PR Art Video remake used at 0:02
I like how around 0:45 the next few idents sound similar to the final one
There was one lost version of this ident with the old ABC (UK) 3 note chimes, which was also a test ident.
The gall of them to even make that one. Mad.
@@TheSmart-CasualGamer The NERVE Thames had to use that sound, like they were mocking that “you lost the franchise, we have it now..”
@@yorkshireball_animations I mean, it would have been even more of an insult for Rediffusion!
@@TheSmart-CasualGamer That’s true, as it would make Rediffusion really angry to not get the dominant side. Well ABC got it, as Thames even broadcasted some of ABC’s programs!
1:20: OLD
1:54 chimes not a bad idea considering the landmarks
I will have the one at 1:22-I feel that the station will do well with it
0:18 screen gems horn??
0:02 PR Art Video used it
1:21 was chosen
1:55 is my favourite
... 0_0
It kinda sounds like a bell ring in A HORROR MOVIE!
It was kinda creepy back from the late 60s.
I also like the one from 1:11.
0:46 That one is my favorite
Hudson television
I like the one at 1:29 too... But why did Thames use, so many ID variants in 1968?
_"But why did Thames use so many ID variants in 1968?"_
They didn't use that many. This footage is for testing to determine which musical piece works best with the ID. The one that's chosen is the one they've used in actual broadcasting from that point on.
The sound at 1:29 sounds like a fanfare for a Roman emperor!
Yes, I thought of Kenneth Williams in Carry On Cleo too!
1:29 Hear ye, hear ye...
Some sound a bit wonky! Then it was 1968, what d'you expect?
I like the 'Oranges and Lemons' one!
same
Would have been interesting if Thames had won and who they would have bought when the rules changed in 1994
There had been rumours of merging/takeovers with Central.
1:12 I like this one
Who wins? You decide! Just dial 100 and ask the operator to put you through to Mr Willoughby-Smyth who will be happy to take down your particulars.. :)
They had us in the first haif. Not gonna lie.
2:19 bussin
It was also the original version. Frankly, you could tell it was the one they were going to use - why otherwise make a full-length version of it (the last track)?
Tunes 9,10 & 13 were ideal for the ident
I liked Rediffusion, but you can't beat Philip Elsmore's "This is Thames from London, and now, over to ITN, for News at Ten, with Reginald Bosanquet, and Sandy Gall," Serious news, with an edit of music, "The Awakening", by the Johnny Pearson Orchestra, as well as "the Bongs".
Me, and many others would love ITN to revert to this, and the early evening news to use the Malcolm Arnold, "Non Stop" tune .Come one ITV, (ITA in my day), do the decent thing.
Original: 1:21
Yeah, that's what I remember, Born "75
@@stevenwilliams7262 Enter Delius 0:02 PR Art Video remake
I particulary love the one at 1:17
That's the version that they picked for their updated colour logo.
Wasn't 1:11 used in the 21st anniversary ident or something?
1:20
How did they get the reflected 'Thames' to fade out. It doesn't look like it is superimposed.
Just a simple crossfade/dissolve. One section has the mirrored effect, then it's spliced with a still of the ident. At least, that's how I see it, because if you look very closely during the fade, you can see everything shift very slightly.
Jordan Bahr I still can't see it! it sounds simple, most people prob don't give a second thought, but I really can't understand what they are cross-fading too
It's all good.
It's like fading between two similar pictures in a slideshow, or a frame change in a stop-motion movie. The difference in the two frames is a nominal change - small enough to make the shot look clean, but big enough for the viewer to know that a change actually occurred. With the Thames logo, you have the pan shot of the illustration with the mirror effect underneath, and the crossfade goes to the actual logo itself (The scenic shot with the "River Thames" reflecting everything but the wordmark).
Sorry for the long read.
Jordan Bahr on the earlier tests, at the beginning of the clip, you can see a slight change in alignment on the bottom mirrored view: so this supports what you are saying. on the colour idents, it is almost perfect. how could they possibly have got the alignment and colour grading so perfect between the real mirrored image and a static cross-fade on another slide. baffles me.
My only guess is that they had to tweak it not only between the B&W/Color switch, but also for the transition between screen resolutions - 405-line Marconi to 625-line PAL. Plus, film technology had progressed enough by 1969 (first use of color ident) that the design could be perfected more easily.
0:19
Also, the first recognisable version of it on this video is at 0:44.
One of the sounds like it's accompanied by the Salvation army. I can just imaging the poor director pulling his hair out over these - but very interesting post.
I thought there was with the ABC 3 note jingle.
I love the first one!
The real deal for Thames idents is more enjoyable and in keeping with ITV as a broadcasting medium.
Produced by Minale Tattersfield in 1968.
They picked the best one by a country mile
These are great.
Thames needs to strike a deal with Mersey Rod in Liverpool to use their theme when they take off a sewer lid.
One of them is just ABCs theme
Which makes sense considering Thames was actually a continuation of ABC/Rediffusion
The second one is pretty good.
The rest is considered lost. What did you expect?
I like the one from 0:19.
Thank goodness they chose the right one !
0:02 PR Art Video remake used this audio
1:46 jumpscare alert (im being skewer)
Facsinating, and overly eerie!
Probably a hoax, but what the hell, the music candidates are great to listen to!
I like 1:45 Orange and Lemons
1978
nope
#ThamesTV1968
(1927).
nope
Is not 1927. It’s some of the music test for Thames at 1968. The screen really looks like 1927, But is not 1927.
1968, not 1927
5:00 am minutes
what is it?
Agustín Gómez Thames Television was the London regional station of ITV in the 1970's and 80's.
A lot of them sound like copycats of other ITV companies idents.
1:20
1:36
0:02
0:44
0:02 PR Art Video remake????
@@ConorMansbridge who asked
0:53
1:20
6:26