I remember one Friday afternoon when Thames was about to hand over to London Weekend Television Tom Edwards said, "Have yourselves a great London weekend". That remark was accompanied by his trademark smirk.
Tom Edwards, Philip Elsmore and Peter Marshall were iconic continuity announcers. Always made sure feel welcome and acknowledge all ages eg now for our younger viewers
I remember *"Hill Street Blues"* came on ITV first before moving to Channel 4 for the rest of its run. *"Night Thoughts".....* that's a blast from the past!
Really interesting that the ITV unions relaxed the rules and allowed the TVEye on Ethiopia famine to be broadcast to the network, such was its importance (and no doubt would have reflected badly on the ACTT had it not gone ahead)
From that day's edition of The Guardian: "The film department of the Euston studios will complete production work free of charge, so that technically they will not have returned to work. One copy [of the programme] will be given to Thames management to transmit in their emergency service, so they do not have to allow ACTT members to transmit in the Euston studios while they are on unofficial strike. The other copy will be transmitted to the network from Teddington, which means that Thames management are not seen to restore even part of a service outside London."
@treffynnon19 And got away with showing a test card for most of the day too. They go on about the TV licence now, god only knows where all the money went back then
@@robertcomer2767 Tv licence only covers the BBC, None of the money goes to ITV /CH4 as they commercial rivals, licence fee was cheaper back in the 80's as TV Businesses were expensive,
Thanks for uploading this. The closedown from the night before is also on TH-cam and is just as out of the ordinary also. This must be the first time they’ve promoted Night Thoughts for its LWT showing. Also unusual that ITV is mentioned this much rather than Thames. Also no TV-am references such as Good Morning Great Britain or kick orf.
Steve _G - this was, of course, during an industrial dispute when Thames were running an emergency local schedule only, and started up at about 1.40pm. I assume TVam was shown as usual though, as it was a separate company/franchise and bypassed Thames TV en route to the London transmitters?
Steve _G I heard “ITV” mentioned twice. Once during the plug for the following nights edition of Night Thoughts which would have been shown by LWT (this clip is from a Thursday) and the second time was “Children’s ITV”.
@@CaptainSiCo TV-am was a unique separate entity from the rest of the ITV franchises, it was a whole franchise on its own, and had no industrial dispute then - 1987 would be when TV-am started to be hit by the dreaded ACTT union.
During the 10 days or so that Thames grappled with its engineers' strike, its times of start and close seems to have been akin to those also used in those days by TV in Scandinavia (i.e. just after midday and just before midnight. Yes, I think I would like to see TV go off at night again - or add more variety to overnight schedules, as they used to in the early days of overnight TV.). Note how the ads go out seamlessly. IIRC there was already software that inserted adverts automatically, and Thames used it to its advantge in this case. Also the IVC background is given plain lighting rather than the "mood" lighting usually employed. I guess a reason why ratings seemed to have soared during this period could have been the manner of scheduling and the presentation of them were "a break from the norm". It wasn't quite "ITV" in its full sense, it was just pure Thames, as if they had the channel frequency all to themselves! And, of course, they had the stocks available to sit it out.
During this strike, viewers on Thames would see the breakfast programmes from TV-am from 6.25am - 9.25am then there would be nothing until 1.40pm from Thames, as they did not have access to the network, so no schools programmes, daytime shows or ITN News for viewers in Thames.
Does anyone else here (of above a certain age😉) remember the tv going off on a Sunday "While the country goes to Church" ? I'm really sure I didn't imagine this...?!?
TV on a Sunday was restricted, but television was always on the air on a Sunday. However until 1958 there could be no television airing from around 6 - 7.25pm so people could go to Evensong. From 1958 the Postmaster General allowed television on air during this 90 minute time, but had to be religious programming only, and this was when it got the nickname "God Slot". Hope this helps James?
![[720p/50p] ITV Thames | closedown | 30th November 1982](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/9k9HAGu86v0/mqdefault.jpg)
I was fortunate to have exchanged conversation with Tom recently. What a polite and friendly chap. 😊
I remember one Friday afternoon when Thames was about to hand over to London Weekend Television Tom Edwards said, "Have yourselves a great London weekend". That remark was accompanied by his trademark smirk.
Tom Edwards, Philip Elsmore and Peter Marshall were iconic continuity announcers. Always made sure feel welcome and acknowledge all ages eg now for our younger viewers
I remember *"Hill Street Blues"* came on ITV first before moving to Channel 4 for the rest of its run. *"Night Thoughts".....* that's a blast from the past!
I love the way Tom has loosened his tie and then tried to beat a hasty exit.
I was 7 weeks into secondary school. Great days. I remember Philip Ensmore and Peter Marshall on Thames, too.
Shades on. Tie loose. Then off down to the Nite Klub!
0:36 MTM Enterprises Logo is cut off by the Thames In Colour Logo (Possible error with the Logos?)
Really interesting that the ITV unions relaxed the rules and allowed the TVEye on Ethiopia famine to be broadcast to the network, such was its importance (and no doubt would have reflected badly on the ACTT had it not gone ahead)
From that day's edition of The Guardian:
"The film department of the Euston studios will complete production work free of charge, so that technically they will not have returned to work.
One copy [of the programme] will be given to Thames management to transmit in their emergency service, so they do not have to allow ACTT members to transmit in the Euston studios while they are on unofficial strike.
The other copy will be transmitted to the network from Teddington, which means that Thames management are not seen to restore even part of a service outside London."
As far as they are concerned, had it been cancelled, viewers on all sides would've stopped watching ITV in protest.
So 80's it hurts!
Blimey - Can you imagine TV going off at 11:45 now?!? Great memories of shite telly, thanks!
Some people want TV to end around midnight these days. I can agree.
@@Blubatt why? You can just turn it off...?
I guess they wanted people to have lives outside of TV back then.
@treffynnon19 And got away with showing a test card for most of the day too. They go on about the TV licence now, god only knows where all the money went back then
@@robertcomer2767 Tv licence only covers the BBC, None of the money goes to ITV /CH4 as they commercial rivals, licence fee was cheaper back in the 80's as TV Businesses were expensive,
Thanks for uploading this. The closedown from the night before is also on TH-cam and is just as out of the ordinary also. This must be the first time they’ve promoted Night Thoughts for its LWT showing. Also unusual that ITV is mentioned this much rather than Thames. Also no TV-am references such as Good Morning Great Britain or kick orf.
treffynnon19 What do you mean by “the carefully worded ‘Thames Television’”? Is this a reference to the emergency management-run service?
Steve _G - this was, of course, during an industrial dispute when Thames were running an emergency local schedule only, and started up at about 1.40pm. I assume TVam was shown as usual though, as it was a separate company/franchise and bypassed Thames TV en route to the London transmitters?
treffynnon19 Still not sure I understand: “ all of us here at... Thames Television” as opposed to what? Name checks?”
Steve _G I heard “ITV” mentioned twice. Once during the plug for the following nights edition of Night Thoughts which would have been shown by LWT (this clip is from a Thursday) and the second time was “Children’s ITV”.
@@CaptainSiCo TV-am was a unique separate entity from the rest of the ITV franchises, it was a whole franchise on its own, and had no industrial dispute then - 1987 would be when TV-am started to be hit by the dreaded ACTT union.
thames tv had only 8 years left to live but i allways perfoer the very early years of themes
Charlie Williams, a proper Yorkshireman and former host of The Golden Shot, advertising Webster’s Yorkshire Bitter.
And a non speaking Paul Bown with the greyhound.
During the 10 days or so that Thames grappled with its engineers' strike, its times of start and close seems to have been akin to those also used in those days by TV in Scandinavia (i.e. just after midday and just before midnight. Yes, I think I would like to see TV go off at night again - or add more variety to overnight schedules, as they used to in the early days of overnight TV.).
Note how the ads go out seamlessly. IIRC there was already software that inserted adverts automatically, and Thames used it to its advantge in this case.
Also the IVC background is given plain lighting rather than the "mood" lighting usually employed.
I guess a reason why ratings seemed to have soared during this period could have been the manner of scheduling and the presentation of them were "a break from the norm". It wasn't quite "ITV" in its full sense, it was just pure Thames, as if they had the channel frequency all to themselves! And, of course, they had the stocks available to sit it out.
During this strike, viewers on Thames would see the breakfast programmes from TV-am from 6.25am - 9.25am then there would be nothing until 1.40pm from Thames, as they did not have access to the network, so no schools programmes, daytime shows or ITN News for viewers in Thames.
7:00: *LAST LOOK AT THAMES' STUDIO CLOCK*
7:34: SWITCH-OFF MESSAGE
Does anyone else here (of above a certain age😉) remember the tv going off on a Sunday "While the country goes to Church" ? I'm really sure I didn't imagine this...?!?
TV on a Sunday was restricted, but television was always on the air on a Sunday. However until 1958 there could be no television airing from around 6 - 7.25pm so people could go to Evensong. From 1958 the Postmaster General allowed television on air during this 90 minute time, but had to be religious programming only, and this was when it got the nickname "God Slot". Hope this helps James?
Remember this. Then it close down. Night thoughts and Sit up and listen.
He lives in my village
Where's your village? Is it by the Thames! 😃
ITV were on strike at this time i believe.
Did the testcard come on?
Wallpaper in your bathroom?
Why not? If it's water resistant.
7:25: ???
night thought's more
Master control sure couldn't wait to cut off Mimsy the MTM cat's parting meow wearing her police hat.
Possible Mistake cutting the Logo off?
Who has wallpaper in a bathroom?!
I do. Looks like tiles.
David Townson same here, I have wallpaper in my bathroom that looks like tiles 😊
phil elsemore like redvers kylie was cheif announcer on thames form stat to finnish
This might be unrelated, but I'm still deminonbinary. Seriously!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!