Equipment for hire

Equipment produced by "Marconi".

Marconi - The UK's broadcasting 'jack of all trades' and the most successful exporter of capital broadcast equipment.

The Marconi Mk II TV camera appeared first in 1951. A 3"inch Image Orthicon, this camera type was used mainly on outside broadcasts by the BBC until the early 1960s. Notably, this camera type covered the 1953 Coronation broadcast. Also, the camera was used by Associated-Rediffusion in their London studios & CBC TV in Canada. The larger picture shows the camera 'dressed' for a recent production.

Portable version of the Marconi MkIX three-tube colour camera. Shoulder-mounted or pedestal use.

For broadcasters on a budget - a quality vidicon camera for use in cost conscious studios and for applications such as announcing. The camera is novel in having a built in waveform monitor as well as the viewfinder. This facilitated 'one man' operation. Click on the image to see the rear aspect.

1960s classic turret four-lens image orthicon monochrome television camera. Used extensively by BBC and ITV and notably CBS in America. A world wide best seller in its class.

Portable version of Marconi MkVIII studio/OB camera. Requires electronics 'backpacked' (as shown) or 'golf trolley' carried.

Black and white 4.5 inch Image Orthicon zoom lensed camera. Similar in style (but smaller) to the colour Marconi MkVII

The one that never was - never produced in quantity. Appeared 1986.

Studio/OB colour TV camera developed from the MK VIII. Popular in the UK during the 1980's, particularly with ITV. (LWT, Anglia etc)

Very large 4 tube plumbicon colour TV camera for studio and OB use. Used by BBC, ITV and numerous countries around the world.

14" high quality all valve black and white monitor. Four fully working avaialable (see also the associated Marconi Mk IV Picture & Waveform monitor). Picture shows all four working on location for 'Showbands' (RTE production).

Mk IV series all valve picture AND waveform monitor all in one case. Five fully functioning units available. Excellent pictures. Found in production galleries, OB trucks and engineering areas.

Following in the tradition of the Mk III and Mk IV picture AND waveform monitors in one case, the Mk V is an all transistor design capable of very good results. Currently 6 out of the stock of 11 are in good working order.

Small screen Marconi Mk IV series black and white monitor. Ideal as a commentator's monitor or for desk top use. The one example in stock is fuly operational

General purpose black and white monitor from the early 1950's. Two in good working order, a third unit is available as 'simulated practical' if required. The larger image shows the monitors 'dressed'for a recent production

Built by the Marconi Company in 1967 as one of a pair to start off Yorkshire Television in colour, this unit now belongs to Golden Age Television and has been fitted out with a view to facilitate re-creations from the early 1960's to the early 1980's by changing out some key items (mainly monitors). Now operational and available with a selection of monitors and cameras the unit has already been used in 'The Royal' for ITV and is currently in blue/white/silver and 'Tyne Tees' logos (removable). The vehicle is fully road legal, is 32 feet long and weighs 12 tons. Packed full of vintage equipment in four areas, production, sound, engineering control and engineering racks. The production areas lend themselves very well to gallery reconstructions with views through. Please enquire for further details.

Believed to be the first colour outside broadcast unit in service with ITV. Built by Southern Television Ltd. in 1968, coachwork by Del of Southampton, electronics mainly by Marconi, this vehicle retired in 1995 after several refits. Now restored to 1968 operational status with four working Marconi Mk VII colour cameras, this is a window into early colour TV operation in the UK. The vehicle (a Bedford VAL) is 34 ft long, weighs 11 tons and is fully road legal. Unusual 'longitudinal' layout with sound, production and engineering laid longways in the manner of a corridor train. Wood panel interior. Comes complete with 30 ft pneumatic mast. Now in original 'Southen Television colours and logos. Logos require separate negotiation. Please enquire for further details.

Portable all valve microphone mixer. Still works very well! Lights up and the VU meter needle flicks in response.

General purpose 'Drainpipe'caption/CCTV/Industrial/Military 1" vidicon TV camera. Currently, one fully operational unit. See also roller caption machine.

Photoconductive telecine based on the live Marconi MkVIII colour camera. Offering dual film transport (dual 16/35mm or combination) and dual 35mm slide changers. This example is operational and probably one of the last working examples of colour photoconductive telecine anywhere in the world. Compared to the higher image quality flying spot type, such machines were well suited to scanning dense news film with economic running costs.

Not strictly a 'broadcast' camera, but certainly a quality vidicon camera. The V322 was intended for industrial and educational studio applications and saw widespread use with educational bodies and in corporate training/promo facilities. Not to mention a few broadcasters too! The camera appears here on a 'Dennard' pedestal. Click on the image to see the reverse aspect.

Full spec oscilloscope.

This is the 'classic shape' iconic BBC ribbon microphone of the 1930s/50s. Chris Owen, senior BBC sound engineer elaborates: 'In May 1931 RCA demonstrated their ribbon mic in Hollywood and it came to the BBC's notice. Unfortunately the price, including the head amplifier, was 130UKP which in today's terms is around 5200UKP. As this was not affordable, the BBC set about designing its own version, which was introduced in 1934-1935 as the Type A microphone. There was some concern about the possibility of patent infringement but eventually it was decided that the BBC had a valid patent. The mic was manufactured for the BBC by Marconi for 9UKP each, about 360UKP today. The original aluminium ribbon had objectionable resonances and was replaced with very thin aluminium foil and the modified mic was called Type AX. Another problem was found when the mic was used near an electromagnetic field; this was solved by arranging the internal wiring of the mic so that induced noise currents cancelled out and thus the Type AXB was born in 1943. The final modification was to use Ticonal magnets in place of the original cobalt steel magnets. This gave 6dB increased sensitivity and the letter T was added to the code number. Weighing in at just under 9 lbs, the type AXBT appeared circa 1944. The microphone pictured is an exact reproduction.

Useful-sized studio floor foldback speaker.

The Marconi Mk III 4.5 inch Image orthicon 4-lens turret camera, appeared first in late 1954 and soon was used by most major broadcasters. Using an innovative tilting viewfinder, this large and heavy tv camera was highly reliable, especially on outside broadcasts (up in planes, on board ships). This camera was most famously used as the opening credits of BBC Televisions' 'Grandstand' programme. Larger image shows, on a recent production, one of our Mk III cameras on an OB dolly

Three-tube colour tv camera with auto line up. Studio or outside broadcast. Compact design. Optional badging.

L1 lip microphone, manufactured by Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Company Limited for the BBC.A development of the Marconi ‘B Type’ microphone, the ‘L1’ microphones was designed for use at large events, such as during sports outside broadcasts, where the voice of the user needed to carry over crowd sounds and other background noise. The L1 was designed in 1937. A guard ring that the commentator held to their face ensured that the microphone sat at a consistent 2.25 inches from the user's mouth.