UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum - View Single Post - Reviving a Rediffusion Mk1

Welsh Anorak · 19th Oct 2015, 7:07 pm

Hi Tas
Yes - Rediffusion went to town on their refurbishment. All boards were removed, cleaned and modified to latest spec. A Mullard Colourex tube was fitted in a new Mk3 cabinet. Then fuses and fusible resitors were fitted in the HT lines, and new valves put in. The only difference to the untrained eye (from the front at least - a nice warm glow from the back was a bit of a giveaway!) was the missing PIL logo on the control panel. They gave excellent pictures, especially as the Colourex tubes lasted longer than some of the RCA tubes in the real Mk3s. Amazingly they were awarded Kite Mark status - I think the only other hybrid that had that was the ITT CVC9.
We bought a few of these sets cheaply - they flew out of the shop as they performed so well and looked modern to boot!
Other firms did this 'refurbishment' on their old sets, though few to the standard that Rediffusion set. Remember the pensionable and dust-covered Pye 11U in a smart cabinet? I also recall the Thorn TX10 Mk1 chassis found its way into a modern black cabinet with the boards hanging around inside at all sorts of jaunty angles. Can't recall the name - possibly Tristar?
Glyn

19th Oct 2015, 7:07 pm	#23
Welsh Anorak Dekatron Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: North Wales, UK. Posts: 6,927	Re: Reviving a Rediffusion Mk1 - variable transformer to 'warm it up'? Hi Tas Yes - Rediffusion went to town on their refurbishment. All boards were removed, cleaned and modified to latest spec. A Mullard Colourex tube was fitted in a new Mk3 cabinet. Then fuses and fusible resitors were fitted in the HT lines, and new valves put in. The only difference to the untrained eye (from the front at least - a nice warm glow from the back was a bit of a giveaway!) was the missing PIL logo on the control panel. They gave excellent pictures, especially as the Colourex tubes lasted longer than some of the RCA tubes in the real Mk3s. Amazingly they were awarded Kite Mark status - I think the only other hybrid that had that was the ITT CVC9. We bought a few of these sets cheaply - they flew out of the shop as they performed so well and looked modern to boot! Other firms did this 'refurbishment' on their old sets, though few to the standard that Rediffusion set. Remember the pensionable and dust-covered Pye 11U in a smart cabinet? I also recall the Thorn TX10 Mk1 chassis found its way into a modern black cabinet with the boards hanging around inside at all sorts of jaunty angles. Can't recall the name - possibly Tristar? Glyn