The 6.5 Special tv programme

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Now at the age of 80, I suddenly remembered watching this programme, which had a good musical signature tune, when I was in my early teenage years, and was music orientated.

Have any other website members memories of watching this programme?

 

[Harpers Tate]

Recall seeing the titles and being disappointed that the rest of it wasn't anything to do with trains........

 

[oldman]

I was still at primary school but I remember Don Lang and his Frantic Five.

 

[sefyllian]

The BBC Genome site has details of every BBC programme ever broadcast, including original Radio Times listings, if you’re interested.

Six-Five Special listings

Looks like it started in 1957 and was the first ever TV programme broadcast between 6 and 7 pm!

Radio Times article: “This week marks the beginning of a new development in BBC Television. Hitherto the hour between six and seven in the evening has been a "silent" period, but with the recent official waiving of this rule, television will be broadcasting programmes right through from late afternoon until the close at night. The first programme to fill the gap will begin this Saturday, with a regular series to be known as Six-Five Special, and will be followed next week by a full schedule of topical programmes.”

 

[Gloster]

The period between 6 and 7 p.m. was the Toddlers’ Truce, which was brought in when the BBC restarted broadcasting TV programmes in 1946; it was intended to allow mothers to get the little horrors bathed and in bed. It came to an end as a result of it also applying to Independent Television, which didn’t like it as they lost an hour’s advertising. A similar gap continued to exist on Sundays from 6.15 to 7 p.m. until 1961 as you should be in church, though when you found time to get the anklebiters into bed wasn’t clear.

 

[Bill EWS]

Our first TV was a 9 inch model with a Bakeliite cabinet. Way back in the 50's. It cost £15. It was fantastic being able to watch all sorts of programmes and when 6.5 Special came about we had quite a few neighbours drop in each week to watch too. Western Shows were also very popular with the likes of Hondo Lane and Shugarfoot. In the Sports season which would often get rained off you would get a nice surprise when the would put on full length cinema film. In the early 60's the BBC put on a Sterephonic sound test show using the TV for the left sound a FM radio for the right hand sound channel at around 11am on Saturday mornings. A fantastic experience at home. The photo below shows the TV. Broadcasting didn't start until the evening. Through the day they simply showed what they called a Test Photo which they changed ocassionally and played popular music for most of the day. Saturday evening plays were always very good and of very high standard. Having just the one TV channel presentation things didn't change until ITV came on the scene.
Copyright. My own Photo.

 

[Gloster]

The Test Card was put on during the day so that the men who came round to instal your television, no buying one at a warehouse and doing it yourself in those days, could check all was lined up and focused properly. Early ones consisted of various geometric lines, but the longest lasting, Test Card F, had a colour picture of a small girl at a blackboard in the centre: the x on the blackboard was supposed to be in the exact centre of the screen when correctly adjusted. Carol Hersee, the girl, is supposed to be the person who has appeared on TV longer than anyone else.

 

[DelW]

The Test Card was put on during the day so that the men who came round to instal your television, no buying one at a warehouse and doing it yourself in those days, could check all was lined up and focused properly.

Including mysterious things like setting the horizontal hold and vertical hold. As a nine year old when my family first bought a television, I remember being told that I must not touch those knobs (buttons?) under any circumstances ... the three channels (BBC 1 & 2, ITV) had to be tuned in individually as well.

 

[Ken X]

Mum was a fan of 6.5 Special. Her memories of it resurfaced during her dementia, which was interesting.

 

[Bevan Price]

Now at the age of 80, I suddenly remembered watching this programme, which had a good musical signature tune, when I was in my early teenage years, and was music orientated.

Have any other website members memories of watching this programme?

Saw it very occasionally, but most Saturdays I would not have been home from trips on trains.... Saw Juke Box Jury a bit more often, as that was usually broadcast a bit later (from what I remember)

 

[Spamcan81]

Required viewing for me.

 

[Jon_jpwh]

I was more of a Ready Steady Go viewer.