Westward Television start-up

Before the days of 24-hour TV most of the English regional broadcasting stations commenced their daily schedules at around 4pm. An 'overture' piece was usually shown along with transmitter information for TV engineers. Westward Television, the ITV franchise which covered the southwest of England from 1961 - 1981, started up each day with what was probably the very best of them. Paul Lewis wrote the delightful 'English Suite' music soundtrack and the montage of scenes, following the transmitter info card, features scenes which encompass the entire region the station beamed its cheery smile to.
Westward TV is gone but will not be forgotten by anyone lucky enough, as I was, to grow up from childhood to adult under its friendly glow.
More info and nostalgia to enjoy on British regional tv broadcasting at www.transdiffusion.org

[@Bomberdrummer]

Oh the nostalgia. This brings so many memories back of being a kid growing up in Cornwall. Thanks.

[@frankenstang1973]

Outstanding! Remembered all the sequence & music like it was yesterday. Thanks.

[@ATVmidlands5581]

tremendous. i remember seeing this when i stayed at my sisters in barnstaple. great to see it again. my regional provider was HTV but we got ATV as well which was fab. Tv was an event in those days and you can see the pride they had in this clip. atvmidlands

[@fireblade9299]

all i can say is wow, i remeber getting up on sat mornings and watching this, cant belive iv seen it again, i remeber so much of it, thanks for posting.

[@MrBrianzero]

Wow did that bring back memories and a tear to my eye, thank you.

[@richardawrhodes6965]

Paul lewis a genius

[@markzee6331]

British Light Music Discoveries Volume 2 - CDWHL2126 (ASV) Track 20. P. Lewis ‘An English Overture’ 1971 📀

[@Woollylinnet]

Further to the stated dates, this particular sequence is no earlier than 1974. The map on the side of the Westward studio gives the game away - it features the late, unlamented county of Avon, which was formed in that year.

[@KennnnnnyTucky]

Great memories of waking up and watching this early in the morning as a kid. Not sure we had a colour telly at first. Fantastic music. This was when TV meant something. They said that digital would mean huge choice, instead we have lost the investment in a few high quality channels and replaced it with hundreds of stations putting out rubbish.

[@numberstation]

What I'd give for a time machine...

[@Aengus42]

Wow! Haven't seen that since I was a kid in Brixham & Paignton. Thank you!

[@mikeyboystone1969]

this brings backchildhood memories....

[@SpoonyMcSpoonface]

This and the TSW version brings back memories of my childhood. TVam wiped all this away.

[@TheMrGrumpyUK]

Ohhh man, the nostalgia

[@fireblade9299]

funny that, it always reminds me of the summer

[@celticboy1950]

very nostalgic, the great days of Westward TV. always makes me feel at home here in the westcountry when I hear or see anything to do with Westward, but there is another piece of music called Westward Ho, written by Hastings Mann. If anyones got please post it up. PS. I once had tea with Stuart Huchison, my heroe, a great man, now departed.

[@peterjory8830]

TV gold

[@Quetelet]

Living in West Wales we couldn't receive Harlech (HTV) transmissions, so I grew up watching Westward in the 1960's/1970's. I remember this like yesterday. Didn't Westward have the birthday rabbit, Gus Honeybun too?

[@Aengus42]

Yup! Or Gus Runnybum as my Dad used to call him.

[@bohaynowell]

My family always referred to ITV as Westward, even when TSW and Westcountry came along. It's a real shame that the pride in TV seems to have gone: my boyfriend works in transmission and is the only one who cares about things like aspect ratios! Depressing...

[@chrisdstard5644]

This is the Cornwall I remember.

[@ingenious4t]

Brilliant, thanks for posting

[@scobitronmcscobie9965]

Remember when the transmitter would go off air ?

[@tango602]

Thanks

[@CelticSaint]

OMG What memories!!!!!

[@brucedanton3669]

Of course Westward bordered onto what was then Southern and HTV West-or HTV Wales? Also Channel too of what were then the ITV companies of old at the time. I know when we used to go away at times then I would wonder which ITV companies you would pick up in the area. The TV Times then gave the details of the regional variations there were too.

[@celticboy1950]

well old enough to remember Westward, I once chatted to Stuart huchinson about the good old days, (in my capacity as media student). but what we need is Hastings Manns 'Westward HO'. That came before the overture you posted up, good as it is. maybe TSW archives have it somewhere. I have a lot of written material on WTV, as well as old video tape. This includes the original clip of Peter Cadbury with the galleon. Also plan a museum display based on early regional broadcasting in Devon.

[@CelticSaint]

I actually knew someone called Gus Honeybun. He was not from the South West area, but from Birmingham.

[@TerryTheNewsGirl]

+Celtic Saint Wow! I don't know whether that's cool or not to be honest. You know what? Yeah, it is very cool!

[@Bodybuilder1945]

@Tubemeister77 Unfortunately, just when the licences were coming up for renewal, the London based Board of Westward fell out with the managers and programme makers in Plymouth. There being no confidence within the company that the Board and the managers could overcome their difference the then IBA had no choice but to remove Westward's licence to broadcast.

[@borgduck]

Did he hurry up?

[@tango602]

Which year is this startup from?

[@andrewswift9039]

As mentioned before, after 1974 as the county of Avon can be seen on a map. I’d say this is from 1977.

[@sailormoonrietwilightsunse8666]

@@andrewswift9039 And What Music Is For This Startup?

[@celticboy1950]

All fine and dandy, but not the original, that was by Hastings Mann, and the old startup was in B/W. WTV started in 1961