The Care of Your Car (lost early BBC motoring show; 1947)

Radio Times listing of Episode 1.

Status: Lost

The Care of Your Car was a five-part BBC Television Service program broadcast throughout 1947. An early motoring show, it guided viewers on how to best maintain their cars, by examining each component in turn.

Background

The program was presented by two individuals; Peter Dimmock, best known for presenting Grandstand, Sportsview and BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards; and Keith Rogers, a senior TV production executive for outside broadcasting, who often worked with Dimmock. The duo would present five 20-minute documentaries on how to properly look after cars, with assistance from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.

Episode 1 was broadcast on 26th January, 1947. This episode focused on looking after the car chassis, although the exact details regarding inspections, repairs or any other maintenance that should be done to the chassis was not documented by issue 1224 of Radio Times. Episode 2, broadcast on 30th March, was slightly more descriptive, focusing on maintaining the steering, brakes and tyres of the vehicle, including by ensuring how tyre issues could be minimalised. Episodes 3 and 4, broadcast on 27th April and 1st June, provided instructions on engine maintenance. Episode 3 involved an expert from a "leading car manufacturer" discussing how engine efficiency could be maximised, which is vital for ensuring low petrol consumption, reliable starting and overall performance that can be achieved through an optimal engine. Episode 4 used a displaced engine to further detail how engine maintenance should be conducted.

Finally, Episode 5, broadcast on 4th July, instructed viewers on maintaining a variety of electrical equipment. According to issue 1237 of Radio Times, the episode would ensure viewers had the knowledge needed to inspect and maintain a car's electrical equipment, and that such inspections should be done in the summer so that they would be in tip-top condition for autumn and winter. After that, no further episodes of the show were documented by Radio Times, suggesting the cancellation of the show after five parts.

Availability

Like most early BBC television programs, The Care of Your Car was broadcast live. Back in the 1940s, direct recordings were near-impossible; video tape recordings were not possible, and would not be perfected until the late 1950s. While cine camera recording, involving mounting a camera in front of a television screen, was indeed possible post-World War 2, very few programs received such recordings. Hence, unless someone recorded the episodes as they were broadcast, all episodes of The Care of Your Car are now permanently missing. While no photos of the program have resurfaced, respective Radio Times issues provide confirmation of the existence of the five episodes.

Gallery

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  Radio Times listing of Episode 2.

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  Radio Times listing of Episode 3.

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  Radio Times listing of Episode 4.

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  Radio Times listing of Episode 5.

See Also

Early BBC Television

• Alexandra Palace's wartime television demonstrations (lost footage of private television transmissions; 1943, 1945)
• An Inspector Calls (lost television adaptation of play; 1948)
• Ann and Harold (lost early BBC drama television series; 1938)
• BBC Election Night (lost coverage of British general elections; 1950-1951)
• Cook's Night Out (lost early BBC cooking show; 1937)
• Craftsmen at Work (lost early BBC documentary show; 1938, 1946)
• Dish of the Month (lost early BBC cooking show; 1937)
• First Aid (lost early BBC medical show; 1937)
• Foundations of Cookery (lost early BBC cooking show; 1939)
• Marcel Boulestin television shorts (lost early BBC programs; 1937-1939)
• Masks through the Ages (lost early BBC history talk show; 1937)
• Opening of the BBC Television Service (partially found coverage of inaugural day of high-definition television service; 1936)
• The Orchestra and its Instruments (lost early BBC music talk show; 1937)
• RCA recording of BBC Television Service (found footage of pre-Second World War BBC television broadcast; 1938)
• Sea Stories (lost early BBC talk show; 1936-1937)
• Spelling Bee (lost early BBC game show; 1938)
• Telecrime (lost early BBC crime drama; 1938-1939; 1946)
• The Wasp's Nest (lost early BBC television adaptation of Agatha Christie short story; 1937)
• Weaponless Self-Defence (lost early ju-jitsu television program; 1936-1937)
• The World of Women (lost early BBC talk show; 1937)

Early BBC Sports Television

• 1931 Epsom Derby (lost televised footage of horse racing event; 1931)
• 1937 FA Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1937)
• 1937 International Imperial Trophy Race (lost footage of motor race; 1937)
• 1937 Wimbledon Championships (partially found footage of tennis tournament; 1937)
• 1938 Ashes Series (partially found footage of international test cricket match; 1938)
• 1938 FA Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1938)
• 1939 FA Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1939)
• 1947 FA Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1947)
• 1953 British Grand Prix (partially found footage of Formula One race; 1953)
• 1955 Scottish Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1955)
• Archery (lost early televised toxophily; 1937-1938)
• Arsenal 7-1 Hibernian (lost footage of charity football match; 1952)
• Arsenal vs Arsenal Reserves (lost footage of early BBC televised football match; 1937)
• Barnet 3-2 Wealdstone (lost footage of Athenian League football match; 1946)
• The Boat Race 1938 (partially found footage of rowing race; 1938)
• Catch-As-Catch-Can Wrestling (lost early BBC televised professional wrestling matches; 1938-1939; 1946-1947)
• Charlton Athletic 1-0 Blackburn Rovers (lost footage of FA Cup match; 1947)
• Darts and Shove Ha'penny (lost early BBC televised darts matches; 1936-1939)
• England 0-1 Scotland (partially found international football match; 1938)
• England 1-1 Scotland (partially found footage of international football match; 1947)
• England 16-21 Scotland (partially found footage of rugby match; 1938)
• England 3-0 France (partially found footage of international football match; 1947)
• England 3-0 Rest of Europe (partially found footage of international football match; 1938)
• Falkirk 3-2 Newcastle United (lost footage of football match; 1953)
• Horace Lindrum vs Willie Smith (lost footage of televised snooker; 1937)
• Scottish Universities 1-1 English Universities (lost footage of international football match; 1952)
• Woods and Jack (lost early televised lawn bowls; 1937; 1946)

External Link

• IMDB page for The Care of Your Car.
• IMDB page for Peter Dimmock.