The Box is a major cultural and heritage attraction and archive, which opened in Plymouth’s city centre in September 2020. Its collection, formally the South West Film and Television Archive (SWFTA), is the regional film archive for the South West of England, comprising the combined programme libraries of Westward Television and Television South West (TSW). It also includes a significant number of donated film collections dating back to the early 1890s.
This film is part of Free
Rank Bush Murphy Expansion
The television production line is an all wave affair in Ernesettle.
In partnership with:
Overview
The Rank Bush Murphy company in Ernesettle began making colour TV sets in 1949 with a 220 to 2500 increase in its workforce. By 1968 the company expanded again and in 1973 a second factory was opened at Somerset Place in Stoke making Bush, Murphy and Arena audio products until 1980. Bush became part of the Rank empire in 1945. In 1968 Rank Bush Murphy Electronics became a new division of Rank Precision Industries.
The TV sets house a cathode ray tube and a phosphorescent screen so don’t adjust your sets. In 1950 the popular DAC90A and DAC10 radios were launched and the TV22 television. By the 1960s cheaper Japanese imports from companies such as Sony with new semiconductor technology produced less cumbersome radios and televisions. UK companies merged in an attempt to fight off the competition. Rank formed an alliance with Toshiba in 1978 and in 2009 the last television was assembled as the production line moved to Poland. The once large factory in Ernesettle became a small distribution centre and is now Chinese-owned.
Related
New Perspectives: La Haine New Perspectives: La Haine
Short documentary 2025 4 mins
Charlie Hammersley, a student from Northumbria University, explains how Mathieu Kassovitz's 1995 film holds up a mirror to society.
Dreamers Q&A Dreamers Q&A
Inside Film 2025 30 mins
The film-makers behind a haunting tale of love and community within a UK immigration detention centre visited the BFI Southbank to discuss their film.
Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio in Conversation Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 50 mins
Paul Thomas Anderson and Leonardo DiCaprio in Conversation at BFI Southbank, discussing the making of One Battle After Another.
Laura Mulvey in Conversation Laura Mulvey in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 76 mins
Laura Mulvey in conversation, following her BFI Fellowship Award.
George Clooney in Conversation George Clooney in Conversation
Inside Film 2025 74 mins
George Clooney visited BFI Southbank to look back on his life and career.
Chloé Zhao Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025 Chloé Zhao Screen Talk | BFI London Film Festival 2025
Inside Film 2025 65 mins
The Oscar®- winning director of Nomadland discusses her unique approach to filmmaking and the inspiration behind the adaptation of Hamnet.