Remembering The Tower Cinema

Tower Letterhead

Technical Appendix

Technical Information

Sorry folks, but all this will probably mean nothing to you,
unless you're an old operator, like me . . .

Projection Room Equipment

Projector Mechanism: Westar Model 2001 D/1 Serial Numbers 1052 & 1053
Film Stock type: Normal 2000ft x 35mm, with optical or magentic soundtrack capability.
Drives & Bases: Westrex type 703a Brackets on Westrex Universal bases, Westrex type 709B Drive units.
Power Motors: 0.25HP Crompton-Parkinson, 110v working
Optical Sound Head: Westrex type 1B, Photo Electric Cell.
Magentic Sound Head: Westrex type 2004-A 4-Track.
Normal Lens Equipment: Taylor Hobson "VUTOL" 82mm f1.8.
CinemaScope lens set: Carl Zeiss Anamorphot over a Kershaw-Kalee 109mm f1.9.

Carbon Arc Units: B.T.H Model C Serial Numbers R1646 & 1647
Average Rating: 45/50 Amps at 43/45 Volts DC
Carbon Trim: Morganite Copper-coated, Link C.A. Positive 7mm x 18ins; Morganite Link C.A. Negative 6mm x 9ins

D.C. Power Source: 2x Hewittic type 100/3 Mercury Arc Rectifiers, in parallel. Max power: 130amps @ 90v line



HEWITTIC MERCURY ARC RECTIFIERS
These " monsters " scared the crap out of most people!

Optical Sound Equipment

Machine-head Equipment: Westrex type 465 Pre-Amp, Westrex type TA 7471 Power Unit driving type 1B Exciter lamp @ 8v DC 4.3amp.
Final Stage: Western Electric "Mirrorphonic " Class B Push-Pull power amplifier, rated @ 35watt R.M.S.

Magnetic Sound Equipment

Machine-head Equipment: Westrex type 2004A, 4-track sound head.
Pre-Amp Control: Westrex type 2061, 4 channel Pre-amp Control Unit
Final Stage: 3 x Westrex type 2062 Amplifiers, providing Left, Center, and Right screen audio channels, rated @ 35watt RMS per channel.

Ambient Amplification: Auditorium wall speakers driven by same amplifier normally used for optical sound, (see above).

Non-Sync Sound Sources:

Gramophone Records: Garrard type 4-SP record deck.
Cassette tapes: ITT SL54 tape deck.

Maintainance Arrangements:

Maintainance Contractor: The Westrex Company Ltd.
Service Engineer's name: Mr James Beahann.

Screen Size & Projection Distances

Sceen size including masked area: Width: 28ft. Height: 11ft 8ins. Audio transparent. Last Re-Spray Date: 27/10/71
Normal Picture size: Width: 16ft 4ins. Height: 10ft 8ins
CinemaScope Picture size: Width: 25ft 3ins. Height: 10ft 8ins
Screen Illumination value: 39foot-candles
Projection Rake: 10 degrees negative
Projection Throw to screen: 75ft
Height of Centre of Projection Ports from floor: 3ft 11 ins
Horizontal distance between projection ports: 5ft
Projection Room Dimensions: Width: 12ft 4ins, Depth: 12ft 2ins, Foor-to-Ceiling: 7ft 6ins.

Auditorium Specifications

Effective Height Of Procenium: 16ft
Effective Width Of Procenium: 20ft
Outside Width Of Procenium: 20ft
Width between front exits: 36ft 6ins.
Width of Auditorium at Procenium: 48ft.
Height of screen above floor: 6ft.
Height of edge of screen above stage: 2ft 9ins.
Sight line: Back row of stalls to top of picture: 74ft.
Sight line: Back row of balcony to bottom of picture: 74ft
Distance of Front row seats to procenium: 12ft.
Distance of Front row seats to screen: 16ft.
Distance of Back row stalls seats to screen: 69ft.
Distance of Back row balcony seats to screen: 70ft.
Average width of auditorium: 48ft.
Seating Capacity: Stalls: 523, Balcony: 230.

Auditorium Ancillary Equipment

Secondary Lighting: Wet-Cell Battery System
Central Heating: Oil-fired water boiler
Air Conditioning: Ozonaire Units, plus wall and roof-mounted extract fans.

Chief Projectionist: Mr Harry Grayson
Co-Chief Projectionist: Mr David Salmon
Assistant Projectionist: Mr Peter Rhodes

Ownership & Management, as at September 1978:

Cinema Owners: The Tower Picture Theatre (Hull) Ltd
Cinema Manager: Mr Nicholas Freeman

Can anyone please help me obtain a copy of this book which I believe is now out of print:

" Last Complete Performance: In Memory of Hull's Cinemas."

Compiled by Robert Curry

Published for the Local History Unit of Hull College, by the Hutton Press, 1992
ISBN 1 872167 36 5 - Priced: £6.95

Remembering The Tower Cinema is still in the research stages.

If anyone can help with information concerning this fine cinema,
or would like to share their own memories of The Tower - Please Contact Me.

Email Information

Some Interesting Links I Have Found

CLICK THIS LINK TO SEE MY PAGE ABOUT THE CECIL THEATRE - HULL

© 2002 David W Salmon

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