The Mobile British Cinemas Of 1960s.

In the early 1960s the realisation was dawning - on some at least - that Britain needed to do a bit more in the way of innovation, in the application of science, engineering, industrial organisation and related policy in order to keep abreast of the competition from Europe and from emerging markets like Japan.

Indeed, perhaps the best known quotation from Harold Wilson, Britain’s Prime Minister from 1964-70 and 1974-76 came in October 1963 when talking about scientific and technical change and the need to embrace it, rather than resist it.

You can see elements of this, arguably, in the advances made by Britain’s motor industry – the Mini, BMC 1100, Rover’s ideas for a turbine powered car, in aerospace (Concorde was conceived at this time, for example) and in the railways, with electrification and advanced diesel locomotives. Wilson became Prime Minister a year later, and part of his programme was to build on this thought, and commit to develop a wider and deeper industrial strategy.

The UK Ministry of Technology role inluded promoting latest and best practices in industrial techniques and processes to British industry. What better way than to have a mobile cinema and lecture space?

The idea first turned into practice in 1963, with the prototype, which featured the dramatic dome over the cab, and which housed the projection equipment.

The mobile cinema was based on a 1966 Bedford SB coach chassis, which dated from 1950 and remained in production, until 1987, albeit in small numbers and largely for export of markets in developing nations.