The big equipment move of Elstree to Halifax
- Published
- October, 2023
After storing equipment at Elstree Screen Arts Academy for many years, the Projected Picture Trust have now begun and performed a majority of the move of this equipment to our main storage area and base at Dean Clough Mills, Halifax.
The images below show pictures of the move - from the full storage area at Elstree Screen Arts Academy, to the equipment sorted and stored at Dean Clough Mills, Halifax.
Elstree storage area
The first set below show the storage area in the basement of Elstree Screen Arts Academy, first before the move filled with film projectors and other equipment, and then after the move.
Various BT-H, Kalee and other film projectors at Elstree.
Various BT-H, Kalee and other film projectors at Elstree.
The empty storage at Elstree, after the move to Dean Clough.
The empty shelves at Elstree, after the move to Dean Clough.
Arrival at Halifax
Below the images show the lorry arriving at Dean Clough, filled with treasures from a century of cinema history. All equipment is stored, and transported on pallets for easy transportation, so the next task was to unload and move into the basement area of Dean Clough.
How many models of projector can you spot and recognise from the pictures below?
The arrival of the lorry at Dean Clough Mills, guided in by Nigel Wolland.
The inside of the van from Elstree showing the right side. Visible are various film projectors, lamphouses and other cinema equipment.
The inside of the van from Elstree showing the left side. Visible are various film projectors, lamphouses and other cinema equipment.
Transporting the equipment
Under careful direction of the PPT's Dean Clough Coordinator, Dion Hanson, the equipment started coming off the lorry. From there it had to go through a corridor, onto a lift, and into the basement, where the team had cleared and made space previously.
Nigel Wolland, moving a Philips lamphouse and another film projector.
Tom Harris and Dion Hanson moving a projector on a base with a Peerless Magnarc.
Alex Cooper (left) and Jacob Pearson (right) moving a Ross London film projector to the basement of Dean Clough.
All shapes and sizes
It wasn't just standard 35mm film projectors being transported either - there were also some interesting narrow gauge equipment, two pallets of 35mm films, a 70mm capable Cinemeccanica Victoria 8 and a Kalee modified to run horizontal VistaVision!
Jacob Pearson (left) and Alex Cooper (right), moving a Cinemeccanica Victoria 8 with 70mm capabilities as well as a mag penthouse.
Nigel Wolland, with a Kalee projector modified to run horizontal VistaVision using a series of prisms and mirrors.
Two pallets containing many 35mm films in cans. Also visible at the back is a Kalee projector.
A good days work
What was an empty area of our storage basement at Dean Clough is now filled with the UK’s cinema history. Well done to everyone who helped, including: PPT Restoration Engineer Steve Rowley; PPT Curator Alex Cooper; PPT Chair Nigel Wolland; PPT committee member Allan Foster; PPT member Jacob Pearson, PPT Archivist Tom Harris; PPT member Symon Culpan; PPT member David Ferguson; PPT Halifax Coordinator Dion Hanson.
The storage area in Dean Clough, before the move of equipment from Elstree. The shelves are empty and space is ready for equipment to be loaded in.
The storage area in Dean Clough, now full of equipment from Elstree.
Some of the volunteers that participated in the Elstree move. From left to right: Steve Rowley, Alex Cooper, Nigel Wolland, Allan Foster, Jacob Pearson, Tom Harris, Symon Culpan.
Cinema themed mugs: a Bell Theatre Services mug; a THX mug; a Jacro mug.
