In terms of BBC 1 a number of programmes were broadcast as colour test transmissions from Crystal Palace only, IIRC. One of them was "Dad's Army". In those days the continuity was generally national, so viewers across the UK were told that the next programme would be available in colour in the London area on channel 26. Because of the regional nature of ITV any colour promotion was only done in a short period before colour was introduced in that region. Even then many regional programmes remained black-and-white only even after the UHF service was introduced. Border TV's first colour transmissions from Caldbeck officially started on 1st September 1971, the station's 10th birthday. But, although the local studios had colour telecine equipment, the cameras at Carlisle were monochrome. Lookaround and other local studio programmes were monochrome until July 1973. That, incidentally, is why the first UK-wide transmissions of "Mr and Mrs" with Derek Batey were recorded in Newcastle and billed as a "Tyne-Tees/Border Colour Co-Production".
BTW, Grampian started UHF transmissions in early September 1971 but all programmes, including network ones, were still black-and-white until Grampian celebrated its tenth birthday at the end of the month.
Colour was "pushed" in the sense that sports commentators would say, for instance, if you're watching in colour Manchester City are in the blue shirts. But continuity announcers, even into the 80s, were more likely to flag up non-colour programmes. As on Border one time....."and now our afternoon film "Red River", which was made in black-and-white".
Last edited by RJG on 11 August 2013 4:50pm