"The Danson is actually of Italian design by a firm called SAFAR (Societa Anonima
Fabricazione Aparecchi Radiofonici). The original loudspeaker fret had
this moulded in. The original amplifier was based on side contact valves
(never common in the UK). Although the blurb talks of 'English type
valves' I suspect the amplifier pictured is Italian.

At some point in the mid 50s the 'Danson development company' went bust
and was bought by Beam-Echo (also responsible for Avantic HiFi gear)
they went over to using a British amplifier based around the Mullard 40
series valves. The panel then has 4 (I think) white control knobs. The
'SAFAR' decal was then removed from the loudspeaker fret. I suspect that
the whole projector was still bought in from Italy minus amplifier which
was then added in the UK. The model was then known as the 'Danson 540'

In around 1960 Beam Echo were bought by EMI and shut down. The 540s were
being sold off cheap around this time.

Danson is supposedly named after a local park."

Paul is a collector with projector and other interests; his website is www.schimmel.freeserve.co.uk.

UK Ampros are from two sources. US built 110v machines were sold under license in the UK with a transformer. These machines used the US line-up of valves, and a 110v lamp and motor.

UK built (Simplex-Ampro) 240v machines used 240v lamp and motor, and a different valve line-up (and circuit).

Simplex-Ampro 110v machines were also built in the UK (especially the later models) and these used the US voltage. There are slight but important discrepancies in sizes and parts between US-made machines and UK-made machines.

The pics are of a Stylist Major Mk1V, which is 110v UK made. It is silver, with all metal rollers and guides. The base box is much deeper than the standard Stylist, to accommodate a vastly improved amp unit, using a 110v transformer run with a 5Z4GT rectifier. Output is 2 x 6BW6, giving 12.5 watts undistorted. The mains transformer is even mounted on a swivel platform so that fields and hum can be reduced.

This machine has a greatly improved gate and swing pressure plate arrangement, making cleaning much easier. Also, the film path is improved at the sound head, simplifying loading. You can see the Mag head switch (control) in the pics – this lowers the head onto the film strip in a choice of two positions. This machine has the facility to record also, but this needed an external unit. The sound drum flywheel is a very heavy and finely balanced unit, which is covered on the non op side of the machine.

Dave reports the picture is very stable – and loss of bottom loop can be corrected without stopping. The audio has very much better wow and flutter etc than the standard Stylists.

Before these grey Stylist models came the Educational, which was I think brown, and the Premier (right).

BTH

A couple of shots of a BTH 452. There was a series of similar machines, going back at least as far as 401, and including ones with mag sound as well as optical. All were the same basic design, but with many detail differences. I have four, each with a different valve set. They have irritating mains connections, ranging from the B&H Jones plug type on the 452 to seven-pin speaker type on the earlier machines. The pin configuration on the Jones plug is not the same as B&H use. The seven pin type have me utterly confused, as each pin has its own wire, yet there can only be a max of 3 wires in from the mains (or is it 110v for some with extra wires in and out for a resistance?). Does anyone have the workshop manuals and/or circuit diagram? I really don't want to do more damage than time and neglect has already wrought

I am currently in the throes of trying to sort them all out. The amps all have the main section on rubber mounts to avoid projector vibrations affecting the sound, and are actually easy to remove once you figure it out - only about three screws and the entire unit lifts out.

I suppose a major part of the appeal of these machines is the decidedly eccentric layout. That curving film guide over the claw mechanism is not something I've seen anywhere else. A single-sprocket sound machine is also relatively unusual, with the lamp at the back reflected thru, as for many silent machines.

Chris McCabe has provided some useful info on these projectors:-

"The 452 was a mains voltage machine; the 450 and 451 (mag/optical with the extra preamps in a wooden
plinth) were 110v.  The Belling Lee 7 pin plug assembly was needed because not only did the transformer case supply 110v for the motor and lamp, but also the entire exciter and amplifier voltages, including a U52 rectifier valve in the case. Therefore, the projector main unit is not self contained. Unfortunately these power supplies are usually missing. I have a nice 451 in this condition. If you come across such a power pack spare please let me know. I do have the technical data and service book for the 450 series around somewhere if you like I will try to find it if you want the pin connections. Obviously one can lash up the machine to run motor and lamp from 110v just to see the wheels go round and the other circuitry could be provided but frankly although the machines look nice and contain a lot of engineering (like the gear driven fan!!!!) the results can easily be bettered by a 601."

This is a superb pic of an earlier model, courtesy Ron Ashton.