Morris Model FE Pye outside broadcast van used by ABC-TV Channel 2 ABN

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Type: Vans
Date: 1955 - 1956
Place: England; Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Gore Hill, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Materials: Glass, Metal - non specific, Plastic - non specific, Rubber
Collection: Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) collection no. 1
Accession number: 1985.0050.0611.001

Description

A Morris Model FE Pye outside broadcast van used by Australian Broadcasting Corporation Television (ABC-TV). The van is predominantly metallic blue, with a white flash along both sides, and a white roof. "ABC TV" is painted in red across the front, above the sun visor over the four-panel windscreen, and "ABC TELEVISION / Channel 2 ABN" is painted on both of the sides. It is fitted-out as a complete mobile broadcasting studio for black and white television. Engine No 11364698 M, Model 5 KCFE / 3E. Chassis No 10225. Commonwealth vehicle registration number C 81765.

This van was used at the first ABC television broadcast which took place at 7pm on 5 November 1956. The broadcast included footage filmed by the outside broadcast van at Kings Cross, Sydney. A ceremony was held to launch the ABC's television service, ABN Channel 2, which was attended by Prime Minister Robert Menzies and the Leader of the Opposition, Dr Herbert Evatt. Just two weeks later, two ABC broadcast vans, including this one, covered the Melbourne Olympic Games. The van continued in operation up until 1975.

About the collection

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) collection no. 1 consists of 1170 objects relating to the history of television and radio broadcasting in Australia since ABC radio first went to air on 1 July 1932. The collection contains technical equipment and archival material including studio control panels and console desks, cameras, radios, musical instruments, gramophones, headphones, microphones, audio records, manuals, ephemera relating to the 'Argonauts' club and other documentation. The ABC's first Outside Broadcast van is the largest object in the collection and one of the most significant, having been used to televise the first ABC broadcast on 5 November 1956. The material came to the National Museum from the ABC's studios in Sydney. It has national relevance as it was used to broadcast news and entertainment across the country. Thousands of outside broadcasts were made from news, community and sports events using this equipment. The van was restored in time to be displayed at the Sydney Olympics and film the visit of Queen Elizabeth II to the site of the National Museum in 2000.

Read live from the Museum's Collection API (12/11/2026, 4:58:27 am). Record last updated by the Museum 2026-07-15. Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/.