Category: Campus

SK Campus Aerial Film: 1987

In 1987, the University of London Audio-Visual Centre (ULAVC) made a film called Not Just Another University. All of the 16mm footage was shot by the centre, which included this aerial footage, seen here in its uncut form.

Because I was making a video that would benefit from such footage, they kindly gave to me all of the material that they’d shot from a helicopter above Imperial and the surrounding area. The transfer wasn’t brilliant, but it’s better than not having it. The ULAVC opened in 1968 but was shut down in 1991, so it was fortunate that I was given this footage for our archive collection.

Note that at this time there is no medical school building, and that Dalby Court is still the splendid area of green and with trees too all prior to the Faculty Building (“Blue Box”). And of course it’s still the original main entrance and with Southside and Linstead buildings too. A lot has changed since this was filmed.

Colin Grimshaw June 2026

C&G Pedal Car Race: 1982

In February 1982, STOIC’s Mike Hackett ventured into the coldest Prince’s Gardens to discuss pedal cars. It was City and Guilds who were in training for the Bristol Pedal Car Race. Sadly, I can’t find any details of the end result, so we are left not knowing how well C&G did. The photo on the left is from Felix, dated 1980. The very last Felix reference to “pedal cars” was in 1984, so maybe it just disappeared from student life, like lots of traditional Imperial events seem to have. If you know better, please let me know.

Anyway, enjoy this STOIC archive interview with Tim Bell from City and Guilds and watch some rare colour footage of the pedal cars in action.

 

Colin Grimshaw April 2026

STOIC News & What’s On: 1979

This time I have an item that doesn’t really have a story attached to it. I thought it would be interesting to hear the news and what’s-on for a specific time in Imperial’s life. In this snapshot from 3 October 1979 Mark Foley is presenting the item that was within that particular week’s News-Break programme. Only item mentioned of particular interest to STOIC was the cable laying to provide an outlet link to Beit Hall (whatever happened to that link I wonder?).

Colin Grimshaw – Christmas Day 2025

Studying for the Future: 1985

For the 1985 “Technology 2000” exhibition held at Imperial College, two videos were produced: Studying for the Future and Discovering the Future. Both made use of the same visual stock-footage material, such as teaching, research, and campus footage. Studying for the Future was a promotional video for potential undergraduates. I’ve managed to colour-correct and enhance the 40-year-old videotape.

A lot of what you’ll see in this video has long gone—for example, the old main entrance, the college shop, the Reactor Centre, and the TV Studio. However, as I’ve said, it wonderfully captures what Imperial looked and felt like all those years ago. My memories are of a nicer, much happier and friendlier place back then, when people knew each other.

How much do you remember of the old place? Indeed, are you featured in the video, let me know?

Colin Grimshaw – December 2025

Freshers’ Fair: 1982

Two years before today’s video was made, STOIC was still operating in black and white. So, it’s a pleasure to release this 1982 video in colour. Lawrence Windley went around Freshers’ Fair and spoke to a few people taking part. And we once again meet Tim Bell from City and Guilds, who appeared in a previous video all about Pedal Cars. Some of the freshers do look a little dazed, I must say. Maybe the afternoon was a little too early for them, or perhaps the cheap beer was kicking in?

Colin Grimshaw April 2025

Ethos Opening: 2006

I’ve managed to save this video before it was lost forever. It is one of many videos that were hosted on the old video server previously used on the College’s website. I had just asked what had happened to the old server when I was informed that it was about to be fully decommissioned and scrapped within a few months.

Fortunately, common sense had already prevailed, and YouTube was accepted as the most obvious platform for uploading videos, leaving the old server unused. These early videos were in a variety of different formats, including RealPlayer and Windows Media. Transcoding this particular video from the RealPlayer format into a format compatible with YouTube was an almost impossible task. The image resolution is not great, but it’s the best I could achieve.

The video shows the opening of the Ethos Sports Centre in 2006. I haven’t been able to find any general photos that might have been taken, so only the video remains. A notable attendee was Sir Roger Bannister, whom I was pleased to meet after his speech.

Colin Grimshaw March 2025

Imperial Concert Band: 1986

A regular feature on the Imperial calendar was the appearance of the Imperial Wind Band, but as in this video, it had just been renamed as the Imperial Concert Band. Strangely though, back some 10 years (Felix advert above) in 1976 they were called the Imperial College Wind Ensemble. Maybe changing some instruments required a name change?

Andy Mitchell spoke with Don Monro about all of this just after a performance had been given in the original Mech Eng main entrance. Right at the end we get to see the 1985 performance of the 1812 overture on the steps of the Queens Tower recorded in colour.

Colin Grimshaw February 2025

 

Silwood Park unseen footage: 1981

Back in 2010 I posted a blog about Silwood Park and I included the small joint documentary that we made between STOIC and the TV Studio. In a recent batch of tapes being digitised I found a short promotional clip for the documentary that Tracy Dudley (Poole) had made; the clip was in an edition of News-Break on 29 April 1981 . The interesting thing about this clip is that there are shots that were not used in the final edited version that’s linked up above.

So, let’s go back some 43 years to see that short footage, unseen until now.

 

Colin Grimshaw December 2024

Inter-CCU Swimming Gala: 1986


In February 1986 STOIC reporter Mark Salisbury left the warmth of the TV Studio to venture over to the Sports Centre in Prince’s Gardens North Side. The advert in Felix (up above) shows what the event was all about. Sadly there are no interviews with anyone taking part.

What you’re seeing is of course the old original sports centre which was pulled down and replaced by Ethos which was opened in April 2006. For an indication of the changes to the pool have a look at Varsity Day 2008 which we recorded at Ethos on 27 February 2008.

Colin Grimshaw October 2024

Degrees of Excellence: 1984

Sadly I have very little to say about this recent rediscovery. It’s a film made by the British Council for showing overseas. Clearly it’s a promotion for UK Universities and four places are featured: The University of Edinburgh; The University of Warwick; The Polytechnic (as was) of Brighton and Imperial College. At the time, I had no idea this was being shot and only knew about it when a videotape of the film was deposited with the TV Studio. The only Imperial person I can identify in it is Prof. Brian Hartley (16 April 1926 – 3 May 2021), who was in Biochemistry. He appeared in a video that I previously posted about, when he came into the TV Studio to talk to STOIC about the Interferon Pilot Plant.

Although not credited, I’m sure that the commentary is by actor Keith Barron.

Colin Grimshaw May 2024