===Background===
'''Thames Television''' (commonly simplified to just '''Thames''') was the second [[ITV1|ITV]] franchise holder serving London and its surrounding areas on weekdays. It was formed from a "shotgun marriage" between [[ABC Television]] and [[Rediffusion London]], and started broadcasting on 30 July 30, 1968. Over the years, Thames became highly regarded inside the ITV network for its consistently high-quality programming, which included shows like ''The Benny Hill Show'', ''The Kenny Everett Video Show'' and ''The Avengers'', and (through its animation subsidiary [[Cosgrove Hall Films|Cosgrove Hall Productions]]) a variety of cartoons like ''Chorlton and the Wheelies'', ''The Wind in the Willows'', ''Danger Mouse'' and ''Count Duckula''.
Amidst the passing of the Broadcasting Act 1990, Thames' broadcasting license was withdrawn, and the network was replaced on 1 January 1993 by [[Carlton Television]] after the auction-style 1991 franchise round (interestingly, Carlton had already made two unsuccessful attempts to outbid Thames beforehand). Afterwards, Thames continued on solely as a [[Thames (1968-2006)|production company]].
{{ImageTOC
|Thames without London.png|1st Logo (30 July 30, 1968-1969)
|Thames11.jpeg|2nd Logo (15 November 15, 1969-July 1989)
|Thames XXI 1989.png|3rd Logo (31 July-1 31-September 1, 1989)
|ITV (UK) - CLG Wiki G.jpg|4th ID (4 September 4, 1989-1 November 1, 1991)
|Thames Television 1990.png|5th ID (3 September 3, 1990-31 December 31, 1992)
|Thames26.jpeg|6th ID (31 December 31, 1992)
}}
===1st Logo (30 July 30, 1968-1969)===
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
Thames (1968).png
'''Technique:''' Live-action effects.
'''Audio:''' A loud eight-note horn fanfare, known as the "Salute to Thames", composed in the key of F major by Johnny Hawksworth. The first four notes would be played on a tenor saxophone (the fourth one sounds like a duet with another instrument), and the last four notes would either be played on a trumpet or a French horn.
'''Audio Variant:''' A re-arranged version of the fanfare was also used.
'''Audio Demo Variants:''' According to the TVArk website, a test version of the animation was discovered on a Thames demo videotape from 1967 with twenty-two separate tunes dubbed onto the animation, including predecessor ABC Weekend's chime tune; several variants of what would eventually become the standard Thames logo music in 1968 were also used.
===2nd Logo ( 15 November 15, 1969-July 1989)=== ▼
'''Availability:''' It is preserved on sites such as the aforementioned TVArk.
▲===2nd Logo (15 November 1969-July 1989)===
<tabber>
Images=
** Everett was also responsible for an "adult" version of the logo, which replaced the buildings with a multitude of women's breasts. This was only seen on a fake promo at the beginning of an episode.
* A variation similar to Everett's was used at the end of Thames' 1984 Christmas tape, with another person bursting through the logo, uttering "Shoulda made this at [[Tyne Tees Television|Tyne Tees]], man. Goin' down the bus club, get some proper tunes".
* In 1980, a special version of this ident was used to introduce ''The Dick Emery Hour'': the logo played as normal, then the camera zoomed in on the dome of St. Paul's Cathedral. Emery's buck-toothed vicar character then stepped out from behind the columns and welcomed viewers to "an hour of comedy and music". Oddly enough, onOn this version, the reflection of the "THAMES" lettering at the bottom of the screen does not fade away.
'''Technique:''' Live-action effects. The picture of the Thames skyline was designed by Minale Tattersfield.
'''Audio Trivia:''' The theme to this logo appears in the first episode of the Netflix series ''Neo Yokio''.
'''Availability:''' It has been preserved on websites like TV-ARK. It is also usually preserved on reruns of some Thames shows.
'''Legacy:''' This is a fondly remembered logo to a generation of British TV fans who grew up with television during this time.
===3rd Logo (July 31,-September 1, 1989)===
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
Thames XXI 1989.png
{{YouTube|id=ANT0kL3GiC0}}
'''Visuals:''' Against a black background, a triangular shape rises into view from the centre of the screen. As it reveals itself, it looks somewhat like an upside-down Christmas tree shape (two triangles joined together), and the upper triangle has an abstract version of the Thames waterfront scenery against a {{color|blue}} skyline. The lower one is {{color|gold}} in colour, and contains the words "{{color|gold|THAMES XXI}}" ("XXI" is the Roman numeral for 21). As the logo rises, it too has a reflection, though it does not last when it is completely formed.
'''Technique:''' Computer-generated animation, which is a modernisation of Thames' "Rising Buildings" design.
'''Audio:''' An orchestral version of the Thames fanfare, with a newly-composed six-note ending. A continuity announcement would follow.
'''Availability:''' It was only seen in the United Kingdom as a special ident for Thames' twenty-first anniversary, but it's preserved on sites like TV-ARK.
===4th ID (4 September 4, 1989-1 November 1, 1991)===
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
ITV-File:Thames Television (1989 ).jpg |The river. (1989-1990)▼
ITV (UK) - CLG Wiki G.jpg|The finished product. (1989-1990)
▲ITV-Thames Television 1989.jpg
File:Thames Television (1990).jpg||The river. (1990-1991)
ITV-Thames Television 1989.jpg|The finished product. (1990-1991)
</gallery>
'''Visuals:''' On a black background, a gray "river" is seen. On top of the river is the symbol from the previous logo and below it is "''{{Font|serif|THAMES TELEVISION}}''" in the Palatino font. The logo then wavers and disperses into the river, and in its place, various images of ITV shows fly by from the right to the left, such as the Elizabeth Tower, a white bird, a basketball player, etc. As these images fly by, the letters "{{Font|Times New Roman|'''I'''}}" and "{{Font|Times New Roman|'''T'''}}", followed by half of the letter "{{Font|Times New Roman|'''V'''}}", fade in one by one. Finally, a vertical triangle appears in place of the other half of the "V", containing the London landmarks against a blue background, with three wavy blue lines below representing the river Thames, and the bottom section of the triangle in {{color|darkorange|dark orange}}. The river fades out.
'''Variants:'''
*Thames unveiled a new triangle logo on September 3, 1990 and consequently incorporated it into a second version of its ITV logo, which was used only before networked shows until October of 1991.
* Sometimes, ''ORACLE 888'' would appear underneath the logo for programmes featuring subtitles.
* A still version also exists, which was used in some junctions.
'''Technique:''' A mix of live-action and computer animation effects, designed by English Markell Pockett.
See [[ITV|ITV]] for descriptions.
'''Audio:''' A rather airy synthesised flute theme that culminates in a 5-note trumpet fanfare, sometimes with the flute echoing at the end. Composed by David Dundas as an ITV jingle. A continuity announcement may be used, as well. The jingle was adopted from the [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIB6chUUu5I full theme.]
'''Legacy:''' This logo is a favourite of many UK logo enthusiasts.
===5th ID (3 September 3, 1990-31 December 31, 1992)===
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
Thames Television 1990.png
{{YouTube|id=mfNdmrL6xbA}}
'''Visuals:''' The camera goes through a three-dimensional image of London. As it pans away, one of the buildings "fades" into the ident, which is now on top of a {{color|blue}} triangle. On the triangle are the words "THAMES TELEVISION" in a Friz Quadrata font. The background is again a skyline.
'''Trivia:''' This ident was originally seen before local programmes, but was eventually used before all programmes from 4 November 1991 to 31 December 1992, following the announcement of Thames' franchise loss to Carlton on 16 October 1991.
'''Audio Variant:''' In December 1992, a more festive version of the fanfare was used, which was heard the last time this logo was seen.
===6th ID ( 31 December 31, 1992)=== ▼
'''Availability:''' This was also a London-only station identity, but it is preserved on sites like TV-ARK.
▲===6th ID (31 December 1992)===
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
Thames25.jpeg
[[Category:Fremantle]]
[[Category:Bertelsmann]]
[[Category:Logos with music by David Dundas]]
[[Category:Logos made by English & Pockett]]
|