Main menuBBC catalogue listing
View BBC catalogues and BBC sleeves.
Over the years the BBC has regularly sent out catalogues of their products to customers who were interested. In fact originally you could only get BBC Records (like the OP language series) by purchasing them direct! In the day I used to contact the BBC for a new catalogue, I would need to call them up giving my name and address, the BBC then sent me their latest catalogue. Below is a list of BBC catalogues I have retained from those times or have been able to purchase since.Some of the ones below were included in other releases, particularly the DVD ones below. Others I have also included below is where a BBC record had a special inner paper sleeve as they have a similar function - sell more records!
If you have any others not listed that you would like to sell, please contact me!
In the meantime, I have added some of the record generic sleeves as an optional extra!
New pages for 2021, I have now added a new set of pages to give more details. I will be adding additional pictures when I get time to scan them.
Other pages in this section
View BBC catalogues and BBC sleeves
BBC records catalogues
The entries here contain the main catalogue the BBC would send out to requestors. The picture on the front often featured something the BBC thought at the time would help to sell their records, often something that would pull in the crowds.Feel free to click on the pictures in this section for more details for the item.
BBC album inner sleeves
These inner sleeves only got printed in 1976 to celebrate the BBC's 40th anniversary.Feel free to click on the pictures in this section for more details for the item.
Side a 1972 | Side b 1972 |
Side a 1972 | Side b 1972 |
BBC single paper sleeves
These paper single sleeves were used when either no picture sleeve was printed or where more vinyl records were produced than the original sleeve (maybe due to the vinyl being reissued.)Feel free to click on the pictures in this section for more details for the item.
Version 1 1970 | Version 2 1971 |
Version 3 1974 | Version 4 1976 |
Version 5 1984 |
BBC 10'' paper sleeves
These paper single sleeves were used to cover records which were contained in a boxed set from the 1950s and 1960s.Feel free to click on the pictures in this section for more details for the item.
Version 1 1956 | Version 2 1962 |
BBC Transcription Disc cardboard sleeves
These sleeves were never issued to the general public, they have a plastic film inner sleeve attached to the outer card sleeve to try to keep the record as clean as possible between uses.Feel free to click on the pictures in this section for more details for the item.
BBC Radio Collection and BBC Audiobooks catalogues
Like the main catalogues above, these were printed to try to sell more. They were originally for BBC cassettes (often two in one pack) but later also included the CD's.Feel free to click on the pictures in this section for more details for the item.
BBC Sound Effects catalogues
The first one in this set is a bit more unusual as the records listed were also contained in the main catalogues. I guess the BBC thought that having separate one would help to sell in a more niche market of home video production? The other two relate to CD's.Feel free to click on the pictures in this section for more details for the item.
BBC sound effects catalogue 1982 | BBC sound effects catalogue 1988 |
BBC sound effects catalogue 1991 |
BBC Sound Effects cardboard and plastic sleeves
These were never released to the general public. Many of the card sleeves were never kept when the BBC moved to digital media for the sound effects. The BBC plastic single covers are much more common. The card sleeves allowed BBC employees to sign the record out for a particular programme and then return it when finished - just like you would have for a library book in the past.Feel free to click on the pictures in this section for more details for the item.
Outer 7" card | Mono plastic 7'' cover |
Stereo plastic 7'' cover |
BBC Video and DVD catalogues
Never included in the main catalogue above, it makes sense for the BBC to have a separate video and DVD ones as often they were for different people.Feel free to click on the pictures in this section for more details for the item.
BBC Video catalogue 1985 | BBC Video catalogue 1988 |
BBC Video catalogue 1992 | BBC Video catalogue 1993 |
BBC Video catalogue 1998 | BBC comedy DVD catalogue 2005 |
BBC Doctor Who catalogues
Another (some might say) niche market only for Doctor Who fans this time.Feel free to click on the pictures in this section for more details for the item.
BBC film and video catalogues
I haven't seen many others of these catalogues, it allowed private groups and others to rent the films and videos to show from what I can see.Feel free to click on the pictures in this section for more details for the item.
BBC film catalogue 1972 | BBC film catalogue 1975 |
BBC film and video catalogue 1981 |
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© 2002-2025 Mike Everitt.This page was last updated on: 22-2-2025 16:46:52