Side A: Bill Goodsell talking about the planning of the NHO. Includes: initial details of the planning of the Observatory without a defined site; problems encountered with the Foreign Office over La Palma; the project team, who did what, how they made their decisions, financial problems; practical problems on site in building the Observatory; co-operation with the Spanish and local workforce; comparison with the building of the Anglo-Australian Observatory. Interviewed on 23 June 1986. Duration: 31 minutes.

Side B: George Harding talking about the scientific planning of the NHO. Includes: his background to joining the project team; details of the team; the choosing of telescopes and instruments for La Palma; design problems regarding which buildings to include; the practical problems of establishing the site; the international nature of the project and its effect on the scientific planning. Interviewed on 29 Jan. 1986. Duration: 47 minutes.