Radio – Page 45 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Jock Gallagher blog

Considering the glorious sound and fury the network radio team created at Pebble Mill down the years, I’m sorry that there are so few contributions from the wireless wonders.

I was editor and then Head of Network Radio for the best part of twenty years (1970-89), and I can recall an astonishing array of talent that passed through the radio studios both in front of and behind the mic. When I started with the Beeb in 1966 (pre Pebble Mill), I worked in the Broad Street newsroom for the fiercesome Glaswegian Jack Johnston and was regularly saved from his wrath by Roy Ronnie and Sam Shaw! Despite Jack’s attempt to fire me, I survived and thrived well enough to climb the greasy pole and had a key part in the move into Pebble Mill in 1970. In fact, when Alan Rees (Head of the Centre at the time) became ill, I got lumbered with the whole fandango of the royal opening of the building.

So…I have a shedload of memories but is there anyone out there who wants to hear them?

It would be nice to hear from some of the old school but I warn you, I won’t need too much encouragement to shout my mouth off!

Jock Gallagher (Pebble Mill from the beginning until 1989)

Radio Birmingham & WM, Christmas memories – Pete Simpkin

Here is a podcast from presenter and producer Pete Simpkin reminiscing on diverse experiences of working over Christmas on Radio Birmingham and Radio WM.

Andy Walters left the following comment on the Facebook page: ‘It’s not that much different today. This years WM Carol service was recorded last Monday. I have fond memories of being sat in what became known as Area 3 in Pebble Mill devouring Producers tins of sweets as they were bought in.’

Asian Programme Unit – photos by Peter Poole

Lisa Sommerville

Karen Hewson

Lisa Sommerville and Karen Hewson. Photos by Peter Poole, no reproduction without permission.

Lisa and Karen were production assistants working in The Asian Unit. This department produced TV and radio programmes for the Asian community. I remember working on the radio programme which was in Urdu. The producer and presenter was Waseem. I had to rely on hand signals for playing the discs and tapes. I then did the edit under Waseem’s guidance. I always enjoyed working with Asian Unit. They were a great team and very nice people.

Peter Poole

Here are a couple of comments from the Facebook page:

Tariq Azis: I remember Lisa and Karen well..they would tolerate me and my sister when we were loitering around the office, I was probably around 10 at the time…they’re exactly as I remember them in these photos!

Jayne Savage: Karen now runs the very successful Westbury Park Guest House in Bristol.

Cartoons of Pete Simpkin – Radio Birmingham

‘Good Company’ OB to the Saddlers Centre

Rolf Harris cartoon of Pete

Yoga on the Radio

Radio Birmingham producer/presenter Pete Simpkin has three cartoons of himself from when he worked at Pebble Mill. The first relates to an OB he did for the Afternoon show ‘Good Company’, from the Saddlers Centre, Walsall. The second was drawn by Rolf Harris whilst Pete interviewed him, and the third is about the famous ‘Yoga by Radio’ which was pioneered on Radio Birmingham.

Radio WM – photos by Philip Morgan

Photos by Philip Morgan, no reproduction without permission.

Here are some photos by Philip Morgan of Radio WM, taken in November 2004, at the viewing before the auction to sell off all the Pebble Mill fixtures and fittings, before the building was demolished.

I particularly like the sign for ‘Radio Birmingham 206’ pinned up by the clock.

Andy Walters, adds the following information: ‘There is still some equipment in use today that has those BBC Radio Birmingham stickers on. I don’t think any of that kit was included in the auction as it was being used for projects on the days of the auction. The Mk. 3 desks were taken away for spares by BBC Radio Lincolnshire. The pictures look to be of Area 3 (phone in room) and Area 2 (WM self-op studio) on the first floor. Hard to believe but there are still some stations using Mk 3’s today and there are still shelves of Mk 3 spares in the Mailbox for these stations. They were built like brick out houses.’