June 2013 – Page 3 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Studio Operations (part 2) – Ray Lee

TM’s and EM’s

The studio engineers all worked to the TM’s (Technical Manager). Each studio day had a TM1, who was senior and looked after the studio lighting, and a TM2 who dealt with all the other technical issues, and liaised with the producer and director.

The TM1 was always in the lighting gallery, and the TM2 in the production gallery. Between them they were the final arbiters of technical quality during the production. TM2’s quite often acted as TM1’s and there were quite few movements in the early days, so I cannot be exactly sure who was in post at the time (mid 1970s). Bob Gell and Barry Hill were the main TM1’s, joined soon by Dick Bentley together with TM2’s who I think were Bob Chaplin, Derek Price, John Jevons and later Ron Irvine. They were joined later by George Allen and Barry Chatsfield. (who moved from being a Cameraman to TM fairly early on as I recall).

The two EM’s (Engineering Managers) at that time were Gordon White and John Endall. They were in charge of all technical planning of O.B.’s . Normally only one EM would be allocated to an OB. as there was rarely any major lighting to be done.

Ray Lee

Studio A lighting gallery

Midlands Today Running Order

This running order is for the Midlands Today lunch time news from 10 Oct 1995. Kay Alexander was the presenter.

Thanks to Peter Poole for sharing this running order.

Motor Show

The British International Motor Show was held in Birmingham between 1976 and 2004. The Motoring Unit recorded Motor Show specials from the show at the NEC.

Thanks to VT editor, Ian Collins for making this grab from the titles available.

Peter Simpkin added the following comment on the Pebble Mill Facebook group:

‘There were several years Motor Shows in the 80s when the BBC went really overboard with coverage, especially Radio, where we at Radio WM shared an enormous stand /studio with Network. My afternoon show live was sandwiched between something on Radio 4 and afterwards the John Dunn Show on R2. All the changeovers were quite hairy with network and local staff doing ‘hot’ changes as news bulletins were on from the appropriate studios. I had been running my show with the huge doors to the audience wide open. Dear John a really true pro but a bit shy I think, expressed surprise as we changed chairs and said that he would not like to be quite so close to the crowd and asked me to close the glass doors as I left the stage!’

VT Viewing

Photo from Tim Savage, no reproduction without permission.

The photo probably dates from the early 1980s, judging by all the 2″ tapes on the shelves, the 1″ machine on the left, and Mike Bloore’s hair! It includes, left to right: VT editor, Mike Bloore; VT editor, Tim Savage; Trudy Stanton, Tony Wolfe, Lynne Morris (graphics). It looks like the viewing of a programme, probably Pebble Mill at One in VT B.

The Queen visits Pebble Mill

Photo by Keith Brook, no reproduction without permission.

The Queen visited Pebble Mill to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the building’s opening, in 1981.

Her majesty is accompanied by Jim Dumighan, immediately on her right, with Head of Network Production, Phil Sidey, further to the right. Ian Trethowan, the Director General, is 2nd on the right, next to the military man. The Queen is talking to cameraman Phil Wilson. Keith Bullock is by the window talking to Steve Pierson, with Sam from Make-up in the green smock, next to Guy from Design, with the red tie. Chris Harris is between Phil Sidey and Ian Trethowan, with the beard; possibly Ken Hodges next to Chris.

Please add a comment if you recognise the crew and others in the photo.

It was taken in the Foyer Studio, where Pebble Mill at One was transmitted from.

I have found this link on YouTube of some clips put together for the Queen’s visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iK7_cTHpip4

Thanks to everyone for helping identifying people in the photo.