October 2014 – Page 2 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Pebble Mill at One at Legoland

Photo copyright Roger Guest, no reproduction without permission.

These photos were taken at Legoland in Copenhagen. It was part of a Pebble Mill at One programme recorded in April – May 1983.

The team all travelled in a Patterson’s coach and included Steve Weddell, John Smith, Jane McLean, Marian Foster, Jack Rook, Mary Clyne, Mike Bloore, Dave Baumber, and myself.

The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Keith Brook (Scouse): ‘Mike Bloore is trying to figure out which end is which of the videotape!! The recorder was called a VR3000 if I remember rightly.
Ian Dewar and myself started that operation.’

Ray Lee: ‘Yes it was an Ampex VR3000 and had large rechargable batteries which might last for one tape if you were lucky. It produced a very basic monochrome playback, which really did little other than indicate something was on the tape. It was very noisy, as the head assembly was mounted on ball bearings, unlike the airbearings that were used in all the full size machines. Little chance of assessing sound quality, but maybe that was recorded separately on a timecode linked tape machine. I don’t know details of how it was used in the field, but did have to attempt to repair it a few times. ! Very quicly replaced by the VPR10 1″ machine for these type of productions.’

Jane Clement: ‘I seem to recall they went to Freetown Christiania as part of the trip – the big hippie commune in Copenhagen – is that right Steve N Weddle and Jane Mclean?’

Jane Mclean: ‘Oh just look at us Mike Bloore! Yes Jane, we did indeed and I was petrified. They had lots of huge dodgy dogs. I went for a wee under a bush and two dogs charged me midst flow. The owner stopped them just before they reached me by which time I was wrecked. Ian Dewar had to give me medicine from his hip flask.’

Steve Weddle: ‘Heavens yes, Christiania, the hippy commune right in the heart of Copenhagen which proclaimed itself a free state. As I was the nearest thing we had to a hippy – long hair and a duffle coat – I went in to hold discussions with their leaders to see if they would allow us to film in their break away state. They eventually agreed, giving me a promise that our safety was assured. As if! No sooner had we started filming than we were greeted by a break away faction brandishing sticks and bricks, demanding our immediate departure from the site, or else. A tense few minutes ensued until my contact there won the day and we were allowed to carry on filming. And good on John Smith for holding his nerve. Plus I do remember that incident of the dog in the daytime, Jane. I seem to recall the Danes having a weird thing for Alsatians. But that’s for another time!’

Artemis 81

Jenny Brewer on Artemis 81 from pebblemill on Vimeo.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

In this specially recorded video, Jenny Brewer, who worked as a production assistant in the 1970s and early 1980s, talks about some of the challenges of making the three hour, epic drama, by David Rudkin: Artemis 81.

The film was transmitted on 29th December 1981. The BBC genome project (digitised historic Radio Times entries), provides the following information about Rudkin’s drama:

A film by DAVID RUDKIN with Hywel Bennett
Dinah Stabb , Dan O’Herlihy featuring Sting and Anthony Steel, Margaret Whiting Roland Curram , Ingrid Pitt
A Danish museum case shattered, the pieces of a pagan statue hidden in cars on a North Sea ferry, the subsequent deaths of ferry passengers, an old musician terrified that a curse upon him will cause the devastation of the Earth.
Gideon Harlax, a successful young novelist of ‘ the paranormal and unexplained ‘, thinks he has found the material for a new book. But as Gideon coldly exploits human tragedies, angry powers from Man’s ancient past are gathering. Alien Planet Danish ferry Oxford library
Original music by DAVE GREENSLADE Passacaglia by GORDON CROSSE
Film cameraman DAVID JACKSON Film editor MIKE HALL Designer GAVIN DAVIES
Script editor ROGER GREGORY Producer DAVID ROSE
Director ALASTAIR REID

http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/e4712cf3ce794d8d9c47c637bf8dbadd

The following comment was left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Stuart Gandy: ‘I remember working on this in the dubbing theatre. Dave Baumber did a wonderful mix. It needed a lot of post-sync recording. A very interesting film, would love to see it again. I don’t think it was ever repeated.’

Country Tracks

Country Tracks was described as an offbeat countryside guide. There were several series of the show in the 1990s, with different presenters. These included Ray Mears and Pete McCarthy. The show had very high production values, and came out of John King’s department. Many of the team who worked on the series had come from The Clothes Show, like Kath Moore and Colette Foster.

I’m not sure which series of the show this titles grab is from.

Thanks to Ian Collins for sharing the grab.

The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Adam Trotman: ‘This was my first full on VT assistant job…. moving up the ranks to actually editing the later series…. was first called Tracks….. not sure why they added Country.’

Nicola Silk: ‘I directed on Country Tracks with Pete Mccarthy. title grab could be from 1998 or 1999 which was the last series. great programme to work on. It was under John King then later Andrew Thorman. The days when you never really saw the execs. no idea why they added the word Country either?’

Russell Parker: ‘I loved Pete McCarthy, was overjoyed to get to speak with him once, and cried like a girl when I heard he’d died.’

Robin Sunderland: ‘Always enjoyed shooting for tracks. Remember filming an owl once, on a very blustery day. Owner was reluctant to let it fly, but the director persuaded him. He let it go and the wind just carried it away ….we never saw it again! Oops!’

Graham Todd

Graham Todd’s partner, Beryl, has been in touch with Annie Gumbley Williams, about Graham’s sad passing. Graham aged 59, was a member of Comms Department for many years. Graham died last week, after a short stay in hospital. He was diagnosed with cancer early in 2012 but the chances of survival from it were very low. Beryl said they had a long time to come to terms with this and Graham has been amazing throughout.

If you would like details of funeral arrangements please add a comment here, and I will forward your contact details to Annie.

If anyone has photos of Graham (on his own or with others) that you don’t mind sharing please let me know, as Beryl would very much like to see them.

The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Paul Grice: ‘A brilliant and committed professional who was a pleasure to work with. Sad to see he has gone so young.’

Steve Dellow: ‘Sad news..enjoyed time with Graham in the old Comms Centre and out on OBs.’

Ruth Barretto: ‘I remember him when I worked for all the engineers, he was a true gent.’

Brian Johnson: ‘Shocked to hear such sad news, I worked with Graham a great deal in Comms, always a pleasure to work with.’

Little Red Book – Safety Regulations

Photo by Peter Poole, no reproduction without permission.

This little red book contained the BBC Safety Regulations for Engineering staff.

Thanks to Peter Poole for sharing his copy of the book.

The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Pete Simpkin: ‘Somewhere I have the big green folder containing among other things the correct balance and control settings for audio levels…. Obviously no longer issued!!’

Stuart Gandy: ‘I still have one of these too somewhere. Funnily enough I am at Wood Norton this week almost 35 years to the day that I started my BBC career there, where I was presented with the little red book!’

Alan Jessop: ‘Still got mine in the loft, you used to get a pack of new pages now and again with updated regs, you we’re suppose to replace updated pages and chuck the old ones!’

Malcolm Hickman: ‘Mine went west years ago, but I do have my Comms Data Sheets’

Ray Lee: ‘I think I’ve still got mine somewhere!’