Bob Langley on location in Italy
(This memory is of an incident which occurred in the 1970s, when Jane Mclean was working on autocue on ‘Pebble Mill at One’).
The one and only time I ever saw Bob Langley lose his rag was when I had altered the autocue/loo roll so much that it was too thick to go through the machine and stuck. Too much for Bob who couldn’t speak his own name without autocue – bless!! – so when autocue stopped, so did he!!
Jane Mclean
(photo by Ian Collins)
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.’
In Birmingham in the mid 60’s the BBC had offices and studios scattered
across the city including:
Carpenter Road, Edgbaston was the HQ for the region. The site for the building is now a housing estate. In the grounds you also found the Film Unit and the Outside Broadcast Garage.
In the 60’s the Midlands Region operated two TV OB Units and associated communications vehicles, and three radio OB units.
Further down the road there was a former church (cannot find the name of it)
which was the base for the ‘Midlands Light Orchestra’. See
http://www.turnipnet.com/mom/bbcmlo.htm for detailed history.
Dave Kirkwood
Radio Birmingham producer and presenter, Pete Simpkin remembers the Church Studio, ‘I am certain it became the home of Zella Records under the ownership of Johnny Haynes and gave many local groups the chance to get on disc. I produced a Malc Stent Album there in the 80s.’
Photos by Ian Collins, no reproduction without permission.
These photos date from April 1974. They may have been taken during a skiing holiday organised by some of the VT engineers. The photos include John Duckmanton (brown coat and with camera), Mike Day (in brown sweater) and Tony Newbury (just peeping out from behind John). Please add a comment if you can add information about the trip and location.
Photos by Peter Poole, no reproduction without permission.
I took these photos about 1980. I worked with Andrew in the Dubbing Theatre and Film Transfer Suite. He later became a Studio Manager at The World Service. Then he became a Radio Producer working at Bush House and Broadcasting House. After leaving the BBC he was ordained. He is now the Canon Chancellor at Exeter Cathedral.
Peter Poole