Category: Building

The Pebble Mill Building

Children in Need – Steve Cram and Alan Towers

Steve Cram & Marie Phillips

Marie Phillips & Alan Towers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photos from Marie Phillips, no reproduction without permission.

‘Children in Need’ has enjoyed some high profile supporters over the years.  In these photos Pebble Mill ‘Children in Need’ co-ordinator, Marie Phillips, is joined by middle distance runner, Steve Cram, and Midlands Today presenter, Alan Towers.

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

Ruth Kiosses: “Guessing this was c1990 because if the plain blocks under Pudsey? The following year the blocks were coloured ! Sad to know this info but I remember the sweatshirts I bought each year. Still got my Pudsey on this design 22 years old and still taken into school every November!”

Marie Phillips: “Gosh Ruth, well remembered ! This was an athletics event at Alexandra Stadium where we were invited to take CIN merchandise to sell and Alan Towers was there to help with promotion and Steve Cram came over to the Stall – can’t remember if he bought anything but he attracted a crowd who did!”

Ruth Kiosses: “I started PM in 1990 and I knew that it was the first sweatshirt I bought! Loved CIN the busiest week of the year in Wardrobe. Light entertainment stuff arriving in van loads, long hours, but great fun. Loved doing the OB from the front lawn always such a great atmosphere.”

Marie Phillips: “I retired in 1998 Ruth, but as every November arrives I remember those nights – such fun, such hard work, such adrenalin and then twice a year being so proud to be able to allocate the fruits of all the effort. Hapy, happy days.”

CMCR6 – Birmingham’s first colour scanner

Gosta Green Studios – cutting c/o Gail Herbert

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first colour scanner (CMCR) in Birmingham was CMCR 6 which was based at the OB base which was then at Carpenter Road, Edgbaston.

It was equipped with 5 EMI 2001 colour cameras which had the lens within the body of the camera. 4 of the cameras were used normally and the other was used as a spare and for parts to repair the others.

BBC Birmingham did not have a Colour TV studio before Pebble Mill opened in 1971.  The BBC had a studio at the Cinema in Gosta Green in Aston.  It was fitted out in the days of black & white and during the late 60s until Pebble Mill opened CMCR6 would be used part of the week to produce Dramas or Drama series in colour.

I think that CMCR6 was at Gosta Green on a Wednesday & Thursday each week and would then go and do a Match of the Day or other OBs returning on Tuesday for the rig for the drive in.

CMCR 6 was moved to Kendal Avenue in the 1970s and replaced in Birmingham with CMCR 9 which had Philips PC80 Cameras. This meant that the cameras in the Studios at Pebble Mill and the ones on the OB unit were different which caused problems with maintenance, spares etc.

John Duckmanton

Marvin’s Credits

Photo by Tim Savage. Marvin is on the far right!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marvin’s credit on Track One. Grab from Keith Brook.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VT editors are a singular breed, and sometimes curiously attached to inanimate objects! The VPR2 machine in VTC was affectionately known as ‘Marvin’. Presumably after ‘Marvin the paranoid android’ in ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’. Not only was ‘Marvin’ the machine, named, but he was also credited – on at least one, and possibly on more programmes, for his creative efforts.  ‘Marvin’ is the machine on the extreme right of top photo – not a very good shot of him!

‘Marvin’s’ credit was on ‘Track One’ a regional programme for the discerning younger audience. The credits for VT read: ‘Marvin – Mike Bloore – Ivor the Engine’ in that order. So Marvin got top billing as well!!  Keith was the director of that episode, produced by Keith Haley, with executive producer, Mike Fitzgerald. (Thanks to Keith Brook for this information, and the grab!).

‘Marvin’ may also have enjoyed other credits – possibly on ‘Look! Hear!’

CMCR9/ North 3 outings – Jerry Clegg

CMCR9/North 3 at Onslow Park, by Steve Harris

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright resides with the original holders, no reproduction without permission.

The restored former BBC-tv 1969 colour mobile unit, North 3 / CMCR9 was on display to the public at two steam and veteran vehicle rallies during August. The first one was at Astle Park near Chelford, Cheshire on August 11th/12th  and it was a scramble for Steve Harris and his helpers to prepare for that one as North 3 was fresh out of the paint spray-shop and there were only a few days to get ready.

The truck had been at the body shop since January for a major exterior renovation. The cab windows had all been out for replacement of the windscreens and the interior had gathered a huge amount of dirt during the rubbing-down process. All the external fittings had been removed for renovation during this process and these had to be re-fitted. Bright window surrounds were covered with gunge from the masking tape used during the spraying, which could only be removed afterwards by careful use of cellulose thinners!  Steve, the owner, was busy replacing the waist trims all the way round, right up to the last moment.

The weather was excellent for Astle Park and North 3 was gleaming in her new paint, which exactly conformed to the correct colours, the original codes for which were still visible, recorded on the cab facia. Visitors flocked to inspect North 3 and the static display outside. Two broadcast cameras were on display : an EMI 2001 and a recently aquired Philips PC80. A live picture and various other sources were available on the functioning vision mixer in the production gallery and wipes between sources could be demonstrated for the first time.

Two weeks later North 3 was on show at Onslow Park as a special guest at the 50th Shrewsbury Steam Rally. By this time the truck was sporting its authentic 1969 graphics, which had been  revealed during the rubbing down process and were restored by an expert graphic artist using genuine gold leaf. The weather was very variable with occasional heavy showers, but large numbers of appreciative visitors came to file through the scanner and see how OBs were put together 40 years ago. The ‘mains’ feed from the show organizer’s generator proved very troublesome and Steve brought his own 6.5 kva unit for the Bank Holiday Monday and stability was restored!

Shrewsbury was the farthest south that North 3 / CMCR 9  has been on display so far and we were pleased to welcome a number of former staff from Birmingham and Cardiff as well as Manchester. CMCR 9 was the Midland Unit for most of it’s operational life and former crew members came to renew their aquaintance with ‘their’ scanner. The visitor’s book is gradually filling up and makes interesting reading.

There is one more North 3 public appearance this year and it will be in Salford in October.  The scanner will be on display on the piazza at the entrance to the University of Salford building (next to the BBC) on Salford Quays. The event is an interactive exhibition called ‘From Semaphore to Smart Phone’, charting the progress of technology in communications over the years and it’s on Saturday and Sunday 27th/28th October. Details can be found using this link :-

http://www.manchestersciencefestival.com/whatson/semaphore-smartphone

BBC staff glancing out of the window of the Media Centre on those days may be startled to spot the last BBC Tel OBs mobile control room still on the road.

They thought it was all over !

Jerry Clegg

CM1 Outside Broadcast

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo by John Burkill, no reproduction without permission.

This photo dates from December 1985.  It is of an outside broadcast with the scanner CM1.  It may be from a drama production.

Please add a comment if you can add any more information.