Midlands Today – Page 13 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Newsroom – Maurice Blisson

I came across this old photo taken in Pebble Mill newsroom, in the early 90s at a guess. I am in the foreground and also on it are Harvinder Singh, a newsroom stalwart who still does news shifts at the Mailbox, and Bob Sinkinson, Network News reporter, now retired. It looks like it is the old assignments desk, with me as intake editor and Harvinder on Camera Diary, controlling the movements of the crews and reporters. The early computers were the Hewlett-Packard BASYS system and were very rudimentary. There is the reflection of a red light at the end of the newsroom, indicating transmission.

Maurice Blisson

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

Becky Land: ‘Ah BASYS, that takes me back. I went from an electric typrwriter (ILR) to Basys and Rip n Read and thought I was in vanguard of technological age. Cart anyone?’

Peter Poole: ‘Maurice was a great character. The BASYS system could be logged in to remotely using a dial up connection. Somehow the modem phone number, user name and password was leaked. And a person who was due to be interviewed hacked into BASYS. And was able to read the scripts for their interview.’

Stella Sims Recording Session – Peter Poole

Stella was a senior broadcast journalist working for regional TV. She frequently directed Midlands Today. She is now pursuing a career as a singer. More information at www.seaton-sims.co.uk.

The recording was made in Studio 1 Pebble Mill. The piano pieces are,

“Aquarelle” by Edric Cundell.

“Rumores de la Caleta (Malaguena)” by Isaac Albeniz.

A Metamorphosis of a theme by Maurice Ravel.

Studio 1 was a large radio studio designed for classical music broadcasting. The acoustics were excellent but did suffer from low level traffic noise at rush hour. Many live Radio 3 lunch time concerts were broadcast there. It was originally equipped with a BBC “Type D” mixing desk. This became unreliable after many years use. And in 1992 it was replaced with a AMS Logic One digital mixing desk. This was semi-assignable and featured a “Audiofile” 8 track digital recording and editing system. This equipment was not very user friendly so I made my recording on a portable DAT recorder.

After the introduction of “Producer Choice” Studio 1 became too expensive for radio use. It was then used as a TV studio. The acoustics were then not ideal for speech based TV programmes. Midlands Today used Studio 1 when Studio B was being refurbished. And several viewers asked why it now had an echo!

Peter Poole

Studio 1 photo by Willoughby Gullachsen

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

Harvey Pope: ‘Am I correct in remembering a Children in Need night being broadcast from there? I was sent to do warm-up at Star City with Denise Lewis!’

Pete Simpkin:’It was a terrific experience to visit Studio 1 in the great days and watch mighty orchestras…up to 70 or 80 players at work. Also many audience shows were taped there…. and who will forget the amazing staff meetings for things like the visit of the DG!!’

Denis MacShane at Pebble Mill

Labour MP Denis MacShane stepped down as MP for Rotherham last week after an investigation into expenses irregularities. Before he went into politics he worked as a journalist in radio, and was at BBC Pebble Mill for a while.

The following comments were contributed via the Pebble Mill Facebook Group:

Pete Simpkin: ‘He was one of the original News reporting team at Radio Birmingham. Sad to hear of his demise when so many Radio Birmingham people went on to great jobs in Network Radio and TV……….and politics.’

Keith Brook: ‘he also, surprisingly, did stuff for Midlands Today because I remember trying to teach him the etiquette of walking in front of a camera.’

Michael Fisher: ‘On the Saturday Night show RTE1 tonight one of the guests will be Edwina Currie a former Tory politician turned broadcaster who got plenty of radio experience on the breakfast show Heart of the Nation at Pebble Mill when she was a Birmingham councillor.’

Norma Scott: ‘I remember Denis when he worked for the Sunday Mercury!’

Conal O’Donnell: ‘Denis was born Denis Matyjaszek apparently changing his name at the behest of the BBC because it was too hard to pronounce (!) A legend amongst phone-in producers Denis enlivened one of his flagging shows by posing as a caller himself -unethical you might think but hey what do u do when the lines are dead?Trouble is he went on to compound the deception by calling Tory politician Reginald “reggie” Maudling a crook on air .Well he was of course but taking full advantage of our rapacious libel laws Maudling sued the Beeb for muchos sponduliks.One can’t help but smile!’

Kay Alexander leaves BBC Birmingham

‘Midlands Today’ presenter, Kay Alexander, retires today from BBC Birmingham after nearly 40 years. She began working for the BBC in 1974, and yesterday she presented her last bulletin, at lunch time. Besides from ‘Midlands Today’ she has presented ‘Best in Brass’, ‘Children in Need’ for the Midlands region, ‘Miss Great Britain’, and ‘Life File’. Although originally from Surrey, she became an adoptive Brummy after studying English at Birmingham University.

The photo dates from 1977, it includes the regional news presenters, left to right: Guy Thomas, Kay Alexander,Peter Windows, David Stevens, (back row) Michael Hancock,Tom Coyne. Thanks to Annie Gumbley for making the photo available.

The following comments are just some of those left on the Pebble Mill Facebook Group:

Ruth Kiosses: ‘Ahhhhh end of an era! Such a lovely lady with such a beautiful and distinctive voice.’

Julie Mayer: ‘All good things must come to an end, but they are shoes that will be hard to fill. Lovely lady and great friend.’

Pam Relton: ‘I always think Kay must have a portrait in the attic – she looks so lovely. Really is the end of an era. All the best Kay.’

Ros Gower: ‘A true lady and an enormous pleasure to work with. Happy retirement Kay.’

David Crozier: ‘I remember Kay as a warm, intelligent and immensely professional person. Happy days, Kay!’

Fiona Barton: ‘Happy retirement, Kay. Was so lovely to catch up with her and Brian earlier in the year. What a fab couple, so much fun…they didn’t look a day older than when I left Pebble Mill more than 20 years ago!’

Steve Peacock: ‘Fare well Kay and enjoy the next phase’

Dawn Trotman: ‘Always a joy to work with and a consumate professional. Glad to know I am also leaving the BBC in the same week as such a glamourous lady. Enjoy your retirement Kayx’

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.”