Comments for What Was Pebble Mill? http://pebblemill.org The stories from Pebble Mill, the BBC studios in the West Midlands Tue, 22 May 2012 19:11:16 +0000 hourly 1 Comment on Messing about on the river – photos by Ian Collins by admin http://pebblemill.org/blog/messing-about-on-the-river-photos-by-ian-collins/comment-page-1/#comment-464 admin Tue, 22 May 2012 19:11:16 +0000 http://pebblemill.org/?p=4553#comment-464 Hi Mark Thanks for those comments. I'd like to post your memories as a separate blog on the website. Do you have a recent photo (or an old photo) that I can put up with it. My direct email is vanessa.jackson@bcu.ac.uk. Thanks Vanessa Hi Mark

Thanks for those comments. I’d like to post your memories as a separate blog on the website. Do you have a recent photo (or an old photo) that I can put up with it. My direct email is vanessa.jackson@bcu.ac.uk.

Thanks

Vanessa

]]> Comment on Messing about on the river – photos by Ian Collins by Mark Hill http://pebblemill.org/blog/messing-about-on-the-river-photos-by-ian-collins/comment-page-1/#comment-463 Mark Hill Tue, 22 May 2012 09:02:47 +0000 http://pebblemill.org/?p=4553#comment-463 Crikey! Polishing off an ice lolly on the left at the back of this still is yours truly. I recall the Vanity Fair shoot (with many scenes at Blickling Hall). It was toward the end of my time at Pebble Mill (fond memories) before I jumped ship to Central (ITV). I was working in G41 at the time (post production and OB maintenance). As I recall, I had been sent to Norfolk as a 'guarantee engineer', with the aim of minimising any downtime on the production should any of the technical kit on CM2 breakdown. I well remember the nighttime scenes and trying to get the best pictures out of the Philips LDK-14 colour cameras and the Ampex VPR-2B videotape recorders that were fitted to the OB unit (CM2). I remember seeing the series on TX and wincing at the dreadful video lag evident on shots with candles in them; the noise on the low light scenes; and the occasional suspect corner registration. Not suprised that the BBC re-made Vanity Fair as part of the move to 16:9! Thanks for the memory and regards to all, Mark Hill. Crikey! Polishing off an ice lolly on the left at the back of this still is yours truly.

I recall the Vanity Fair shoot (with many scenes at Blickling Hall). It was toward the end of my time at Pebble Mill (fond memories) before I jumped ship to Central (ITV). I was working in G41 at the time (post production and OB maintenance). As I recall, I had been sent to Norfolk as a ‘guarantee engineer’, with the aim of minimising any downtime on the production should any of the technical kit on CM2 breakdown.

I well remember the nighttime scenes and trying to get the best pictures out of the Philips LDK-14 colour cameras and the Ampex VPR-2B videotape recorders that were fitted to the OB unit (CM2). I remember seeing the series on TX and wincing at the dreadful video lag evident on shots with candles in them; the noise on the low light scenes; and the occasional suspect corner registration. Not suprised that the BBC re-made Vanity Fair as part of the move to 16:9!

Thanks for the memory and regards to all,

Mark Hill.

]]> Comment on Film Editors – Peter Poole by admin http://pebblemill.org/blog/film-editors-peter-poole/comment-page-1/#comment-461 admin Thu, 17 May 2012 18:30:17 +0000 http://pebblemill.org/?p=5449#comment-461 Thanks for that information Sharon. Vanessa Thanks for that information Sharon.

Vanessa

]]> Comment on Film Editors – Peter Poole by Sharon Pemberon http://pebblemill.org/blog/film-editors-peter-poole/comment-page-1/#comment-460 Sharon Pemberon Thu, 17 May 2012 03:48:52 +0000 http://pebblemill.org/?p=5449#comment-460 Well I can see that Judy (Ian Bellion's partner) is standing with John Rosser. And there is also Karen (Coulthard) who was the film librarian for quite a few years. Well I can see that Judy (Ian Bellion’s partner) is standing with John Rosser. And there is also Karen (Coulthard) who was the film librarian for quite a few years.

]]> Comment on Pebble Mill Club – final days by Tracy Crump http://pebblemill.org/blog/pebble-mill-club-final-days/comment-page-1/#comment-459 Tracy Crump Tue, 08 May 2012 19:47:21 +0000 http://pebblemill.org/?p=5508#comment-459 I so loved working there can't beleive they knocked it down, so sad thought that place would be there forever, such a waste x I so loved working there can’t beleive they knocked it down, so sad thought that place would be there forever, such a waste x

]]> Comment on Demolition of Pebble Mill by admin http://pebblemill.org/blog/demolition-of-pebble-mill-tom-poole/comment-page-1/#comment-458 admin Sun, 29 Apr 2012 14:47:17 +0000 http://pebblemill.org/?p=5434#comment-458 Hi Tom, thanks for that information. I'll change the post details accordingly. Any other photos you have, or memories of working at Pebble Mill - let me know and I'll post them up. Best wishes Vanessa Hi Tom, thanks for that information. I’ll change the post details accordingly. Any other photos you have, or memories of working at Pebble Mill – let me know and I’ll post them up.

Best wishes

Vanessa

]]> Comment on Demolition of Pebble Mill by Tom Poolr http://pebblemill.org/blog/demolition-of-pebble-mill-tom-poole/comment-page-1/#comment-457 Tom Poolr Sat, 28 Apr 2012 21:54:59 +0000 http://pebblemill.org/?p=5434#comment-457 Not my photo, but a shot of where i started work at the BBC. See pile of rubble there in the middle. The sixth floor. Not my photo, but a shot of where i started work at the BBC. See pile of rubble there in the middle. The sixth floor.

]]> Comment on Eagle Tower – Stuart Gandy by admin http://pebblemill.org/blog/eagle-tower-stuart-gandy/comment-page-1/#comment-456 admin Sun, 22 Apr 2012 15:30:34 +0000 http://pebblemill.org/?p=5307#comment-456 Thanks for that Richard, I'll add the information in the post. Best wishes Vanessa Thanks for that Richard, I’ll add the information in the post.

Best wishes

Vanessa

]]> Comment on Eagle Tower – Stuart Gandy by Richard Taylor http://pebblemill.org/blog/eagle-tower-stuart-gandy/comment-page-1/#comment-455 Richard Taylor Sun, 22 Apr 2012 15:27:39 +0000 http://pebblemill.org/?p=5307#comment-455 I would hasten to add that we didn't actually climb all 60 feet of it! The first stage was 30 feet, the mast was telescopic and rose from the centre of the first stage. It was all done by hydraulics, the engine gearbox being locked in to a hydraulic pump mode first. After the first stage was raised to the vertical, we'd climb up the fixed vertical ladder, through a small trapdoor and onto the platform raising the safety rails. The radio link components had to be manually hauled up, using a hoist arm, and bolted into place. Once all was fitted together the tower could then be raised and panned remotely from the ground. I remember giving David Robinson, an EM then, cause for concern at a Grand Prix rig. The tower chassis had been extended lengthwise for some reason, and the shuttle valve to convert prop shaft motion from driving to pumping would jam. The solution was to get into the chassis and "help" it with a long screwdriver. All perfectly safe, wouldn't do it otherwise, but David was concerned because the engine was still running, and someone could have knocked it into gear accidently. Not with a burly Rigger Driver guarding the cab, they couldn't!! I would hasten to add that we didn’t actually climb all 60 feet of it! The first stage was 30 feet, the mast was telescopic and rose from the centre of the first stage. It was all done by hydraulics, the engine gearbox being locked in to a hydraulic pump mode first. After the first stage was raised to the vertical, we’d climb up the fixed vertical ladder, through a small trapdoor and onto the platform raising the safety rails.

The radio link components had to be manually hauled up, using a hoist arm, and bolted into place. Once all was fitted together the tower could then be raised and panned remotely from the ground.

I remember giving David Robinson, an EM then, cause for concern at a Grand Prix rig. The tower chassis had been extended lengthwise for some reason, and the shuttle valve to convert prop shaft motion from driving to pumping would jam. The solution was to get into the chassis and “help” it with a long screwdriver. All perfectly safe, wouldn’t do it otherwise, but David was concerned because the engine was still running, and someone could have knocked it into gear accidently. Not with a burly Rigger Driver guarding the cab, they couldn’t!!

]]> Comment on Telly Addicts Question Card – from Tim Manning by David http://pebblemill.org/blog/telly-addicts-question-card-from-tim-manning/comment-page-1/#comment-454 David Fri, 20 Apr 2012 06:45:53 +0000 http://pebblemill.org/?p=3580#comment-454 I have the all the Telly Addicts in there Original boxes from series. I have the all the Telly Addicts in there Original boxes from series.

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