October 2012 – Page 2 – What Was Pebble Mill?

The Great Acrobile

The still is from a 1973 Second City First studio drama, called ‘The Great Acrobile’, transmitted on 1st March. It was directed by Tristan de Vere Cole, produced by David Rose, written by Roy Minton, with Barry Hanson as the script editor, and Michael Edwards as the production designer.

The drama was recorded in Studio A. It starred Bernard Spear as Mawson, Brian Godfrey as Bernard, John Garry as Sproggs, Ian Gammell as Ticky, Ben Tabiner as Mick, and Ralph Arliss as Slim.

Unfortunately it seems that ‘The Great Acrobile’ was recorded over, and that no copy now exists. This was the case with many studio dramas from the 1970s.

Thanks to Mike Bloore for identifying the drama.

Videotape in the ’70s (part 4) Ray Lee

Still from Ian Collins, no reproduction without permission.

Peter Wood-Fisher’s electronic clock. Grab from Keith Brook

VT Clock

The countdown clock was initially a mechanical clock on a kind of blackboard in the studio, and was recorded at the beginning of each section of recording. It had sections for the programme title, tape number, take number, sequence title and other important identifying information. This was written on by the floor manager, (or assistant FM) prior to the recording. One of the difficulties was that when a tape was edited, the clock information could not be updated in VT to indicate this was an edited master, unless a separate clock had been recorded previously. The clock was generally started at around 30 seconds and allowed to count past 0, although in shows recorded as live the vision mixer would cut to black at 3. Where a series of clocks for editing purposes were recorded, the cut to black would be done in the edit by VT.

In the late 70’s Peter Wood-Fisher, a keen engineer built an electronic VT Countdown clock using a large quantity of integrated circuits, and housed it in a home made plywood box. It was around 18inch square with a full size keyboard at the front, then an up-stand housing the rest of the electronics, on which there was just room for a pair of 9inch monitors. This allowed VT to add clocks to edited items and recorded inserts without tying up studio time. This was the forerunner of using the BBC Micro as a VT Clock, which only became possible in the mid 80’s. (the BBC Model A was first produced in 1984). In those early days studio recordings often still recorded the clock from the studio, but the VT clock was used for subsequent edits. As there was only one VT Clock, various routing arrangements were made in order to make it available to the other VT areas. It sat on the back shelf in VTA cubicle.

Ray Lee

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

Peter Poole: “BBC Norwich still used these VT clocks long after Pebble Mill changed to electronic. I went on attachment as a Tech Op. The studio looked like a museum of broadcast equipment!”

Eurwyn Jones: “Just read the article on the Pebble Mill site. I remember the clock well – on live shows like ‘Farming Today’ on Sunday mornings,the clock was used at the end of the show as well. It faced the presenter in the studio and on cue from the PA counting down to the end on the show we would start the clock and they would see how long they had left. Some would ignore it though!!”

Peter Poole: “Pebble Mill engineers had a great talent for building ingenious electronics.”

Ned Abell: “Its ironic this surfaced the day after Ceefax closed…now wheres my BBC B from September 1982?”

The Clothes Show – Ruth Kiosses

Photos from Ruth Kiosses, no reproduction without permission.

Ruth Kiosses was at the Wimbledon School of Art in Dec 1988, when ‘The Clothes Show’ filmed her dressed in an Edwardian evening gown. It was filmed at the Barbican centre, and transmitted in January 1989. A year later Ruth was working at Pebble Mill in the costume department and bombing around in ‘The Clothes Show’ ‘wagon’ the large box van with CS logo on.

Children in Need – Tony & Julie Medal!

Photo from Tony Wadsworth, no reproduction without permission.

This special medal was struck in 2002, as a ‘Children in Need’ souvenir. It features husband and wife, Radio WM presenting team, Tony Wadsworth and Julie Mayer.

Save

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.”