Photograph by Peter Poole, no reproduction without permission.
This photo is of an outside broadcast edition of the 6.55 Special show, on the Severn Valley Railway, from the early 1980s. Nearest to camera, by the tripod, is floor manager, Nick Patten (later Head of Vision, BBC Birmingham).
Here are a couple of rare photos of the former CMCR6, which was briefly the very first BBC Midland colour unit from 1969 to 1972. It had EMI cameras and a decision was made to standardize on EMI cameras in London, so CMCR6 was swapped with CMCR9 which had Pye cameras and C9, then became the Midland Unit in 1972. The photos were taken in this country in about 1994 by Howard Lewis. The American Circus is still touring here, but now they use big new Mack trucks.
Jerry Clegg
Pebble Mill News, March 1984
Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.
This article about Radio WM prodcuer/presenter Pete Simpkin broadcasting on BRMB, is from Pebble Mill News March 1984.
Thanks to Robin Sunderland for making the cutting available.
Pete Simpkin added the following comment on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
‘I remember it clearly!! BT had started what today would be an early attempt at social communications,by dialling a number you could get groups of people together but I was totally unprepared when l dialled it to find Les on his parallel BRMB breakfast show on the same lime!’
External photographs by Willoughby Gullachsen; photo of the actor in the carriage, possibly by Nick Eastwood, no reproduction without permission.
These photos were taken as publicity stills for the 1989 three part drama: Vote for Them, by David Edgar and Neil Grant, and produced by Carol Parks. Several scenes of the drama were filmed at Bewdley Station, on the Severn Valley Railway, as shown here.
Thanks to costume designer, Janice Rider, for making the photographs available.
Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.
This grab is taken from the end credits of Shakespeare or Bust, by Peter Terson.
The 1973 Play for Today featured the three characters who’d appeared previously in The Fishing Party. The drama followed the miners, Art, Ern and Abe, on a canal narrowboat trip down to Stratford Upon Avon. Art was played by Brian Glover, Ern, Ray Mort and Abe by Douglas Livingstone.
The story is of how the three men travelled on a canal boat to see some Sharkespeare at the RSC in Stratford Upon Avon, but when they arrived they couldn’t get in to the theatre. However, at the end of the play they meet Richard Johnson and Janet Suzman, as themselves, outside the theatre, where they were playing the title roles of Anthony and Cleopatra. I think the grab is of Janet Suzman going for a swim in the river at the end of the film.
The producer was David Rose, Brian Parker the director, with Barry Hanson as script editor, assisted by Tara Prem. Oliver White, as you can see from the grab was the film editor, with sound by Peter Caselberg.
Thanks to Ian Collins for sharing the grab.
The following comment was left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Susan Cawson: ‘Peter Terson lived on [the canal boat] Ben when it had a cabin. We had an interesting trip when he towed Christopher James for us, he is the only person I know who can steer a 70′ boat through a bridge sideways and get away with it. An interesting weekend!’