Transmission lists – Page 4 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Occupation Democrat – Tech Reqs

These Technical Requirements (Tech Reqs) documents are for a studio drama, called Occupation Democrat, recorded in July 1984. This was the working title of the drama, and it was changed before transmission to Murder of a Moderate Man.

The drama was set in an airport hostel, and a prison, and recording was also going to take place in the men’s toilets! It was being recorded on 1″ videotape, with VHS viewing copies being run off at the same time. Although the recording was taking place in Studio A at Pebble Mill, the Tech Run was taking place at Elstree, so presumably the rehearsals took place in London.

Robert Tronson was the director, John Bowen the producer, Jenny Brewer was the production associate, with William Hartley the production manager. Charles Bond was the designer, with Al Barnett the costume designer and Susie Bancroft the make-up designer. Dave Bushell was technical manager, with Annette Martin as vision mixer and Ivor Williams and Leigh Sinclair were the VT editors.

The Continental TX Card

The Continental was a follow up to John Godber’s comedy drama, The Ritz. It was transmitted in 1987. It was directed by Martin Shardlow, with Chris Parr as the producer. The story followed the staff of The Ritz as they set up a new disco in Spain.

I think this drama was filmed in the Copthorne Hotel in Paradise Circus, Birmingham.

Thanks to costume designer, Janice Rider for sharing this transmission card.

Cruel Train

Cruel Train was a drama transmitted in 1996. Chris Parr was the producer, with Malcolm McKay as the director, and script adaptor, from the novel by Emile Zola. Sean Van Hales was the director of photography, and Michael Pickwoad was the production designer.

The drama featured: Adrian Dunbar, Saskia Reeves, Alec McCowen, David Suchet, Jonathan Moore, and Minnie Driver.

The BFI database includes the following synopsis:

‘Drama set in wartime Britain. Rueben Roberts a deputy railway station master, discovers that he owes his job, marriage and home to the sexual favours that his wife Selena has been forced to grant to Arthur Grandrige, her godfather and the railway chairman. Rueben vows revenge and kills Arthur on the Brighton express train. The murder is witnessed by a railway worker, Jack Dando. When the police investigate, Rueben pursuades Selena to seduce Jack to buy his silence. However things soon spiral out of control.’ http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/516788

The budget is listed in the BFI database as £1.25 million, and apparently it was also known as Beast in Man. The shoot lasted from 25th November to 22nd December 1994.

Thanks to the BBC Drama Village for giving me the photos for sharing and safe keeping.

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

John Greening: ‘The station was a built set at an old Electric works ( which had some rail lines) by the Aston Expressway -Bill Hartley was the First AD.’

Gary Jordan: ‘Part of Screen two: SCREEN TWO – CRUEL TRAIN A dark & stylish drama set in wartime Britain, based on ‘La Bete Humaine’ by Emile ZOLA. Ruben ROBERTS discovers his wife has been sexually abused by her godfather since her early teens & coerces Selina to help him kill GRANDRIDGE. Sp s film
——————————————————————————
BBC Cprd Name: WORLDWIDE
BBC Item Type: Programme
BBC SubCatalogue: LONPROG TX DATE 22 Dec 1996′

Ian Barber: ‘And I was the AFM. Peter Lloyd was the 2nd Ad. Probably one of the best projects we ever worked on. The set was amazing. Built from scratch in a disused warehouse. We all had to wear masks because the air was black with soot from the steam engines. Alec McGowen was also in it, along with Sheila Reid and Brian Pringle.’

Mark Smithers: ‘Filmed at the GEC turbine and transformer works. The factory was pulled down shortly afterwards.’

Heart of the Country – Toby Horwood

This is on the set of Heart of the Country with Susan Penhaligan (who you can see on set). To be honest I can’t remember that much about the plot, other than it centred on the big carnival floats that were built for a festival in Somerset – hence the big gorilla. Barry Chatfield was lighting it (he’s stood on the right in the foreground). I was given the rare honour (for one so junior on the crew) of operating the camera on the Wilmac crane. I was swung high above the floor of Studio A. As long as you didn’t look down you were ok.

Toby Horwood

(Heart of the Country was a four part adaptation of Fay Weldon’s novel, set in Somerset. It was transmitted 25/2/1987-18/3/1987. Brian Farnham was the director and Roger Gregory the producer.)

The following comment was left on the Pebble Mill Facebook Page:

Lesley Weaver: ‘I was the Make Up designer.. Filming around Shepton Mallet, Wells and Glastonbury in August 1986 lovely places …but it rained almost every day. Then back again around November in even more rain to do the tremendous fun Shepton Mallet Carnival scenes and then sitting freezing up on Glastonbury Tor during a night shoot. Don’t think I’ve ever been so cold. But it did have the gorgeous Christian Bale in! However he was much much younger! Kathy Ayehurst was the Costume Designer, we did have a laugh coming up with the costumes for the Stepford Wives Scenes …. Oh happy days where did they go? …’

Witchcraft

Script front page and cast list for the BBC 2 drama Witchcraft. This was a two parter on BBC 2, transmitted in 1992, written by Nigel Williams and directed by Peter Sasdy.

It was a challenging production, with several members of the team left bruised by the experience.

Here is the BFI database entry for the drama:

Part 1:

A film school teacher chooses 17th-century witchcraft and adultery as the theme of his latest script. As shooting of the film begins, real-life events take on a menacing quality and events from the past seem to be being re-enacted in the present. http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/463201

Part 2:

As reality and fiction blur, the parallels between the 17th-century past and the present drive Jamie to a breakdown. He becomes possessed by the image of Ezekiel, the Witchfinder. Meg makes a bizarre discovery putting everyone’s lives at risk. http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/481195

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

Christine Houston: ‘(Film Unit) Made rare location visit to take replacement equipment. The set was a totally constructed medieval village in the middle of a field, complete with olde worlde long-horned cattle. Managed to watch about 30secs of filming before director “cut” to query authenticity of costumes for the period!! I had a catering services lunch with the crew while the exasperated costume dept tried to convince him all was good. Also remember being completely disorientated when Tim Everett put his headphones on me – thought there were people talking behind me when they were actually on the other side of the field. WEIRD!!’

Victoria Trow: ‘Oh blimey, Peter Sasdy, divide and rule merchant. The editing team was at the rehearsal rooms. The best advice we had was from the PA who said we should always write down any instructions from Peter to cover ourselves. John [Rosser] wouldn’t talk about Peter until he’d not only left the building but had been seen to drive away in his car – John was convinced he had bat hearing. Nightmare yes, intense yes, fun in some kind of crazy way, yes; was it worth it, was it a good film? No!’

Terry Powell: ‘The directer was a nightmare bully, sexist and just a complete —-. I think that covers that. Terry, costume.’