Broad Street

Broad Street News Studio Gallery

These photographs show the news studio gallery at Broad Street in the 1960s. In the second photograph you can see into the studio, through the window. The man in the white shirt is a young Jim Dumighan.

These photographs were originally posted on the Pebble Mill Engineers Facebook group. Thanks to Stuart Gandy for allowing them to be shared.

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

Colin Pierpoint: ‘I did a short time in there. I didn’t do much except change a few caption cards in the studio, and I was on tape and grams at least once. The Director asked me for a particular sound effect, so I went to the F/X disc library to get one. When I returned I incurred the Director’s wrath for not being at my post when they had done a rehearsal! (In fact, I had left the tape machine on remote so the sound supervisor could start it). Photo 1: Sam Shaw standing at the back. I think the tape and grams operator may be Ant (Anthony) Astley.

Gordon Astley: ‘I used to work where the guy, back left in the first pic is, playing in sound fx on disc.’

Save

John Cheshire

Midlands Today studio at Broad Street. Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.

I have heard from Annie Gumbley Williams that John Cheshire died last Friday, 5th May 2017. This news was given to her by John Pierce. Both the Johns joined the BBC at Broad Street, and then moved to Pebble Mill in 1971, when the new building opened. John was a mechanical and electrical engineer, which is an unusual and very useful combination in broadcasting.

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

Malcolm Hickman: ‘John Cheshire was in Carpenter Road Mech workshop when I started in Services in 1971, before we moved to the Mill. He was always very obliging, nothing was too much trouble. A real gent. It is a sad loss.’

Colin Pierpoint: ‘The studio shown is Studio 4, which was a Radio Studio (and I remember that Charles Parker recorded Peggy Seeger and Ewan McGregor for some of his Radio Ballads – some of which I edited). Studio 4 was converted to television with instructions that we must look after the equipment (Black and white vidicon cameras) which will be moved to Pebble Mill. Needless to say they weren’t. The previous television studio at Broad Street was Studio 1 which was EVEN SMALLER!

Save

The Archers’ sound effects – Sue Sweet

Save

Thanks to Sue Sweet for sharing this cutting from 1971, of her operating some sound effects for The Archers, in the BBC’s studios in Broad Street, Birmingham. Sue worked in the Sound Effects library at Broad Street, and would help out with effects when necessary.

Studio manager, Alastair Askham, sadly died in the early 1980s.

Save

These photographs pre-date Pebble Mill. They show the studio and newsroom when the BBC regional news operation was in Broad Street, Birmingham.

Included in the top photo are: L to R – Cyril Wilkinson, Gwen Smith, Jock Gallgaher on the phone, ?, but on the extreme right with back to camera is Barney Bamford (I think). It is taken in the newsroom at Broad Street. (Thanks to Gillian Thompson for identifying almost everyone!)

It’s interesting to see the caption card with the Midlands Today title on the stand, and the monitor with ‘Nottingham’ on.

Thanks to Stuart Gandy for sharing the photographs, which were originally posted on the Pebble Mill Engineers’ Facebook group.

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

Steve Saunderson: ‘There was little studio in Derby Road, Nottingham above the Jaegar shop. I first worked for a crew that was based there. It had 2 black and white cameras which Terry used to operate remotely in a tiny studio which Les Dawson described as a “technological broom cupboard” when he came in to do an interview down the line to Pebble Mill. They later moved into the bigger “sound” studio and I think actually went to colour and then into their present home.’

Peter Greenhalgh: ‘I moved to the Nottm studio in 83 as an engineer, not long after Terry left. It was colour by then (EMI 2001 cameras). The next move was to York House in 1989 think. That was where Radio Nottingham was and has now been demolished. We are currently in the London Road studios, which opened for radio and TV in 1999.’

Colin Pierpoint: ‘Nottingham television studio was in Black and White at the Broad Street time. I don’t remember if it was an outside source to BM or did a separate opt out, but I do remember at that time I saw a fault on the Notts insert, so I rang the control line to query it and heard a “Tingaling” on the sound off air! The telephone communication was to a field telephone on the studio floor with no ringing mute on TX. The change to colour was while I was at Pebble Mill, so between 1970 and 1980. Malcolm and I were sent to Bardon Hill with a standby generator in case the mains failed.’

Malcolm Hickman: ‘The mains was OK, but the standby generator failed.’

Save

Asian Magazine

Save

Thanks to director Waseem Mahmood for sharing these images about Asian Magazine featured in the book Inside BBC Television.

The series was transmitted on BBC1 on Sunday mornings at 10am in the early to mid 1980s.

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

Dawn Trotman: ‘ I worked with Waseem as an acting editor on the Asian magazine show later to become Network East. I think I cut one of his very first items about a DJ in one of the portacabins in the car park ..happy memories.’

Jane Green: ‘I worked on many an Asian Magazine. Great fun. Bish Mehay was a lovely guy to work with. Loved the bands we squeezed into Studio B – loved learning what all the various instruments were. Sat in the corridor on one occasion waiting for the set to be finished – with Benazir Bhutto. Great programme.’

Colin Pierpoint: ‘Yes, I remember, but I also remember the start of radio and television from the Midlands for Asians. The first step was to separate AM and FM Radio 4 on a Sunday morning (I think the management was afraid of loosing listeners if it went out on both!) In 1965 AM did “Make yourself at Home”, a programme on which I worked in Studio 1 Broad Street several times. (FM had the previously scheduled programme). I also did a bit on the television programme from Broad Street studio 4, in black and white, although I may only have been on attachment. Presenters: Saleem and Mahendra, directed by Gerry (surname?)’

Save