Copyright, Colin Pierpoint. My best office at Wood Norton.
Copyright Colin Pierpoint. Robin, seen from the office window.
This is the final part of Colin Pierpoint’s blog.
(After working at BBC Pebble Mill since it opened in 1971, Colin was eventually tempted away).
In June 1980 I got a permanent post as a Lecturer at the Engineering Training Department at Wood Norton, where I had had two previous attachments of a year. I was lucky. The Head of ETD had retired, and the new head was Dr Owen from the Open University, so on the Board I was able to talk about all the OU courses I was studying for my degree. In June 1980 I began my new career, but that didn’t mean that I left Pebble Mill for good. Part of my work was to bring courses of students on a regular trip to Droitwich transmitting station and Pebble Mill. Being recognised by staff I used to work with was very useful, and got us into all areas to see actual operational work going on. (Unlike the tours you get now; where, even if you are ex-staff you don’t even see inside a studio). One Christmas I sent boxes of chocolates to each department in appreciation of all the cooperation I had in the past. I expect they thought I had claimed them back on expenses, but in fact I paid for them myself. I was still well known at Pebble Mill on visits with my students because ex-colleagues who met me would often say “Have you been on leave? Kay Alexander said “What happened to my coffee?”
Colin Pierpoint
The following comment was left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Stuart Gandy: ‘I remember my visit to Driotwich on my A course, but it was in autumn 1979, the year before you were there Colin. It was especially memorable because during that particular week, there had been some very bad weather and strong winds, which had actually blown down the long aerial wire that was fixed to the two masts. So you can imagine, there was a lot of activity going to to fix it. I remember they guys saying ..its not normally this busy!’