Emma Taynton-Young – What Was Pebble Mill?

Rod Fawcett for Radio WM at Brum Superprix

This photo shows Radio WM engineer, Rod Fawcett, during coverage of the Birmingham Superprix. Notice the backpack for transmitting the radio signal.

The Superprix was a motor race meeting, held on the streets of Birmingham, between 1986-1990.

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

Andy Shepherd: ‘I was working at Central Television then, although not on the Superprix itself, and would go to the top of Alpha Tower (26 storeys) and watch the race with the guy who manually maneuvered the microwave receiver throughout the race to pick up the signal from the one (and only one) car with an on-board camera.’

Andy Walters: ‘We’ve still got a backpack like that. Usually gets used for the Birmingham Marathon and things like that.’

Emma Taynton-Young: ‘I remember going to this with Dad (John Taynton) but I can’t remember if he was at the Beeb then or still at BRMB.’

Mike Taynton: ‘Pretty much everything I got to experience with, my late father, John Taynton was a joy but getting to go along with him to these races is up there in my all time highlights’

Richard Uridge: ‘Great snap. I remember that day well as a reporter at WM. Nice to see Rod. He was always always smiling.’

Anthony Guy Willcock: ‘Racing up the ring road towards the Mosque, so slow!’

Jim Knights: ‘ It rained!‘

Andy Frizzell: ‘I was involved with the Top Gear coverage (pre Clarkson) Chris Goffey was our presenter.’

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Radio WM presenters early 1980s

The picture shows from L to R……Ruth Davies, Ed Doolan, Alan Dedicoat, the late Stuart Roper, Gyn Freeman, Pete Simpkin, Steve Woodhall and in front Tim Manning.

Thanks to Pete Simpkin for sharing the photo.

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

Emma Taynton-Young: ‘Tim manning used to be my dad’s producer….can’t remember the year but I bet Richard Uridge would know’

Richard Uridge: ‘1981 or 1982 I reckon.’

Steve Woodhall: ‘More like 1982 or even later? I remember that beard though… The stickers say “WM” rather than “206” so it was after the name change.’

Philip Morgan: ‘What happened to Stuart Roper? I knew him at hospital radio and Radio Birmingham. Sad to hear he is no longer with us.’

10 years since the beginning of the end for Pebble Mill

Photo by Philip Morgan, November 2004

Photo by Philip Morgan, no reproduction without permission.

Yesterday, saw the tenth anniversary of Radio WM leaving Pebble Mill. It was on the 4th July 2004, at 10am, that Radio WM signed on for the first time at the Mailbox.

The Pebble Mill building was emptied gradually during the summer of 2004, as programme runs ended, or logistics would allow. Former TV programme exec, Mark Kershaw, oversaw much of the removal process, particularly for Network Factual TV.

Thanks to Andy Walters for the reminder about this anniversary.

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

Becky Land: ‘Where has that decade gone? I remember discovering that the WM Newsroom was sandwiched between the toilets and canteen. In the early days,if the queue for lunch got too long it snaked passed the news booth and we used to ask people to pipe down as it would come out on air. Also people used to nick the chairs from that booth for others nearby meeting rooms. Nothing like running in for a bulletin and then realising that you had to do it standing up…’

Emma Taynton-Young: ‘My dad was a radio WM presenter, but left before they moved to the. Mailbox.’

Gregory Hallsworth: ‘I had the privilege of working on your Dad’s show at the ‘Palace of Broadcasting’ for five years before we were disbanded in the summer of ’96. He was a great guy and he’s very much missed!’