Ian Barber – What Was Pebble Mill?

Merseybeat

Merseybeat was a police drama series which dates from the early 2000s. There were at least four series.

Thanks to VT editor Ian Collins for sharing these screen grabs.

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

Steve Saunderson: ‘I was DOP on a few episodes up in Runcorn.’

Fiona Stennett: ‘It was filmed in Runcorn and edited on site by Adam Trotman and John Rosser.
I tracklaid this with Kate Davis. Dave mason and Andy Freeth I think were the mixers.’

Janet Collins: ‘Ian Collins and Mike Bloore were also on site editors The exec producer was Mal Younge. Two of it’s stars were Haydn Gwynne & Leslie Ash.’

Ian Barber: ‘I did the first episodes with Michelle Fairly, later Hayden Gwynne, producer Ken Horn, originally titled Silver Command. Shot in and around Runcorn.’

Barrie White-Miller: ‘I was a regular PC ‘Extra’ way back then, had a chat with Chris Walker about Merseybeat a few months ago. The Police Station set was in Runcorn. Great memories, thank you for posting the photos.’

Anne Sweeting: ‘Celex provided alot of the extras it was filmed in Runcorn’

Daniel Klarfeld: ‘I was a runner on it for a bit’

Dave Rhodes: ‘Leslie Ash joined in series 3 – me and Russell Parker assistants.’

Paul Shuttleworth: ‘It was shot on location in Liverpool logged as a Pebble Mill production.’

Debbie Mitchell: ‘also shot in Widnes and Runcorn. The ‘police station’ was filmed in the old Golden Wonder crisp factory.’

Paul Shuttleworth: ‘I was an extra in a few eps at the crisp factory.’

Martin Chuzzlewit script front page

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This is the script front page for the 1994, BBC2, drama serial: Martin Chuzzlewit, adapted by David Lodge from Dickens’ original. Chris Parr was the producer, and Pedr James the director. This must be an early version of the script, because not all the crew are named. The rehearsal period was about ten days, in Acton, with filming taking four months.

Thanks to Ann Chancellor-Davies, the widow of production designer, Gavin Davies, for making the page available.

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Martin Chuzzlewit TX card

This is the transmission card for the 1994, BBC2 drama serial Martin Chuzzlewit. The adaptation was written by David Lodge, produced by Chris Parr and directed by Pedr James, with Gavin Davies as the production designer.

Thanks to Ann Chancellor-Davies for sharing the TX card.

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

Ian Barber: ‘That was on location in Kings Lynn, we had an amazing time there.’

Gary Williams: ‘I believe Tony Fisher did all the graphics and I loaded up all the opening/closing credits!’

Sue Haslam: ‘Looks rather like some of Tony Fisher’s wonderful calligraphy on the title too…’

Terry Barker: ‘I had just started working for Chris Parr as the show was being edited and I well remember the difference of opinion between him and Pedr over the number of cockroaches on the opening titles. Chris won, and it was less than 12.’

Camilla Fisher: ‘If you are interested in seeing more of the artwork for Martin Chuzzlewit check out the Tony Fisher archive at the library of Birmingham.’

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Paul Woolston in Lichfield Cathedral

Photo by Richard Stevenson, no reproduction without permission.

This 1990 photo is of cameraman Paul Woolston on a crane in Lichfield Cathedral, on a Songs of Praise outside broadcast. Kevin Gill (floor manager) on the left, and John Trew (grip) on the right.

Apparently, moments later the wheel of the crane disappeared into a heating grate and the crane nearly toppled over, with Paul still on the front of it.

Paul sadly died some years ago.

Thanks to Richard Stevenson for sharing the photo.

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

Diane Reid: ‘Paul was lovely to work with and a great cameramen – it was one of my OBs – a Songs of Praise.’

Alex Johnston: ‘Paul was a truly lovely man always friendly and had a wonderful smile.’

Ian Barber: ‘He was a true gentleman, loved working with Paul and Dave Bushell.’

Tracy Cahill: ‘Very first OB I ever went on was at Lichfield cathedral, John Abbot sent me to ‘observe’ how it’s done. I only went cos Fred was the rigger.’

Sarah Beedle: ‘I remember that Songs of Praise – the grating did get broken.’

Helen Betts: ‘Christopher Betts, my son whom I am visiting in Virginia, clearly remembers playing the organ for Songs of Praise in 1990. He was the Cathedral’s organ scholar that year before going to Oxford University. He also says he cannot think of any of TV OBs that year.’

Ed Billington: ‘He was a very nice person and a professional at his job he always spoke to me when I was cleaning the studio.’

Paul Mcdonald: ‘Ah the joys of entrusting your life to the crane operator.’

Dave Ballantyne: ‘The camera is a Phillips/Pye LDK 5, Paul was a colleague and friend over many years, I still miss him, a special man.’

John Hoare: ‘I knew Paul well back in the sixties and seventies – a good friend and a true gentleman’

Vote for Them group shots

Photos by Willoughby Gullachsen (Gus), no reproduction without permission.

These publicity stills are from the BBC2, 1989, three part drama, Vote For Them, by David Edgar and Neil Grant.

Thanks to costume designer, Janice Rider, for sharing the photos.

Here is the Radio Times entry for the second episode, transmitted on 9th June 1989, from the BBC Genome project, which almost certainly contains some of the scenes shown here: http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/e9decff99d7e467786837144615f5319

‘by DAVID EDGAR and NEIL GRANT
The ‘Music for All’ Forces
Parliament is a great success. A general election is held to decide who should be the Government and who the Opposition. Government
Opposition
Speaker
Civilians
Drama Club
Backbenchers
Present Day
Sound ANDY REDFERN
Lighting BARRY CHATFIELD Executive producer MICHAEL WEARING
Producer CAROL PARKS
Director JAMES ORMEROD BBC Pebble Mill’

If you can add more information about the scenes that these stills are from, please add a comment.

The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Neil Grant (referring to the 3rd photo): ‘David Cardy front row, on the left, and Billy Hartman, the sergeant in the foreground facing away. From an early meeting of the ‘Music for All Parliament’.’
Ian Barber (also referring to the 3rd photo): ‘Looks like Jane Gurnett in the 2nd row’