Midland Radio Orchestra

Roger Casstles reminisces about BBC Pebble Mill

Specially shot video of Roger Casstles talking about why BBC Pebble Mill was a special place. The video is recorded on Pebble Mill Road, overlooking the site where Pebble Mill stood, and is now a dental hospital. Roger mentions some of the productions that came from Pebble Mill, like Pebble Mill at One, Midlands Today, The Archers, as well as the Midland Radio Orchestra, and being a centre for drama, but tells us that the really important thing was how people worked together, for instance post production working across all productions and the way that Graphics and Set Design departments collaborated with production. Roger Casstles was the creator and producer of The Clothes Show, the fashion magazine series which ran from the 1986-2000.

(The video was shot by BCU Media graduate, Ash Connaughton, with me, (Vanessa Jackson) asking the questions).

Roger Casstles at the site of Pebble Mill

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

Andy Frizzell: ‘Had some great shoots with Roger in many countries around the world. As always talking a lot of sense. We were all saddened by the closing of ‘The Mill’.‘

Claire Chambers: ‘As Roger would say “ why answer a question with one word when thousands will do” ! Very well said’

Linda Hearn-Clapham: ‘Very happy memories of recording Hartbeat and The Movie Game at Pebble Mill in the 90’s!’

Thanks to Sarah Aston for sharing this photo of the Midland Radio Orchestra. Sarah’s father, John Kingdon formed the Midland Light orchestra along with Norrie Paramor, which pre-dated the Midlands Radio Orchestra. The MLO was more classically orientated.

Harold Rich is at the keyboard in this photo, with Norrie Paramor conducting.

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Colin Campbell

Photos by Jane Mclean, no reproduction without permission

Colin Campbell, with Jo Dewar and Terry Cartwright

Virtuoso pianist Colin Campbell has passed away aged 77 (Oct 2017). Colin was a keyboard player and played in the Midland Radio Orchestra at Pebble Mill. He often played on Pebble Mill At One, and is shown here on the Tom O’Connor Roadshow, in 1987.

Thanks to Jane Mclean for sharing these photos.

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

Sarah Ashton: ‘My father, John Kingdon, formed the Midland Radio Orchestra along side Norrie Paramor, their conductor. I remember going to work with dad and listening to the orchestra play on many occasions. I do remember the name Colin Campbell but was too young to put a face to the name.’

Jane Ward: ‘Loads of happy memories of Colin…fantastic musician and all-round lovely guy…. Very sad to hear this news…
And of course he was one half of Pianorama, with the inimitable Harold Rich….’

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Jock Gallagher Prospero Article

This article was written for the February 2014 edition of the BBC retirees newspaper, Prospero.

Radio Birmingham Jingle

Radio Brum badge from Pete Simpkin

Thanks to Peter Poole for sharing this compilation of BBC Radio Birmingham jingles.

Pete Simpkin a Radio Birmingham presenter/producer added the following information on the Pebble Mill Facebook group:

‘The first two sections are part of the original Radio Birmingham jingle package from the early seventies. The original jingles were recorded at Pebble Mill by the Midland Radio Orchestra and there is just a snatch of one of these after the pips. (The voice over incidentally is that of Barry Lankester, the original presenter of Midlands Today who came over in the first wave of staff from the old Midland Region).

The Second part, the ‘News jingle’ was a later example of how the staff started to create versions of the originals and use new samples from non commercial disks. The ‘West Midlands air’ piece is a classic example of homemade items in the mid 70s, but that one was not often used. Later in the 70s and with the name change came major new sets, one locally recorded by a Birmingham Commercial studio and the final great collection used for many years into the 80s was recorded by the famous Dallas Texas Theme Tune Company!!’