Midlands Radio Orchestra – What Was Pebble Mill?

BBC Birmingham at the Mailbox is remembering its heritage by naming some of its meeting rooms after famous Pebble Mill programmes.

The programmes being honoured include:

Pebble Mill at One

Good Morning with Anne and Nick

Howards’ Way

Tom Coyne

If you have any logos or photos of these programmes, which might be suitable to decorate the walls of the meeting rooms, then please get in touch. Vanessa

Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.

Cast and crew on Howards’ Way

Midlands Today presenters, Tom Coyne, back row, right.

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The following additional suggestions were added on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Helena Morrisey: ‘What about all the fine radio output too…? R3’s The Music Machine was a groundbreaking programme and produced at Pebble Mill.’

Stuart Gandy: ‘Not forgetting the popular local music show ‘Look Hear’. It was a big production for a local programme.’

Julie Hill: ‘Yes and what about Angels, Saturday Night at the Mill, The Clothes Show, Gardeners World, Ebony.’

Jane Clement: ‘If they name any more rooms, I would suggest The Archers. And Donny MacLeod.’

Jane Ward: ‘Midlands Radio Orchestra?’

Sue Welch: ‘Only TV? How about all the Radio 2 output and Radios 3 &4, not to mention 5?’

Bill Bohanna: ‘”Gangsters”, “Boys from the Black Stuff”, “All Creatures Great and Small” more to follow’

Mike Hayes: ‘Do not forget David Steel & Michael Hancock…’

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Bob Langley dancing with Ginger Rogers

KEITH ACKRILL – MEMORIES OF PEBBLE MILL

I worked at Pebble Mill on Radio 4 and television, from the day it opened until I left in 1982. I have very many pleasant recollections of the years I spent there.

The thing you noticed most was the tremendous enthusiasm that permeated the whole staff.

It was the feeling that we were in a brand new building hailed as the biggest combined radio and television complex in Europe. We were all determined to make Pebble Mill programming a force to be reckoned with.

Hours and hours of top television had the Pebble Mill label. As well as Birmingham productions, many London drama series were based in the studio or filmed on location, using Birmingham crews.

The Brothers, Poldark, All Creatures Great and Small, Juliet Bravo, Howards Way, even Basil Brush – the list goes on and on. And that doesn’t include the many classic dramas that were produced in Studio A.

Radio was an important part of the building’s output too. Radio Two programming found a home there, the Midlands Radio Orchestra was in residence for many years. Folk music, pop music – every kind of music came from Pebble Mill. And that’s not forgetting radio drama. Pebble Mill, of course, was home to The Archers and many other dramas of all kinds were produced alongside, together with some fine radio documentaries.

There were many landmark programmes – Top Gear, Pebble Mill At One, Saturday Night At The Mill – all of which I was fortunate to have worked on.

My main memories from the last programme include talking to actor Robert Wagner, in the hospitality room, about English beer. I know nothing about beer, but it was worth talking about it just have Natalie Wood’s dark brown eyes focused on me! I remember sitting across the table from Ginger Rogers and, later, photographing Bob Langley dancing with her – lucky devil – accompanied by Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen, with guest trumpeter James Hunt. Many, many great stars came to Pebble Mill to take part in the wide range of radio and television programmes that came from within that building.

I miss meeting them, but I also miss the camaraderie of the people I worked with, of being part of a team dedicated to putting broadcasting in the Midlands on the map.

Tag: Midlands Radio Orchestra

BBC Birmingham remembers Pebble Mill heritage

Keith Ackrill’s Memories of Working at Pebble Mill