Photo by Steve Harris, no reproduction without permission
This is just to let you know that CMCR9, Pebble Mill’s original CM1 outside broadcast truck, which later became Manchester’s North 3, will be on show at the Astle Park Steam Rally, near Chelford, Cheshire next weekend 8/9th August 2015.
The organizer’s website is: http://www.outdoorshows.co.uk/astle-park-traction-engine-rally.html.
Thanks to Jerry Clegg for posting the information.
Photo by John Burkill, no reproduction without permission.
This photo dates from December 1985. It shows the VT area of an outside broadcast truck, probably CM2. You can see the 1″ machine in the centre of the photo, and probably a U-matic VT machine lower down to the right.
(Thanks to Chris Harris and Peter Poole for adding in information).
Bryan Comley added the following comment on the Pebble Mill Facebook page: ‘This is the VT end of CM2, the VT machines are Ampex VPR2b’s with a shared TBC. The audio tape m/c I think is a Studer.’
Copyright John Abbott, no reproduction without permission.
This photo is of break time on the outside broadcast scanner, CMCR9 – Pebble Mill’s first CM1.
The liquid refreshment seems to be beer, as opposed to tea!
Sitting on the stool is Engineering Manager, Bob Chaplin. Bottom left may be Steve Searley. Sitting on the ground, possibly John Allinson. The other man may be Peter Hodges.
Thanks to Janet Collins, John Duckmanton and Jane Maclean for identifying the heads!
Copyright Jerry Clegg, no reproduction without permission.
Article by former sound supervisor, Jerry Clegg from BBC Manchester, about the outings that the newly restored CMCR 9, outside broadcast scanner, which was Pebble Mill’s CM1, and later Manchester’s North 3, has had this year.
The article appeared in a recent edition of Prospero.
Cameraman Malcolm Carr demonstrates the EMI 2001 camera from pebblemill on Vimeo.
Specially shot video with cameraman Malcolm Carr demonstrating the EMI 2001 studio and outside broadcast camera. The camera dates from the 1970s, and was a favourite amongst cameramen.
The camera was on display at a history of communication technology exhibition held at Salford University in October 2012.
The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook Group:
Peter Poole: ‘I used these cameras when on attachment to Norwich as a Tech Op. Like most of their equipment they were in poor condition. I spent hours trying to line them up. But the pictures still looked poor. I was glad to get back on sound!’
Alan Griffiths: ‘Nobody seemed to mind if you spent two days lining them up properly. Nowadays there would be an inquisition if it took that long!’
David Short: ‘Used this camera at TV Centre. A cameraman’s camera, if ever there was one. Everything in the ‘right’ place. A joy to operate.’
Keith Brook: ‘Well done Malcolm, good demo. If I may add a comment.
Probably because of time, he missed an important point about the shot box and its use on drama.
There were six buttons, with the ‘middle’ four generally set-up to represent ‘natural’ lens angles, 9deg, 18deg, 24deg and 36deg which gave you CU, MCU, MS and MLS. All the cameras, each day, were set up on the same chart.
In a fast cutting sequence, this was the only way to accurately change shot sizes and still match the other cameras.
Without that shot box, we wouldn’t have been able to shoot drama anywhere near the standard we did. For example, we did Poldark, a 50′ costume drama, in 50′. Yes, really. Manually zooming would have created so many retakes that the rhythm of the drama would have been lost, the momentum would have gone and we’d have been there all night.
Incidentally, those lens angles, 9deg etc, were exactly the same angles as the four lenses on the old black and white cameras thus allowing the skills to transfer easily.
Thank you EMI, for understanding cameramen. And thank you Malcolm.’
Pete Simpkin: ‘EMI were very good with TV camera design.In Southampton news we had the little brother of the one Malcolm was demonstrating , the 201… we had two operators there working three cameras so they had to be literally ‘handy’!’
cameraman Malcolm Carr