Studio A – Page 4 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Studio A Lighting Grid

Photo by Malcolm Hickman, no reproduction without permission

This photo shows the lighting grid for Studio A at Pebble Mill. It probably dates from the 1970s.

Thanks to Malcolm Hickman for sharing the photo.

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

Andy Frizzell: ‘The Lighting ‘barrels’ were on hoists that lowered to the studio floor, there were generally 2 ‘twisters’ per bar. Twisters were dual source lights ‘hard’ fresnel at one end soft ‘fill’ at the other. There were three 5Kw channels on each bar. 10Kw channels were available from the grid above.
On the barrels each lamp had additional ‘pantographs’ to fine tune the height above sets etc.
Towards the end we added DMX moving light connectivity. If memory serves, this was considered a ‘saturation’ rig studio as opposed to the monopole system preferred by the itv companies. No doubt Dave Bushell can elaborate/correct me on the details as he was my NVQ tutor/examiner.’

Dave Bushell: ‘You have given a very succinct description. I worked with monopole systems after leaving the Mill and I can’t say I liked the lack of flexibility they gave. I suppose it’s what you got used to.’

Children in Need outside Studio A

Photo from Rod Fawcett, no reproduction without permission

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A busy Children in Need night in the corridor outside Studio A. This photo probably dates from the 1980s.

Thanks to Radio WM engineer Rod Fawcett, for sharing the photo.

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

Stuart Gandy: ‘Those were the days when CIN was a big event inside and outside the Mill.’

Andy Marriott: ‘It’s a shame, all the regions would get a decent chunk of airtime and places like Pebble Mill and Oxford Road used to make the most of it. It seems very London-centric now.’

Gyn Freeman: ‘Standing behind this red haired beauty is the timid, yet well dressed beauty Steve Woodhall. This is an audience I think off into the studio, but who is on the ladder at the back trying to maintain order? No doubt about it, the good old days!’

Rod Fawcett: ‘On the far left it’s Jenny Wilkes as Robin Hood.’

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The day the Pebble Mill studio opened

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-birmingham-29109003/the-day-pebble-mill-studio-opened-in-1971

This link is to a clip from Nationwide on 15th June 1971. Midlands Today presenter, Tom Coyne gives a guided tour of the brand new Pebble Mill studios. Included in the tour are Studio B, the home of Midlands Today; Studio A, where many dramas were produced; and the Radio studios, home to The Archers, we also see Radio WM in action. There is no mention of Pebble Mill at One, because the programme had not yet been planned.

Thanks to Malcolm Hickman for sharing the link.

Still from Tom Coyne’s piece on Nationwide. Copyright BBC.

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

Keith Warrender:’The EMI cameras were still going in 1983 when they were replaced with Link 125s. Link are long gone but the old factory is still standing unused in Andover.’

Sue Astle: ‘Such an amazing exciting time for us then, we were privileged to have worked there. Susie Bancroft. Ex make up’

Sarah Tongue: ‘My mom ran the Library!’

Helen Smith: ‘Loved watching that, my Dad was the cameraman at the beginning of the clip.’

Michael Fisher: ‘Radio Birmingham as it was at the start!’

Andy Marriott: ‘What was the little mini cart system they were using for spot effects, called?’

Malcolm Hickman: ‘It was a device called a P.E.G. Programme effects generator. They used a spool of tape in a case with a metal loop fitted at one end. When you inserted the cartridge, the machine grabbed the tab and cued the effect. It had loads of slots so a sequence of effects could be built up. A BBC designs department product, IIRC.’

Sue Welch: ‘Actually remember Tom Coyne from Tyne Tees Television. A very long time ago.’

Malcolm Adcock: ‘Happy memories, joined Top Gear in 1988 and our production office was later in the old Pebble Mill at One studio area.’

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Prometheus: The Life of Balzac 1975

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Prometheus: Life of Balzac, by Andre Maurois, was adapted for television by David Turner. It was transmitted in autumn 1975 on BBC2. The producer was Richard Beynon, with director, Joan Craft. Derek Hobday was lighting director, with Lennox Phillips as script editor, and Margaret Peacock, the designer. Joyce Hawkins was costume designer, and the photograph is made available by Joyce.

The photo shows Nicky Henson as Balzac, with Nanette Newman playing Countess Even Hanska.

The series would have been recorded in Studio A at Pebble Mill.

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Lynda Kettle reflects on designing Howards’ Way

Production designer, Lynda Kettle was recently interviewed by Hampshire Life, about designing on the popular drama series, Howards’ Way. Here is an excerpt from the article.

For the full article, please click on the link below:

http://www.hampshire-life.co.uk/people/meeting-set-designer-lynda-kettle-1-4852122?utm_source=Facebook&utm_medium=Social_Icon&utm_campaign=in_article_social_icons

Howards’ Way, Vanessa’s lounge designed by Lynda Kettle. Photo by Lynda Kettle.

Howards’ Way, Mermaid Yard, designed by Lynda Kettle. Photo by Lynda Kettle.

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The following comment was left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Jason Dean: “Howard’s Way seemed so fresh, classy and groundbreaking at the time – a real highlight of the tv week for me. Filming coincided with a spell I had working in the newsroom as a reporter for Midlands Today and during my lunch break I used to enjoy sneaking into a viewing area above the Howard’s Way studio to watch them filming on set. It seemed memorising. And of course it was great to bump into the actors in the canteen on the top floor too.”