‘A’ Course at Wood Norton – 1970

A Course No 1 Photo A Course No 1 Names

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

The photo is of ‘A’ Course trainees at Wood Norton in July 1970. Note in the front row Pebble Mill’s Mark Kershaw, and Keith Brook (5th and 6th from the left). Mark worked at Pebble Mill as a cameraman, multi-camera director, series producer and deputy editor until the early 2000s. Keith left Pebble Mill in the early 1980s, and worked as a cameraman, vision mixer and director.

Thanks to Keith Brook (Scouse) for sharing the photo.

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

Stuart Gandy: ‘The engineers A course was the introduction to the BBC for all those engineers that started without having first gone to university. It was split into two parts each 6 weeks long. The first part was basic electronics needed to prepare us for broadcast engineering. The second part was operational and much more interesting. It was effectively the first time we had chance to get our hands on the equipment. Depending on which section you were destined for, you would probably be grouped off to a more specific area of training, such as TV ops, or radio etc. Most of the A course students would have stayed in the ubiquitous D block, back when I started back in 1979. An experience not to be forgotten!’

Alan Miller: ‘For what it’s worth on the second row from the left John Lunn went to Belfast , Richard Elkin to Glasgow from where he recently retired from the audio department and Rob Hastie also went to Glasgow but became a radio sports producer in London.’

Wood Norton Lighting Course – Dave Bushell

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

Just found the attached picture of some old Pebble Mill colleagues on a lighting training course at Wood Norton in August 1995. In addition to those named are the tutors, Peter Bryenton on the left and myself (Dave Bushell) on the right.

(Thanks to Dave Bushell for making the photo available.)

Memories of Wood Norton

The following memories of BBC technical training at Wood Norton were posted on the Pebble Mill Facebook Group:

Pete Simpkin: ‘I was at Wood Norton in the mid 60s and our engineerng course TA16 was the first engineer group to be allowed to produce a show in the famous Gym studio.  It was relayed to the club in Evesham. I was Floor manager……we evn had to design our own captions!’

Take a look at the following 360 degree photo of Wood Norton, by Tom Poole: http://www.tompoole.co.uk/360/woodnorton2.swf

Stuart Gandy: ‘As an engineer my first 3 months in the BBC were at Wood Norton on my A course in 1979. Part of the A course for us TV engineers was to make a programme in the studio at Wood Norton trying out the different roles. In those days there were always a lot of trainees there and for our course we could not use the studio there as it was fully booked, so we had to come up to Birmingham University studio for 3 days. Whilst there we had the chance to visit ‘a proper TV studio’, that was Pebble Mill of course, one of the BBC’s most iconic buildings. It was an interesting visit especially for those of us like me that would be starting there later on. Who would have ever thought back then that 25 years later it would be gone!’

Gordon Astley: ‘Wood Norton was my rite of passage.’

Training at Wood Norton – Kathryn Shuttleworth

BBC training at Wood Norton

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

Whilst we were training at Wood Norton we got the chance to learn a little about the other roles in a TV studio. We had a go at directing, vision mixing and camera operating. I enjoyed my brief time behind the camera. Mark Ward working hard in the background!

Kathryn Shuttleworth

 

 

Audio Trainees at Wood Norton – Kathryn Shuttleworth

Group Photo at Wood Norton.

This photo is of the audio trainees who joined Pebble Mill in June 1995. I am the last one standing in Birmingham now but who knows how much longer I will be here!

Back row (left to right): Angela Rowson, John Goda, Ian Mitchell, Nick Ford, Celia Hutchison

Front row (left to right): Guy Worth, Kathryn Shuttleworth, Mark Ward, Lizzie Gilchrist, Lynn Monroe

Kathryn Shuttleworth