Photo Album-England
BBC Manchester
1967-1977
| Studio N in Piccadilly Gardens,
Manchester was BBC Manchesters regional studio from which 'Look North' and
various other news and sport programmes were transmitted. One was rostered
there quite frequently. It could be either very peaceful or very chaotic,
according to the nature of news that day. Names of some of my colleagues
who worked with me are: Dave Taylor, Con Jones, Jerry Clegg, Dick Gittins,
John Spicer, Mike Robertson, Peter Rigby, Henry Burden and many more. I'll
be happy to incorporate your memories of this studio; just e-mail them to
me. |
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Studio N during rehearsal for a
transmission of 'Look North'. Left to right: me, Editor, Henry Burdin
(Technical Manager), Director, Hazel (P.A.) and Jerry Clegg (Sound) |
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This was also taken in Studio N one
afternoon when clearly things were a bit quiet on the news front! Studio N
was the news studio in old Broadcasting House, which overlooked Piccadilly
Gardens. John Spicer (Technical Manager), Con Jones (cameraman) and Jerry
Clegg (Sound) from left to right. |
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Here, Mike Robertson focuses a one inch Vidicon camera on a young guest. Vidicons were cheap, smeary
and not very good monochrome cameras. Note the trim phone on the desk,
another 60's icon! |
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'Studio out' displayed on what
looks like a 19" monitor. Does anybody know who the young guest was?
He'll be about 40 years old now! |
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Dickenson Road Studios in
Rusholme was where BBC Television studios started in Manchester. 'Dicky
Road' was its name to the crews who worked there. Like so
many of the Beeb's regional premises, it was a converted church. Here, in
the vestry (!) was Telecine, that wonderful collection of
electromechanical devices which was sometimes used as a dubbing suite
during the day, and often for playing in the many film inserts to
programmes made in Studio A next door. This was my first Television
experience as a T.A. (Technical Assistant) Jim Hendren was in charge on
this particular day. |
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Meanwhile, down at Haydock park,
its a real live Image orthicon camera with a Varotal Zoom lens out front.
I worked in vision control (racks) at this time. I remember those long
cable runs to camera five, and cleaning each cable joint with Inhibisol
contact cleaner in the rain! I don't think Inhibisol did much for the
ozone layer, either. Probably made it rain more. |
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Another look at an I.O. camera.
Note the wires to support the weight of the lens. This was one of the
early Varotal zoom lenses. I think it's the VIII. |
    
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