Communications and Signals
Throughout its life Pebble Mill formed part of the BBC's communications and transmission backbone. Television Centre had primary responsibility for most of the BBC's transmitted output and day to day transmission switching and presentation.
Pebble Mill was the Midlands Central Switching and Monitoring Centre and would route national channels (2 television and 4 national radio as well as local radio) to the Midland transmitters at Sutton Coldfield, Ridge Hill and The Wrekin and to other parts of the UK as well as acting as a national back up to TVC in case of emergencies.
In the late 1960s to the early 1990s Pebble Mill also had a fleet of 'Links' vehicles that were used to relay vision signals from OBs back to Comms Centre before being redistributed to London. All audio signals were sent via copper cable (Post Office/BT land Lines). When satellite transmission of picture signals started in the mid 1990s, Pebble Mill gained several satellite dishes on its roof and also had fibre optics installed as well as more permanent links to Birmingham's BT tower.
During the 1970s 'Comms Centre' was above the foyer but the 1990s Comms moved around the corner and was situated in the link area between Radio and TV.
Read more about this topic: Pebble Mill Studios
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