After 70 years the BBC’s External Services moved out of Bush House this summer. Equipment and furniture was auctioned off and the building will eventually be refurbished and let as office accommodation.
But for many that worked beyond that Aldwych portico – although not purpose built for the BBC the building’s dedication “to the Friendship of English Speaking Peoples” was apt – the warren of corridors, offices and studios will be sadly missed.
Well now you can revisit the old studios of Bush House courtesy of a new website Normal Stop. The site is written by Barry Warr and Jeremy Lowe who both worked at “Bush” for many years. It provides a fascinating glimpse behind the scenes at the technology that put the multitude of programme and languages on the air.
And why Normal Stop? As Barry told me it’s because “on BBC mixing desks there is an point on a fader scale at which the signal travelling through the desk is at its optimum – that’s called the normal stop (usually 20 or 23 on the fader scale)”.
Did you see the equipment auction list, quite extensive! I had a link to it when it was announced a couple of months ago
ReplyDeleteI did see it, would've loved to pick up one of those Mic On signs and an old reel-to-reel machine.
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