BBC Tour at MediaCityUK

well it is Sataday and something we have always wanted to do the good lady and i is tour BBC I always wanted to do BBC TVC but alas it’s gone and this is part of the corporations new big plan to spread and diversify themselves and this  is there  £900 million relocation to Salford (still going to tell me its cheaper than updating the old TVC ?)  ,i did do many moons ago the Granada studious tour and that was excellent 
so we arrive , and theres a sports thing going on so lots of lycra clad people packed out and 5 or 6 normaly dressed elderly folk milling around main door 

I enquired at the Peel holdings desk ,and found out some interesting info 
,the whole site land building the lot are owned by them, BBC and others just “rent” the use of ,so may say BBC on the building  it is in name only
A  bit of kidology going on there and the young folk doing tour confirmed this and the mills that used to be there,there was no mills it was warehouses as it was a dockland for unloading ships,anyhow moving on 

 It would seem from opening intro that the studios (no mention of how many) are in use by channel four and ITV (who’s site is yet to be built and finished) and apparently the Blue Peter people said No so anyhow blah happy to take pics not of equipment or corridors Blah 
all led by none BBC staffers just what i guess to be students earning bit of cash at weekend with a BBC t shirt on 

and onto our first stop 

Don’t worry i haven’t heard of radio 6 either , and young red head lad spent 20 minutes explained what each screen is what each web cam is what each microphone does its a hydraulic desk the window so you can see your radio presenters and on and on and on and on for 25 min, now i was concerned a hour tour half of it in here something isnt right

The next stop the empty room used for radio Dramas like Archers or whatever it was 
now it was ,i admit freely ,full our tour of about 20 people around  the age of 60 +  ,fare enough ,but really 20 minutes of how Fred died in Archers and this is how it was done, and this is cassette tape and this simulates grass and ooo tap and this used to simulate water and this is a dead room used for outsides
 and this is how this works (free demo from lady also doing tour with us) and this is foam (as modelled so nicely by my good lady) and we get details of how it is worked out in weight size and shape and then formula for placement on the wall…………………………….ever watch open university at 1 am ON BBC 2 ?. this is live version
Another use for foam damn comfy to lie up against and get a power nap

 off outside through to a glass door and told how its “the stage door” and five minute talk on how the great and good have come through and had a cig outside and tour guide telling us of who they saw, then wear in a big corridor in front double studio door keren millagen on plasma screen oh were going to be shown where audience is and etc i thought ,nope, it is pointed out and down there see them doors?,thats a question of sport,see the doors down far end thats blue peter , and on we go 

I am at this point awaiting to be shown studios prop stores ,makeup,costume,scenery docks etc

Ladies and Gentlemen here i have for you the piesta de la resistance
a corner of a room about 16 feet in length and 14 wide this corner is a small red couch for mock up of BBC breakfast and a small 3 seat row mock up for question of sport 

 a grey screen and ten minutes on how this works a cheesy intercession with a pre recorded section of BBC breakfast ,and told the real studio is two floors up i raised my hand ,can i see it ? ,no,
im now using my phone to check facebook.

back outside look in that window look people at desks ,that’s BBC news that is ,regional and sport’s only news is in Broadcasting house London  i corrected
then onto tram stop where i came in and Blue Peter Garden well the pond this is it the one and only taken brick by brick from London each brick marked exactly,how come a third of the size i ask ,space availability i am told oh blue peter badges and ten minute talk on new presenters 
scratching my head thinking surely a hours gone but when is the tour starting ?

thats it now collect bags balh blah
so i piped up errrrrrr that it?, when are we seeing something you do not normally see you know TV factory making stuff ?

AHA see that building three big studios? that is for things like well not needing a studio like inside a house etc 
its called the pie factory,i know it was a pie factory ,it was Hollands and things like dramas and comedy’s are made in there Royal family being one ,can we go ?, oooo nothing to do with us its independent studios 


Now i have done my homework BBC Birmingham just got some Dr Who monster heads it and London have props ,and for me what is important a shop,you know one off stuff, oppertunity to see get ,do ,take part, is this not what this is supposed to be ?

 this all seems last second rushed not owned nor anything to do with BBC just there making cash from the fact there making some stuff here ,then so is everyone one else from independent companies to all other major TV stations its a massive let down i was furious and red mist descended 
I was back in reception and gave a earful to other lady in there amid the cahos trying to book people in few hundred lycra people and there families ,she with the whole i just work here attitude and no phone or radio but will contact boss when phone found boss not there incompetent BBC should i be surprised ? not really after speaking to a good friend about the company for years i should of known better save your money walk around and be nosey for free !
e mail sent comment feedback left all over where i could

Ill end by saying Doctor Who moving here rumours,no bloody chance,where do you make them  ? there is no facilities for them any where, 3 major actual proper studios always in use by well every company owning a camera , bity pop style audience shows fine, major Drama a struggle at best ,a long running high demand drama such as who ,no bloody way  

UP SIDE
so day was not a waste Lowery is there Mall arndale and the war museum and not impressive at the moment gallery not much going on but war museum was fun and had a nice shop and FREE

Sten gun as Used a lot on film eg Dr Who UNIT gun Storm Troopers Star Wars

BBC Media city

Been on a little trip out to local new media village ,or Media City UK  (Pompous title ?) BBC Media Village Manchester yup the beeb relocated ooop north from down south  Interesting one this basically it is a vast area of old docklands that was regenerated into the uber ooo look at me glass architecture,you know the one all odd angles and weird symmetry wonder how history will judge it i think it is just plain odd looking but then in the not so long ago 70s concrete was in   
http://www.thelowry.com/

shopping center Arndale is bit naff and boring it is all yuppie stuff nothing of any interest war museum is ,ok

BUT is the BBC which is what i want to see

THIS is what i came for

so there is a TARDIS and some daleks
and after doing some digging about i found out some stuff about this box,
my far more knowledgeable expert friend was doubtful to its screen use and some things measurement wise being a little off
so here is what we have found out about this particular box in doing my research
It is NOT screen used it is a promotional box or “Exhibition” Prop as over the years many things have been

When Matt as Doctor touring promoting he came to Manchester in a coach  with Karen
and they duly posed for press and had a Q and A session with the press
they did not bring a box with them Matt had his sonic screwdriver but no box

So being at Media hub in North for BBC (Now going all regional decentralized from London ) the pictures are with TARDIS in Media City and i bet it is this one, has to be i think this like one in TV Center London is something stuck in foyer as promo piece, but has has its uses to appear when needed
 eg been on blue peter (now based in Manchester) and other things like for press pictures

Manchester Matt Karen and TARDIS

So off i go to take a look never seen this box before have been and seen the Dr Who  “up close” exhibition 2007

which had Tardis and a Dalek on a plinth, amongst many other things but it was Tennant Ecclestone Variant that time around
It was housed in the Science and industry Museum and it was a good to see the then series 3 in production and actual screen used parts and how “Un special” things were, off the peg clothes for costumes and quick cheap MDF jobs to props all very quick and basic DIY 

Not very special but still nice to see and get up close to them , which was kind of the point i got to see stuff in stores to like Timelord Collar and other things but it had nothing classic that was still firmly Blackpool then 

we did have are very own TARDIS for the event tho made by the folks at the museum for promo work

 I called it ” Stretch” this went on to be in original BBC Oxford road foyer for a couple of years think there was five of these made and was even so obviously wrong still drew a crowd for looking touching and pictures amazing what a pop culture media icon can do

Back at Media City 2012

yup i was here for this !
and had pen paper and schematic of Tardis in hand hey serious business this you know ,i was a man on a mission
BUT before i get into that there was some natives from the planet Skaro on display

originally there were 2

But alas being on Display and prone to public manhandling then loaned to other departments returned well ……….broken
and in typical Beeb fashion there bust and not been repaired
apparently there originally interactive of sorts
so now there a little broken and now we are down to one on display sans eye

These were animated originally and now show some real signs of wear the one in foyer had bad cracks in the neck rings wobbly neck bin and broken eye the other was well a right off now stashed and hidden away
One interesting thing that did come to light in my research is this controversial tit bit
A claim that one of these was made by This Planet Earth ,i know not enough but i raised a eyebrow ,why? BBC have there own and molds and access to own props,so why use theres ?

So onto the main event a BIG wood blue box first thoughts lighter than i released mine i made was maybe little to light but certainly not as Dark as she appears on the telly or as made by CO
She looked worn step was dirty chipped scuffed bent door handle she had seen use been used as a photo prop 
Now a lot of the “Internet” know alls have stamped on what they say is so and here was a lot of disproving (FYI Dalek seal round hems is NOT a daf seal it is rigid hard cast  lines going round it ,i know i touched it ),the phone panel is one flat white run of mill perspex and black 3D lettering laser cut,added on top different to previous that was metal and printed deliberately scuffed so thats why when lit can see light bleed behind letters 
Next how amateurish a job it was it is just hardboard MDF and i suspect some standard pine router jigsaw and drill job it is disproportionate,but not as much as you think 

heavy wear and tear cracks showing, you can see no brush marks it is obviously spray painted so im thinking the moff wanted the prop looking clean tidy nice and neat for his series compared to the dirty worn out tennat version ,but they have made more of these boxes,
 and not even god knows why

My impression in 2005 was if someone who was good with D.I.Y and decided i want a box TARDIS for my self then looking at telly this is something they would make with no real idea or research, fine fan build
this a professional prop for a series ,it  is simply substandard 
It is big panels and windows ,but not square ones despite what you think ,theres like a inch difference believe it or not ,some measurements similar to Hartnells Box panels, and there is a lot of measurements in the routering and beveling all over it is simply done you can see where panels of wood are nailed in, lot of nail glue used ,and wood grain shows well you can see it looks like carpentry 101 project 
and left with idea of how it was done by a set of carpenters with not one idea on what a TARDIS is, there is zero details some like posts have added made up detail , L added to posts ,post caps attatched to the roof ,no corner beading no 3 steps at wall tops all the details that come with a Police Box aka TARDIS nothing , nice work nicely made but so very wrong 

so i got measurements all over not that i will ever use them ,i do not think but you never know 
and also the cat flap at the back for lead yet there was a hole made for the lead ? go figure i saw the simple top signs just printed on perspex and fresnel  on roof it has the parkay floor inside ala the set 

parkay

 the windows are black perspex simple as, not some magic device that go clear and all white when light is switched on ,sorry there black and the grey ones (Grey cos clear but pebbled frosted so seem grey but actually clear why light shines through when switched on )  are pebbled,look darker when obviously dark within and boxed behind and black hardboard backing the walls doors 

here is proof the black is black see pebbled allowing light to shine

a 10mm window divide so not as thin as people think

overall a really nice thing to see ,weather you like approve or  not it is nice to see one  and staff didnt give me a hard time in fact came to ask what i was doing nicely and in curiosity, careful not to bore as well it is my ting not necessarily anyone elses ,just explained i love the blue box and would like to take some measurements 
 she is BIG

One Day i will see a classic box saw a Bracaki replica at llangolan as a kid but i want to see real thing this means a trip to Cardiff