OK. I'll kick this off then.
Joined in '68 as a TO (TO.29 was the course). It was a 'combined start' with TOs Television and TOs Regions - ISTR there were about 110 on the starting day. All in the Green huts with those multiple choice answer to questions I never knew existed before!! Horrible!

I've managed to get in contact with many of those who went to BH London at that stage (still a few to go though!) and a few of the regional fellows too.
Really wondering whether any of those folk are up for a re-union of sorts, and where? After all, it's now 42 years since we joined up, and there's been an awful lot of TOs gone through LCR in those years.
But it would be good to catch up with any of the guys in TS(R) - various sections thereof - who helped us out in those days. So, anyone from BH London who wants to join in a "Down Memory Lane" then this might be a good place to start!! There's lots of characters to remember (as well as several who've been forgotten!) and the good/bad times we had.
Come on now! Don't be shy! Join in with your memories of those days.

Ahh! A responder - but sadly "Amigo" doesn't ring any bells, so I'm none the wiser - and yes, it was a very good year for the Beeb!!I lasted for almost 37 before I just had to leave TC.

Not sure if I shouldn't say 'you're the latecomer' Jon - as I've been on this forum for a few years now!!
But yes, TO.27 does indeed pre-date me - not by much, 'cos at that stage Auntie was trying to get lots of youngsters into the business, and there were several intakes in relatively close succession.

I - being John Westbury - spent most of my formative years on D Shift (under Jim Howarth, with some period of Frank 'Dear Boy' Barron as ATOM, then with Robbie Roberts who eventually became my TOM - with the likes of Roy Clifford, Pete Mirams and so forth as mentors. Cliff Sykes, George Speller, Russell H and Pete Newbury were all from at least one intake prior to mine (there were over 20 new TOs brought into LCR in '68) and although I think I was one of the last 'fully qualified' TOs to leave LCR (I do know that Alan Short was probably the very longest serving, as he worked a good 3 years into his official retirement, and that there are at least 2 ex-TOs still working as engineers even today!) I didn't spend too many years actually in LCR itself as I worked for a long period (75-79) doing stereo cartridge work for Network Radio, and then had 3 years in Radio 2, returning to LCR in 1982 where I remained up until LCR (and TOs) were 're-branded' in 1989 - at that stage I was re-trained as an Engineer (in 1990) and left LCR as one of its two Managers, when I went over to TVC as a System Specialist and set up the News/Radio studios over there for 5 Live, etc. [The News studios are still in use although 5Live and Sport have moved up to Salford.]

Fearing this epistle may become a very long one (with a pretty full list of names!) I suggest we drop it off here, and endeavour to communicate in a more appropriate form - many of the readers here will be entirely unfamiliar with these names, and it'll mean nowt to most of them. Having said that I do know there are a few "ol' timers" lurking who may just catch this - Dick Oldman for one is/was a member!! But there is a general unawareness of this forum by many/most ex-BBC folk (from the number on staffers I've told about it!) so it may not be regularly checked!

P.S. You probably forgot the likes of Mary Ivemy, Sue Lawrence, Di Hill, Lyn Bower, Bridget Whittaker and then there was Mavis (Mathews) - notice how I remember all the women!) besides Ted Atkinson, Johnnie Bradburn (not Bradshaw!) and George Mowlam as the other TOMs of the day. [Incidentally, Algy's ex-wife posted on this forum a couple of years back now. Algy's still around, and I'm told meets with a group of those ex-TOs who were made redundant in 1990 - Pete Davies (aka Penge) John Herbert, Vic Lewis and Gerry Chalkley amongst them.] I suppose you'd remember many of the ex-TOs who moved across into SM-ing: Dusty Miller, Mike Benson, Richard Hill, as well as folk such as Mel House, Dave Atkey, etc.
I'm still in contact with many of the 'elder statesmen' of LCR (including Tony Giles, who took over from Tony Nelson for TO Training 'on station' when AWBN went over to TSR - with Ken Tink and several other names I occasionally drag up!). I think the eldest 'member of LCR' (that I know of) IS still Frank Crombie who must be in his 80's now, but he wasn't on B Shift (having come down from Manchester, saying "he wouldn't pay the buggers in brass washers!"). Then of course there was Eric Kershaw, Frank Mines, Colin Johnstone, to name but a few!! Remember the likes of Mike Davies? {john.westbury[@]gmail.com should you wish to take this further off forum!}  

To Jon W

keep your ear to the ground as I hear TFS may have some sort of re-union soon!

Mike

Yes, Andy - I do remember you. Whether that's good or bad I'll leave up to you to decide!
Purely as a co-incidence, when I saw your posting regards Wood Norton pictures, and saw AndrewU as a login name, I was in the process of enquiring whether you were Andy Ullman - but had to abort that entry as I was required to perform as Dad's Taxis once again!!

Hopefully, one of my earlier postings here will have reminded you of a few names from the past.

I (along with many, right across the world apparently!) certainly remember the "Nigel Edwards of The BBC" from those long-ago days.
I figured, when I saw the NigelE passing comment re the obit for TV OBs, that it was yourself who had found this forum, and put fingers to keyboard.

This thread has been going for some time now, and I'd forgotten some of the previously mentioned names. So thank you for dragging me back to it.

I'm still in reasonably frequent contact with Dick Oldman, Roy Clifford, Graham Clifford, Alan Short, Mike Carter, Pete Monnery, etc - all ex-LCR - although I know there is a parallel group of escapees [Gerry Chalkley, John Herbert, Pete Davies, Pete Page - in fact more than I can instantly remember!] who also still get together. They were made redundant when LCR was redeveloped in 1989/90 and the engineers were made to take over. However, apart from Richie Earle, and Pete Mirams,  I don't get to catch up with the Radio OBs guys. Last time I did was when Gerry Glancy was alive - but he's been gone some years now.

Most of the TOs from those hazy days have now 'left' the SMs groups they joined whenLCR was decapitated, and there seem to be very few ex-LCR people around the building when I was last there. You might perhaps want to join the SinS group which meets up on a monthly basis. More details of that if you want to contact me off-forum [john.westbury@gmail.com]

Anyway, I hope whate'er ails you is not too serious - a few of us have suffered in several ways! - and that you keep on going.

Good to hear from you anyway, Nigel.

Hello, I was a Tech Op on TO22 in 1965 and joined BH London.
I parlayed my world-class training at the BBC into a freelance recording career and ended up in Canada where I am now retired. I'd love to hear from anyone on TO22 and was trying to contact a lecturer at the time Chris Daubney.
Thanks.