30/09/2014 Midlands Today

The headlines tonight. is all from us.

A national college to train apprentices for High Speed Rail

It reflects the growing confidence of the region, and it's

It's going to be a game changer HS2.

But with the two sites 95 mhles apart, we'll be asking if this is a

How would you feel if you woke up to find

It felt as though either a helicopter had

Not much harmony here, UB40 go to court in a row over who

And Midlands Today at 50, much loved former presenter

Kay Alexander takes us throtgh the archive from 1974 to 1984.

And it has been the driest `nd warmest September on record, but

that is about to change as we going to October.

Birmingham will be the site of the new National College for

High Speed rail but it will have to share it with Doncaster.

The HS2 college will be loc`ted in, and run by,

The college will provide spdcialist vocational training

But how will it actually work when both sites are 95 miles apart?

Our transport correspondent Peter Plisner reports.

The Prime Minister touring the site Birmingham's new Street Station

currently undergoing a ?600 million modernisation. It's one of the most

complex railway civil engindering project in the country and prove

that Birmingham has the expdrtise to mastermind training for HS2. The

city also hosts the city for `` Centre for brow education at

Birmingham University, one of the largest at the UK. And this is where

the college will be based, near Aston University, another place of

the strong engineering expertise. The man in charge of the bid for the

HS2 College for Birmingham says it is great news for the city `nd the

reader. We put a great bid hn,, nation of expertise in the

educational sector, business support and counsel integration. I think it

reflects the confidence of the location, and I think HS2 whll be a

game changer. Birmingham is at the heart of the proposed HS2 ndtwork.

This site is only a stones throw away from Ron proposed HS2 station

in Birmingham city centre and it is already be home of the construction

headquarters. Today's announcement comes days after West Midlands MPs

from across all parties sent a letter to the business secrdtary

stating that we have the location, leadership and collaboration to make

HS2 college success. So is their disappointment at having to share

the college with Doncaster? One of the MPs who signed the lettdr says

not. That will be quite an experiment. Different cities and

regions co`operating togethdr, which could be good for the futurd. But

not good for those affected by HS2 who today have been questioning the

timing of the announcement. I think what we have seen today is ` cynical

attempt during Tory party conference to come up with something that makes

HS2 look like a good idea. The reality is, with a 50 billion cost

and rising, and rising, it is an absolute

disaster for this country. Despite continuing opposition to HS2, the

new college is expected to open in 2017 and it will play a key role in

both the construction and operation of the high`speed line.

The announcement about the new national college was made this

afternoon, but despite repe`ted requests no one from the Department

of Business and Skills or Transport was available for an intervhew, even

though the Conservatives ard in Birmingham

But our Political Editor Patrick Burns is outside

So Patrick, is this move more political than practical?

Mary, you will never keep politics out of the decision as big `s this.

You will just have so much riding on it. We have been hearing, so much

intense political lobbying, on behalf of all four short listed

cities including Birmingham. But Doncaster does have some very

significant political backing, it is deeply cheap `` constituencx of Ed

Miliband. As a Sheffield MP, Nick Liberal Democrat leader has a broad

interest in that area as a whole. And I think this point us towards a

fact that this is a street party project, `` three party project 451

MPs have yard in his constituency. Hd says a

business park would come `` create jobs. I fixed the key point is `` I

think his key point is is the main party leaders will use the perceived

advantages of high`speed rahl to put it opponent including UKIP on the

wrong side of the argument. While the main conference events

take place in the ICC, And garden damage is

the top problem, closely followed Urban badgers are also diffdrent to

their country cousins They are typically much larger than

their rural counterparts, and that's because we know that they

are fed in gardens by peopld. I once talked to

a chap who fed cheese and phckle sandwiches to his badgers in his

garden and the badgers loved it So because of that,

they are much bulkier. Stopping badger feeding on this

street might encourage them to Certainly more extreme attelpts to

discourage them haven't worked. They suggested tea bags soaked in

Jeyes fluid, so I went and got 40 tea bags, soaked them in a lass of

Jeyes fluid, we scattered them over the ground where they had already

been, we scattered them down the side of the fences,

it made no difference whatsoever. Badgers could be coming to

a street near you and not everyone And you can read more about this

on David's blog Around 200 tonnes of scrap letal

have caused serious delays by catching fire on a yard in the Black

Country. 50 firefighters ard tackling the blaze at Charlds Street

in Smethwick. London Midland says services in and out of Birmhngham

past the scene had been suspended, tickets are accepted on bus routes.

There are always `` also delays on the Midlands Metro.

A court's heard allegations that a soldier was brutally murderdd by a

comrade at his Shropshire b`rracks in a possible revenge attack

32`year`old Corporal Geoffrey McNeill,

of the Royal Irish Regiment, was allegedly beaten to death bx Lance

Corporal Richard Farrell at Tern Hill Barracks in March this year.

The trial at Birmingham Crown Court continues.

A row between the original members of UB40

over who can use the band's name, is set to go to the High Cotrt.

Current band members have started legal action against the former

lead singer Ali Campbell and former members Astro and Mickey

It comes as the three prepare to release their first album together.

UB40 or not UB40? That's wh`t many fans of the biggest selling reggae

act in history are now asking. There's been a lot of confusion but

what we've decided if the f`ns will vote with their feet. There is

another UB40 out there, my older brother Duncan is singing the hits

that I had. But there is a TB40 with me, Astro and Mickey where xou have

got the original thinkers. So it is everyone who they want to sde. 0

years ago when we got together, we made an agreement went someone

leaves the band, they do not take the name with them, the band stays

with the original members and we are the original members and th`t is it.

It is no simple. `` very silple UB40 has sold more than 100 million

records but the last few ye`rs has seen riffs, rows and bitter

divides. If it had just rem`ined on a professional level, then laybe

after a few years we could set them around a table. But this is got

personal. You think to yourself do I really want to have anythhng to do

with it? Six years ago, when Ali Campbell left, he was replaced by

his older brother Duncan. The two have not spoken since and are now

locked in legal battle over the bad's name. It is the confusion it

has to be put right unfortunately. We were hoping that his reaction

would be to step back from the situation but it looks like he wants

to contest it. Both bands are currently on tour, both using the

name UB40. How long that will last is likely to be decided by the

courts. For more than half a centurx,

David Coleman was the voice He lived in the Midlands

for many years. And tonight Ian Winter is

at the Aldersley Stadium in Wolverhampton for a rathdr

special event in his memory. Tuesday night is training nhghts

here at Wolverhampton and Bhlston athletics club, and David Coleman

was the honorary president of the club. He died at the age of 87 just

before Christmas, but he was passionate about his athlethcs. He

really loved it and that is where the club is holding this very

special event this evening. David Coleman used to run on this same

track, so if we can call yot in John, you are the starter, these

youngsters are going to follow in his footsteps, get ready, on your

marks, get set,. On your marks. Go! Sorry, mate.

David, made his first TV appearance on the first David Roger Bannister

broke the four minute mile. His marathon broadcasting it was up and

running. He loved covering lost sports, but athletics was hhs

passion. And it said Colgatd the risk `` resolve he wants! It is

Linford Christie! He covered 11 Olympic Games. George Best never

made it to the World Cup finals but David Coleman did. On six occasions.

Can he do it? He surely must. After almost 20 years of hosting `

question of sport, and a lifetime of broadcasting, David Coleman OBEs

will always be fondly remembered by sports fans across the Midl`nds and

beyond. So, the kids are still runnhng on

the track. Let's have a chat with two of the guys who knew David

Traill well indeed. Mike Coleman is his son, one of several children.

Telly, what would your dad have made of this? He would have been in his

element. This is what he was all about. The fact that he is hn his

name, he would not have been seeking that an heap probably would not have

realised that. We are just really pleased there is a legacy whth his

name, and hopefully it will last for years. Your dad was famous for his

gaffes, how did he react to that? Initially very badly, because the

great that started it was, that started it off, `` the quitter

started it off, he comes on the corner and opened his legs `nd shows

his class, that was not even him, it was Ron Pickering! What was David's

legacy to this club? We werd already a top club when we had him, we had

international athletes and then we suddenly had the greatest

commentator in the world mark `` bar none, so it was absolutely

fantastic. As you say, he is still inspiring us today. Thank you very

much. It would be rude not to finish with a gaffe. In the words of the

great man, that is the fastdst time ever run, but it is not as fast as

the world record! Stoke City have climbed six places

up the Premier League table And it was a special night for

Neil Baldwin. His life story was dramatisdd

in the BBC programme Marvellous And he received

a standing ovation before khck`off. Stoke won

the game 1`0 thanks to this goal It was their first home win of the

season and lifts them up to 11th. And manager Mark Hughes was full

of praise for the man who stpplied He's done great since he's come

here, we've been really ple`sed Once again, he's made an impact

in a positive way for us. You know when you give him

the ball in wide areas that he's going to cause fullbacks and wide

guys a problem and he was able just to stand the ball up and th`t's

the type of service Peter craves. All this week we're celebrating

the 50th Anniversary of We've been raiding the archhve to

bring you some of the highlhghts. Kay Alexander was a familiar face

on this programme for many xears and she's been looking back

at the era between 1974 and 198 . In the 1970s, Led Zeppelin were

showing the world how it's done A local band, taking the rock world by

the scruff of the neck. Heavy metal music made right here in thd

Midlands. Over at BBC Birmingham, in our own

style, we were trying to captivate audiences in new and exciting ways.

In the late 50s, it was every girl's due to be picked up hn this,

and it was every young man's dream to own and drive one. Yes, that

really is me! Shocking behaviour. When I joined Midlands todax, we

were in the nationwide era. When all the regions joined together for a

national news magazine hour. There was something from everyone in it.

For example, some of our vidwers sound very strange ways of raising

money for charity. Anxious places in the crowd, reflecting the hhgh drama

of the training session upon which so much depends. Do you havd any

protection down there that we don't know about? No ferrets were injured

in the making of that rogue ramp! Well, not much, anyway. Most of my

career was at Pebble Mill in Birmingham. The building th`t became

the first purpose`built bro`dcasting centre in the UK. And a legdnd in

its own right. You have a vdry good evening on BBC One tonight, good

luck, Khlifa! With the BBC now at the Mailbox, this vast site will

soon become a dental hospit`l and health centre of excellence. It was

such an exciting place. He would meet in the corridors the fhlm stars

who were being interviewed `t 1pm. We often used to do that on Midlands

Today, but we did completelx mad blue Peter sorts of things. We would

have the latest batch of lion cubs in the studio from the Safari Park,

live. Midlands Today reportdrs, producers, presenters and

technicians have worked hard to cover the biggest news storhes for

you over the past 50 years. Who can forget the awful events of November

1974, when the IRA detonated two bombs at two part in Birmingham 21

people died and almost 200 were injured. Tensions were so hhgh at

that time that I had to be locked in the studio set any invading

terrorists would not be abld to gain access to the air. In 1976, the

Queen officially opened the NEC The nation has at last acquired an

exhibition centre which can bear comparison with the best thd rest of

the world has to offer. And who can forget the weather that amazing

summer? It was also the dec`de when industrial relations were hdated.

More than 12,000 of the Longbridge workforce turned off the unhon

meeting. Here is Derek red Robbo Robinson addressing a mass rally.

There were more than 500 walk`outs in 1978 and 1979. It was not all

hard news. Midlands Today sdt about finding the more quirky stories like

the parish priest from Stoke`on`Trent determined to live an

alternative lifestyle. They have asked me about the campus on the TP.

As I said to them, Buffalo hs in short supply in Stoke`on`Trdnt.

Remember when my late colle`gue Alan Towers brought us the skateboarding

duck? Is it really your board? Yes. It was. What do you mean? Hd will

not let me on it any more. Where Led Zeppelin led the way, the lhkes of

Black Sabbath followed. Midlands heavy`metal went mainstream and so

did we. The 50 years, Midlands Today has produced a mountain of lemories.

Filled with stories that yot have brought to the air with us. I have

found myself being interviewed after I had just given birth to mx son.

Just another product of the Birmingham maternity hospit`l and in

this programme, we are going to follow a typical day in the life of

this hospital. What's more, I went on to marry one of my co`prdsenters,

Brian Conway. Now, that is rock 'n' roll!

The voice of Kate Alexander, we have still got it `` she has still got

it! Over the last five decades

entertainment news has also been From Hollywood to Bollywood,

we've also tried to reflect what's Our arts reporter Satnam Rana

has been taking a look. Our region is full of entertainment

and entertaining people. And for half a century,

Midlands Today has entertained you. I declare today, Friday 6th of July

2007, Ozzy Osborne Day! When Birmingham's famous export Ozzy

Osborne got a star on Broad Street, # Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing

Matilda... # I love ordinary people,

that's why I've come to Birlingham. A youthful looking George Clooney,

stirring up a Perfect Storm In fact, the red`carpet has been

rolled out over, and over again Midlands Today has also celdbrated

home`grown talent over the decades. You want to know what's going on

in Coventry or Solihull or Wolverhampton,

that's what you want to know about. But it's not just the rich

and famous who've entertaindd us. I've seen Asian women stare at me

in town, and I deliberately go up Not only do they have a heart

attack, they think, that's `ll right From carnivals to melas,

drama to dancing, when you've been And then sometimes, well, the

entertainment has come from...us! In the programme, I shall bd telling

Nick the way to, well, you know There's no business

like show business. September was unusual with hts

dryness, let's see if Octobdr carries on.

It has been mentioned a few times already today so I am not tdlling

you anything you don't know, it has been the driest October `` September

since records began. It is going to change by the end of the wedk when

things become cooler, wetter and windier. Best interest rate it by

the wind mass chart. It is `ll down to high pressure. And the Jdtstream.

This sounds like it should be more south, it has been in the north and

it has affected our weather. The temperature is still very good, the

yellow is warm air but it whll sweep away to the south`east by the

weekend being replaced by the cooler blue air. Even before the change

occurs at the end of the wedk, we are looking at subtle changds occur

in the head of that. `` occtrring ahead of that. Clear skies hnitially

but through the night the cloud will decant from the west and we will

bring in some light and patchy rain as a frontal system crosses the

region. Towards the end of the night it dried up again. Quite a bit of

mist and Merck in the early hours which is what we wake up to. This

will clear slowly and gradu`lly and for a brief period we will see some

brightness as that cloud brdaks up and it will be dry as well. Another

system roles in from the west which will be coming in in the afternoon.

That will be bringing light patchy rain in the western half of the

recent `` region. Temperatures will rise from 17 to 19. Tomorrow will be

dry and more fresh. We will be back at 10:25pm, join me there.

The stage is set for the Party Conference Season 2014.

Stay with BBC News for the key moments,

including Conservative Party leader David Cameron's speech.

On BBC TWO and with ongoing coverage on Radio 5 Live.

The Party Conferences 2014, as they happen.

There's so much more to this story than I thought.

..and even murder. With a knife!

Unravelling the mysteries of their family tree.