Chigley
Encyclopedia
Chigley is the third and final stop-motion children's television series
in Gordon Murray's Trumptonshire sequence. Production details are identical to Camberwick Green
.
As in Camberwick Green
and Trumpton
, the action centres around a small community, in this case the fictitious village or hamlet of Chigley, near Camberwick Green in Trumptonshire. Chigley is more of an industrial area, and according to Gordon Murray, the three communities are at the corners of an equilateral triangle.
As with the other two series, the original masters seem to have been lost, and the surviving versions of most episodes are extremely grainy and scratched. However, a remastered version of the entire Trumptonshire trilogy was issued on DVD in 2009 to mark the series' fortieth anniversary.
, complete with their famous roll-call. This was at least partly for economic reasons, as it allowed the established characters' theme songs to be re-used, thus saving money on recording.
Notable new characters include Mr Swallow of Treddle's Wharf, Mr Cresswell, owner of Cresswell's Chigley Biscuit factory, Harry Farthing the potter and his daughter Winnie, and last but not least Lord Belborough of Winkstead Hall and his butler Brackett, who also operate a private railway that seems to run through most of Trumptonshire. Each week Lord Belborough and Brackett can usually be seen rushing to someone's assistance in their vintage steam engine
, Bessie.
As with the other series, everybody's problems are sorted out by the end of each episode and Lord Belborough invites everyone to the gardens of Winkstead Hall after the 6 o'clock whistle which sounds the end of the day's work at the local biscuit factory. Lord Belborough plays his vintage Dutch
organ
while the locals dance, and then the episode fades out.
And I ride on the footplate, there and back again.
Under bridges, over bridges, to our destination
Puffing through the countryside there's so much to be seen;
Passengers waving as we steam through a station,
Stoke up, fireman, for the signal is at green:
Time flies by when I'm the driver of a train
And I ride on the footplate, there and back again.
In the cutting, through the tunnel,
Rushing, clanking, on the track;
Wheezing pistons, smoking funnels,
Turning wheels go clickety-clack:
Time flies by when I'm the driver of a train
And I ride on the footplate, there and back again.
(The Trumptonshire Web)
Note: Episode titles were given in Radio Times, but were not shown on-screen.
released one video with the first four episodes as pat of its 'Children's Treasury' collection.
later in 1989 the BBC released a video with the last three episodes (including ep13 Mickey Murphy the Baker as the first episode, ep11 Apples Garlore as the second episode and ep10 Trouble with the Crane as last episode.
then in 1996-1997 Telstar Home Entertainnment as part of its 'Star Kids' range released two videos.
Children's television series
Children's television series, are commercial television programs designed for, and marketed to children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run in the early evening, for the children that go to school...
in Gordon Murray's Trumptonshire sequence. Production details are identical to Camberwick Green
Camberwick Green
Camberwick Green is a British children's television series, originally seen on BBC One, featuring stop-motion puppets. It was one of the first British television series to be filmed in colour.-Background:...
.
As in Camberwick Green
Camberwick Green
Camberwick Green is a British children's television series, originally seen on BBC One, featuring stop-motion puppets. It was one of the first British television series to be filmed in colour.-Background:...
and Trumpton
Trumpton
Trumpton is a stop-motion children's television show from the producers of Camberwick Green first shown on the BBC in the 1960s. The third and final series in the sequence was Chigley....
, the action centres around a small community, in this case the fictitious village or hamlet of Chigley, near Camberwick Green in Trumptonshire. Chigley is more of an industrial area, and according to Gordon Murray, the three communities are at the corners of an equilateral triangle.
As with the other two series, the original masters seem to have been lost, and the surviving versions of most episodes are extremely grainy and scratched. However, a remastered version of the entire Trumptonshire trilogy was issued on DVD in 2009 to mark the series' fortieth anniversary.
Characters
Unlike Trumpton, Chigley includes many guest appearances by characters from the previous two series, including Windy Miller of Camberwick Green, and the Trumpton Fire BrigadeFirefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
, complete with their famous roll-call. This was at least partly for economic reasons, as it allowed the established characters' theme songs to be re-used, thus saving money on recording.
Notable new characters include Mr Swallow of Treddle's Wharf, Mr Cresswell, owner of Cresswell's Chigley Biscuit factory, Harry Farthing the potter and his daughter Winnie, and last but not least Lord Belborough of Winkstead Hall and his butler Brackett, who also operate a private railway that seems to run through most of Trumptonshire. Each week Lord Belborough and Brackett can usually be seen rushing to someone's assistance in their vintage steam engine
Steam locomotive
A steam locomotive is a railway locomotive that produces its power through a steam engine. These locomotives are fueled by burning some combustible material, usually coal, wood or oil, to produce steam in a boiler, which drives the steam engine...
, Bessie.
As with the other series, everybody's problems are sorted out by the end of each episode and Lord Belborough invites everyone to the gardens of Winkstead Hall after the 6 o'clock whistle which sounds the end of the day's work at the local biscuit factory. Lord Belborough plays his vintage Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
organ
Street organ
A street organ is a mechanical organ designed to play in the street. The operator of a street organ is called an organ grinder. The two main types are the smaller German street organ and the larger Dutch street organ....
while the locals dance, and then the episode fades out.
Lord Belborough's song (by Gordon Murray and Freddie Phillips)
Time flies by when I'm the driver of a trainAnd I ride on the footplate, there and back again.
Under bridges, over bridges, to our destination
Puffing through the countryside there's so much to be seen;
Passengers waving as we steam through a station,
Stoke up, fireman, for the signal is at green:
Time flies by when I'm the driver of a train
And I ride on the footplate, there and back again.
In the cutting, through the tunnel,
Rushing, clanking, on the track;
Wheezing pistons, smoking funnels,
Turning wheels go clickety-clack:
Time flies by when I'm the driver of a train
And I ride on the footplate, there and back again.
(The Trumptonshire Web)
Episodes
- "Lord Belborough's Secret" (6 October 1969)
- "Bessie to the Rescue" (13 October 1969)
- "The Balloon" (20 October 1969)
- "The Fountain" (27 October 1969)
- "The Garden Wall" (3 November 1969)
- "Binnie and Bessie" (10 November 1969)
- "Lord Belborough's Lucky Day" (17 November 1969)
- "The Broken Bridge" (24 November 1969)
- "Clay for Mr Farthing" (1 December 1969)
- "Trouble with the Crane" (8 December 1969)
- "Apples Galore" (15 December 1969)
- "Willie Munn" (22 December 1969)
- "A Present for Lord Belborough" (29 December 1969)
Note: Episode titles were given in Radio Times, but were not shown on-screen.
VHS and DVD Releases
in 1984, 15 years after its broadcast on the BBC in 1969. Longman VideoPickwick Video Group
Pickwick Video Group Ltd was a home video division based in the United Kingdom and United States. It was first established in 1982. The company was divided into six video labels:-*Pickwick Video - published children's, sports and drama videos...
released one video with the first four episodes as pat of its 'Children's Treasury' collection.
| VHS video title | Year of release | Episodes |
|---|---|---|
| Chigley (SLL 5025) | 1984 | Lord Belborough's Secret, Bessie to the Rescue, The Balloon and the Fountain. |
later in 1989 the BBC released a video with the last three episodes (including ep13 Mickey Murphy the Baker as the first episode, ep11 Apples Garlore as the second episode and ep10 Trouble with the Crane as last episode.
| VHS video title | Year of release | Episodes |
|---|---|---|
| Chigley 1- A Present for Lord Belborough (BBCV 4232) | 1989 | A Present for Lord Belborough, Apples Galore, Trouble with the Crane. |
then in 1996-1997 Telstar Home Entertainnment as part of its 'Star Kids' range released two videos.
| VHS video title | Year of release | Episodes |
|---|---|---|
| Let's Visit Chigley (TVE 3014) | 1996 | Bessie to the Rescue, Lord Belborough's Secret, The Balloon. the Fountain |
| A Ride To Chigley (TVE 3021) | 1997 | Trouble with the Crane, A Present for Lord Belborough, Apples Galore, The Broken Bridge. |
Cultural references
- The indie group Half Man Half BiscuitHalf Man Half BiscuitHalf Man Half Biscuit, often "HMHB", are an English rock band from Birkenhead, Merseyside, active since the mid-1980s, known for satirical, sardonic, and sometimes surreal songs. The group comprises Nigel Blackwell , Neil Crossley , Ken Hancock , and Carl Henry...
parodied the Chigley Train Song in their song "Time Flies By (When You're the Driver of a Train)". - In the comic book PreacherPreacher (comics)Preacher is a comic book series created by writer Garth Ennis and artist Steve Dillon, published by the American comic book label Vertigo , with painted covers by Glenn Fabry....
, the train song was sung by Jesus de Sade, a sexually depraved character, whilst riding a bicycle, naked.