Post by MRHloco on Nov 9, 2011 12:16:30 GMT
Ah, yes, Rosie and Jim! I've only just rediscovered that actually!
The only VHS I ever had of that was, I think, of white cover and featured the episodes from 'Coal' to 'Steam'. Nevertheless, it was one of the best programmes on the children's division ever made. It may well be simple but, like the Railway Series, it does feel very accessible for me - I promise you, in response to previous comments on the subject, those Teletubbies are a prime example of just how immature some things can be, unfortunately!
But, yes, there were many winning features about this: the whole concept of two anthropomorphic ragdolls is something that always gets children interested. Easily, the best presenter was their creator, John Cunliffe. As their creator and a person for whom storytelling was his passion and a big part of his life, it was all the better when he was around. Warm, friendly and with a very handsome looking beard which, as Chris points out, was probably part of the appeal too.
Regarding some of those episodes, it's quite a revelation to discover that the colliery scenes were indeed filmed at the Black Country Living Museum. But then even more surprising is the number of place names that were mentioned - Birmingham, Tewkesbury, Evesham, Pershore...even the Radgoll Narrowboat itself appears to be of Brum origin! And this was made by a company that's still based in Stratford-Upon-Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare, to this day!
But I'm glad I've found this series: one mystery that's been on my mind has been where they filmed in the 'Steam' episode. It seems that they did indeed film at Victoria Bridge on the Severn Valley Railway with LMS 8F No: 8233 (BR No: 48773) as the motive power, almost coming to a standstill on the bridge to let John and the ragdolls get a good look at it. In which case, the quay they started at must have been Bewdley! And that was in 1990, 21 years ago...!
I had suspected it for a while, I'll admit, but the revelation is just amazing! And to think that that bridge has turned 150 years old this year and still carries trains! Now, if they'd only done an episode on trains in John Cunliffe's time, that would have been brilliant.
Instead, they waited until Pat Hutchins came along and that was filmed on the Battlefield Line.
The only VHS I ever had of that was, I think, of white cover and featured the episodes from 'Coal' to 'Steam'. Nevertheless, it was one of the best programmes on the children's division ever made. It may well be simple but, like the Railway Series, it does feel very accessible for me - I promise you, in response to previous comments on the subject, those Teletubbies are a prime example of just how immature some things can be, unfortunately!
But, yes, there were many winning features about this: the whole concept of two anthropomorphic ragdolls is something that always gets children interested. Easily, the best presenter was their creator, John Cunliffe. As their creator and a person for whom storytelling was his passion and a big part of his life, it was all the better when he was around. Warm, friendly and with a very handsome looking beard which, as Chris points out, was probably part of the appeal too.
Regarding some of those episodes, it's quite a revelation to discover that the colliery scenes were indeed filmed at the Black Country Living Museum. But then even more surprising is the number of place names that were mentioned - Birmingham, Tewkesbury, Evesham, Pershore...even the Radgoll Narrowboat itself appears to be of Brum origin! And this was made by a company that's still based in Stratford-Upon-Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare, to this day!
But I'm glad I've found this series: one mystery that's been on my mind has been where they filmed in the 'Steam' episode. It seems that they did indeed film at Victoria Bridge on the Severn Valley Railway with LMS 8F No: 8233 (BR No: 48773) as the motive power, almost coming to a standstill on the bridge to let John and the ragdolls get a good look at it. In which case, the quay they started at must have been Bewdley! And that was in 1990, 21 years ago...!
I had suspected it for a while, I'll admit, but the revelation is just amazing! And to think that that bridge has turned 150 years old this year and still carries trains! Now, if they'd only done an episode on trains in John Cunliffe's time, that would have been brilliant.
Instead, they waited until Pat Hutchins came along and that was filmed on the Battlefield Line.