Trumptonshire References Today

Trumptonshire gets a mention in several TV nostalgia books, mentioned below, and also features in several modern pop music tracks.


Books


Cult TV, by Jon E. Lewis and Penny Stempel

Published by Pavilion Books Ltd 1993

Describes Camberwick Green as "a village idyll of picturesque shops and neat little houses in which puppet-people lived happily ever after"

The book goes on to mention:

"Gordon Murray, creator of Camberwick Green was also the man
behind that other puppet-tale Trumpton(1967) in which we met
the redoubtable Captain Flack of the Trumpton Fire Brigade,
and his plucky fire fighters Hugh, Pugh, Barney Mcgrew,
Cuthbert Dibble and Grubb."

The Golden Age of Childrens' Television, by Geoff Tibballs

Published by Titan Books, 1991

Geoff Tibball's tongue in cheek book of classic childrens programmes recalls many favourite programmes from 1950-1975 and describes the Trumptonshire series as animated soap operas.

"The hero of Camberwick Green was Windy Miller, while many
of the tales of Trumpton revolved around those intrepid
fire-fighters Hugh, Pugh, Barney, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert
Dibble and Grubb."
Besides the text, the book gives two (rather confused) lists of Camberwick Green characters, and Chigley characters, and several large b&w close-up photographs of the characters in their sets.


The Golden Age of Childrens' Television Quiz Book, by Geoff Tibballs

Published by Titan Books, 1992.

A follow on with more information in a question and answer format. In the acknowledgements, the author thanks "everyone at Titan books for still believing that there really is such a place as Trumpton"

"What a wonderful place Trumpton must have been to live in
- no gangs roaming the streets, no unemployment, and no
danger of The Krankies appearing there in high season."
Strangely the Trumpton character list now lists the fire brigade as: Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Guthbert, Dibble and Grubb.


Music


Half Man Half Biscuit

HMHB have released two tracks based on Trumptonshire characters, and aimed at a more adult audience:

Album: ACD
Track: The Trumpton Riots.
A punk sounding track about anarchy in Trumpton, with classic lines such as:
"Tell PC McGary to get himself a mate,
And arm themselves with CS gas, they're gonna be out late"

Album: ACD
Track: Time Flies by When You're The Driver of a Train.
Another irreverent work based on Lord Belborough's song, with lines such as:
"....Careful with that spliff Eugene it causes condensation"

These tracks are both well worth checking out if you're a big Trumptonshire fan.


bLaCK GraPe

CD single: Reverend Black Grape
Track: Straight out of Trumpton

Shaun Ryder (previously of the Happy Mondays) now has a new band, Black Grape. They began their recent career with chart success and their first CD single "Reverend Black Grape" featured the track "Straight out of Trumpton", containing a short reference to the Trumpton fire brigade.


Pop Will Eat Itself

Album: Box Frenzy, Chapter 22 Records
Track: Razorblade Kisses
The track features the Camberwick Green introduction: "Here is a box..." but although it sounds very similar, it is not idential to Brian Cant's original narration, and appears to have been slowed down slightly, thereby changing the pitch.


Urban Hype

Album: Conspiracy to Dance, Pulse 8 Records
Track: A Trip to Trumpton

The track includes the firmen on parade role call "Pugh Pugh...", and an arrangement of the music heard while the fire engine rushes through Trumpton. The credits state that the track was co-written by Freddie Philips. Hmmm...


Over to Chigley or Trumpton or Camberwick Green or back to the Trumptonshire starting page