BBC (ended 1969)




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Show Summary

Chigley is the third and final stop-motion British children's television series in Gordon Murray's Trumptonshire trilogy, following Camberwick Green and Trumpton. The action takes place in a small hamlet near Trumpton and Camberwick Green. Chigley is more of an industrial area, and according to Gordon Murray, the three communities are at the corners of an equilateral triangle. Chigley consisted mainly of Winkstead Hall, Treddles Wharf, the Biscuit Factory, and the Chigley Pottery, all of which are linked by a private railway. In most episodes, Lord Belborough's steam engine Bessie would put in an appearance, accompanied buy "The Little Steam Engine" song. The main characters in Chigley are: Lord Belborough (Owner of Winkstead Hall) Brackett (Lord B's butler) Mr Bilton (Lord B's gardener) Mr Cresswell (Biscuit factory owner) Mr Fletcher (Biscuit factory manager) Harry Farthing & Winnie (Chigley Pottery) Mr Swallow (the Wharfinger at Treddles Wharf) Mr Rumpling (the barge owner)Mr Clutterbuck (the builder) Mr Gubbins & Mr Sneed (the dustmen) WIllie Munn (Biscuit factory worker) Chigley included many guest appearances by characters from the previous two series, including Windy Miller of Camberwick Green, and the Trumpton Fire Brigade. This was at least partly for economic reasons, as it allowed the existing characters' theme songs to be re-used, saving money on recording. The programme began with one of the characters being asked: "Are you going to Trumpton? Camberwick Green? Chigley? Can we come with you ?" At the end of each episode, any problems have been solved, the the 6 O'Clock whistle at the biscuit factory blows and Lord Belborough invites everyone to the gardens of Winkstead Hall, where he and Brackett play his vintage Dutch organ while the locals dance. Freddie Phillips' songs and music were very important to the programmes as virtually every character had his or her own song. Unfortunately, the original masters seem to have been lost, and the surviving versions of most episodes are extremely grainy and scratched.moreless