"The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club was a British television variety show produced by Granada Television from 1974 to 1977. It was set in a fictional working men's club in the North of England and was hosted by comedian Colin Crompton as the club's chairman. The show's compere was usually Bernard Manning, who as well as telling jokes and introducing acts often finished the show with a song. Crompton was frequently the butt of his jokes, acting as Manning's stooge. The set was arranged like a club, so that rather than members of the"
"by Bron and Fortune (hardcover with illustrating photographs, Oct 1972). Where Was Spring? Where Was Spring? is a British television sketch comedy programme, which was first aired by the BBC in 1969-70 over six episodes. The cast consisted of Eleanor Bron and John Fortune, two stalwarts of the British satire scene in the 1960s. The show consisted of a series of two-handed sketches performed by Bron and Fortune, mostly playing married or romantic couples though often not seen romantically. The sketches were performed in a television studio setting which reinforced the sophistication of the scripts. There were also animated sequences"
"of the school holidays), two train sets operate, providing more journeys. Other services include evening Dining trains, fish 'n' chip trains and Santa by Steam trains. The railway also runs full-day, footplate experience courses throughout the year for both steam and diesel. The railway has been used as a filming location for period films and television programmes. It featured in early scenes of the BBC's 2015 mini-series ""And Then There Were None"". The rolling stock preserved on the line include many examples of steam locomotives typical of the Great Western Railway types that would have once worked on it, such"
"Bernard Manning Bernard John Manning (13 August 1930 – 18 June 2007) was a British comedian and nightclub owner. Manning became famous on British television during the 1970s, appearing on shows including ""The Comedians"" and ""The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club"". The controversy surrounding his act meant that Manning was rarely seen on television in the later part of his career, but he continued to perform in theatres and pubs until his death. Manning was born in Ancoats, Manchester. He had Russian Jewish ancestry on his father's side, as well as roots in Ireland, and was brought up a ""strict"
"The Rag Trade The Rag Trade is a British television sitcom broadcast by the BBC between 1961 and 1963 and by LWT between 1977 and 1978. The scripts were by Ronald Wolfe and Ronald Chesney, who later wrote ""Wild, Wild Women"", ""Meet the Wife"" and ""On the Buses"". ""Wild, Wild Women"" was a period variation of ""The Rag Trade"". The action centred on a fictional small clothing workshop (the title is a reference to the textile industry), ""Fenner's Fashions"" in London. Although run by Harold Fenner (Peter Jones) and the foreman and pattern cutter Reg Turner (Reg Varney), the female"
"filmed. Bernard Manning Bernard John Manning (13 August 1930 – 18 June 2007) was a British comedian and nightclub owner. Manning became famous on British television during the 1970s, appearing on shows including ""The Comedians"" and ""The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club"". The controversy surrounding his act meant that Manning was rarely seen on television in the later part of his career, but he continued to perform in theatres and pubs until his death. Manning was born in Ancoats, Manchester. He had Russian Jewish ancestry on his father's side, as well as roots in Ireland, and was brought up a"
"and edgy comedy. Light entertainment in Britain in the 1970s was dominated by Morecambe and Wise, who enjoyed very impressive ratings, especially on their Christmas specials. Although Mike and Bernie Winters's popularity declined, The Two Ronnies' success grew greatly while Peter Cook and Dudley Moore sporadically produced acclaimed work, in particular their controversial recordings as Derek and Clive from 1976 to 1978. The mid to late 1970s saw a resurgence in American double acts. ""Blazing Saddles"" (1974) featured a memorable performance between Mel Brooks and Harvey Korman (who would team up again in Brooks's 1981 follow-up ""History of the World,"
"Cannon and Ball Tommy Cannon (born Thomas Derbyshire, 27 June 1938) and Bobby Ball (born Robert Harper, 28 January 1944), known collectively as Cannon and Ball, are an English comedy double act best known for their comedy variety show ""The Cannon and Ball Show"", which lasted for nine years on ITV. The duo met in the early 1960s while working as welders in Oldham, Lancashire. They started out as singers working the pubs and clubs of Greater Manchester and switched to comedy after being told comics earned an extra £3 a night. They have continued to work as a comic"
"Stiller and Meara Stiller and Meara (Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara) were a husband-and-wife comedy duo that was popular primarily in the 1960s and 1970s. They made frequent appearances on television variety shows such as ""The Ed Sullivan Show"". Stiller and Meara were among the earliest graduates of the Second City improvisational comedy troupe to become famous. When variety shows became scarce in the late 1970s, they had a syndicated short program, only five minutes long, which ran on the NBC affiliate in the Washington, D.C. market immediately after ""Saturday Night Live"". They also did comical radio ads. During the"
"in period costume in a similar fashion. Other long-running British variety shows that originated in the 1950s include ""Tonight at the London Palladium"" (1955-1969), ""The Black and White Minstrel Show"" (1958-1978), ""The White Heather Club"" (1958-1968) and ""Royal Variety Performance"" (an annual event televised since the 1950s). Popular American variety shows that began in the 60s include a revival of ""The Jackie Gleason Show"" (1960-1970), ""The Andy Williams Show"" (1962-1971), ""The Danny Kaye Show"" (1963-1967), ""The Hollywood Palace"" (1964-1970), ""The Dean Martin Show"" (1965-1974), ""The Carol Burnett Show"" (1967-1978) and ""The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour"" (1967-1969). 1969 saw a flurry"
"Sir Handel Sir Handel is a fictional steam locomotive from ""The Railway Series"" children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry and its spin-off TV series, ""Thomas & Friends"". ""Sir Handel"" lives and works on the Skarloey Railway on the Island of Sodor as Engine No.3. ""Sir Handel"" is named after the owner of the Skarloey Railway, Sir Handel Brown. Sir Handel can be badly behaved at times and is very prone to temper tantrums when he does not get his own way. He has also been known on at least two occasions to pretend to be ill in order to"
"Where Was Spring? Where Was Spring? is a British television sketch comedy programme, which was first aired by the BBC in 1969-70 over six episodes. The cast consisted of Eleanor Bron and John Fortune, two stalwarts of the British satire scene in the 1960s. The show consisted of a series of two-handed sketches performed by Bron and Fortune, mostly playing married or romantic couples though often not seen romantically. The sketches were performed in a television studio setting which reinforced the sophistication of the scripts. There were also animated sequences supplied by Klaus Voormann, designer of the cover for the"
"and the Beanstalk. They also made several appearances in the comedy ""Last of the Summer Wine"". Cannon and Ball Tommy Cannon (born Thomas Derbyshire, 27 June 1938) and Bobby Ball (born Robert Harper, 28 January 1944), known collectively as Cannon and Ball, are an English comedy double act best known for their comedy variety show ""The Cannon and Ball Show"", which lasted for nine years on ITV. The duo met in the early 1960s while working as welders in Oldham, Lancashire. They started out as singers working the pubs and clubs of Greater Manchester and switched to comedy after being"
"bridges she could pass under. The book describes the cabin and stateroom, and the newly fitted petrol auxiliary engine. ""Pudge"" was later fitted with the more powerful Kelvin K3 66HP engine that is present today. Ransome's description has been useful in the restoration of the ""Pudge"". Another boat referred to in the text is the Norfolk wherry ""Sir Garnett"" which gives the twins a lift when they need to catch up with Tom. The BBC produced a television series ""Swallows and Amazons Forever!"", based on ""Coot Club"" and ""The Big Six"", in 1984. Coot Club Coot Club is the fifth"
"Chesney and Wolfe Ronald Chesney (birth name René Lucien Cadier; 4 May 1920 – 12 April 2018) and Ronald Wolfe (birth name Harvey Ronald Wolfe-Luberoff; 8 August 1922 – 18 December 2011) were British TV comedy scriptwriters, best known for their 1960s and 1970s sitcoms, ""The Rag Trade"" (1961–63, 1977–78), ""Meet the Wife"" (1963–66), ""On the Buses"" (1969–73) and ""Romany Jones"" (1972–75). The partnership began in the mid-1950s, Chesney was already known to the public as a harmonica player Chesney, who was of French descent, was the son of Marius, a silk trader, and Jeanne (née Basset). He left the"
"series for ITV about a Welsh steam locomotive who wanted to sing in a choir, based on Postgate's wartime encounter with Welshman Denzyl Ellis, who was once a fireman on the Royal Scot. It was remade in colour for the BBC in the 1970s. This was followed, also in 1959, by ""Noggin the Nog"", their first production for the BBC, which established Smallfilms as a safe and reliable pair of hands to produce children's entertainment, in the days when the number of UK television channels was restricted to two. In 2000, Postgate and his friend Loaf set up a small"
"Golf Club. He died in January 1924, aged 74, when the baronetcy and barony became extinct. Lady Armaghdale died in London in 1937. The Lady Armaghdale is the name of a steam locomotive on public display in the Engine House at Highley in Shropshire on the Severn Valley Railway. This is not the first steam engine to carry this name. The first was purchased by Levenstein Ltd in 1920 from the manufacturer Hawthorne Leslie and located at the Blakely dyestuffs works in Manchester. In those days it was common to name steam locomotives serving industry and this one was named"
"Alcock and Gander Alcock and Gander is a British sitcom that aired on ITV in 1972. Starring Beryl Reid and Richard O'Sullivan, it lasted for one series. It was written by Johnnie Mortimer and Brian Cooke, who later wrote ""Man About the House"", where O'Sullivan was the lead male character. It was made for the ITV network by Thames Television. The series starts as Marigold Alcock inherits her husband's business ""The Alcock Group of Companies"" upon his death. The companies, whose headquarters are above a strip club in Soho, include ""Sotheby's Racing Service Ltd"" and ""Hugh Blanding's Detective Agency"". The"
"Donald and Douglas Donald and Douglas are 2 fictional twin steam locomotives from ""The Railway Series"" books by the Rev. W. Awdry. They also appear in ""Thomas & Friends"", the television series based on the books. They are twin Scottish engines. Actor Joe Mills is the voice of both Donald & Douglas. The Fat Controller originally only ordered one engine from Scotland, but was surprised when ""two"" engines arrived, neither with numbers or any distinguishing features – both engines were painted completely black. He could not tell which engine was which, and so decided to keep whichever one was the"
"pub. The ship took sea coal from Newcastle upon Tyne to London. The Prospect was listed as a Grade II listed building in December 1950. The pub underwent a renovation in 1951 to double the interior space. In January 1953, the pub was raided by armed robbers. The pub has been visited by Princess Margaret and Prince Rainier III of Monaco. On the opposite side of the road (Wapping Wall) is the Wapping Hydraulic Power Station, later an arts centre and restaurant. The public house features briefly in an episode of ""Only Fools And Horses"". When Uncle Albert goes missing"
"are travelling from Sunderland to Newcastle. (Lynemouth power station, a North East power station still in operation, is more prominent in the film.) In ""Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?"", a British sitcom broadcast between 1973 and 1974, the stations themselves did not appear in the series, but in the end credits their ash boat, ""Bessie Surtees"", could be seen passing Spiller's Wharf near Byker. In 1981, it was featured in Swing Bridge Videos' ""Check it Out"", a short film about youth unemployment in the west end of Newcastle. In the mid-1990s, the decommissioned stations were photographed by north eastern"
"the audience's sense of nostalgia for the 1970s. During one episode they also brainstormed lazy comedy ideas for the BBC. Their ideas would usually include characters called Ian – a running joke which also featured in Sunday Heroes, with one of the disciples being called Ian. Proposed programmes included: Ian Roll is a driving instructor, Ian Reversall is a baker. Due to some kind of accident they are forced to swap jobs. With hilarious consequences. Ian Pie is the landlord of the Sky pub. In an attempt to attract custom each week he buys a different giant pie which goes"
"his ""Band Waggon"" radio show, billed as Britain's Mickey Rooney. Gradually, Wise and Morecambe formed a close friendship, and, in 1941, they began their comedy double act, which was to last until Morecambe's death in 1984. They made their debut together as ""Bartholomew and Wise"" on Thursday 28 August 1941, at the Liverpool Empire. A change of name followed in the autumn: after agreeing that the combination of their respective places of birth—Morecambe and Leeds—would make the act sound too much like a cheap day return, they settled on ""Morecambe and Wise"" During World War II, Morecambe was a Bevin"
"lines to: In 1973, ""Magpie"" adopted a steam railway locomotive, ""Black 5"" 44806, which was given the name ""Magpie"" (""Blue Peter"" already had a locomotive with the same name as that show). After an eventful history, it is still being used today on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway, although now with a different name. ""Magpie"" also adopted a boat, originally called ""Mankadu"" and renamed ""Thames Magpie"". Its current whereabouts are unknown. Magpie (TV series) Magpie was a British children's television programme shown on ITV from 30 July 1968 to 6 June 1980. It was a magazine format show, intended to"
"The Age of the Train ""The Age of the Train"" was a television advertising campaign in the United Kingdom created by British Rail in the late-1970s to promote its InterCity rail travel service. The adverts were presented by DJ and BBC presenter Jimmy Savile and featured the then-new InterCity 125 high-speed train. Although a state-owned corporation at the time, British Rail was under pressure to operate on a more commercial basis. In attempt to revive its loss-making business, BR chairman Sir Peter Parker commissioned a series of commercials from Peter Marsh of the advertising agency Allen, Brady and Marsh (ABM)."
"writing scripts for radio star Grace Gibson before moving to Los Angeles, where he worked in film and TV. He was also an experienced journalist, which assisted with the topical nature of the show's humour. Despite the addition of a co-producer, Raye was soon exhausted by the frantic pace and she left the series midway through 1965. At this stage Seven still felt it necessary to import talent from the UK, and her place was taken by British TV star Miriam Karlin, who was well known for her role as the gravel-voiced, chain-smoking shop steward in the popular BBC sitcom"
"the Northern club tradition, ""The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club"" (1974–1976), a variety series set in a makeshift working men's club, was another success, often featuring many cast members from ""The Comedians"". Other notable programmes and series include ""The International PopProms"" (1975), ""Paul Daniels Blackpool Bonanza"" (1978), ""Bernard Manning in Las Vegas"" (1978) and ""The Video Entertainers"" (1981). Hamp left Granada Television in 1987, to form his own independent production company, Johnnie Hamp Enterprises. Johnnie became the subject of ""This Is Your Life"" in 1992 when he was surprised by Michael Aspel at Manchester's Victoria & Albert Hotel. In 2008"
"high-speed express services from York to London in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Great Northern Railway used an apple green livery on their locomotives unlike that carried by Emily. Whilst the Stirling 4-2-2 is a tender engine, Emily is incorrectly described as a tank engine in some of the ""Thomas & Friends"" books. Emily (Thomas & Friends) Emily the Stirling Engine is a fictional anthropomorphic steam locomotive from the television series ""Thomas & Friends"". She was the second female steam engine (Lady was the first female steam engine), first female steam engine to be featured in the"
"in the 1970s, including ""Rising Damp"", ""On the Buses"", ""George and Mildred"", ""Man About The House"" and the now unfashionable ""Love Thy Neighbour"". Other BBC series are ""Early Doors"" with James McAvoy and ""Grandma's House"" with Simon Amstell. Commercial station Channel 4 has been more successful than ITV with situation comedies in recent years. Some of the better-known examples are ""Chelmsford 123"", ""Chance in a Million"", ""Drop the Dead Donkey"", ""Spaced"", ""Father Ted"" (which was set in Ireland instead of Great Britain), ""Black Books"", ""Teachers"", ""Peep Show"", ""Green Wing"", ""The Inbetweeners"", ""The IT Crowd"", ""Shameless"" and ""Da Ali G Show""."
"turned into a story in the book, with almost no alteration from the real event. Sir Handel Sir Handel is a fictional steam locomotive from ""The Railway Series"" children's books by the Rev. W. Awdry and its spin-off TV series, ""Thomas & Friends"". ""Sir Handel"" lives and works on the Skarloey Railway on the Island of Sodor as Engine No.3. ""Sir Handel"" is named after the owner of the Skarloey Railway, Sir Handel Brown. Sir Handel can be badly behaved at times and is very prone to temper tantrums when he does not get his own way. He has also"
"double entendres. The ladies shared a house (The Old Manse or Utopia Ltd) in the fictional village of Stackton Tressel in Suffolk, where they employed the services of an eccentric housekeeper, Maud, played in the radio series by English character actress Daphne Heard. Hinge and Bracket spent two years in the 1970s performing in London pubs and clubs. This included the Royal Vauxhall Taverna (a popular gay venue), and the Kensington restaurant AD8, owned by Desmond Morgan and April Ashley. Hinge and Bracket appeared in 1974 at the Edinburgh Festival. They toured for several years before appearing on the BBC"
"times. In recent years, the series has been repeated on the (now defunct) British satellite television channel Plus, and can now be bought on DVD, having been released by Network. The first seven series including a DVD set (containing the first seven series broadcast 1971–74) have been released on DVD by Network. The Comedians (1971 TV series) The Comedians was a British television show of the 1970s (later reprised in the mid-1980s and early 1990s) produced by Johnnie Hamp of Granada Television. The show gave a stage to nightclub and working men's club comedians of the era, including Russ Abbot,"
"movements of a chicken, using his outturned jacket to suggest the fowl's wings. He was the originator of the 'club chairman' character later popularised by Colin Crompton in the ITV series ""Wheeltappers and Shunters Club"". The 'soundbite' demands of television work never reflected the detailed and large-scale routines that have characterised Collier's club work and which brought him enormous success through the 1970s and 1980s. (He was never a participant, for example, in the 1970s ITV series ""The Comedians"".) In 1970 he won an BBC series called ""Ace of Clubs"", in which club entertainers were pitted against each other, performing"