The Flockton Flyer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Flockton Flyer |
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| Written by | Peter Whitbread |
| Directed by | Colin Nutley |
| Starring |
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| Theme music composer | Jugg Music |
| Opening theme | The Flockton Flyer theme |
| Ending theme | The Flockton Flyer theme |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 2 |
| No. of episodes | 17 written 12 filmed |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Lewis Rudd |
| Producer(s) | Colin Nutley |
| Production location(s) | West Somerset Railway |
| Camera setup | Joe Hardy Peter Greenhalgh Roy Page |
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Production company(s) | Southern Television |
| Distributor | Renown Pictures Ltd |
| Release | |
| Original network | ITV |
| Original release | 18 April 1977 – 13 February 1978 |
The Flockton Flyer was a popular children's TV series from the 1970s. It was made by Southern Television for the ITV network in the UK. The show had two series and helped launch the careers of young actors like Peter Duncan and Gwyneth Strong. Many well-known actors from the 1970s also appeared.
Contents
About the Show
The series follows the exciting adventures of the Carter family. They work hard to reopen and run an old branch railway line. This line, from Flockton to Lane End, had been closed for five years.
At the time the show was made, many old railway lines were being saved. Local groups bought them to create "heritage railways." These are special railways where old trains are preserved and run for fun.
The show's railway was supposed to have only a few trains. This included one main locomotive, one passenger coach, and a few freight cars. But if you look closely, you can often spot many other trains in the background! This might be because the Flockton line connected to a bigger "mainline railway."
When it Aired
The Flockton Flyer had two series, each with six episodes.
- Series 1 first aired in spring 1977.
- Series 2 followed in early 1978.
Both series were shown on Monday afternoons at 4:45 pm.
The show was repeated several times in the UK. It was also shown on cable TV in the early 1990s. The series even had dubbed versions shown on TV stations in the Netherlands and Germany. More recently, reruns appeared on UK satellite channels like Film 24 and Talking Pictures TV.
Filming Location
The show was filmed in 1976 and 1977 on the West Somerset Railway. This railway had just reopened and provided its real trains for the show.
The Star Locomotive
The real star of the show was the steam locomotive itself! It was named The Flockton Flyer in the series. In real life, this engine was a Great Western Railway 0-6-0PT "pannier tank" locomotive. Its real number was 6412, and it was built in 1934. This type of engine was designed to work with "push-pull" trains.
Locomotive 6412 had a long history. It operated on many local branch lines. It even pulled the last passenger train on the Wye Valley Railway in 1959.
After its working life, 6412 was saved and became one of the first engines on the West Somerset Railway in 1976. It was very useful for lighter trains. It also visited other preserved railways.
The West Somerset Railway Association owned 6412 for 32 years. As the railway grew, it needed bigger, more powerful engines. So, in 2009, 6412 was sold to the South Devon Railway.
The show's title changed slightly between series. For Series 1, it was "The Flockton Flyer." For Series 2, it became "Flockton Flyer."
Episodes and Stories
The writer, Peter Whitbread, wrote 17 episodes in total. However, only 12 of them were filmed (six for each series). A children's novel based on the show was also published in 1977. This book included some storylines that were never filmed.
Series 1 (1977)
The first series introduced the Carter family and their new life.
| No. | Episode Name | Broadcast Date | What Happened |
|---|---|---|---|
| Series One | |||
| 1.1 | Be It Ever So Humble | 18/04/1977 | The Carter family moves into Flockton station. They agree to run the railway after losing their home. They use a freight truck to move their belongings. |
| 1.2 | Game Set and Match | 25/04/1977 | A farmer tries to stop the train by felling a tree. Bob Carter gets hurt, but the train helps bring water to the farmer's thirsty cattle. |
| 1.3 | Pull the Other One | 02/05/1977 | The family thinks there are ghosts at the station! It turns out to be a teenage vandal, Don Davis, who later becomes a railway volunteer. |
| 1.4 | Under the Circumstances | 09/05/1977 | The railway's telegraph system is fixed. It's used to report a car crash at a level crossing. The Flockton Flyer becomes a makeshift ambulance. |
| 1.5 | Oo Do You Suppose Will Get the Medal? | 16/05/1977 | Robbers hold up a mail train on the main line. The train is diverted to the Flockton branch. The Carter family and friends help catch the robbers. |
| 1.6 | I Name This Ship | 23/05/1977 | It's the grand opening of the railway! Commander Frost tries to drive the engine but can't stop it. The train is eventually named by his wife. |
Series 2 (1978)
The second series brought new challenges and adventures for the Carter family.
| No. | Episode Name | Broadcast Date | What Happened |
|---|---|---|---|
| Series Two | |||
| 2.1 | Race You For It | 09/01/1978 | The new Duke of Flockton reclaims part of the track. Bill Jelly suggests a race between the Flockton Flyer and the Duke's engine to win it back. |
| 2.2 | Ready When You Are, Mr Cutley | 16/01/1978 | A film crew visits the railway to shoot a historical movie. The Flockton Flyer is decorated to look like an Indian train. |
| 2.3 | What a Little Beauty | 23/01/1978 | Commander Frost tries to learn to drive a steam engine. The family discovers another locomotive and helps solve a cattle rustling mystery. |
| 2.4 | A Question of Honour | 30/01/1978 | Bob Carter argues with a fox hunt group. Later, the Flockton Flyer helps transport an injured horse and a vet. |
| 2.5 | Op It | 06/02/1978 | Jessica Carter feels left out. She stows away on a train and sails to a nearby island, causing a big search. |
| 2.6 | A Little Bit of Somewhere | 13/02/1978 | Bob Carter stops the train for a family walking on the tracks. They are gypsies looking for a new home. The railway helps them find one. |
Characters
Here are the main actors and the characters they played in The Flockton Flyer.
Regular cast
- Bob Carter - David Neal
- Kathy Carter - Sheila Fearn
- Commander Frost - Anthony Sharp
- Jimmy Carter - Peter Duncan
- Jan Carter - Gwyneth Strong
- Jessica Carter - Annabelle Lanyon (Series 1); Catlin Strong (Series 2)
- Bill Jelly - Geoffrey Russell
- Althea Frost - Margaret Wedlake
Guest appearances
- 1.1 Ted Phillips (Denis Gilmore)
- 1.2 Joe Pratt (John Barrett)
- 1.3 Don Davis (Phil Daniels); Reverend Walker (Stacy Davies)
- 1.4 Samantha Peters (Peggyann Clifford)
- 1.5 Toff (Michael Ripper); Eric (Ben Howard); Diesel Driver (Steve Kelly)
- 1.6 Mr Jenkins (Dudley Jones)
- 2.1 The Duke of Flockton (Patrick Mower)
- 2.2 Christopher Bell (John Moulder-Brown); Nolan Cutley (Harry Fowler); Felicity (Penny Irving)
- 2.3 C.P.O. Potts (Colin Douglas); Farmer (Thomas Heathcote)
- 2.4 Master of Foxhounds (Gerald Harper); Vet (Edward Underdown)
- 2.5 Young Man (Christoper Douglas)
- 2.6 Sylvia (Illona Linthwaite)
