The Winjin' Pom facts for kids

The Winjin' Pom was a fun puppet TV show from the UK. It was about a talking British caravan (like a mobile home) who loved to complain! Five Australian animal friends lived and traveled inside him.

These travelers were named Adelaide, Sydney, Bruce, Frazer, and Darwin. They were a wallaby, an ostrich, a spider, a fruit bat, and a wombat. They were all part of the Gullagaloona Backpackers club. Their big goal was to travel all around the world!

The group found the caravan near London when they were lost. They soon discovered that the Winjin' Pom was a great friend and helper. But a group of bad guys, led by a sneaky vulture named J.G. Chicago, found out the caravan could talk. J.G. Chicago wanted to steal the Winjin' Pom to get rich.

Two tricky crow brothers, Ronnie and Reggie, were part of J.G. Chicago's team. They chased the caravan and the backpackers everywhere. They always tried to steal the Winjin' Pom, but they never succeeded!

The name "Winjin' Pom" is a funny play on words. "Whinging Pom" is an Australian saying for a British person who complains a lot. The caravan was famous not just for talking, but also for flying! This happened in later episodes after the crows tried to hijack him. Not many people saw the show, and it didn't stay on TV for very long.

Richard Carpenter wrote the TV series. It had clever conversations and jokes, especially about how British and Australian people are sometimes seen. The show was first shown in 1991 on commercial TV. A book based on the show was written by Doctor Who writer Terrance Dicks. There was also a magazine about the series.

Main Characters

The Winjin' Pom: This is the main character, a British caravan who can talk and fly. He often feels sad and complains a lot. But he is very loyal to his friends. He often helps save the day when they are in trouble. Michael Robbins did his voice.

Adelaide: She is a brave female wallaby. She acts as the unofficial leader of the group. Adelaide is quick to speak her mind and is very active. She is also good at fixing things, like the Winjin' Pom! She is named after the city of Adelaide in Australia. Kate Robbins voiced her.

Sydney: This character is a fancy female ostrich. She likes to show off and enjoys luxury. Sydney complains a lot, which sometimes annoys the others. When there's danger, she often hides her head. She likes to be called a cassowary, not an ostrich. She is named after Sydney, Australia's biggest city. Adèle Anderson did her voice.

Darwin: He is a middle-aged male wombat. Darwin is the most sensitive of the group. He loves poetry and is a bit of a dreamer. He can be clumsy and easily confused. He often gets on Adelaide and Sydney's nerves. He is probably named after another city in Australia.

Frazer: A male fruit bat who is very relaxed and easygoing. Frazer is kind and understanding. He loves cricket and eating bananas. He is also good friends with Bruce. He is named after Charles Fraser, an old explorer of Australia. Nigel Pegram voiced him.

Bruce: An excited and funny redback spider. Bruce's jokes are as sharp as his wit! He is loyal to his friends but can be a bit of a prankster. He often asks, "Can I bite him?" when he meets someone new. Alison Jiear provides his voice.

J.G. Chicago: The main bad guy in the show. He is a cold and clever vulture. He seems to be a powerful crime boss. He loves opera music and plays the Hammond organ. J.G. wants to steal the Winjin' Pom to use its special powers for himself.

Ronnie and Reggie, the Crow Twins: These are two tricky but not very smart crows. They are twin brothers and work for J.G. Chicago. They often try to hijack the Winjin' Pom but always fail. Mark Arden and Stephen Frost voiced the crows.

Howard: A male spotted hyena who is J.G. Chicago's helper. Howard is a bit clumsy and not as mean as he tries to seem. He often gets into silly situations. He is also very scared of J.G. Chicago's angry outbursts. William Todd-Jones did his voice.

Episodes

1. The Gullagaloona Backpackers arrive in London. They are there to get money from their club's founder. They find the Winjin' Pom by chance and get him working. But two bad guys, Ronnie and Reggie Crow, also want the van. They had left something inside it. The backpackers finally reach Windsor, but it's too late to get the money. Luckily, they still have the Pom to travel the world!

2. The crows had left an old, scratched record inside the Pom. It belonged to a famous Australian opera singer. The vulture crime boss, J.G. Chicago, wants this record. The backpackers are wrongly put in jail but escape thanks to Bruce. They return the record to its owner, Lady Studemare. She rewards them by letting them listen to the record, which they don't enjoy much!

3. The travelers decide to sell the Pom. He had gotten them into trouble with two mean bull bikers. They replace him with a campervan that looks similar. This new van helps them trick Ronnie, Reggie, and Howard.

4. The backpackers arrive at a bed and breakfast that turns out to be haunted. Ronnie and Reggie have followed them, still trying to get the campervan. Unexpected help comes from Raymond and Mavis, two ghost bats who are distant relatives of Frazer.

5. While being chased by the Crows, the Pom hides in a scrapyard. But the vehicle is accidentally put into a giant oven! To escape, Pom shrinks himself and the others inside. Bruce escapes before they shrink. They will be back to normal size in 12 hours. Ronnie and Reggie see this as a perfect chance to please their boss, J.G. Chicago.

6. The Crows kidnap Adelaide. This is part of J.G. Chicago's plan to trap the backpackers and Pom. After this, the vulture tries to convince the campervan to work for him. Will the Winjin' Pom realize where his true friends are?

Credits

• Created by Spitting Image and Richard Carpenter
• Puppets created by: Scott Brooker
• Puppets made by: Mick Hockney, Stephen Mansfield, Susan Moore, Jonathan Saville, Julien Short, Guy Stevens and The Spitting Image Workshop
• Pom Van by Art Effects
• Performers: Antony Asbury, Richard Coombs, Philip Eason, David Greenaway, Barnaby Harrison, Kaefan Shaw, William Todd-Jones, Francis Wright
• Script Editor: Paul Mayhew-Archer
• Additional Material: John Langdon
• Music Composed and Arranged by: Simon Brint, Roddy Matthews with Richard Vranch (eps 2 & 4)
• Miniature Visual Effects: Steve Archer, Jamie Campbell, Roger Jones, Gordon Tait, Simon Margetts
• Visual Effects Co-ordinator: Peter Thornton
• Costume Supervisors: Jackie Hallatt, Frances Hill
• Scenic Effects: Steve Weston, Loraine Marshall
• Art Director: Phil Harvey
• Production Buyer: Jille Brown-Azis
• Property Master: Allen Polley
• Studio Sound: Ted Scott
• Stage Manager: Gail Berryman
• Production Accountant: Brian Brockwell
• Production Secretary: Philippa Wood
• Production Manager: Alison Taggart
• First Assistant Director: Simon Haveland
• Production Assistant: Sue Taylor
• Camera Supervisor: Tony Keene
• Post Production Sound: Steve Hellaby
• Videotape Editor: Mykola Pawluk
• Director of Photography: John Henshall
• Production Designer: Anne Tilby
• Associate Producer: Candida Julian-Jones
• Executive Producers: Roger Law, William Sargent
• Produced by: Marcus Mortimer