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Chigley characters, songs and trivia
Songs by Gordon Murray and Freddie Phillips.The programme began with one of the characters
being asked:
"Are you going to Trumpton ?
Camberwick Green ? Chigley ? Can we come with you
?"
Chigley consisted mainly of Treddles Wharf, Winkstead Hall, the Biscuit Factory, and the Chigley Pottery. Much of the action happened at the Wharf, and Bessie, Lord Belborough's steam engine would usually put in an appearance.
Lord Belborough, of Winkstead Hall
Lord Belborough owns Winkstead Hall, Chigley's stately home, but he is forced to attract visitors to help pay for the maintenance costs. He travels almost everywhere on Bessie the steam engine.
"The Little Steam Engine."
Time flies by when I'm the driver of a train And I ride on the footplate there and back again Under bridges over bridges to our destination Puffing through the countryside there's so much to be seen. Passengers waving as we steam through a station. Stoke up fireman for the signal is at green. Time flies by when I'm the driver of a train And I ride on the footplate there and back again In the cutting, through the tunnel, Rushing clanking on the track. Wheezing pistons, smoking funnels, Turning wheels go clickety clack. Time flies by when I'm the driver of a train And I ride on the footplate there and back again."The Balloonist"
In charge of a barge or driving a crane, Motor car lorry or wheazy old train. I'd just as soon travel in a balloon, Riding high high high high in the sky. Over the houses the fields and the trees, Drifting along on the soft Summer breeze. I'd just as soon travel in a balloon, Riding high high high, high in the sky."The Pumping Engine" - called Binnie
Steam driven beam engine pumping away, With a hiss and a clank and a gluggluggluggle bonk. Pumping up water by night and by day With a (hiss) and a (clank) and a gluggluggluggle bonk. Fly wheel a-spinning around and around, Drawing up water from deep in the ground. Wheel turning, coal burning, steam driven beam engine (hiss) and a (clank) and a... With a hiss, clank, glugglugggleuggle bonk.
Brackett the butler at Winkstead Hall.
Brackett's duties mainly involve answering the phone and assisting Lord Belborough with Bessie. He has a very slow, distinctive walk, and always took an agonisingly long time to find Lord Belborough - and when he did, Lord Belborough was usually sitting next to a phone!
"The Stately Home"
With bats in the belfry, and beatle in the beams, The stately home of England is not all that it seems. A constant battle must be fought to fend off all decay. The only way to meet the cost is hold an open day. Visitors contribute, to the cost of repair, By trips upon the steam train, and visits to the fair. For fine buildings, furniture and priceless works of art In the culture of our people play a most important part. For it takes hard work and dedication To preserve this house for the nation
Mr Bilton the gardener at Winkstead Hall.
He often suffers with a touch of the rheumatics.
"The Gardener"
Planting, seeding, pruning, weeding, Always busy with a rake and a hoe. Pest spraying, turf laying, sweeping up the leaves. Its a full time job, to make a garden grow Ditch digging, path trimming, tidying the greenhouse, Potting in the potting shed and cutting back shoots, Bud nipping, hedge clipping, sweeping up the leaves, Its a full time job, to make a garden grow. and Black fly, greenfly, wire worm, caterpillar, Red spider leatherjacket, throaps and slugs. Lawn mowing, dutch hoing, sweeping up the leaves, Its a full time job to make a garden grow. Blackspot, brownrot, root rot, leaf curl, Mildew, grey mould, blight and rust Bud nipping hedge clipping, sweeping up the leaves Its a worthwhile job, to make a garden grow.
Mr Cresswell the biscuit factory manager.
The biscuit factory is Trumptonshire's biggest employer by far, and Mr Cresswell keeps tham all working efficiently until the whistle blows for the six o'clock dance. Mr Fletcher is in charge of the loading bay, while Mr Patterson is one of the van drivers. The vans and the boxes of biscuits are labelled Cresswell's Chigley Biscuits (CCB).
"Efficiency"
Nicely precisely and all untouched by hand. Efficiency our motto, by which we proudly stand. Cooked, cartoned, checked and crated, labelled and dispatched. Efficiency efficiency at which we can't be matched. Efficiency efficiency, our watch word while we work The customer is always right a fact we never shirk. Automation for the nation, time is not to waste, Although at times we gain more speed by using much less haste.
Mr Harry Farthing & Winnie at the Chigley pottery
The Farthings lived near the railway, in a wonderful house with a beautiful large window. Mr Farthing would make pots on his wheel and once carved a stone statue for the Chigley biscuit factory.
"Mr Farthing's Song (The Potter)"
Whirl around twirl around shiny wet clay. Firm hands will shape it And make it a bowl for your roses. Whirl around twirl around shiny wet clay. Firm hands will shape it, And make it a bowl for your roses, To brighten your day.
Mr Swallow the Warfinger at Treddles Wharf:
At Treddles Wharf the canal meets the railway. Mr Swallow is always on hand with his crane to transfer crates between Lord Belborough's train and Mr Rumpling's barge.
"Mr. Swallow's Song (The Crane)"
Lifting the boxes and barrels and bundles Stacking the drainpipes and logs from the woods A crane does the work as it rattles and rumbles Shifting the lumber and loading the goods
Mr Rumpling the barge owner (bargee)
He works the Trumpton canal, mainly carrying crates to Treddles wharf, to be collected by Lord Belborough. (Actually it's a narrow boat not a barge)
"The Bargemaster"
Chugging along between banks of green willow, Buttercup meadows, sweet nettle and dock, Sheep in the meadow so peaceful and still-o, And just 'round the bend we reach Camberwick Lock. Nothing is better than being at large In charge of a gay inland waterway barge The sun on the water is glinting and gleaming Soon we are leaving the Camberwick Lock Pass by the anglers all drowsily dreaming And far in the distance chimes Trumpton town clock Nothing is better than being at large In charge of a gay inland waterway barge
Mr Clutterbuck the builder
Assisted by brick layers Horrace and Cyril
"The Bricklayers"
Bricks! bricks! laying the bricks, Hods to be carried and mortar to mix, Plans to be followed and measurements made, Grounds to be levelled and foundations layed for the: Bricks! bricks! laying the bricks Hods to be carried and mortar to mix. With trowel and level the bricks are well layed, For the master brick layer will knows all the tricks of his trade.
Mr Gubbins and Mr Sneed the Corporation Dustmen
"The Corporation Dustmen"
We are the corporation dustmen With the corporation dust cart. And we clean up all the rubbish and the mess. We empty all the bins. We salvage empty tins. And bale up cardboard cartons in a press. We are the corporation dustmen With the corporation dust cart. And we do our job with zeal and with zest. We're efficient quick and thorough When we're cleaning up the borough. We're the corporation dustmen We're the best.
At the end of every CHIGLEY episode, the whistle would blow, and all the factory workers from the biscuit factory would head off for the six-o'clock dance. Music was played by the Dutch organ.
"The Song of the Fair"
Hurry up, hurry up gather around. Music and laughter are here to be found. Now is the time for a breath of fresh air. Come and enjoy all the fun of the fair. Side shows and swings there's so much to be seen. Old friends from Trumpton and Camberwick Green. Everything pleases and nothing dismays, As the music so merrily plays.
From the Come To Chigley record
Chigley is a tiny hamlet near Trumpton and Camberwick Green. But for Winkstead Hall, one could drive through it without noticing its existence.
Winkstead Hall is of course, the stately home of Lord Belborough. It is extremely difficult to run these days, so Lord Belborough has had to turn into a showman, like so many of his fellow peers.
Bessie the steam railway engine is his Lordship's pride and joy. He bought up a disused Bluebell-line type railway, converted part of Winkstead Hall stables into an engine shed, and rerouted the track. The public enjoy rides fron Winkstead Hall, past the Pottery and Biscuit Factory to Treddle's Wharf, to be greeted by Mr Swallow, the wharfinger, who is always ready to demonstrate how quickly he can unload Mr Rumpling's barge.
Another favourite attraction is the Six-o'clock Dance, held every evening in the grounds of Winkstead Hall. It is attended mainly by the factory workers from Mr. Cresswell's Biscuit Factory, who pour out of the factory when the six o'clock whistle blows. The music is provided by Lord Belborough, assisted by Mr. Brackett, the Winkstead Hall Butler, turning the handle of the Dutch organ.