# The Archers (BBC Radio 4)



## Copepod (Nov 30, 2017)

I'm wondering if Pip Archer (age early 20s) is developing type 1 diabetes. Recently, she has been complaining of feeling tired (which might be explained by lots of farming work, plus a new boyfriend) and thirst (less easy to explain in UK in Movember). Plus she's being a bit short tempered / snappy (which mighy be explained by her parents' interest in her new relationship and living arrangements.


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## Radders (Nov 30, 2017)

Copepod said:


> I'm wondering if Pip Archer (age early 20s) is developing type 1 diabetes. Recently, she has been complaining of feeling tired (which might be explained by lots of farming work, plus a new boyfriend) and thirst (less easy to explain in UK in Movember). Plus she's being a bit short tempered / snappy (which mighy be explained by her parents' interest in her new relationship and living arrangements.


I thought the same. Weird to comment on someone’s thirst unless it’s part of a plot line I thought.


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## Northerner (Nov 30, 2017)

Let's hope that, if it is the case, it is handled well  I have always had the impression The Archers take care over their storylines


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## Copepod (Nov 30, 2017)

If it's covered as well as they've handled issues such as dementia, coersive control and fraud then it will be done well. No idea how anyone could gulp a flask of hot tea quick enough for their Dad to comment, though.


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## trophywench (Nov 30, 2017)

Oooh I dunno, Copepod - it never had chance to touch the flippin sides before I was diagnosed!


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## SB2015 (Nov 30, 2017)

I hadn’t spotted that possible story line.  I just knew that Pip was mad to try again with Toby!!!

I shall be interested to see how this story line developed.  
There was a report about how much research they did regarding the fraud by Matt Crawford, so let’s hope they do this one well if you are right.


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## mikeyB (Nov 30, 2017)

I don’t think anyone will be surprised if I say that in my life I have never listened to an episode of the Archers, even accidentally when visiting relatives in the target demographic. Am I missing something? If so, is there a box set to catch up?


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## Northerner (Dec 1, 2017)

mikeyB said:


> I don’t think anyone will be surprised if I say that in my life I have never listened to an episode of the Archers, even accidentally when visiting relatives in the target demographic. Am I missing something? If so, is there a box set to catch up?


Yes, as of today it has 18,455 episodes - enjoy!


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## Copepod (Dec 1, 2017)

mikeyB said:


> I don’t think anyone will be surprised if I say that in my life I have never listened to an episode of the Archers, even accidentally when visiting relatives in the target demographic. Am I missing something? If so, is there a box set to catch up?


Not sure about box sets for radio shows. There's a section on BBC Radio 4 website with details on each character, map of village and surrounding areas etc. But it's decades since it started.


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## Drummer (Dec 1, 2017)

It started before I was born - took over the 'Dick Barton' spot at 6.45 in the evening.
I can remember Dick Barton special agent and the theme tune - the Devil's Gallop, though I don't know from when. The big old radio stood in the family home for decades, and I worked out how to connect up the old reel to reel tape recorder to it. Happy days.


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## SB2015 (Dec 1, 2017)

mikeyB said:


> I don’t think anyone will be surprised if I say that in my life I have never listened to an episode of the Archers, even accidentally when visiting relatives in the target demographic. Am I missing something? If so, is there a box set to catch up?


I listened to it all through college and onwards from then.
So, with some element of bias, yes you are missing lots. 
You could hold Archers catch ups in the common room.  I bet there would be a few who could tell you all the story lines.  I could give it a go, but Northerner would need to put a stop to it as there is so much to tell!


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## Radders (Dec 1, 2017)

I remember it being on after “Listen with Mother” so I must have been pre-school.


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## Amigo (Dec 1, 2017)

I’ve never heard a single episode either and was surprised to hear it’s still running. I like visual accompaniment to drama but it sounds like they do it very well.


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## SB2015 (Dec 1, 2017)

Doh!!!
Pip is pregnant rather than having T1!!  ... or is she.


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## trophywench (Dec 1, 2017)

Amigo said:


> I’ve never heard a single episode either and was surprised to hear it’s still running. I like visual accompaniment to drama but it sounds like they do it very well.



Visual accompaniment was absolutely NOT available during the day until Children's Hour at 5pm.  Oh although that is a fib - early afternoon saw Picture Book, The Woodentops, Bill and Ben, Andy Pandy and Rag, Tag and Bobtail.  Tales of the Riverbank was latter!

12.45 Brought Listen with Mother, the last 5 minutes occupied by she who told them to us.  'And when the music stops, Dorothy Oxenford will be here to tell you a story'.  Every episode started exactly the same - 'Are you sitting comfortably, children?  Then, I'll begin! .......'


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## Amigo (Dec 1, 2017)

trophywench said:


> Visual accompaniment was absolutely NOT available during the day until Children's Hour at 5pm.  Oh although that is a fib - early afternoon saw Picture Book, The Woodentops, Bill and Ben, Andy Pandy and Rag, Tag and Bobtail.  Tales of the Riverbank was latter!
> 
> 12.45 Brought Listen with Mother, the last 5 minutes occupied by she who told them to us.  'And when the music stops, Dorothy Oxenford will be here to tell you a story'.  Every episode started exactly the same - 'Are you sitting comfortably, children?  Then, I'll begin! .......'



Thanks for imagining I’m not old enough to remember all that Jenny! 

Still didn’t do The Archers though and I’m not sure why.


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## mikeyB (Dec 2, 2017)

You got the order wrong, Jenny. Monday was Picture Book, Tuesday Andy Pandy, Wednesday Bill and Ben, Thursday Rag Tag and Bobtail, and Friday was The Woodentops. My favourite was Bill and Ben. 

More worryingly, I thought Andy Pandy was a girl for quite a few years.


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## Vince_UK (Dec 2, 2017)

What about Muffin The Mule?
I seem to recall that somewhere


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## Northerner (Dec 2, 2017)

mikeyB said:


> You got the order wrong, Jenny. Monday was Picture Book, Tuesday Andy Pandy, Wednesday Bill and Ben, Thursday Rag Tag and Bobtail, and Friday was The Woodentops. My favourite was Bill and Ben.
> 
> More worryingly, I thought Andy Pandy was a girl for quite a few years.


I don't think I ever realised there was a pattern!   Andy Pandy kept his girlfriend in a box, a bit weird  I never saw the strings!   I once spotted 'Muffin Mool' in the window of a puppet theatre in Moscow - he was internationally famous!


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## Radders (Dec 2, 2017)

mikeyB said:


> You got the order wrong, Jenny. Monday was Picture Book, Tuesday Andy Pandy, Wednesday Bill and Ben, Thursday Rag Tag and Bobtail, and Friday was The Woodentops. My favourite was Bill and Ben.
> 
> More worryingly, I thought Andy Pandy was a girl for quite a few years.


We must have gone out on Thursdays as I remember all of those apart from Rag, Tag & Bobtail. 
There was another set just before the news: Magic Roundabout, Pogle’s Wood...


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## Vince_UK (Dec 2, 2017)

"Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble, Grub". Was that Camberwick Green? Seem to remember sitting through this when I son was very young, he is 48 now lol.


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## Radders (Dec 2, 2017)

Vince_UK said:


> "Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble, Grub". Was that Camberwick Green? Seem to remember sitting through this when I son was very young, he is 48 now lol.


Wasn’t that Trumpton?


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## Vince_UK (Dec 2, 2017)

Radders said:


> Wasn’t that Trumpton?


Perhaps Radders back in the midst of time. I think you maybe be correct. They were the Firemen if I recall.


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## Northerner (Dec 2, 2017)

Radders said:


> Wasn’t that Trumpton?


'Trumpton' must be a hellish place these days, with The Donald as mayor!


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## Vince_UK (Dec 2, 2017)

Northerner said:


> 'Trumpton' must be a hellish place these days, with The Donald as mayor!


Like it N


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## Amigo (Dec 2, 2017)

I clearly was never a child!


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## trophywench (Dec 2, 2017)

I hated Picture Book - used the think the presenter - a lady, Patricia someone? seemed terribly patronising, somehow, even at the age I was then.  I can always recognise that!  However since I was told I had to watch it ie 'Sit down there and watch this now!' I did.  Who knew what might happen if you didn't?

The biggest spotted dog you had ever seen was absolutely my fave though and why I wanted to be called Jenny, not Jennifer. 

When I was very small Muffin was still on TV (yep I remember the piano and our Sylvia) and we had Muffin wallpaper on our bedroom walls, me and sis.  Or rather she did so I got it whether I wanted it or not.  Remember Hank? 

Pugh Pugh etc were the Trumpton fire brigade but from sometime in the 70s - Pete knew all those well - as a dad who had two little girls, whereas I only met them later.  (He reckons these days there might have been something a bit iffy about that Mr Benn as well ....)

I saw that roundabout on very odd occasions (I was at work by then) but who brought it into my world was Jasper Carrot!  Liked Dougal best, and still greet 'Brian' by name whenever I happen to see him, anywhere !


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## Northerner (Dec 2, 2017)

I was a big fan of the puppet shows of the early-mid '60s. Probably the oldest I very vaguely remember was Torchy the Battery Boy, followed by Four Feather Falls, but remember Fireball XL5, Supercar, Stingray and Thunderbirds as all being big favourites


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## mikeyB (Dec 2, 2017)

Don’t forget Twizzle, the one before Torchy the Battery Boy. That was 1957, when I was four, so probably well before your sentient existence, Northie. Twizzle had very stretchy corkscrew-like legs as his “superpower”. Bill and Ben, to my astonishment, dates from 1953, the year of my birth.

Needless to say, you can find all these shows (and Muffin the Mule) on the interweb. The first episode of Torchy is on YouTube, but I haven’t got the skill to create a link. Some of the very early ones are horribly politically incorrect and distinctly racist.


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## Northerner (Dec 2, 2017)

Nope, no memory of Twizzle, as no brain at that point. I do remember fancying Marina


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## Vince_UK (Dec 2, 2017)

I remember both Twizzle and Torchy. OMG Getting old 1957 I was 7 years old in in short pants lol but it is 50 years ago and time flies.
They were Saturday Teatime compulsoory viewing on our rented DER 14" black and white Echo TV. Why on earth should I recall that detail.
Pride of place in what we called the living room in South Shields.
Now it is a 65" curved screen that does everything except make fresh coffee.
Times change.


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## Vince_UK (Dec 2, 2017)

Amigo said:


> I clearly was never a child!


That absolutley cannot be true Amigo


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## trophywench (Dec 3, 2017)

1953 was a good year in more ways than just the Coronation - cos a lot of people including my mom & dad, got their first telly specifically to watch it!  At which point I was 3, so good timing by the Royal family, thanks!


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## Radders (Dec 3, 2017)

trophywench said:


> The biggest spotted dog you had ever seen was absolutely my fave though


I still say this in my head whenever I see a Dalmatian. 



> I saw that roundabout on very odd occasions (I was at work by then) but who brought it into my world was Jasper Carrot!  Liked Dougal best, and still greet 'Brian' by name whenever I happen to see him, anywhere !



Time for bed, Said Zebedee.


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## Vince_UK (Dec 3, 2017)

Boing Boing.(sounds of Zebedee's spring).


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## Sally71 (Dec 3, 2017)

I had posters of Brian Snail and Zebedee on my bedroom walls when I was a young child.  Many years later, when I was in my teens or early twenties, and we'd moved house several years before and I thought the posters had long since hit the bin, I discovered that my dad had still got them hanging up in the attic!  Either he was a secret Magic Roundabout fan or it reminded him of when I was little, I don't know which.


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## Vince_UK (Dec 3, 2017)

@Sally71 
That's lovely Sally


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## trophywench (Dec 3, 2017)

Sadly, I never saw very much 'Jackanory' so some of you youngsters are hopefully in a far better position to explain to explain to the likes of me, the subtle nuances of the Plot in the current story the UK finds itself in.  However, I do feel very strongly - cos I've always liked a good story meself - we have to look through the broken window at it.


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## Carolg (Dec 3, 2017)

trophywench said:


> Visual accompaniment was absolutely NOT available during the day until Children's Hour at 5pm.  Oh although that is a fib - early afternoon saw Picture Book, The Woodentops, Bill and Ben, Andy Pandy and Rag, Tag and Bobtail.  Tales of the Riverbank was latter!
> 
> 12.45 Brought Listen with Mother, the last 5 minutes occupied by she who told them to us.  'And when the music stops, Dorothy Oxenford will be here to tell you a story'.  Every episode started exactly the same - 'Are you sitting comfortably, children?  Then, I'll begin! .......'


Oh I feel old. I remember all these...except picture book. Does anyone remember “the one o,clock gang” in late 50’s. Maybe an stv show


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## Northerner (Dec 3, 2017)

Vince_UK said:


> our rented DER 14" black and white Echo TV


Snap! We had a DER tv, always remember looking inside when the engineer (a tall, fat man with curly hair and thick-rimmed glasses, wearing a tweed suit) came to change a valve or two!  Yes, it's amazing what you remember - I can picture him now!


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## Carolg (Dec 3, 2017)

We had a black and white tv, but never knew where it came from


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## Vince_UK (Dec 3, 2017)

Northerner said:


> Snap! We had a DER tv, always remember looking inside when the engineer (a tall, fat man with curly hair and thick-rimmed glasses, wearing a tweed suit) came to change a valve or two!  Yes, it's amazing what you remember - I can picture him now!


We then went up market to Redifussion with a box on the wall to change the stations AND  radiogram.


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## Northerner (Dec 3, 2017)

Vince_UK said:


> We then went up market to Redifussion with a box on the wall to change the stations AND  radiogram.


We had a Radio Rentals one for a short period


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## Robin (Dec 3, 2017)

You needed long arms to be able to keep an eye on the screen and fiddle with the vertical hold button on the back of ours, to stop the picture jumping about. Sometimes my father would be round the back twiddling buttons and asking us kids for a progress report for when the picture had come right.
And did some aunt or uncle tell you that when the characters disappeared off the screen they exited via the back of the telly?....and did you have to go and look just to make sure?


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## Greyhound Gal (Dec 3, 2017)

Ooooh I loved the Magic roundabout and Dylan the stoned rabbit.
But what about the Clangers and Captain Pugwash.....


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## Northerner (Dec 3, 2017)

Greyhound Gal said:


> But what about the Clangers and Captain Pugwash.....


Ah! Two of my all-time favourites!  And Noggin the Nog!  Anyone remember Bleep and Booster from Blue Peter? Not even a moving cartoon, just a story and some pictures, but I enjoyed it nonetheless  I have always attributed my love of reading from my Mum sitting me on her knee and reading the stories of the Robin family from her Woman's Weekly (or was it My Weekly?) magazine  I also had my own magazines from an early age - 'Treasure' and 'TV Century 21'. Treasure was a bit like 'Look and Learn' for younger children and I remember learning a lot from it - particularly the 'Pobble who had no toes' poem by Edward Lear, which started off my love of comic verse  I can still remember a lot of the poem now!


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## trophywench (Dec 3, 2017)

Defo the Woman's Weekly Alan - only mag my mother took - I had completely forgotten the Robin family!

I was going to say afternoons were a bit boring, cos after Listen with Mother came Woman's Hour - and I had to not be a nuisance.  Deep sigh!

I came to appreciate it years later though when I was newly diagnosed and off work - borrowed a transistor radio and listened to Woman's Hour every afternoon!  (Not long wed, skint, new build semi with no carpets, curtains and very little furniture.  We didn't have a radio.)


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## Lilian (Dec 3, 2017)

Drummer said:


> It started before I was born - took over the 'Dick Barton' spot at 6.45 in the evening.
> I can remember Dick Barton special agent and the theme tune - the Devil's Gallop, though I don't know from when. The big old radio stood in the family home for decades, and I worked out how to connect up the old reel to reel tape recorder to it. Happy days.


Oh yes I remember Dick Barton.     I was tiny but I knew that as soon as I heard that music I must not cry, have a tantrum, or make any noise whatsoever, whilst my mother listened avidly to Dick Barton.


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## Amigo (Dec 3, 2017)

I had a childhood crush on one of the Thunderbirds (as my husband reminds me with boots of laughter at times). Not sure if it was Scott or Virgil! Lol


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## Northerner (Dec 3, 2017)

Amigo said:


> I had a childhood crush on one of the Thunderbirds (as my husband reminds me with boots of laughter at times). Not sure if it was Scott or Virgil! Lol


Not Alan then?  He was Thunderbird 3  Always felt a bit sorry for John, out on T5 space station all alone!  Scott and Virgil got all the action. Gordon hardly got a look in unless there was deep water involved


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## Amigo (Dec 3, 2017)

Northerner said:


> Not Alan then?  He was Thunderbird 3  Always felt a bit sorry for John, out on T5 space station all alone!  Scott and Virgil got all the action. Gordon hardly got a look in unless there was deep water involved



I think it was probably Virgil northerner....he had a fine set of strings!


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## mikeyB (Dec 3, 2017)

I missed the strings when Gerry Anderson moved into live action with Space 1999. Mind you, the acting was pretty wooden.


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## Northerner (Dec 3, 2017)

mikeyB said:


> I missed the strings when Gerry Anderson moved into live action with Space 1999. Mind you, the acting was pretty wooden.


I'd moved on to Star Trek by then  More wooden acting though, especially from James Tiberius Kirk!   It always confused me that they were on a 5-year mission to 'go where no man had been before', yet they kept meeting people who had been there before them!


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## mikeyB (Dec 3, 2017)

Star Trek, the original series, was notable for having an African American in a lead role (Uhura), a Japanese lead character, and the first inter-racial kiss ever broadcast on US TV. Whatever you think of the acting and polystyrene sets, it was truly groundbreaking on the sly.


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## Carolg (Dec 3, 2017)

Amigo said:


> I had a childhood crush on one of the Thunderbirds (as my husband reminds me with boots of laughter at times). Not sure if it was Scott or Virgil! Lol


Me as well. Can’t remember which one though


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## Carolg (Dec 3, 2017)

mikeyB said:


> Star Trek, the original series, was notable for having an African American in a lead role (Uhura), a Japanese lead character, and the first inter-racial kiss ever broadcast on US TV. Whatever you think of the acting and polystyrene sets, it was truly groundbreaking on the sly.


Someone from my work called her youhoora! She was from a rough bit of Fife and I think it was a joke


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## Northerner (Dec 3, 2017)

Carolg said:


> Someone from my work called her youhoora! She was from a rough bit of Fife and I think it was a joke


I seem to remember 'Uhuru' means 'Freedom' in Swahili


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## FM001 (Dec 3, 2017)

Northerner said:


> We had a Radio Rentals one for a short period



Mum rented a tv from a company called Visionhire, neighbours of ours used Radio Rentals or Telebank, with Telebank you had to put 50p into a coin slot for the tv to work.


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## Vince_UK (Dec 3, 2017)

toby said:


> Mum rented a tv from a company called Visionhire, neighbours of ours used Radio Rentals or Telebank, with Telebank you had to put 50p into a coin slot for the tv to work.


I remember both Visionhire and Radio Rentals Toby, Telebank is a new one on me. but I do recall a TV company where you did have to put "money in the slot".
In thse Good Old Days, TV's cost a small fortune. Now they are almost a disposable item.


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## Dave W (Dec 3, 2017)

Carolg said:


> Oh I feel old. I remember all these...except picture book. Does anyone remember “the one o,clock gang” in late 50’s. Maybe an stv show


Remember it well! When I was at school I used to go to a pal's house after school dinners and watch it on STV before going back to school for afternoon classes.


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## Drummer (Dec 4, 2017)

For a long time doing the 'bingy bong bing bong' start of listen with mother would quieten the audience at folk clubs - it doesn't work now of course, but it got a laugh when I followed it up with 'are you sitting comfortably?' - it is a C cord on the guitar.


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## Carolg (Dec 4, 2017)

Dave W said:


> Remember it well! When I was at school I used to go to a pal's house after school dinners and watch it on STV before going back to school for afternoon classes.


I went to actual show and had to go and give presenter(Larry Marshall?) a bag of lollipops for sick children. Never forgot that


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