You know you're an old git when...

I first encountered the Moomins at Grange-over-Sands railway station newskiosk, in 1956 or thenabout. I bought a hardback big-format book with two stories in it, and have adored them ever since. A couple of years later I discovered that Moomin comic strips had appeared in Calcutta newspapers for years and were familiar to Indian friends. Perhaps they had appeared in London newspapers too, but I had not seen them. Grange was reachable by bicycle from my home at that time. I have not seen Moomin albums for sale since, at any other railway station.

I have not seen Moomin albums for sale since, at any other railway station.

Railway station kiosks (these days, at least) tend to have relatively few items on sale. You’d struggle to find pretty much anything for the younger reader.

Your best bet would be the Moomin Shop in Covent Garden, London. They have … a wide range of Moomin merchandise.

No love for Camberwick Green?

The Trumptonshire in general was great.

The weird thing I find is that, like most kids show from an earlier era, I had no idea those repeated in the 80s were from the 60s or 70s.

Trumpton, Camberwick Green, and Chigley. I was born when the latter aired, but will have remembered it from a re-run sometime in the 70s.

All too modern, Pre Jack and Peggy, I remember …

din-didi din-didi din-didi din-didi diiiirumph….

I trust you’ve all seen the Life on Mars episode….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdJWQGZlRcg

Surprised nobody has chipped in with Boing Zebedeeeeeeee!

Actually, my first experience with television was over in the US when I was … four? five? … watching Sesame Street.

Quite a lot of that was like an acid trip, and it’s what got me started with Spanish. I must have been five as I could count my age (uno, dos, tres, qwaaaaatrrro, cinco). By the time I was finishing school I could just about “get by” in Spanish (all taught by mom, she had language stickers on everything ¹ and flashcards).

And then mom goes and buys a house in France. 🤷🏻‍♀️

¹ Some of it was borderline trolling, the fridge said “refrigerador volador” (!) and the toilet door said “la gran cloaca”.

If we are looking at 60’s programmes, how about Robin Hood, William Tell, Whirly Birds, Crackajack and must not forget The Lone Ranger amongst many others.

The Lone Ranger amongst many others

Part of an old joke¹ that used to wind up our network manager (a few years ago) – said manager kept saying “we can do that” when he actually meant “Steve will sort it”
So, raising two fingers behind my head in the stereotypical Tonto fashion, I would say “What do you mean ‘we’ white man?”

“Robin Hood, Robin Hood,
Riding through the glen,
Robin Hood, Robin Hood,
With his band of men,
Feared by the bad,
loved by the good,
Robin Hood, Robin Hood, Robin Hood”

That got a wry smile from across the room when I sang that one…

Cabbages and Crackerjack pencils.

¹ Stereotypical “Indians” circling the defending Lone Ranger and Tonto who have run out of ammo, so the Lone Ranger declares “Looks like we’re done for Tonto”
Dreadfully non-PC

Was it Muffin The Mule, or am I a lot older than you, Grahame?

I think Muffin the Mule (it was illegal back then) was in of the introductory part of the program before showing the day’s show, but I was only about three or four at the time – late 1950’s, so my memory may be playing tricks now. Tales of the Riverbank started a few years later and replaced one of the original five daily offerings. All the stop-motion series, Camberwell Green and such, were later still.

The original fifth show was Picture Book and if I think reallllly hard, I can sort of recall something, but no detail like I have with the other four original shows.

so the Lone Ranger declares “Looks like we’re done for Tonto”

To which Tonto replies “Who’s this ‘We’ you talk about?”

I think Muffin the Mule

Hmmm, “Hello Cheeky” or was it “Radio 5 Live”¹ did a song: “We love Muffin the Mule, fried with rice or chopped up with gruel…”

¹ No not the actual radio channel this was a programme, back when BBC had Radio 1 – 4

ok, i am probably a bit younger than most but i used to watch cartoons (in the late 70’s) followed by black and white episodes of superman and f-troop (US shows) on saturday mornings while waiting for dad to get home from work. did you exposed to those shows?

i’m sure the superman episodes are from the 50’s

Surprised nobody has chipped in with Boing Zebedeeeeeeee!

He’s one (well three) I did (thirty years or so) earlier in Draw format http://www.druck.plus.com/RISCOS/MagicRoundabout.zip

Ah yes, Le Manège Enchanté, by Serge Danot. Having enjoyed it so much in English, I watched it a couple of times in France. The English version was just as much fun for adults as for children. The original French version was definitely for children only.

A year (or maybe two) ago I discovered that lots of new Clangers programmes were available on BBC iPlayer. I really enjoyed watching them. Well animated, with some superb moments; and beautifully constructed music too. Inspired daftness.

Many of these programs are being broadcast (and streamed) by Talking Pictures TV. Fireball-XL5 is on tomorrow at 3pm, for example.

https://talkingpicturestv.co.uk/
https://www.tptvencore.co.uk/

https://talkingpicturestv.co.uk/

Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!

It’s -3 outside. This is not a time to start prodding the satellite dish that I last used maybe the Christmas before last…

<sigh>

Looks like an interesting channel, thanks for the info.

And for those like me: 11.582H 22000 5/6 (TP 97)

- You miss your childhood/youth, and parts of its contents. Today I’d probably kill myself if attempting the downhill- and ski jumping (25 meters) I did with few mishaps way back when growing up in the far North. Miss the wild nature too..
https://senjafoto.no/senja/bergsbotn.htm