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Trumpton (BBC, 1967) was a quickly realised sequel coming in the wake of the success of Camberwick Green (BBC, 1966). Experienced children's writer Alison Prince was brought in to help speed up production. Creator Gordon Murray acknowledged it was her input that enabled 13 episodes to be made within nine months. The first episode debuted exactly a year after the first series had begun. Trumpton is very much a retread of its predecessor, relocated to the county's capital. The daily business of the slightly vain Mayor of Trumpton features, as do the comings and goings of the various traders working in and around the market square. In Camberwick Green various mishaps were dealt with by the soldiers from Pippin Fort, in Trumpton the local Fire Brigade were substituted on such occasions (the roll call "Pugh, Pugh, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble, Grubb," is well-remembered). Prince was asked to write thirteen episodes involving the Brigade, but with the proviso that she should not use water, steam or fire, all of which were too difficult to animate. Resulting scenarios had the Mayor's hat getting stuck in a tree or a tin of paint jamming the town clock mechanism. While the programme's style and behind the scenes personnel were identical to the previous series, there was virtually no direct crossover with the characters of Camberwick Green. Alastair McGown
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