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Ivor the Engine
The First Story
The first Ivor the Engine story, with accompanying audio cassette read by Oliver Postgate. Age group 3-6.
32 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1977
60 people want to read
About the author
Oliver Postgate
134 books9 followersOliver Postgate was an English animator, puppeteer and writer. He was the creator and writer of some of Britain's most popular children's television programmes. Pingwings, Pogles' Wood, Noggin the Nog, Ivor the Engine, Clangers and Bagpuss, were all made by Smallfilms, the company he set up with Peter Firmin, and were shown on the BBC between the 1950s and the 1980s, and on ITV from 1959 to the present day. In a 1999 poll, Bagpuss was voted the most popular children's television programme of all time.
In 1957 he was appointed a stage manager with Associated-Rediffusion, which then held the ITV franchise for London. Attached to the children's programming section, he thought he could do better with the relatively low budgets of the then black and white television productions. Postgate wrote Alexander the Mouse, a story about a mouse born to be king. Using an Irish-produced magnetic system – on which animated characters were attached to a painted background, and then photographed through a 45 degree mirror – he persuaded Peter Firmin, who was then teaching at the Central School of Art, to create the background scenes. Postgate later recalled they undertook around 26 of these programmes live-to-air, which were made harder by the production problems encountered by the use and restrictions of using magnets.
After the success of Alexander the Mouse, Postgate agreed a deal to make the next series on film, for a budget of £175 per programme. Making a stop motion animation table in his bedroom, he wrote the Chinese story The Journey of Master Ho. Setting up their business in a disused cowshed at Firmin's home in Blean near Canterbury, Kent, Postgate and Firmin worked on children's animation programmes. Based on concepts which mostly originated with Postgate, Firmin did the artwork and built the models, while Postgate wrote the scripts, did the stop motion filming and many of the voices.
They started in 1959 with Ivor the Engine, a series for ITV about a Welsh steam locomotive who wanted to sing in a choir. It was remade in colour for the BBC in 1976 and 1977. This was followed by Noggin the Nog for the BBC, which established Smallfilms as a reliable source to produce children's entertainment, when there were only two television channels in the UK. The Clangers and Bagpuss, perhaps their most popular works, followed in the early 1970s.
In the 1970s and 1980s Postgate was active in the anti-nuclear campaign, addressing meetings and writing several pamphlets including The Writing on the Sky. In 1986, in collaboration with the historian Naomi Linnell, Postgate painted a 50-foot-long (15 m) Illumination of the Life and Death of Thomas Becket for a book of the same name, which is now in the archive of the Royal Museum and Art Gallery, Canterbury. In 1990 he painted a similar work on Christopher Columbus for a book entitled The Triumphant Failure. A Canterbury Chronicle, a triptych by Postgate commissioned in 1990 hangs in the Great Hall of Eliot College on the University of Kent's Canterbury campus.
In his later years, he blogged for the New Statesman. Postgate's voice was heard once more in 2003, as narrator for Alchemists of Sound, a television documentary about the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. In 1987 the University of Kent at Canterbury awarded an honorary degree to Postgate, who stated that the degree was really intended for Bagpuss, who was subsequently displayed in academic dress.
After his death there was huge recognition of his influence and effect on British culture, and affection for the role his work had played in many people's lives. His work was widely discussed in the UK media and many tributes were paid to him and his work across the internet. Charlie Brooker dedicated a portion of his Screenwipe show to Oliver Postgate, and the way he influenced his own childhood, on an episode that was to be broadcast the day after Postgate's death.
In 1957 he was appointed a stage manager with Associated-Rediffusion, which then held the ITV franchise for London. Attached to the children's programming section, he thought he could do better with the relatively low budgets of the then black and white television productions. Postgate wrote Alexander the Mouse, a story about a mouse born to be king. Using an Irish-produced magnetic system – on which animated characters were attached to a painted background, and then photographed through a 45 degree mirror – he persuaded Peter Firmin, who was then teaching at the Central School of Art, to create the background scenes. Postgate later recalled they undertook around 26 of these programmes live-to-air, which were made harder by the production problems encountered by the use and restrictions of using magnets.
After the success of Alexander the Mouse, Postgate agreed a deal to make the next series on film, for a budget of £175 per programme. Making a stop motion animation table in his bedroom, he wrote the Chinese story The Journey of Master Ho. Setting up their business in a disused cowshed at Firmin's home in Blean near Canterbury, Kent, Postgate and Firmin worked on children's animation programmes. Based on concepts which mostly originated with Postgate, Firmin did the artwork and built the models, while Postgate wrote the scripts, did the stop motion filming and many of the voices.
They started in 1959 with Ivor the Engine, a series for ITV about a Welsh steam locomotive who wanted to sing in a choir. It was remade in colour for the BBC in 1976 and 1977. This was followed by Noggin the Nog for the BBC, which established Smallfilms as a reliable source to produce children's entertainment, when there were only two television channels in the UK. The Clangers and Bagpuss, perhaps their most popular works, followed in the early 1970s.
In the 1970s and 1980s Postgate was active in the anti-nuclear campaign, addressing meetings and writing several pamphlets including The Writing on the Sky. In 1986, in collaboration with the historian Naomi Linnell, Postgate painted a 50-foot-long (15 m) Illumination of the Life and Death of Thomas Becket for a book of the same name, which is now in the archive of the Royal Museum and Art Gallery, Canterbury. In 1990 he painted a similar work on Christopher Columbus for a book entitled The Triumphant Failure. A Canterbury Chronicle, a triptych by Postgate commissioned in 1990 hangs in the Great Hall of Eliot College on the University of Kent's Canterbury campus.
In his later years, he blogged for the New Statesman. Postgate's voice was heard once more in 2003, as narrator for Alchemists of Sound, a television documentary about the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. In 1987 the University of Kent at Canterbury awarded an honorary degree to Postgate, who stated that the degree was really intended for Bagpuss, who was subsequently displayed in academic dress.
After his death there was huge recognition of his influence and effect on British culture, and affection for the role his work had played in many people's lives. His work was widely discussed in the UK media and many tributes were paid to him and his work across the internet. Charlie Brooker dedicated a portion of his Screenwipe show to Oliver Postgate, and the way he influenced his own childhood, on an episode that was to be broadcast the day after Postgate's death.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 9, 2022
I spotted this book in the gift shop of the heritage Bluebell Railway that we'd recently visited and it brought back so many memories fond memories of watching the animated series (on video?) as a kid.
The story encapsulates many Welsh traditions as the steam locomotive wishes to join the choir
The accompanying illustrations reminded me of the 2D animation style that really made this series standout.
Whilst the cute little story has a longlasting appeal.
The story encapsulates many Welsh traditions as the steam locomotive wishes to join the choir
The accompanying illustrations reminded me of the 2D animation style that really made this series standout.
Whilst the cute little story has a longlasting appeal.
March 9, 2019
It's a regular day in the lives of Ivor the train and his driver Edwin Jones. The two travel through the Welsh countryside, making deliveries, and then returning home in time for choir practice.
It's a lovely little story, and I finally found it on YouTube when it wasn't to be had in any US libraries.
It's a lovely little story, and I finally found it on YouTube when it wasn't to be had in any US libraries.
November 5, 2015
Published way back in '77 I chose to read this book because it brought extremely fond memories of home (it's set, fictionally, very close to my home) and fond memories of childhood (my taid (Welsh for grandfather)) used to walk over from his house to come and watch the cartoon of this with me when I was little. He adored it. Oliver Postgate is famous for other series on the BBC such as Bagpuss and Clangers as well as wonderful books such as Noggin the Nog. So much of the imagery from Firmin's illustrations draw up a Wales similar to that evoked by the poet, Dylan Thomas and I think there are so many little things to look at that even now, I'm entranced. I'm not sure I'd recommend it as an exciting and gripping story but it is full of people and humour, warmth and a deep sense of place. The language level is for those children just taking flight with enough challenging words balanced with more common vocabulary. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5ZMN...
December 4, 2025
Classic Ivor the Engine, Ivor was very sluggish and Jones the engine driver could not understand why so took him to the Engineer shed where they gave him a thorough service but could not find the problem, then it dawned on Jones that Ivor loved and missed the Welsh choir who were always singing when Ivor was on his travels, so Jones arranged for Ivor to join the choir himself with one condition that Ivor’s whistle be replaced with pipes.
When replaced with the pipes the Choir were happy for Ivor to join them and everyone ended up being very happy indeed.
When replaced with the pipes the Choir were happy for Ivor to join them and everyone ended up being very happy indeed.
December 18, 2013
Not very long ago, in the top left-hand corner of Wales, there was a railway. It wasn't a very long railway or a very important railway, but it was called The Merioneth and Llantisilly Rail Traction Company Limited, and it was all there was. And in a shed, in a siding at the end of the railway, lived the Locomotive of the Merioneth and Llantisilly Rail Traction Company Limited, which was a very long name for a little engine so his friends just called him Ivor.
I loved the Ivor stories when I was little: there's something utterly irresistible about Oliver Postgate's words and narration, and this really comes through in the story of Ivor, the engine who wants to sing in the local choir. I'm not really surprised that Eoin took to this book so well (engines: always a winner), but I am impressed that he's been happily sitting through the whole story, which is rather complex and text-heavy for a small listener, since he was two and a half.
I'd recommend pretty much anything Postgate-related for anyone with small children, or anyone who loved the stories and animations when they were growing up themselves. Be warned, though: the bit where Ivor wishes he could sing in the choir, yet knows he won't be able to, makes me tear up each time: "It must be a terrible thing that would make a railway engine weep".
I loved the Ivor stories when I was little: there's something utterly irresistible about Oliver Postgate's words and narration, and this really comes through in the story of Ivor, the engine who wants to sing in the local choir. I'm not really surprised that Eoin took to this book so well (engines: always a winner), but I am impressed that he's been happily sitting through the whole story, which is rather complex and text-heavy for a small listener, since he was two and a half.
I'd recommend pretty much anything Postgate-related for anyone with small children, or anyone who loved the stories and animations when they were growing up themselves. Be warned, though: the bit where Ivor wishes he could sing in the choir, yet knows he won't be able to, makes me tear up each time: "It must be a terrible thing that would make a railway engine weep".
July 18, 2021
Wonderful, charming, magical little book full of imagery and emotion. It has simple yet lyrical prose, and glorious evocative artwork. My mum and dad used to read it to me in the '70s, and now I'm reading it to my baby daughter. Lovely, and recommended to anyone with a heart.
January 29, 2021
My grand-daughter loves it, as I always have. Wonderful, lyrical, magical!
June 14, 2017
4* art
3* story
Charming little book, full of warmth and personality. Not the most gripping story, perhaps, but apparently there are more in the series. Squirt liked the 3 notes that Ivor could make, and imitated them as he was heading off to sleep. "Peeep!"
3* story
Charming little book, full of warmth and personality. Not the most gripping story, perhaps, but apparently there are more in the series. Squirt liked the 3 notes that Ivor could make, and imitated them as he was heading off to sleep. "Peeep!"
May 24, 2021
read on archive.org
Cute story about a train making deliveries, only to discover he wants to be in a choir. A little long for my taste, but I'm sure a kid obsessed with trains would love it.
Cute story about a train making deliveries, only to discover he wants to be in a choir. A little long for my taste, but I'm sure a kid obsessed with trains would love it.
January 26, 2014
Loved this as a kid. It's very Welsh as in it has lots of very particular Welsh sayings/phraseology in it which I quite liked but meant that I kept falling in to a Welsh accent, which I don't have. On re-discovering this book I realised I'd actually nicked it from my cousin. Oops.
February 17, 2016
Absolutely massive fan of Oliver Postgate, especially Ivor The Engine. And whenever I've sat down to read any of these books to our children, the dulcet tones of my ancestral Welsh accent just can't help but naturally surface! ;)
October 13, 2019
So gorgeously Welsh. Language, landscape and all the usual characters: Evans, Jones & Williams!
Internet Archive: https://archive.org/stream/ivorengine...
https://openlibrary.org/works/OL66589...
Internet Archive: https://archive.org/stream/ivorengine...
https://openlibrary.org/works/OL66589...
May 11, 2013
Just not in to train stories.
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May 11, 2016Childhood memory.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews