Camberwick Green and Trumpton

[DorsetDave]

absolutely incredible! and good work finding the same make of table lamp. i’m also pleased to say that dr mopp will likely be finished within a week!
(i hate to say it but i do believe the box is blue instead of black, seems a bit late now though)

Thank you. I dread to think how long I spent looking for the lamp. These are known as 'Student Candelabras' a lot of which got converted from candle power to electric light. Mine is a cheat as it is still intended for use with candles, however I converted a white oval lampshade into something resembling the original with black spray paint and stick-on gold car trim!

I'm intrigued to see how you get on with Dr. Mopp. My Mopp-mobile arrived last week and I've just added a starting handle, I would really like to be able to sort out a figure to sit in it. I acquired a Harrop 'life-size' Dr Mopp who stands 9" tall (including hat but excluding stand) to act as a template for creating a wire frame model, but it seems rather too chunky to fit in the car. I'm still thinking of what might be the best way of attaching the head to a wireframe to allow it to turn.

 

[ArtBoy54]

I'm still thinking of what might be the best way of attaching the head to a wireframe to allow it to turn

I've just got a hole in the bottom of the head that the wire goes into (which seems to be what was done on the originals), and I've filled the head with dense foam so that the wire only goes up to a certain height. once I've got his neck on it should sit nicely.

(You can sort of see it in this picture)
I also made some "blueprints" for the head while I was making mine if it's any help

 

[DorsetDave]

Thank you ArtBoy54, yes definitely, blue prints would be extremely useful. I'm finding the whole idea of making one of the figures really daunting but I guess it's the fear of the unknown.

Just for anyone who might be interested, when you see the characters emerging from or descending into the musical box, this is done with the box actually stood on a contraption which has the ability to allow the platform (on which the character stands) to move up or down from below the height of the box. At this point the box is no longer on the table. The camera cuts to a close up of the top of the box as the characters appear/disappear so that you do not see the mechanism below. Even if it had of been possible to add this mechanism to the box, some of the characters are too tall to fit completely within the box.

I am currently designing a mechanism using a pair of lazy Susans and a whacking great threaded rod to move the platform to achieve this. There might be a more elegant way of achieving the same thing but I can't think of one. In the original musical box they added a pair of half round wooden rails internally to allow the platform to rotate with the box. You can see these pieces of wood in the close up shots but they were not present when they initially filmed the box sat on the table.

There are two different beginning sequences. Strangely, for episodes 2-4 the iris on the box opens whilst the box is seen on the table, for the other episodes it opens during the close up shot. In all episodes the character only emerges during the close-up shot.

There is also a final cut to an even closer shot of the character 'on the musical box'. This I believe is when the character is actually already placed in the next scene but that is hidden as the same blue background is still behind it. The background is then removed and low and behold the character is on-set!

 

[ArtBoy54]

I am currently designing a mechanism using a pair of lazy Susans and a whacking great threaded rod to move the platform to achieve this. There might be a more elegant way of achieving the same thing but I can't think of one. In the original musical box they added a pair of half round wooden rails internally to allow the platform to rotate with the box. You can see these pieces of wood in the close up shots but they were not present when they initially filmed the box sat on the table.

interesting. I found a video of a mechanism which could be implemented for the fold-out lid of the box, even though this was done via stop-motion originally.

there's no need to worry about starting the puppets. it's easier than it looks! I recommend making the head first and working your way down from there.

 

[DorsetDave]

absolutely incredible! and good work finding the same make of table lamp. i’m also pleased to say that dr mopp will likely be finished within a week!
(i hate to say it but i do believe the box is blue instead of black, seems a bit late now though)

I'm not sure the box is blue, but I have to confess that was not something I had considered. Analysing the colour composition of the box, the top of the box has a strong blue tint but I think this is due to the light being reflected from the blue backdrop. If you look at the top side of the box furthest from the backdrop then the RGB levels are pretty equal given the age of the film and who knows what colour correction has been done during the processing. I guess we'll never really know unless the original box still exists somewhere and didn't end up on Gordon Murray's bonfire.

 

[ArtBoy54]

I'm pretty convinced it's blue myself, but it's difficult to tell as I'm yet to find any pictures of it outside of the show itself. the illustration of it in the 'songs from camberwick green' book is blue, if that counts for anything...

 

[DorsetDave]

I'm pretty convinced it's blue myself, but it's difficult to tell as I'm yet to find any pictures of it outside of the show itself. the illustration of it in the 'songs from camberwick green' book is blue, if that counts for anything...

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That's very interesting, the image you posted is certainly very blue. I have been going by the DVDs and blu-rays and the red/black Robert Harrop musical boxes. The top image is from a DVD with what appears a good colour balance. The middle image is from the 2013 blu-ray disk. The bottom image is from the 2013 DVD which accompanied the blu-ray and has an appalingly low resolution. I would say if it is blue, then it is certainly a very dark blue. Even when you analyse the red on the top of the box, that also has a significant amount of blue in it presumably from the reflection from the blue backdrop. Similarly the platform which the character stands on also has a slight blue tint. When I finally set up the correct table, books, magnifying glass, lighting etc I will be able to see if that gives my box a blue tint as well.

 

[ArtBoy54]

That's very interesting, the image you posted is certainly very blue. I have been going by the DVDs and blu-rays and the red/black Robert Harrop musical boxes. The top image is from a DVD with what appears a good colour balance. The middle image is from the 2013 blu-ray disk. The bottom image is from the 2013 DVD which accompanied the blu-ray and has an appalingly low resolution. I would say if it is blue, then it is certainly a very dark blue. Even when you analyse the red on the top of the box, that also has a significant amount of blue in it presumably from the reflection from the blue backdrop. Similarly the platform which the character stands on also has a slight blue tint. When I finally set up the correct table, books, magnifying glass, lighting etc I will be able to see if that gives my box a blue tint as well.

i don’t think going off of the robert harrop models as reference is a good idea in the first place, they are all too often rife with inaccuracies (for example their atrocious bessie!) and besides, when the harrop models were made the available footage still looked like this!

compare that to the brand new 2023 release…

i’d say that while it is quite a dark blue, it is absolutely certainly most definitely blue

 

[DorsetDave]

i don’t think going off of the robert harrop models as reference is a good idea in the first place, they are all too often rife with inaccuracies (for example their atrocious bessie!) and besides, when the harrop models were made the available footage still looked like this!

View attachment 1823449
compare that to the brand new 2023 release…

View attachment 1823450
i’d say that while it is quite a dark blue, it is absolutely certainly most definitely

i don’t think going off of the robert harrop models as reference is a good idea in the first place, they are all too often rife with inaccuracies (for example their atrocious bessie!) and besides, when the harrop models were made the available footage still looked like this!

View attachment 1823449
compare that to the brand new 2023 release…

View attachment 1823450
i’d say that while it is quite a dark blue, it is absolutely certainly most definitely blue

Yes I agree the Harrop models are hardly accurate but seeing pictures of their musical boxes set the idea in my head that the box was predominently black and red. I also assumed the turntable base to be black as this looks like it might have been commercially available, unfortunately I haven't come across it on the web, although I suppose it could easily have been painted dark blue to match.

Having turned up the colour saturation up on image you posted, I have to agree with you the box does look blue. I wonder whether there is any black in any of the images on the sides of the box?.

I wish we'd had this conversation earlier in the week and I could have tweaked the colours... Argh!!

 

[DorsetDave]

not really, since i can’t actually get inside the thing. it’s about 65 years old now, and instead of using screws, has small tabs of metal folded over tightly. i don’t want to risk ruining the car trying to open it!

I'm a bit late to the party on this, but here's my solution to the crank mechanism for Dr Mopp's car. For anyone who doesn't already know, the car body opens up by gently prying open the metal tabs below the front number plate and removing the plate which holds the number plate and a pin which secures the body. Sliding the body forwards removes it from the corresponding pin at the back of the car. I then removed the entire internal mechanism as per the car used on the programme (keeping the mechanism should I ever want to refit it). A wooden block glued in place holds the crank along with a small spring, two washers and a couple of bits from terminal blocks. The terminal block over the axle has to be quite small to avoid hitting the axle when the crank is rotated. The pressure from the spring helps the crank hold the position it has been left in.

If you're wondering what is going on with the front axle; when I received the car from a guy on eBay, somehow the axle was skewed with one end passing through the wrong hole in the frame. Without being able to remove the 'hubcap' I ended up cutting through the axle and then joining it back together.

 

[ArtBoy54]

View attachment 1825458

I'm a bit late to the party on this, but here's my solution to the crank mechanism for Dr Mopp's car. For anyone who doesn't already know, the car body opens up by gently prying open the metal tabs below the front number plate and removing the plate which holds the number plate and a pin which secures the body. Sliding the body forwards removes it from the corresponding pin at the back of the car. I then removed the entire internal mechanism as per the car used on the programme (keeping the mechanism should I ever want to refit it). A wooden block glued in place holds the crank along with a small spring, two washers and a couple of bits from terminal blocks. The terminal block over the axle has to be quite small to avoid hitting the axle when the crank is rotated. The pressure from the spring helps the crank hold the position it has been left in.

If you're wondering what is going on with the front axle; when I received the car from a guy on eBay, somehow the axle was skewed with one end passing through the wrong hole in the frame. Without being able to remove the 'hubcap' I ended up cutting through the axle and then joining it back together.

very good!! i think i’ll keep the mechanism intact on mine

 

[KevinD]

Made Windy in scale with my other figures (as opposed to the small one I started with).

 

[joberg]

Looks real good Kevin

 

[KevinD]

Thanks. He looks tired in one shot!

 

[DorsetDave]

I've created a video sequence showing the original musical box morphing into my creation. I've tried my best to recreate the table top and other bits and pieces. I deconstructed the original music (albeit from the clown sequence) to fathom out the notes and recreated it using 'Virtual Piano'.

 

[joberg]

I've created a video sequence showing the original musical box morphing into my creation. I've tried my best to recreate the table top and other bits and pieces. I deconstructed the original music (albeit from the clown sequence) to fathom out the notes and recreated it using 'Virtual Piano'.

I'm watching "Life On Mars" the U.K. series about detective Sam Tyler story. In season two, his likeness appears in Camberwick-green-and-trumpton coming out of the music box

 

[DorsetDave]

Thanks. Well, finally, the lads are done!View attachment 1086613
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KevinD, what a lot of work you must have done recreating this! I've just had a Marx Mystery Action Fire Engine turn up, quite apart from the mammoth task of creating the firemen and houses, I hadn't realised that quite so much of the truck has to scratch built as well.

 

[KevinD]

Oh yes, I'm afraid so. A lot of plasticard was used! On the plus side, you can use the radiator grille too! Oh, and probably all the other vehicles require less work

 

[ArtBoy54]

I've created a video sequence showing the original musical box morphing into my creation. I've tried my best to recreate the table top and other bits and pieces. I deconstructed the original music (albeit from the clown sequence) to fathom out the notes and recreated it using 'Virtual Piano'.

absolutely spectacular! they’re absolutely identical!
(if you’re interested in the music, i’ve uploaded the full trilogy soundtrack to archive.org. instrumentals included!)

 

[ArtBoy54]

KevinD, what a lot of work you must have done recreating this! I've just had a Marx Mystery Action Fire Engine turn up, quite apart from the mammoth task of creating the firemen and houses, I hadn't realised that quite so much of the truck has to scratch built as well.

would you mind taking a quick measurement of how long the portion used on the trumpton fire engine is?
for research purposes