''The Winjin' Pom'' is a television

puppet A puppet is an object, often resembling a human, animal or Legendary creature, mythical figure, that is animated or manipulated by a person called a puppeteer. The puppeteer uses movements of their hands, arms, or control devices such as rods ...

series about a talking British caravan, renowned for his moaning, and five Australians who live and travel in him. The travellers who include Adelaide, Sydney, Bruce, Frazer, and Darwin (respectively a

wallaby A wallaby () is a small or middle-sized Macropodidae, macropod native to Australia and New Guinea, with introduced populations in New Zealand, Hawaii, the United Kingdom and other countries. They belong to the same Taxonomy (biology), taxon ...

, an

ostrich Ostriches are large flightless birds of the genus ''Struthio'' in the order Struthioniformes, part of the infra-class Palaeognathae, a diverse group of flightless birds also known as ratites that includes the emus, rheas, and kiwis. There are ...

, a

spider Spiders ( order Araneae) are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, chelicerae with fangs generally able to inject venom, and spinnerets that extrude silk. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species ...

, a

fruit bat Megabats constitute the family Pteropodidae of the order Chiroptera (bats). They are also called fruit bats, Old World fruit bats, or—especially the genera ''Acerodon'' and ''Pteropus''—flying foxes. They are the only member of the sup ...

, and a

wombat Wombats are short-legged, muscular quadrupedal marsupials that are native to Australia. They are about in length with small, stubby tails and weigh between . All three of the extant species are members of the family Vombatidae. They are adap ...

), are members of the Gullagaloona backpackers club and are on a mission to travel the world. Discovering the caravan near London when lost, the travellers soon find the Winjin' Pom to be one of their biggest allies. A

mafia "Mafia" is an informal term that is used to describe criminal organizations that bear a strong similarity to the original “Mafia”, the Sicilian Mafia and Italian Mafia. The central activity of such an organization would be the arbitration of d ...

-like team headed by evil

Hammond organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs generated s ...

playing

vulture A vulture is a bird of prey that scavenges on carrion. There are 23 extant species of vulture (including Condors). Old World vultures include 16 living species native to Europe, Africa, and Asia; New World vultures are restricted to North and ...

J.G. Chicago discover the caravan's ability to speak and decide to hijack it in a sinister plot to make themselves rich. Part of this mafia gang includes two villainous crows, who are brothers. Ronnie and Reggie ("The Crows") relentlessly chase the caravan and follow the backpackers on their travels in an attempt to steal it, always, of course, failing miserably. The Winjin' Pom (the name is a pun on the "whinging pom", an Aussie expression used to refer to a person of British origin who constantly complains about things he has to face) caravan is famous not only for talking but also for flying, something which occurs several episodes in after a hijack by The Crows. This talking-flying caravan was not seen by many people and the series did not air for long. Written by Richard Carpenter the television series appears to be aimed at teenagers, while it actually contains some impressive dialogue that convey a certain grittiness now and then, making it similar in spirit to

The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, ...

TV show. The series particularly revolves around the friendly, joking banter on

stereotype In social psychology, a stereotype is a generalized belief about a particular category of people. It is an expectation that people might have about every person of a particular group. The type of expectation can vary; it can be, for example ...

s: the grumpy Brit and adventurous Australian. The Winjin' Pom was broadcast in 1991 on commercial television and is owned by

Spitting Image ''Spitting Image'' is a British satirical television puppet show, created by Peter Fluck, Roger Law and Martin Lambie-Nairn. First broadcast in 1984, the series was produced by 'Spitting Image Productions' for Central Independent Television ov ...

Productions and HIT Entertainment PLC. It was directed by

Steve Bendelack Steve Bendelack is an English filmmaker and television director who has worked primarily on comedy programmes. Originally an assistant to Peter Fluck and Roger Law on satirical TV puppet show ''Spitting Image'', Bendelack went on to direct the s ...

and is not currently shown on any television network, nor is it available to own on video or DVD. Allegedly, the rights are available for purchase. At the time of the show's transmission, there was a novelisation written by ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...

'' writer

Terrance Dicks Terrance William Dicks (14 April 1935 – 29 August 2019) was an English people, English author and television screenwriter, script editor and Television producer, producer. In television, he had a long association with the BBC science-fictio ...

and a tie-in magazine published by TriStar Publications.

Main characters

The Winjin' Pom: a talking, flying British van who transports his friends. Depressive, pessimistic, and prone to self-pitying, Pom tends to see everything in a negative light, but he is nonetheless loyal to his friends, and it is often up to him to save the day when they're in a pinch. Adelaide: a boyish female

and the unofficial leader of the bunch; cranky and quick to retort, she's a real

tomboy A tomboy is a term for a girl or a young woman with masculine qualities. It can include wearing androgynous or unfeminine clothing and actively engage in physical sports or other activities and behaviors usually associated with boys or men. W ...

and could be seen as a

feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...

, compared to the more feminine Sydney. Adelaide is also skilled in mechanics and can be seen repairing Pom now and then. Named after

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

, a city in Australia. Sydney: a snobbish female

with a taste for bragging and luxury... She complains a lot, and equally seems to annoy the others in return. She's usually the first one to duck and cover in case of danger, usually stuffing her head into a fireman's bucket. She also insists on being referred to as a

cassowary Cassowaries ( tpi, muruk, id, kasuari) are flightless birds of the genus ''Casuarius'' in the order Casuariiformes. They are classified as ratites (flightless birds without a keel on their sternum bones) and are native to the tropical forest ...

, and not an ostrich. Named after Sydney, Australia's largest city. Darwin: a middle-aged male

, Darwin is probably the most sensitive of the group, being an amateur poet and romantic. Clumsy, naive to a fault, and easily bewildered, he seems to get on Adelaide and Sydney's nerves a lot, and gets repeatedly called a wimp by his mates. Named after

Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended fr ...

, famous for his theory of

evolution Evolution is change in the heritable characteristics of biological populations over successive generations. These characteristics are the expressions of genes, which are passed on from parent to offspring during reproduction. Variation ...

. Frazer: a male

with a laid-back attitude. A good-hearted, tolerant young guy, Frazer is a

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

fanatic and has a taste for bananas. He's also good friend with Bruce. Named after Charles Fraser, a 19th-century botanist and explorer of Australia. Bruce: an enthusiastic, wisecracking

redback spider The redback spider (''Latrodectus hasselti''), also known as the Australian black widow, is a species of highly venomous spider believed to originate in South Australia or adjacent Western Australian deserts, but now found throughout Australi ...

, Bruce's humour is just as deadly as his

venom Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...

... Though loyal to his friends, he is a troublemaker and tends to annoy them somewhat, save for Frazer who seems to appreciate him. Upon meeting someone for the first time, Bruce's first question is usually "Can I bite him?" J.G. Chicago: the heroes' main nemesis, a cold-hearted, calculating

who seems to be a sort of powerful underworld boss. A lover of opera, he is sustained by a complex medical apparatus and enjoys playing

. J.G. is bent on stealing the Winjin' Pom and using his special abilities for his own benefits. Ronnie and Reggie, the Crow Twins: a pair of nasty but single-minded

crows The Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS) is a series of remote weapon stations used by the US military on its armored vehicles and ships. It allows weapon operators to engage targets without leaving the protection of their vehicle. T ...

, Ronnie and Reggie are twin brothers, and J.G.'s snivelling, incompetent associates. They occasionally manage to hijack the Winjin' Pom, but systematically end up failing. Named after the Kray Twins, the famous London gangland mobsters. Howard: a male spotted

hyena Hyenas, or hyaenas (from Ancient Greek , ), are feliform carnivoran mammals of the family Hyaenidae . With only four extant species (each in its own genus), it is the fifth-smallest family in the Carnivora and one of the smallest in the clas ...

and J.G.'s right hand. Somewhat clumsy and less evil that he'd want to let believe, he has a knack for putting himself into impossible situations. Poor Howard is also clearly terrified by J.G. and appears a little pathetic when he has to face his boss' outbursts of anger.

Episodes

1. The Gullagaloona Backpackers arrive in London to collect their inheritance from their founder. They fortuitously stumble across the Winjin' Pom and get him working. However, two gangsters, Ronnie and Reggie Crow are themselves after the van, having left something in it. They finally reach Windsor, albeit too late to collect the inheritance. Nevermind ! They still have the Pom to tour the world ! 2. The loot left by the Crows inside the Pom turns out to be an old, scratched record of a famous Australian opera singer, which the vulture crime lord J.G. Chicago is coveting. After being wrongly put in jail and escaping thanks to Bruce, the Gullagaloona backpackers return the stolen item to its rightful owner, the old Lady Studemare, who rewards them... by allowing them to listen to the record, much to their chagrin !... 3. The travellers decide to sell the Pom after he puts them in trouble with a duo of vicious bull bikers, thus replacing him with a similar-looking campervan. Fortunately, it comes in handy to fool Ronnie, Reggie and Howard. 4. The backpackers arrive at a bed and breakfast that turns out to be haunted... However, Ronnie and Reggie have followed them, trying to get their hands once more on the campervan. Unexpected help comes from Raymond and Mavis, two ghost bats who are distant relatives of Frazer. 5. While being chased by the Crows, the Pom hides in a scrapyard. However, the vehicle is accidentally placed in an incinerator. To escape, Pom shrinks himself and the others inside (although Bruce escapes). Within 12 hours they will be back to normal size. However, Ronnie and Reggie see this as the perfect opportunity to please their boss, J.G. Chicago. 6. The Crows kidnap Adelaide as part of a plan by J.G. Chicago to lure the backpackers and Pom into a trap. Afterwards, the vulture cajoles the campervan into working for him. Will he realise where his true loyalties lie?

Credits

Created by Spitting Image and Richard Carpenter
Puppets created by: Scott Brooker
Puppets made by: Mick Hockney, Stephen Mansfield, Susan Moore, Jonathan Saville, Julien Short, Guy Stevens and The Spitting Image Workshop
Pom Van by Art Effects
Performers: Antony Asbury, Richard Coombs, Philip Eason, David Greenaway, Barnaby Harrison, Kaefan Shaw,

William Todd-Jones William Todd-Jones (born 1958) is a Welsh puppeteer, puppet designer, performer, director, movement consultant and writer for film, television and theatre in the UK and abroad. As an environmentalist, Todd-Jones is a longstanding patron of the w ...

, Francis Wright
Script Editor:

Paul Mayhew-Archer Paul Mayhew-Archer MBE (born 6 January 1953Find The Company: ''Pa ...

Additional Material: John Langdon
Music Composed and Arranged by:

Simon Brint Simon Tracey Brint (26 September 1950 – 29 May 2011) was a British musician, best known for his role as part of the comedy duo Raw Sex with Rowland Rivron. He also composed for many British TV comedy and drama programmes. Early life Son of S ...

, Roddy Matthews with

Richard Vranch Richard Leslie Vranch (born 29 June 1959) is an English actor, improviser, comedian, writer and musician. He is known for providing the music for the British TV series '' Whose Line Is It Anyway?'' Early life Vranch graduated from Cambridge U ...

(eps 2 & 4)
Miniature Visual Effects: Steve Archer, Jamie Campbell, Roger Jones, Gordon Tait, Simon Margetts
Visual Effects Co-ordinator: Peter Thornton
Costume Supervisors: Jackie Hallatt, Frances Hill
Scenic Effects: Steve Weston, Loraine Marshall
Art Director: Phil Harvey
Production Buyer: Jille Brown-Azis
Property Master: Allen Polley
Studio Sound: Ted Scott
Stage Manager: Gail Berryman
Production Accountant: Brian Brockwell
Production Secretary: Philippa Wood
Production Manager: Alison Taggart
First Assistant Director: Simon Haveland
Production Assistant: Sue Taylor
Camera Supervisor: Tony Keene
Post Production Sound: Steve Hellaby
Videotape Editor:

Mykola Pawluk Mykola Andrej Pawluk (born 23 June 1956) is an English television video editor whose career has spanned four decades mostly in the media of comedy. He has twice been nominated for a BAFTA. Born in Windsor in Berkshire, the son of Wasyl Pawluk an ...

Director of Photography: John Henshall
Production Designer: Anne Tilby
Associate Producer: Candida Julian-Jones
Executive Producers:

Roger Law Roger Law (born 6 September 1941, in Littleport, Cambridgeshire), is a British caricaturist, ceramist and one half of ''Luck and Flaw'' (with Peter Fluck), creators of the popular satirical TV puppet show ''Spitting Image''. Roger Law was a pi ...

, William Sargent
Produced by: Marcus Mortimer

External links

BFI.org
{{DEFAULTSORT:Winjin Pom 1991 British television series debuts 1991 British television series endings 1990s British children's television series ITV children's television shows Fictional cars Television series by ITV Studios Television shows produced by Central Independent Television English-language television shows British television shows featuring puppetry