In the years before "the family car" and package holidays, the railways played a larger part in the lives of many more people than they do today. Children lucky enough to go on holiday would probably have been taken there by train. Many would have gone to school by train, and perhaps had relations and friends who worked on the railways. So railways and trains provided a huge area of interest for children. Countless youngsters spent time on station platforms collecting engine numbers. The more adventurous would go on sorties to "bunk" around the locomotive sheds, where, depending on the attitude of the staff there, they would either be thrown out or shown around the engines.

This interest in railways amongst children found its way into literature. Perhaps the most famous being E Nesbit's "The Railway Children", first published in serial format in "The London Magazine" from January 1905. The adventures of three children, Bobbie, Peter and Phyllis Waterbury, whose family finds itself in difficult circumstances but whose lives become entwined with the local railway.

"The Railway Children" was made into a series of 8 half-hour programmes by the BBC and first broadcast early in 1951. This series contained film inserts but would have been broadcast "live" as the actors performed in the studio. The performances were repeated about a year later. In 1957 the same production, with a nearly all new cast was broadcast.

In 1968, the BBC produced another "The Railway Children" series, with Taunton-born actor Jenny Agutter as Bobbie. Jenny was cast by director Lionel Jeffries to play the same role in the famous big-screen production of "The Railway Children", which premiered in 1970.

Many youngsters have enjoyed the Revd. W. Awdry's "Thomas the Tank Engine" books and these have inspired hugely successful animated children's TV programmes, which today have become a freestanding industry.

In 1970, the BBC "Blue Peter" programme became involved with the BR Eastern Region's A2 2-6-4 locomotive of the same name, when its preservation career was launched. Over 60,000 people turned-up at York station to witness the event.

So, there is no doubt about the appeal of railways and steam locomotives to children. It is not surprising that in 1976 when looking for a children's drama to replace the long-running and successful "Freewheelers", Southern Television should look to railways and trains for inspiration. The TV station's search led them to Flockton Flyer, written by Peter Whitbread.

The Flockton Flyer stories are about a shut-down railway being refurbished by the Carter family and other members of F.L.E.R.P.S. (the Flockton - Lane End Railway Preservation Society). Colin Nutley, the Producer, was seeking a location that would look like a disused railway. In autumn 1976 the WSR had 12 disused miles of railway. The local scenery - coast, hills, villages and farmland would all be useful in telling the story.

And the star of the show? The WSRA had purchased 6412 from the Dart Valley Railway earlier in the year and she was half of the operational locomotive fleet. Colin Nutley took one look at the 1934 vintage ex-GWR "Pannier" tank engine and knew that he'd found his "Flyer". Colin and his Production Assistant, Christine Richardson, spent a couple of days on the railway in the summer of 1976, taking scores of Polaroid pictures of the line and the scenery, planning the shots they required. Negotiations between the Railway Company and Southern TV about the facility fee were undertaken.

With the line's only locomotive facilities at Minehead, 6412 had to be lit-up by 4.00 am so that she could be readied and run up the line, clear beyond Williton, before the 7.30 am DMU departure. With the restrictive signalling facilities of those days, a Train Staff transfer by road was required between Blue Anchor and Minehead after the engine had cleared the section. The section between Blue Anchor and Williton was operated by Train Staff and Ticket, which made things a little easier between those stations.

When filming had finished, the loco had to return to Minehead for disposal. This occurred after the last down DMU service had arrived at Minehead a little before 6.00 pm., and the reverse of the morning's Train Staff transfer had to be made.

Some of the filming was done at Minehead, which stood as "Flockton" in the first series. The DMU service allowed sufficient time between trains for the necessary film scenes to be set-up and shot whilst the platform was not required for passengers.

As well as engine, wagons, coaches, DMU vehicles, the WSR also had to provide traincrew. The railway's Locomotive Superintendent, Harry Lee, became the chief point of contact between the film crew and the railway. Harry was driver in charge of 6412 and was responsible for delivering what the Producer wanted. With Harry on the footplate were either Keith Hawkins, whose maritime employment allowed significant spells of shore-leave, or John Wood, a long-term WSR volunteer and committee member who was one of the WSR's earliest firemen. Harry, Keith and John all appear in the programmes, as do several other folks who were often seen on the railway in those days.

Playing members of the Carter family, who are at the centre of the Flockton Flyer stories are:

Other regularly appearing characters are: