Ivor The Engine - The Dragon

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Five-Episode Pilot: More like six. The original six episodes were made to show how Ivor got his three-tone whistle and joining the choir. A small, red Welsh dragon who also sings in the choir for a time. Having been hatched from an egg in Ivor's fire, he lives with his wife Olwen and any of their twins, Daian and Blodwen, in the extinct volcano Smoke Hill. As well as singing, he proves useful by cooking fish and chips for the choir using his fiery breath. Heroic Dog: Nell the Sheepdog, who runs to get help with Ivor when Jones gets trapped in a quarry after trying to rescue one of her sheep, and later the Fire Brigade when Ivor is derailed in the snow. Cool Old Lady: Mrs. Porty, a wealthy eccentric who lives in a mansion besides the railway may seem like she has more money than sense at times, but, at heart, she is a refined, kind-hearted woman who ultimately buys the railway wholesale to save it from being merged with the Welsh National Railway, which would have meant unwelcome changes all around. Ominous Pipe Organ: Averted: Ivor's whistle is made out of three pipes from a steam organ for a merry-go-round (called a roundabout in the series), and uses them to communicate and sing in the Grumbly and District Choral Society. He may have three notes, but he sings them beautifully.

Ivor The Engine was inspired by Welshman Denzyl Ellis, a former railwayman whom Postgate met shortly after World War Two. Ellis, a former fireman with the Royal Scot train, described how locomotives came to life in the mornings after the engine fires had been lit.Wales: Where the series takes place, specifically the "Top Left-Hand" corner. Welsh naming traditions are used (Jones the Steam, Dai Station, Evans the Song), the Choir competes in eisteddfods (a Welsh festival of literature, music and performance) and Idris, Ivor's dragon friend, is specifically a red Welsh Dragon, which features on the flag. Really, the whole series is like a love letter for Welsh culture. Evan Evans is the portly choirmaster of the Grumbly and District Choral Society. [8] He is also Jones the Steam's wife's uncle. [9] Mrs Porty [ edit ] Volcano Lair: Idris the Dragon and his family live in Smoke Hill, a former volcano that eventually becomes extinct. A major subplot in the series is about figuring out an alternative home to keep the dragons warm, as they cannot survive long in cold climates.

A small, red heraldic dragon who also sings in the choir for a time. Having been hatched from an egg in Ivor's fire, he lives with his wife Olwen and their twins, Gaian and Blodwyn, in the extinct volcano Smoke Hill. As well as singing, he proves useful by cooking fish and chips for the choir using his fiery breath. Ivor has to deliver some pigeons to Mr Brangwyn. Thanks to Evans the Song, they end up escaping and on Miss Pryce's roof. There follow some amusing attempts to get them down.Ivor is the steam locomotive of the Merioneth and Llantisilly Rail Traction Company Limited. Unlike real ones, he has a mind of his own. Ivor can drive himself and use his whistle to communicate. His fondest dream is to sing with the Grumbly and District Choral Society, a dream that is realised when his whistle is replaced with three pipes from an old fairground organ. He becomes the first bass of the choir, as well as providing them with a means of getting from place to place. Postgate and Firmin created a map of their fictional railway which was adhered to rigidly during filming.

Postgate, Oliver; Firmin, Peter (2006). Ivor the Engine: Snowdrifts. London: Severnside. ISBN 0-9552417-1-5. The Magic Goes Away: Ultimately, the dragons, after being revealed to exist, return underground to escape being kept in heated cages at the National Museum. Idris does visit from time to time afterwards, but never reveals himself publicly to avoid capture. Idris is a male red Welsh dragon whom Ivor and Jones the Steam found at Smoke Hill. They initially thought his egg was a stone and used some tongs to remove it and put it in Ivor's fire box. The baby dragon hatched out of it in Ivor's cab. Idris is a part of the choir. Whilst the choral society was singing a voice came from within Ivor’s boiler, singing along with the song, and out of his funnel popped a very small flaming hot Heraldic Welsh Dragon. Idris loves to sing and his favourite song is ‘Land of my fathers’. Postgate, Oliver; Firmin, Peter (2006). Ivor the Engine: The elephant. London: Severnside. ISBN 0-9552417-2-3.Ivor is having a lovely time in the snow. With a winch attached to his front, he is pulling the children on sledges up the hill. He pulls too many at a time and ends up wheel-deep in the snow. Various rescue attempts prove futile. Mrs Griffiths is a member of the Welsh Antiquarian Society and a passionate believer in Dragons. She first came to seeking Jones the Steam in hopes of finding Idris the dragon, after hearing that dragons had been sighted in Llannyog. Idris had already run away by this point after learning that people were looking for him so Jones misled Mrs Griffiths into giving up the search by pretending to be an insane person who spoke to railway engines (Ivor enhanced Jones' performance by not blowing his own whistle).

True Companions: Ivor and Jones the Steam – their bond is very much like a parent fussing over a child at times, but Jones trusts Ivor implicitly, and is always looking out for his beloved engine's happiness.The gruff but kind-hearted proprietor of the local gasworks, he is well known for keeping pets, in particular budgerigars. He is asked to provide shelter for Alice the Elephant when she has an injured foot, and, despite his initial reluctance, he more than rises to the occasion.