Puffin' Billy (Capt. Kangaroo)

Subject: RE: Puffin' Billy (Capt. Kangaroo)
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 01 Nov 23 - 09:18 PM

Yet more tripe generated by this outlet.

The last operating steam locomotive on the Britsh Rail system was quite categorically not called Puffin' Billy.

It may well be that some hack thought it amusing to garner some brownie points from his editor by concocting some fictitious garbage but it just aint true!!

There are of course lots of steam engines operational on preserved railways all over the world and one system near Melbourne in Australia is marketted using the Puffin' Billy title even though none of its engines are so named.

Subject: RE: Puffin' Billy (Capt. Kangaroo)
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 05 Nov 23 - 07:38 AM

Memory is a strange thing.

So unless the Isle of Wight has moved to Australia or vice versa we are no better informed.

I will not bother looking again.

Subject: RE: Puffin' Billy (Capt. Kangaroo)
From: NightWing
Date: 03 Nov 23 - 09:06 PM

I note that the Description on the YouTube page with the recording states,

The piece was inspired by an old steam locomotive called 'Puffing Billy', seen by the composer while on holiday on the Isle of Wight.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Wy73UYbNrs

Not the "last" anywhere. However, I've no idea how accurate this is either, of course.

Although I'm certainly of an age where I watched Captain Kangaroo every morning, I don't recall this song from it. *shrug* But I don't recall any OTHER theme song from the Captain either.

BB,
NightWing

Subject: Puffin' Billy (Capt. Kangaroo)
From: keberoxu
Date: 31 Oct 23 - 01:28 PM

This instrumental piece is by a composer named Edward White.
"Puffin' Billy" was the name of the last operational steam locomotive in the UK, according to one source,
and this instrumental was written to commemorate same.

In the UK, this recording was often heard on
a radio show called Children's Favourites.

Play this to a US native of a certain age, however, and the response will be:
Captain Kangaroo!
referring to the 1950's/60's children's television show.

Puffin' Billy

Subject: RE: Puffin' Billy (Capt. Kangaroo)
From: keberoxu
Date: 31 Oct 23 - 03:09 PM

Correction: the steam locomotive is in Australia.

As to the US appropriation for Captain Kangaroo,
there does exist a lyric fitted to this tune,
with words by Mary Rodgers Guettel.
Years ago I heard a recording of the Captain Kangaroo actor,
Bob Keeshan, singing this tune and those lyrics.
I'm not having any luck locating said lyrics online, however.

I have vague memories of:
"Mr. Moose's voice is flat/Nothing sillier than that..."
and
"Have a good look at me!"

Rodgers Guettel speaks of this lyric in her memoirs volume, "Shy."