The suburban soap opera Waggoners' Walk began on Radio 2 on 28 April 1969. It was set in Belsize Park, London and made in contrast to the perceived cosiness of The Dales, which it replaced. The soap was devised by Jill Hyem and Alan Downer. They had a difficult start, with storylines of Swinging London and the hunt for a stolen painting proving unpopular. With a little adjustment and more focus on genuine human problems, Waggoners' Walk soon gained a sizable following.
In episode one listeners met the inhabitants of 1 Waggoners’ Walk. Three young women lived on the top floor, Lynn Dixon (Judy Franklin)and her sister Tracey (Rosalind Adams), plus Barbara Watling (Heather Stoney) from Yorkshire. Art student Rusty (Nicholas Edmett) lived with his grandparents Oliver and Sybil Vaughan (George Hagan and Mary Hignett).Londoners Stan and Alice Hickey(Leslie and Hazel Coppen) lived downstairs. Once the changes to the soap were introduced, with the younger Mike and Claire Nash (Edward Cast and Ellen McIntosh) replacing the Vaughans, Waggoners' Walk really hit its stride.
Waggoners' Walk came to an end in 1980 - the victim of 大象传媒 cuts – although it was still popular and its demise much mourned. The final episode solved the mystery of the alien seen on Hampstead Heath - which turned out to have been a monkey - but ended as George Underwood proposed to Sophie Richmond. As Sophie said she needed time to think, George replied "that’'s all right my dear, you have all the time in the world".
April anniversaries
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Radiophonic Workshop founded
1 April 1958 -
The Boat Race first televised
2 April 1927 -
The Family first episode
3 April 1974 -
The Good Life
4 April 1975 -
New radio branding
4 April 1970 -
Newsround
4 April 1972 -
The Money Programme
5 April 1966 -
American Half Hour
6 April 1935 -
PM and The World Tonight
6 April 1970 -
Pogle鈥檚 Wood
7 April 1966 -
How Does Your Garden Grow?
9 April 1947 -
First episode of The Two Ronnies
10 April 1971 -
Launch of 大象传媒 Networking Club
11 April 1994 -
I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue
11 April 1972 -
Blue Peter Royal Safari
11 April 1971 -
Citizen Smith
12 April 1977 -
Animal Magic
13 April 1962 -
Demonstration of VERA Video Recorder on Panorama
14 April 1958 -
After Henry
17 April 1985 -
Hamlet at Elsinore
19 April 1964 -
First night of 大象传媒 Two
20 April 1964 -
Play School
21 April 1964 -
First episode of Top Gear
22 April 1977 -
Children's Newsreel
23 April 1950 -
The Sky at Night
24 April 1957 -
An Age of Kings
28 April 1960 -
First Episode of Waggoners' Walk
28 April 1969 -
The FA Cup Final is first televised
30 April 1938