BBC Children's Programme, The Changes (1975)

[Maybach]

Does anyone else remember the BBC Children's Programme, 'The Changes', from c.1975? I won't spoilt the plot but basically people suddenly start turning against technology and smash machinery up! Anything mechanical is seen as "evil." I was about 7 at the time and found it quite scary; in fact, it was billed as a show "for older children." I was surprised, and delighted, to find that 'The Changes' had been released on DVD a little while back so I sent off for it. Even now the series seems quite unsettling - and I'm nearly 55! An exceptional show, well ahead of its time, and underpinned by a brilliant soundtrack from Paddy Kingsland of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Oh yes, and the main titles include a Class 52 'Western', and then a Class 47, emerging from a tunnel:

The Changes (TV series) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[PeterY]

I also remember seeing this as a child and quite scary. I think the 52 and 47 coming out of the tunnel drew me to The Changes. My passion for trains goes back a long way. Like you Maybach I rewatched it on DVD (and still have it) but it's well dated now.

 

[Ediswan]

Probably, but I suspect I have the details muddled up with the original 'Survivors' series, which was broadcast around the same time.

 

[lyndhurst25]

Thanks for that. I had memories of a dystopian TV programme from when I was small, with Sikh characters in it, but could never track down what it was. Looking at episode screenshots, this is it.

“For older children” - I would have been 4, just!

No watershed in our house, I used to be allowed to stay up and watch The Sweeney too.

 

[Fleetmaster]

Never heard of it. You would hope it was an educational piece to help explain the Luddites in an ever so mildly judgmental way.

 

[Maybach]

It was based on a fantasy trilogy by Peter Dickinson, not that I've ever read the books - although I'm now tempted to seek them out. In one way the series is a bit dated now - it's clearly 1970s from the fashion, the vehicles and the television sets - but in other ways it has a lot of contemporary resonance. And I'm not just talking about the carter who tells Nicky it'll take two or three days to reach the Cotswolds because "the roads are full of pot-holes."

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 6 Apr 2023 ==

I found the main title sequence on YouTube:

It's worth a watch - if only for the 'Western'!