Travellers By Night – Nostalgia Central

1 9 8 5 (UK)
6 x 30 minute episodes

Belle (Lisa Coleman, sister of Educating Marmalade‘s Charlotte Coleman) and Charlie (Jake Coppard) are circus children. Belle has her promising career as a high-wire artiste cut short – and is left physically and emotionally scarred – by a fall from the wire when practising without permission.

When the circus closes down, the performers move on, and the kids’ parents head off to find work in America.

It is then that Belle and Charlie discover that Tessie, the circus’s oldest and friendliest elephant, is due to be put down.

They hatch a daring plan to rescue her –  running away from the aunt they are living with, kidnapping their enormous friend, and heading off to a faraway safari park – travelling only by night – where she can live out her remaining days in peace.

Cue for plenty of action with the police and newspapermen always in hot pursuit.

Produced by Television South (TVS), the six-part series was based on a 1983 children’s novel of the same name by Vivien Alcock, The book was adapted for television by Alan England.

The actual (scene-stealing) elephant in the series was called Rani. She came from Gerry Cottle’s Circus and also appeared in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984).

Belle
Lisa Coleman
Charlie
Jake Coppard
Danny Murphy
J.G. Devlin
Jack Walker
Colin Jeavons
Mrs O’Hara
Pauline Delaney
Jerry
Breffni McKenna
Flick
Neil Morrissey
Pete
Steven Woodcock
Hugo Schneider
Philip Bond
Mr Thorpe
Michael Harbour
Mrs Thorpe
Yvette Byrne
Andrew Parsons
Julian Gartside
Johnny
Ian Gale
Mr Barker
Christian Rodska
Mrs Barker
Jo Rowbottom
Jenny
Zoe Hart
Donald
David Florence
Arthur
John Blackman