The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club was a British television variety show produced by Granada Television from 1974 to 1977. It was set in a fictional working men's club in the North of England and was hosted by comedian Colin Crompton as the club's chairman. The show's compere was usually Bernard Manning, who as well as telling jokes and introducing acts often started and often finished the show with a song. Crompton was frequently the butt of his jokes, acting as Manning's stooge.
The set was arranged like a club, so that, rather than being arranged in terraced seating the studio audience would be seated around tables and be served beer and snacks, join in a singalong and otherwise engage in audience participation.
Crompton, as chairman of the club, would sit at a small table in the corner watching proceedings with apparent lack of interest. He had a large manual fire bell which he would wind and sound purportedly to attract the audience's attention after an act, with various notices from "the Committee" (that is, the officials of the social club of which he was chairman), usually misdemeanours by the club's members or the committee itself:
On New Year's Eve a special episode of Wheeltappers and Shunters New Year's Eve would be broadcast.
Acts
The show featured acts regularly seen on the Northern club circuits and often well-established performers who did well in theatres and clubs but did not succeed so well on British television, such as 1950s crooner Johnnie Ray. But it also gave newer acts their first television exposure, such as Cannon & Ball, the Grumbleweeds, the Dooleys and Paul Daniels. Some artists to appear on the show were:
Winifred Atwell
Alvin Stardust
The Bachelors
Brotherhood of Man
Bill Haley and His Comets
The Dubliners
Jim Bowen
Frank Carson
David Copperfield
Design
Stuart Damon
The Three Degrees
Lonnie Donegan
Karl Denver
Freddie Garrity
Buddy Greco
Kathy Kirby
The Krankies
Susan Maughan
George Melly and John Chilton's Feetwarmers
Nana Mouskouri
Roy Orbison
Lyn Paul
Terri Rogers
George Roper
Tessie O'Shea
Malcolm Roberts
The Kaye Sisters
The Dooleys
Gene Pitney
Lena Zavaroni
Dukes and Lee
Paul Daniels
The show was produced by Johnnie Hamp at Granada Studios in Manchester, although it was once filmed at the Layton Institute, Blackpool.
Actress Elizabeth Dawn appeared as a waitress before she became more famous for her role as Vera Duckworth in Coronation Street (also recorded by Granada in Manchester).
A clip from the show can be seen in the film 24 Hour Party People, where Shaun Ryder, in his formative years, is seen watching Karl Denver perform "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" ("Wimoweh").
The music video to Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds' single "Black Star Dancing" depicts the band performing on the show.
Origins of the name
Wheeltappers and shunters are railway workers. They were commonly employed by steam railways in Britain and elsewhere, but are still found both on British railways and in Eastern Europe.
Although often called "working men's clubs", most such clubs admitted the wives and other women family of the working man, at least some days of the week. This is echoed in the programme's audience being as much female as male.
Episode guide
Series 1
Episode 01: Original Air Date—13 April 1974
Episode 02: Original Air Date—20 April 1974
Episode 03: Original Air Date—27 April 1974
Episode 04: Original Air Date—4 May 1974
Episode 05: Original Air Date—11 May 1974
Episode 06: Original Air Date—18 May 1974
Episode 07: Original Air Date—25 May 1974
Series 2
Episode 08: Original Air Date—27 July 1974
Episode 09: Original Air Date—3 August 1974
Episode 10: Original Air Date—10 August 1974
Episode 11: Original Air Date—17 August 1974
Episode 12: Original Air Date—24 August 1974
Episode 13: Original Air Date—31 August 1974
Episode 14: Original Air Date—7 September 1974
Special: Episode 15: Original Air Date—31 December 1974