Animated units were made in several different shapes
and sizes. The smaller units were made for sale but the larger
units seen in the UK were mainly hired to shops to attract potential
customers to instore sales areas. Larger units that went abroad
were sold due to the high cost of delivery and return. Animated
Units became a very important part of the company production.
Movement was always one of the greatest methods of attracting
customers.
Very late mini units were made of all wood, as sales
at that time were very low these are very rare.
The most sought after versions of the mini units
is the one show right, containing 5 popular Walt Disney characters.
(Goofy, Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Pluto)
Another popular version is the one with the 3 Peanuts
characters where the top is shaped like a roof.
Mini Units were made with single, 3, 4 and 5 puppets.
Watch out for fake mini units being made in the
UK.
The 42" long unit was also referred to as a
small unit in the factory.
In the mid 70's this was changed to 1" square
hollow tubing and later replaced with aluminium to reduce weight.
During the hay day of Pelham Puppets up to 200 of these units
were stored at the factory being made ready for the next season.
Some of the very large units were such as Gullivers
Travels were partly contructed from Fibre glass, latex and celastic.
Andrew Watts normally assembled the motors while
Bob Pelham, David Leech and Andrew Witts worked on the puppets.
In the early days Anne Pelham painted almost all
the scenes but after 1952 Frank Lawtons wife Pam also was involved.
This painting partnership continued until the mid 80's
Pelham Puppets also licenced animation units to
be converted to coil operated shows for seaside attractions.
When the factory finally closed most of the units
were broken up with the motors and metal parts going for scrap,
however many still survive as they were never returned to the
factory after hire periods.
The following is a list of the units produced, please
note it is by no way a complete list and does not include mini-units.
If you have a picture of a unit or any details please email us
so we can update the list.
A picture of a unit similar to this unit
can be seen on the cover of Pelpup
News 1964 (8)
A colour photograph of this scene can be
found in "Yours Puppetually" Autumn 1997 No
6/7 |
A picture of a unit similar to this unit can be seen
on the cover of Pelpup
News 1969 (18) |
A black and white drawing of this scene can be found
in "Yours Puppetually" Spring 1998 No 1. and a
unit can be seen in the Nostalgia Toy museum, Isle of White,
UK |
A black and white photograph of this scene can be found
on the front cover of "Yours Puppetually" Autumn
1996 No 3 |
| 
This one was produced in the factory in 1978 by David Leech
Produced around 1979 for the UK and USA. |
| A large open ended display using No2 sized
puppets. Each used hands from a 40" Bimbo. This display
was used in Harrods for Christmas 1980
A black and white photograph of this scene can be found
in "Yours Puppetually" Autumn 1998 No 11/12 |
A black and white photograph of this scene can be found
in "Yours Puppetually" Summer 1998 No 10 |
Produced around 1980 mainly for the German Market.
|
A picture of a unit similar to this unit can be seen
on the cover of Pelpup
News 1963 (5) |
Wizard, JC Andy Pandy, Horse, Cat, Tyrolean Boy (Dick),
SM Farmer, Foal, SM Policeman, JC Clown, IZ, Caterpiller,
JC Boy, Rupert
|
Sometimes referred to as Watermill
SM Witch, SS Dutch Boy, Cat, SL Hansel, SL Gretal, SS
Dutch Girl, Pinocchio, JC boy, JC Girl, Oz, Bimbo, Horse,
SS Gypsy
A colour photograph of this scene can be found in "Yours
Puppetually" Autumn 1998 No 11/12 |
| 
Click Here toview
more pictures of such a unit
A picture of a unit similar to this unit can be seen on
the cover of Pelpup
News 1962 (3) |
The picture above shows local school children from Ogbourne,
St Andrews being shown the huge shop display of Gullivers
Travels by Bob Pelham before it left to be displayed in
Glasgow in 1958. The picture below shows the display in
the shop window of Toyland at McIlroys, Glasgow. Another
version of the Gullivers Travels display was pictured
in Selfridges of Duke Street, St Marylebone, London the
same year.
The picture below is a later Gulliver unit
|
| 
SS Dutch Girl, SM Old lady, SS Dutch Boy, Cat, Foal, IZ,
Pinky, JC Boy, Perky, JC Girl, JC Noddy, SM Pirate, JC Father,
Bengo
A black and white photograph of this scene
can be found in "Yours Puppetually" Summer 1998
No 10 |
| This unit was 18 feet wide made up of three 6 foot units
placed side by side.
A picture similar to the right hand unit can be seen on
the cover of Pelpup
News 1976 (32)
A colour photograph of this scene can be found in "Yours
Puppetually" Autumn 1998 No 10 |
A black and white photograph of this scene can be found
in "Yours Puppetually" Winter 1997/8 No 8 |
A picture of a unit similar to this unit
can be seen on the cover of Pelpup
News 1961 (1) |
A picture of a unit similar to this unit can be seen
on the cover of Pelpup
News 1965 (9) |
A picture of a unit similar to this unit can be seen
on the cover of Pelpup
News 1966 (12) |
This is 12 foot unit made up of 2 6 foot wide sections,
made in the 1980's, most likely by Andrew Witts
|
| A specially made unit sent to Zambia in 1972
A picture of this unit can be seen on the cover of Pelpup
News 1971 (21) |
A picture of a unit similar to this unit can be seen
on the cover of Pelpup
News 1967 (14) |
A black and white photograph of this scene
can be found in "Yours Puppetually" Summer 1998
No 10 |
| A colour photograph of this scene can be
found in "Yours Puppetually" Autumn 1997 No 6/7
A picture of a unit similar to this unit can be seen on
the cover of Pelpup
News 1962 (4) |
A picture of a unit similar to this unit
can be seen on the cover of Pelpup
News 1974 (27)
A black and white photograph of this scene
can be found in "Yours Puppetually" Summer 1998
No 10 |
This unit features specially made bendi puppets. It was
seen every year in the church local to Bob Pelhams house
in Ogbourne St.Andrew, North of Marlborough. |
| A picture of a unit similar to this unit can be seen
on the cover of Pelpup
News 1967 (13)
A colour photograph of this scene can be found in "Yours
Puppetually" Spring 1997 No 5 |
A picture of a unit similar to this unit can be seen
on the cover of Pelpup
News 1966 (11) |
| This unit was the first to be displayed by FAO Shwarz
in New york, USA. It was made in 1962 and during the Christmas
period.
It can now be seen in the Greater SW historical Museum
in Ardmore, Oklahoma, USA.
A black and white photograph of this scene can be found
in "Yours Puppetually" Summer 1998 No 10 |
Several produced between 1978 & 1980
|
Farther Chrismas (Gepetto), Pinocchio, Fritzi, SL Gretal,
Tyrolean Boy, JC Golly, JC Girl, MacBoozle, SM Clow, SM
Witch, JC Boy, JC Father
A picture of a unit similar to this unit
can be seen on the cover of Pelpup
News 1970 (20)
A picture of a another version of this unit can be seen
on the cover of Pelpup
News 1973 (26) |
This unit was produced in the factory in December 1980
by David Leech
|
A version of this unit was especially made
for London Toystore Hamleys |
A colour photograph of this scene can be found in "Yours
Puppetually" Autumn 1997 No 6/7 |
A black and white photograph of this scene can be found
on the back page of "Yours Puppetually" Spring
1997 No 5 |
| A black and white photograph of this scene can be found
in "Yours Puppetually" Autumn 1998 No 11/12
A colour photograph of this scene can be found in "Yours
Puppetually" Autumn 1998 No 11/12 |
A picture of a unit similar to this unit can be seen
on the cover of Pelpup
News 1975 (30) |
This unit was made in factory in by David Leech in 1978/9
This is Village Square in Winter made in the factory by
David Leech
This unit was made in the factory by Bob Pelham Sold to
the USA where the name above was added.
It dates from 1960's
Made in the factory in 1978/9 by David Leech
A black and white photograph of this scene can also be
found in "Yours Puppetually" Summer 1998 No 10
|
Sometimes refered to as the Barge or Canal
Scene.
Bimbo, SM Witch, JC Girl, Horse, Cat, Bengo, Piocchio, SS
Dutch Boy, Pinky, Perky, JC Boy, SS Dutch Girl, Ermintrude,
SL Old Man
This one was made in the factory in 1979 by David Leech
This unit was the most common version sold in the USA and
featured in the 1982 Tiderider sales booklet.
|
| A picture of a unit similar to this unit
can be seen on the cover of Pelpup
News 1976 (31) |
| A picture of a unit similar
to this unit can be seen on the cover of Pelpup
News 1961 (1) |
The
Small Animated units called Mini Units in the factory were simply
2 pieces of wood (Top and bottom) held apart by 4 dowels. The
motor was attached to the top, hidden by a curtain.
These
and most of the larger units (72" and upwards) were made
using a frame of Dexion, an angle iron with holes along its length.
In
most cases the motor was hidden under a house or stairs towards
the right hand end of the unit. The motor drives through a speed
reducing gearbox which drives various cams. Levers with rollers
transfer the up and down movement onto.