Fireman Sam (Welsh: Sam Tân) is a Welsh/British animated children's television series about a fireman named Sam and his fellow firefighters who work in the Pontypandy Fire Station, and other residents in a fictional Welsh rural village called Pontypandy (a portmanteau of two real towns, Pontypridd and Tonypandy). The first five series of the show were animated in stop motion, but starting with the sixth series onwards, the show is completely animated in CGI.
Original idea
The original idea for the series came from two former firemen from London, who took their idea to artist and writer Rob Lee who developed the concept, and the show was commissioned. The series first appeared in Welsh on S4C on 15 September 1987, and two months later in English on BBC One on 17 November.
Characters
Firefighters
Fireman Sam is the brave archetypal fireman and protector, who remains composed in an emergency and unfailingly offers assistance to all those in need. He is single, but maintains a close relationship with his niece, Sarah and nephew, James. He spends his spare time in his inventing shed, in which he makes devices ranging from a potato picker made from old bicycle parts to a machine capable of replacing the band. On occasion his inventive streak can undermine his emphasis on fire safety. Elvis Cridlington provides a stark contrast to Sam in both competency and demeanour. Station Officer Steele is the chief of Pontypandy Fire Station. As a former army officer, he insists upon a high standard of both hygiene and efficiency in the fire station. Penny Morris is the only firewoman before Ellie Phillips. She only visited occasionally (hailing from Newtown fire station), and in the new series, she works at Pontypandy fire station full-time. Penny doubles as a mechanic. Her ideas are often unconventional and at odds with her male colleagues, but she usually turns out to have been right. Penny is often known to go on adventures with the's children Sarah and James, Norman Price and Mandy Flood. A relationship between her and Elvis has been hinted more than once. It is also hinted that Penny is a vegetarian. Chief Fire Officer Boyce hails from Newtown and visits Pontypandy.
Ellie Phillips is the new female firefighter introduced in the latest feature-length special "Heroes of the Storm". She attended the Newtown Fire Academy and was one of the best in the batch. Arnold McKinley is the new fireman introduced in the latest feature-length special "Heroes of the Storm". It is him who gave the name "Hydrus" to the new rescue vehicle introduced at the end of this special. He attended the Newtown Fire Academy and was one of the best in his batch. Jerry Lee Cridlington is a new firefighter and Elvis' cousin. He made his debut in Castles in the Air as a replacement while Penny Morris was away for the day and whilst he was at the fire station he got Station Officer Steele confused as he thought Elvis was in two places at once. He resembles Elvis, though he has blond hair and according to Elvis, he is the better cook of the two.