Tractor Tom
Tractor Tom is an British computer-animated children's TV programme, produced by Contender Entertainment and Hibbert Ralph Entertainment. There are two series of 26 eleven-minute episodes produced between 9 February 2003 and 2004. There was also a stage show.
The show aired on CITV in the UK, and played in New Zealand and Australia. Soon it will be ported to CBS One in the UK on Former Programmes from (2004 to 2007). The show premiered on Kids' CBC in Canada in 2003.
Sales from DVDs of series one contributed to the Great Ormand Street Hospital Children's Charity. (although this is stated on the DVD covers the reference has been removed from the Official site) [1] and [2]
From the DVD cover: "Tractor Tom lives on Springhill Farm with Farmer Fi, Matt the Farmhand, and all of Tom's fantastic friends. No matter what the problem or the job to be done, it's Tractor Tom who saves the day... with heaps of fun and adventure along the way!" [2]
The slogan for the show was "Tractor Tom, what would we do without you?"
Set on the idyllic Springhill Farm, brave and resourceful Tractor Tom and his human, animal and vehicle friends have fun and adventures at both work and play.
The first series featured Liza Tarbuck and James Nesbitt as Farmer Fi and Matt respecitively, but the vehicles only communicated through engine sounds.
The second series introduced new voices for Fi & Matt and the vehicles talked as well.
Characters
Vehicles
Tom - A cheerful bright red tractor who is optimistic and always tries to solve his friends' problems. He is also afraid in the dark sometimes. Tom always knows the safety rules and can get a bit angry. He seems to be the arguably closest friend of Buzz. He likes helping him out!
Buzz - A young and inquisitive blue and yellow quadbike who is sometimes said to be "too small". He also liked to get into trouble with Snicker the foal in the first series, and arguably Tom's closest friend. Now in the second series, he is now a well behaved boy and likes helping Tom out.
Wheezy - The farm's slow, old, and large yellow combine harvester who enjoys telling stories in the first series and likes to stay in the barn, which is the "home" of most of the vehicles. In "Two Harvesters", he was told by Rev that he was challenging Roly. Also, he sometimes doesn't like going out of the barn in the second season. In "The Quiet Place", his first quiet place got a bit distracted, until with the help of Tom, he had a new one.
Rev - A large purple pick-up truck belonging to Matt the farmhand that often boasts and his least favourite thing is coming second or last in a race. Not a villain-like character, but sometimes disagreeable. A good friend of Tom's. He seems to tell Wheezy to challenge Roly to a race in a field in "Two Harvesters". Also, he hates getting dirty (only when he said that in "Come Back Dusty" when he was carrying manure for Mr. Aziz's roses).
Rora - She was introduced at the beginning of the second series as a white and hot pink-coloured motorbike and replaced Buzz as Farmer Fi's on-road vehicle. An energetic character who is good friends with Dusty and has a friendly rivalry with Rev. When she isn't driving Fi around, she always likes teasing Rev. She can get a bit bossy. She is never sleepy (only in "A Song for the Farm").
Dusty - She was introduced early in the second series as a yellow and orange aeroplane and is energetic and friendly. She seems to be good friends with Rora. In "A Song for the Farm", she seems to be making a lot of noise in her sleep, and she accidentally woken up Rora. She hates having baths in "Come Back Dusty", because she will get soap in her eyes. She seems to do the loop-the-loops.
Humans
Farmer Fi The sole farmer of Springhill Farm, who wears a pink shirt and hat, blue trousers with a yellow flower at the bottom and has blond hair. In the second series the hat was replaced with blue overalls. She only needs one employee, Matt, because she owns a very small farm. She is voiced by Liza Tarbuck.
Matt Lives in a small silver caravan down the road from the farm, and often helps with the work on the farm. He is rather forgetful and mentally clumsy, especially in the second series. He owns Rev the truck and drives in him everywhere. He is voiced by James Nesbitt
Animals
Hens There are three brown hens on Springhill Farm.
Wack One of the two ducks on the farm. He wears an orange collar. In "Wild Ducks", he didn't want to say hello to the wild ducks.
Bach The other duck which wears a blue collar. He seems to not make friends with the wild ducks in "Wild Ducks".
Riff The farm's sheepdog who likes to associate with the other animals, and likes rounding them up like the sheep. In "The Big Picnic", he seems to want Fi's pie.
Purdey Farmer Fi's pet cat who is rather lazy and is a friend of Wheezy's.
Mo The only cow on the farm and hence sometimes gets lonely but otherwise an ordinary cow character.
Winnie A horse who tends to not be very excited, except when it comes to carrots.
Snicker Winnie's foal who likes to get into mischief with Buzz and his favourite food is sugarcubes, but also, like Winnie, loves carrots. Notably one of the few male animals on the farm.
The Sheep There are eight sheep who like to use strange non-animal objects such as helter-skelters, central heating systems, and baths. They also love to get into mischief and go into Matt's caravan when unwanted.
Mentioned or Guests
Farmer Allsop Runs the neighbouring farm to Farmer Fi's. He is mentioned many times, but made no appearances.
Roly Farmer Fi has borrowed Farmer Allsop's harvester twice when Wheezy wasn't available. He looks exactly like Wheezy but is blue and is much faster. In his first appearance in "Where's Wheezy?", he only appeared harvesting the wheat, but he was revealed as Roly in his second appearance in "Two Harvesters", and was given a voice. He seems to get mad at Wheezy and Rev challenged him and Wheezy to a race with Dusty commentating.
Mr Aziz Only mentioned once when Rev was carrying manure for his roses. The narrator said it in "Come Back Dusty". He made no appearances.
Rory Identical to Rora, but only appeared in the last episode of the first season, when hired by Matt. He is orange.
The Wild Ducks There are three wild ducks that appeared in "Wild Ducks", when they were migrating and stopped for a rest.
The Rabbit It is unknown if the rabbit that appeared in the first season to steal the animals' food is the same one that appeared in the second season, visiting in Wheezy's "quiet place".
Fi's Parents Fi's mother phoned her once, not making an appearance, worrying about Fi's father's sudden illness, which turned out to be not serious. As Fi said, it was "just my mum worrying. You know what she's like."
Jerry Runs the sports centre and talked to Matt on the phone once. He made no appearances.