Pimpernel Petroleum
Pimpernel Petroleum
Luss is one of a few villages on the edge of Loch Lomond. There is also a Scottish nursery rhyme about a rough bus that goes between Luss & Glasgow. For a bit of a laugh, I made the image above to commemorate the Sunday afternoon drive which led us to Luss.
Imagining that chanted in a wee Scottish accent and losing my shit. Nice photo too.
Hello. Do you know in which book the poem “Pimpernel Petroleum” was published?
I am looking for the book, too, MS. All that I can find is that it was published in 1977 in the Play Away Party Book, edited by Brian Cant.
But the book I remember definitely featured Pimpernel Petroleum in all her glory on the front cover and, if I remember correctly, was called somethiing like “Pimpernel Petroleum and other rhymes” … there was one that had the lines “There is a pool, deep and cool, under the humpbacked bridge.”
Amazon.co.uk has a listinge for the Play Away Party Book, but it is unavailable.
My grandchildren would love Pimpernel as much as their father did. But I can’t lay my hands on the book:(.
Sorry MS & Ruth, I don’t know what book that rhyme is from. My girlfriend told me the rhyme from memory. I searched the web, but couldn’t find any mention of a book.
Ruth, I feel your pain! I was also told I could find it in the Play Away Party Book, courtesy of a discussion board on the Abe books website. I managed to track down a copy (not cheap!) but was disappointed when it arrived – no Pimpernel! However, I am pleased to say that some months later I was clearing my mother’s loft and found a box of old children’s books. Flicking through an old Playschool annual, there it was! My mother and I very much enjoyed reading it aloud 30 years on. I will ask her to dig it out and report back with the year of the annual and ISBN.
That is such a coincidence, MS.
Because when I came round to my son’s place earlier this evening (last night, now, since it’s after midnight), I asked him whether he still had the book that he had had as a child and he has!!
It’s in the kid’s bedroom and they are asleep, but I will get it in the morning, and write out the text for anyone who is interested.
In anticipation…
So here we are:
The book that we have
is called “The Bold Bad Bus” and the author is Wilma Horsburgh. It is a “Play Away” book first published by the BBC in 1973; the edition I have is published in 1977. There is no ISBN in the publication details, but there is an acknowledgement to Methuen for their permission to reproduce “The Bold Bad Bus” (story-rhyme, rather than book) and some of the other stories; these were apparently first appeared in “Clinkerdump”, a 1954 publication (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Clinkerdump-stories-Illustrated-Sheila-Hawkins/dp/B000XIPWBG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1292172148&sr=8-1).
So here is the story … (I have to assume that since it appears to be totally unobtainable in book form that it is acceptable to quote it in full…?)
THE BOLD BAD BUS
Pimpernel Petroleum is a bold, bad bus
Who doesn’t care for travelling from Glasgow to Luss.
“Pop!” goes her engine,
“Crunch!” go her gears.
Her passengers are sitting with their fingers in their ears.
Pimpernel Petroleum loves to make a fuss
For Pimpernel Petroleum is a bold, bad bus.
Her driver Percy Poddle is a kind wee man
Who speaks to her politely as often as he can.
He’s gentle with her steering wheel
And careful with her brake,
And whispers to her: “Pimpernel,
Be good for any sake!”
But Pimpernel Petroleum is a bold, bad bus.
Who doesn’t care for travelling from Glasgow to Luss.
“Pop!” goes her engine,
“Crunch!” go her gears.
Her passengers are sitting with their fingers in their ears.
Pimpernel Petroleum loves to make a fuss
For Pimpernel Petroleum is a bold, bad bus.
Pimpernel’s conductress, Miss Fanny Freda Frisk
Is exceedingly efficient and very bright and brisk.
Said she: “We’ve had enough
Of this sentimental stuff,
What Pimpernel is needing is a driver who is rough.”
But driver Percy Poddle is a kind wee man
Who speaks to her politely as often as he can.
He’s gentle with her steering wheel
And careful with her brake,
And whispers to her: “Pimpernel,
Be good for any sake!”
But Pimpernel Petroleum is a bold, bad bus.
Who doesn’t care for travelling from Glasgow to Luss.
“Pop!” goes her engine,
“Crunch!” go her gears.
Her passengers are sitting with their fingers in their ears.
Pimpernel Petroleum loves to make a fuss
For Pimpernel Petroleum is a bold, bad bus.
One morning at a corner, Pimpernel stuck,
Perhaps it was on purpose, perhaps bad luck,
Right across the roadway,
Wheels upon the grass,
Lots of cars were coming but not a thing could pass.
Pimpernel’s conductress, Miss Fanny Freda Frisk
Was exceedingly indignant though very bright and brisk.
Said she: “We’ve had enough
Of this sentimental stuff,
What Pimpernel is needing is a driver who is rough.”
But driver Percy Poddle is a kind wee man
Who speaks to her politely as often as he can.
He’s gentle with her steering wheel
And careful with her brake,
And whispers to her: “Pimpernel,
Be good for any sake!”
But Pimpernel Petroleum is a bold, bad bus.
Who doesn’t care for travelling from Glasgow to Luss.
“Pop!” goes her engine,
“Crunch!” go her gears.
Her passengers are sitting with their fingers in their ears.
Pimpernel Petroleum loves to make a fuss
For Pimpernel Petroleum is a bold, bad bus.
Soon another driver came to give advice.
He called her “Ancient Rattletrap” which wasn’t very nice.
He used her starting handle and he wound and wound and wound,
Then he and Percy Poddle pushed and pulled her around.
For Pimpernel was turning a corner when she stuck,
Perhaps it was on purpose, perhaps bad luck,
Right across the roadway,
Wheels upon the grass,
Lots of cars were coming but not a thing could pass.
Pimpernel’s conductress, Miss Fanny Freda Frisk
Was exceedingly indignant though very bright and brisk.
Said she: “We’ve had enough
Of this sentimental stuff,
What Pimpernel is needing is a driver who is rough.”
But driver Percy Poddle is a kind wee man
Who speaks to her politely as often as he can.
He’s gentle with her steering wheel
And careful with her brake,
And whispers to her: “Pimpernel,
Be good for any sake!”
But Pimpernel Petroleum is a bold, bad bus.
Who doesn’t care for travelling from Glasgow to Luss.
“Pop!” goes her engine,
“Crunch!” go her gears.
Her passengers are sitting with their fingers in their ears.
Pimpernel Petroleum loves to make a fuss
For Pimpernel Petroleum is a bold, bad bus.
Pimpernel’s passengers were carried on to Luss
In a very new and shiny yellow bus.
But Pimpernel stayed by the side of the road.
Her driver called her “Dearie”
Her conductress called her “Toad!”
Her driver wound her handle, her conductress gave advice
And the name she called poor Pimpernel were not at all nice.
But Pimpernel stayed
As if stuck to the ground
Where the two of them had left her when they pushed and pulled her round.
Pimpernel’s conductress, Miss Fanny Freda Frisk
Was exceedingly indignant though very bright and brisk.
Said she: “We’ve had enough
Of this sentimental stuff.”
And she turned her back on Pimpernel. Miss Frisk was in a huff.
But driver Percy Poddle is a kind wee man
He filled her up with petrol from a nice clean can.
He patted her, he petted her,
He gently eased her brake,
And whispered to her: “Pimpernel,
Be good for any sake!”
Them Pimpernel started without the slightest fuss
And left her poor conductress eleven miles from Luss!
“Pop!” went her engine,
“Crunch!” went her gears.
But Pimpernel went faster than she had for years and years.
And Pimpernel Petroleum went whizzing into Luss
And far behind her followed the yellow bus.
All the best.
Ruth
I have the book Clinkerdump published in 1954, the poems have given my daughter and myself a lot of enjoyment. The book is not in pristine condition in fact quite the opposite! It is illustrated by
Sheila Hawkins.
Clinkerdump, clankerdump, rattlecome ree,
I live in the train and you can’t see me,
But whenever the wheels go round and round
You hear me make my monotonous sound:
Clinkerdump, clankerdump,
Clinkerdump, clankerdump,
Clink, clank clinkerdump clank,
That’s me!
Then another seven verses.
ISBN for this book is 0563125829