Woodland Animations Ltd (UK)

Background: Woodland Animations was founded in 1973 by Ivor Wood, who had previously directed several programs from Filmfair Animation. During the 1980s it produced several stop-motion animated cartoon series for the BBC, such as Postman Pat (1981-present), Gran (1983), Bertha (1985-86) and Charlie Chalk (1988-89). The company closed in 2001 after being bought out by Entertainment Rights.

1st Logo

(September 16-October 29, 1981)



Logo: During the Postman Pat credits, a giant envelope with "Produced By WOODLAND ANIMATIONS LTD" in Bauhaus flies in from the right of the screen. Pat looks at it in surprise and turns to face the viewer.

FX/SFX: Stop motion animation.

Music/Sounds: The ending theme to Postman Pat.

Availability: originally aired during the first seven episodes of Postman Pat, and was kept intact on the VHS releases. DVD releases of season 1 are more likely to contain the second logo.

Scare Factor: None, unless you have a fear of envelopes.

2nd Logo

(November 5-December 12, 1981, 1990)



Logo: We see the Woodland Animations symbol- a circle with a hilly woodland scene covering the upper half and a handwritten "WA" on the lower half- superimposed over the credits scene with "Produced by" above the logo and "Woodland Animations Ltd" below the logo. Once again, the writing is rendered in Bauhaus.

Trivia: This logo accompanied a revised set of opening and closing titles to Postman Pat, which were introduced after Royal Mail granted Woodland Animations permission to use their logo on Pat's van.

Variant: On Postman Pat's ABC and Postman Pat's 123, the production year is added below "Woodland Animations Ltd".

FX/SFX: the fading in and out; it's an in-credit logo.

Music/Sounds: The ending theme of the show.

Availability: Originally aired during the final six episodes of Postman Pat's first season, but went on to plaster the original logo on DVD releases. The variant appears on Postman Pat's ABC and Postman Pat's 123.

3rd Logo (February 17-May 12, 1983)



Logo: The screen is divided into two halves. On the right of the screen we see an old TV. on top of the TV are a vase and two framed photos. Above the TV is a framed painting of a factory and canal. On the left of the screen we see- on a white background- "Produced by Woodland Animations Ltd" and "© Woodland Animations Ltd/Joanne Cole". Curiously, the 1982 copyright date is written as "MDCCCCLXXXII" as opposed to the more conventional MCMLXXXII.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: The end theme of Gran.

Availability: It was only seen at the end of Gran, and kept intact on the 2005 complete DVD release.

Scare Factor: Minimal.

4th Logo (April 1, 1985-June 18, 1986)



Logo: in a warehouse, the camera pans to a specific series of crates. A small red one in the background has a colourised version of the symbol from Logo 2 printed onto it, whereas a larger brown crate in the foreground has two labels; a green one with "Produced by WOODLAND ANIMATIONS LTD" written on it in white, and a smaller white label with "© WOODLAND ANIMATIONS LTD./MCMLXXXV"

FX/SFX: Stop Motion Animation.

Music/Sounds: The end theme of Bertha.

Availability: Was only seen at the end of Bertha. The logo is retained on the episodes that have been given a DVD release.

Scare Factor: Minimal.

5th Logo (October 20, 1988-April 19, 1989)



Logo: On a fuschia background, we see "Produced by WOODLAND ANIMATIONS LTD" in a cartoony font, on top of blocks of various colours and sizes. At the bottom of the screen is a pink strip with "© WOODLAND ANIMATIONS LTD - 1987" written on it. The "O"s in Woodland, the dots of the "i"s in Animations and the copyright symbol are all coloured white.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: The ending theme to Charlie Chalk.

Availability: Was only used on Charlie Chalk, which was given a complete DVD release in 2005.

Scare Factor: None.

6th logo (December 25, 1991-September 9, 1994)



Logo: During the end credits of the program, "Designed and Produced by IVOR WOOD" and "©199x WOODLANDS ANIMATIONS LTD". The scene then fades to black, leaving only the text.

FX/SFX: The fading.

Cheesy Factor: the copyright disclaimer reads "Woodlands" instead of Woodland.

Music/Sounds: the ending theme of the show, which proceeds to fade out in time with the logo.

Availability: Appeared on the half-hour specials Postman Pat Takes the Bus, Postman Pat and the Toy Soldiers, Postman Pat and the Tuba and Postman Pat and the Barometer. All four specials appear on the DVD Happy Birthday Pat, leaving the logo unaltered.

Scare Factor: None.

7th Logo (April 3-June 26, 1996)



Logo: Simply the words "Produced by WOODLAND ANIMATIONS LTD" in Futura and a copyright disclaimer at the bottom of the screen.

FX/SFX: None; it's an in-credit logo.

Music/Sounds: The ending theme to Postman Pat.

Availability: Originally appeared on the second season of Postman Pat. The logo is left intact on the DVD release but the original closing music is replaced with that of Seasons 3-8.

Scare Factor: None.