Underground Ernie
Encyclopedia
Underground Ernie is a Computer-animated children's television series produced by Joella Productions
in the UK and shown by the BBC
on both CBeebies
and BBC Two
. It is set in International Station, a fictional worldwide underground network, and focuses on the everyday adventures of Ernie, a friendly Underground supervisor, Millie, his multilingual colleague and Mr Rails the lovable maintenance man. The trains under Ernie's watchful eye all have characters of their own. There's Bakerloo, Victoria, Circle, Jubilee and the twins, Hammersmith & City. From time to time they are joined by their friends from across the world including; Paris
, Brooklyn
, Moscow
, Sydney
and Osaka
.
The show is aimed at children between the ages of 3 and 8 years old. The initial series has 26 episode
s each lasting 15 mins. Its first showing on was on Monday 5 June 2006 on CBeebies
.
The Producers of the show 'Joella Productions' are currently trying to raise money to get another series of 'Underground Ernie' created. The Production costs for a series is £4 million.
In the first episode, "Pop Decoy", pop superstar "Sam 7" is performing at the theatre and Jubilee has to get him there without hundreds of fans finding out. Alas, the excitable Jubilee can't keep a secret and he and Ernie have to come up with a plan to get Sam 7 safely to the theatre.
computer graphics and that largely explains the high cost of the production (USD
$7 million/£4 million) http://www.commercialexploitation.org/news/totstvtoys.htm. The first series was produced using LightWave
3D software.http://www.joellaproductions.com/News.aspx?CF=News&NewsID=6
Some critics have pointed out the similarities between Underground Ernie and Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
, in that both series feature anthropomorphised talking trains. Whilst acknowledging a similarity, the producer
s make it clear that this is very different from Thomas and is very much based in the 21st century. Despite being underground trains, they often travel overground around open countryside to various stations including seaside resort
.
The overall design is inspired by the real London Underground, and Transport for London
has allowed the series to use design elements directly taken from their brand, in particular the use of their distinctive Underground logo, or 'roundel' as it's known.
are trains most of which take their names from lines of the London Underground
network, though in Underground Ernie's world it is called "International Underground".*
names and trains is a deliberate step to lead into merchandising suitable for children's gifts the revenue from which will be shared with Transport for London
.
Halshall International Ltd. as of 2009 have stopped making 'Underground Ernie' models.
The last Ernie event was held on 26 Dec 09 and ended on Sunday 3 January 2010.
With Days Out with Thomas succeeding the event.
As well as Days Out with Ernie , in 2008 and 2009 Two Ernie Fundraisers were held at the Railway in aid of different charities.
under the name "HRB Music", is called "The Importance of Being Ernie". This is a reference to Oscar Wilde
's play The Importance of Being Earnest
(Ernie is short for Ernest).The logo is like the London underground logo
Joella Productions
Joella Productions is a television production company based in London who have made Underground Ernie for the BBC. It was founded by John Deery and Sid Rainey, and named after Deery's son, Joe, and Rainey's daughter, Ella....
in the UK and shown by the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
on both CBeebies
CBeebies
CBeebies is the brand used by the BBC for programming aimed at children 6 years and under. It is used as a themed strand in the UK on terrestrial television, as a separate free-to-air domestic British channel and used for international varients supported by advertising, subscription or both...
and BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
. It is set in International Station, a fictional worldwide underground network, and focuses on the everyday adventures of Ernie, a friendly Underground supervisor, Millie, his multilingual colleague and Mr Rails the lovable maintenance man. The trains under Ernie's watchful eye all have characters of their own. There's Bakerloo, Victoria, Circle, Jubilee and the twins, Hammersmith & City. From time to time they are joined by their friends from across the world including; Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
and Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
.
The show is aimed at children between the ages of 3 and 8 years old. The initial series has 26 episode
Episode
An episode is a part of a dramatic work such as a serial television or radio program. An episode is a part of a sequence of a body of work, akin to a chapter of a book. The term sometimes applies to works based on other forms of mass media as well, as in Star Wars...
s each lasting 15 mins. Its first showing on was on Monday 5 June 2006 on CBeebies
CBeebies
CBeebies is the brand used by the BBC for programming aimed at children 6 years and under. It is used as a themed strand in the UK on terrestrial television, as a separate free-to-air domestic British channel and used for international varients supported by advertising, subscription or both...
.
The Producers of the show 'Joella Productions' are currently trying to raise money to get another series of 'Underground Ernie' created. The Production costs for a series is £4 million.
Premiere
In its premiere run, Underground Ernie was broadcast twice a day five days a week—firstly on BBC Two at 9 am and then repeated on CBeebies at 4.30 pmIn the first episode, "Pop Decoy", pop superstar "Sam 7" is performing at the theatre and Jubilee has to get him there without hundreds of fans finding out. Alas, the excitable Jubilee can't keep a secret and he and Ernie have to come up with a plan to get Sam 7 safely to the theatre.
Design
All the visuals for the show are produced using CGIComputer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
computer graphics and that largely explains the high cost of the production (USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
$7 million/£4 million) http://www.commercialexploitation.org/news/totstvtoys.htm. The first series was produced using LightWave
LightWave
LightWave 3D is a high end computer graphics program developed by NewTek. The latest release of LightWave runs on Windows and Mac OS X.- Overview:...
3D software.http://www.joellaproductions.com/News.aspx?CF=News&NewsID=6
Some critics have pointed out the similarities between Underground Ernie and Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends
Thomas and Friends is a British children's television series, first broadcast on the ITV network in September 1984. Until 2003, it was named Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. This series was shot on 35mm film...
, in that both series feature anthropomorphised talking trains. Whilst acknowledging a similarity, the producer
Television producer
The primary role of a television Producer is to allow all aspects of video production, ranging from show idea development and cast hiring to shoot supervision and fact-checking...
s make it clear that this is very different from Thomas and is very much based in the 21st century. Despite being underground trains, they often travel overground around open countryside to various stations including seaside resort
Seaside resort
A seaside resort is a resort, or resort town, located on the coast. Where a beach is the primary focus for tourists, it may be called a beach resort.- Overview :...
.
The overall design is inspired by the real London Underground, and Transport for London
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
has allowed the series to use design elements directly taken from their brand, in particular the use of their distinctive Underground logo, or 'roundel' as it's known.
Human characters
- The eponymous Underground Ernie is a supervisor (voiced by ex-footballerFootball (soccer)Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
and televisionTelevisionTelevision is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
sports presenterPresenterA presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
Gary LinekerGary LinekerGary Winston Lineker, OBE , is a former English footballer, who played as a striker. He is a sports broadcaster for the BBC, Al Jazeera Sports and Eredivisie Live...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/grownups/exclusives/gary.shtml). - Millie (voiced by Emma WeaverEmma WeaverEmma Weaver is a British television actress and voice actress. She provided the voice of Bella in The Tweenies since 2000, taking over from Sally Preisig.She played a housemaid in 1995 telefilm Daisies in December.-External links:...
) is a computer expert working on the network. - Mr. Rails is the maintenance man.
Trains
The majority of the charactersFictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
are trains most of which take their names from lines of the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
network, though in Underground Ernie's world it is called "International Underground".*
- BakerlooBakerloo LineThe Bakerloo line is a line of the London Underground, coloured brown on the Tube map. It runs partly on the surface and partly at deep level, from Elephant and Castle in the south-east to Harrow & Wealdstone in the north-west of London. The line serves 25 stations, of which 15 are underground...
(voiced by Howard Ward) is an eccentric and has a hat similar to the style of Sherlock HolmesSherlock HolmesSherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
(the Bakerloo lineBakerloo LineThe Bakerloo line is a line of the London Underground, coloured brown on the Tube map. It runs partly on the surface and partly at deep level, from Elephant and Castle in the south-east to Harrow & Wealdstone in the north-west of London. The line serves 25 stations, of which 15 are underground...
used to end at Baker StreetBaker StreetBaker Street is a street in the Marylebone district of the City of Westminster in London. It is named after builder William Baker, who laid the street out in the 18th century. The street is most famous for its connection to the fictional detective Sherlock Holmes, who lived at a fictional 221B...
, where the fictional detective lived at number 221b) but has a profile resembling that of the Duke of WellingtonArthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of WellingtonField Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
, the victor of the Battle of WaterlooBattle of WaterlooThe Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
, after the Waterloo stationWaterloo stationWaterloo station, also known as London Waterloo, is a central London railway terminus and London Underground complex. The station is owned and operated by Network Rail and is close to the South Bank of the River Thames, and in Travelcard Zone 1....
(Bakerloo is short for Baker Street & Waterloo Railway).
- Hammersmith is twin brother to City, a fast and furious train who is a general knowledge "whizz". He wears blue spectacles.
- City is Hammersmith's twin brother and is also fast and furious but is an expert in mathematics and finances (presumably a reference to the CityCity of LondonThe City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
, where many of LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's financial institutions are based. He wears pink spectacles. Hammersmith and City are usually coupled back end to back and run together as one train. - VictoriaVictoria LineThe Victoria line is a deep-level London Underground line running from the south to the north-east of London. It is coloured light blue on the Tube map...
(voiced by Janet Brown) is the oldest train and is like a mother to the other trains. She wears a crownCrown (headgear)A crown is the traditional symbolic form of headgear worn by a monarch or by a deity, for whom the crown traditionally represents power, legitimacy, immortality, righteousness, victory, triumph, resurrection, honour and glory of life after death. In art, the crown may be shown being offered to...
to suggest the link between herself and Queen Victoria but visually appears more like a caricatureCaricatureA caricature is a portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness. In literature, a caricature is a description of a person using exaggeration of some characteristics and oversimplification of others.Caricatures can be...
of the present QueenMonarchA monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
, Elizabeth II. Although Victoria is presented as the oldest character in the series, the real life Victoria LineVictoria LineThe Victoria line is a deep-level London Underground line running from the south to the north-east of London. It is coloured light blue on the Tube map...
is actually one of the newest lines - only the Jubilee LineJubilee LineThe Jubilee line is a line on the London Underground , in the United Kingdom. It was built in two major sections—initially to Charing Cross, in central London, and later extended, in 1999, to Stratford, in east London. The later stations are larger and have special safety features, both aspects...
is newer. - Circle (voiced by Chris JarvisChris Jarvis (presenter)Chris Jarvis is a television actor and presenter and has appeared on BBC television since 1992 - apart from 2001-02 when he was with ITV and Channel 4....
) is a "hippy chick" - always helpful and rarely loses her cool. - JubileeJubilee LineThe Jubilee line is a line on the London Underground , in the United Kingdom. It was built in two major sections—initially to Charing Cross, in central London, and later extended, in 1999, to Stratford, in east London. The later stations are larger and have special safety features, both aspects...
(voiced by TeletubbiesTeletubbiesTeletubbies is a BBC children's television series targeted at pre-school viewers and produced from 1997 to 2001 by Ragdoll Productions. It was created by Ragdoll's creative director Anne Wood CBE and Andrew Davenport, who wrote each of the show's 365 episodes. The programme's original narrator was...
narrator Tim WhitnallTim WhitnallTim Whitnall , is a British actor, musician, playwright and screenwriter probably best known for his portrayal of the alien Angelo on the British CITV sitcom Mike and Angelo....
) is the youngest train and is into computers, music, internet, emails, games and all the latest gadgets and technology. He can be mischievous but is still well-liked.
International trains
There are also five international trains, which Millie visits when she goes abroad every weekend. She always bring back exciting stories for Ernie, as well as a souvenir:- BrooklynNew York City SubwayThe New York City Subway is a rapid transit system owned by the City of New York and leased to the New York City Transit Authority, a subsidiary agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and also known as MTA New York City Transit...
, from New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, is decked out in the AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Stars and StripesFlag of the United StatesThe national flag of the United States of America consists of thirteen equal horizontal stripes of red alternating with white, with a blue rectangle in the canton bearing fifty small, white, five-pointed stars arranged in nine offset horizontal rows of six stars alternating with rows...
. - SydneyCityRailCityRail is an operating brand of RailCorp, a corporation owned by the state government of New South Wales, Australia. It is responsible for providing commuter rail services, and some coach services, in and around Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, the three largest cities of New South Wales. It is...
, from AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, always wants to go to the beachBeachA beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
. - MoscowMoscow MetroThe Moscow Metro is a rapid transit system serving Moscow and the neighbouring town of Krasnogorsk. Opened in 1935 with one line and 13 stations, it was the first underground railway system in the Soviet Union. As of 2011, the Moscow Metro has 182 stations and its route length is . The system is...
is from RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. - ParisParis MétroThe Paris Métro or Métropolitain is the rapid transit metro system in Paris, France. It has become a symbol of the city, noted for its density within the city limits and its uniform architecture influenced by Art Nouveau. The network's sixteen lines are mostly underground and run to 214 km ...
is from FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. - OsakaShinkansenThe , also known as THE BULLET TRAIN, is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with the Tōkaidō Shinkansen in 1964, the network has expanded to currently consist of of lines with maximum speeds of , of Mini-shinkansen with a...
is from JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, and has a super-speed booster. He is decked out in a Rising SunNames of JapanThere are many names of Japan in the English, Japanese, and other languages. The word "Japan" is an exonym, and is used by a large number of languages. The Japanese names for Japan are Nippon and Nihon . They are both written in Japanese using the kanji 日本...
decorated bandanaBandanaBandana can refer to:*Another name for a kerchief*Bandana *Bandana *Bandana, Kentucky, a small town in the United States*Y Bandana, a Welsh alternative rock band.**Y Bandana , their self-titled debut album....
.
Storylines
In each twelve-minute episode Ernie faces a problem, which he needs to fix with the help of the trains. This will typically involve one of the locations on International Underground or visitors coming via the Underground - often both.| Number | Title | Writer | Synopsis |
| 1 | Pop Decoy | Louise Kramskoy | Jubilee lets slip his secret about pop superstar Sam 7. Bakerloo gets into pop. |
| 2 | Sir Clunkalot | Diane Redmond | The medieval pageant sees Ernie save a damsel in distress. |
| 3 | Mr Rails Never Fails | Diane Redmond | Ernie's heavy cold leads to confusion over the arrangements for Mr. Rails' surprise party. |
| 4 | Brooklyn and Rocky Two Shoes | Diane Redmond | American athlete Rocky Two Shoes rides over on Brooklyn and overcomes his fears. |
| 5 | Pulling Together | Jan Page | Hammersmith and City have split loyalties while Victoria gets into football. |
| 6 | Caught Purple Handed | Diane Redmond | A rather absent-minded explorer brings a rare plant to the Underground. |
| 7 | Ernie's Big Trip | Jan Page | Paris visits. Is Ernie going to France forever? Don't go, Ernie! |
| 8 | Finders Keepers | Jan Page | A Golden Ticket becomes lost property. |
| 9 | The Magician's Assistant | Diane Redmond | Millie assists as Paris brings Maestro the magician to town. |
| 10 | Cover Story | Ross Hastings | Ernie tries to take some pictures for Tunnel Times; Sydney is in town. |
| 11 | Millie's Day Dream | Ross Hastings | Millie's won a dream day. Can the Underground cope without her? |
| 12 | Mr Movie Jones | Diane Redmond | A case of mistaken identity as Mr. Movie Jones visits Sea Shell Bay. |
| 13 | Summer Breeze | Louise Kramskoy | Phew, what a scorcher on the Underground! |
| 14 | Running Late | Lisa Akhurst | Is Victoria headed for the scrapyard? |
| 15 | Light at the End of the Tunnel | Jan Page | A tiny crack opens and Miss Relic sees her mummy again. |
| 16 | The Wreck of Sea Shell Bay | Diane Redmond | Sam and Dan are seriously bad kids - but they get lucky. |
| 17 | Catnapped | Louise Kramskoy | Pippa's cat Patch goes missing as the rain pours down. |
| 18 | Monster Mystery | Jan Page | Monster on the Underground? Not a good time for a practical joke. |
| 19 | Bon Appetit | Jan Page | Millie cooks for French chef Marcel Le Magnifique, who arrives on Paris. |
| 20 | A Change Is as Good as a Rest | Diane Redmond | The trains decide to swap lines; Pippa doesn't hear the announcement. |
| 21 | Elementary, My Dear Bakerloo! | Jan Page | A jumble sale saves the nature reserve. |
| 22 | The Magic Lamp | Louise Kramskoy | Is this a genie I see before me? A theatre prop spreads confusion. |
| 23 | How Great The Art | Ross Hastings | Modern art - who wants it? How about a squashed wheelbarrow for Brooklyn? |
| 24 | The Mayor's Visit | Ross Hastings | Mr. Rails gets the wrong end of the stick. The mayor gets stuck. |
| 25 | Techno Trouble! | Lisa Akhurst | Osaka gives Jubilee some Japanese technology that is just too good. |
| 26 | Snow Go | Jan Page | The Underground suffers from the wrong kind of snow as Moscow visits. |
Merchandising
In November 2005, Halsall International Ltd. announced that they had secured the rights to produce merchandising linked to Underground Ernie http://www.toysnplaythings.co.uk/News_detail.asp?TnP_NewsID=157. They hope to have products on sale by the autumn of 2006 with a comprehensive range available in 2007. The use of London UndergroundLondon Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
names and trains is a deliberate step to lead into merchandising suitable for children's gifts the revenue from which will be shared with Transport for London
Transport for London
Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London in England. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London...
.
Halshall International Ltd. as of 2009 have stopped making 'Underground Ernie' models.
Day Out with Underground Ernie
In 2008 a Railway in Hampshire called Eastleigh Lakeside Steam Railway secured the rights to hold Underground Ernie children's days and held four Underground Ernie events a year called Days Out with Underground Ernie , Miniature versions of 'Jubilee' and 'Ernie 1' were created which passengers could ride behind as well as Meeting a larger than life version of Underground Ernie.The last Ernie event was held on 26 Dec 09 and ended on Sunday 3 January 2010.
With Days Out with Thomas succeeding the event.
As well as Days Out with Ernie , in 2008 and 2009 Two Ernie Fundraisers were held at the Railway in aid of different charities.
Theme song
The show's theme song, performed by members of The Wonder StuffThe Wonder Stuff
The Wonder Stuff are a British alternative rock band, originally based in Stourbridge, West Midlands, in the Black Country, England.-Origins:...
under the name "HRB Music", is called "The Importance of Being Ernie". This is a reference to Oscar Wilde
Oscar Wilde
Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
's play The Importance of Being Earnest
The Importance of Being Earnest
The Importance of Being Earnest, A Trivial Comedy for Serious People is a play by Oscar Wilde. First performed on 14 February 1895 at St. James's Theatre in London, it is a farcical comedy in which the protagonists maintain fictitious personae in order to escape burdensome social obligations...
(Ernie is short for Ernest).The logo is like the London underground logo
External links
- Underground Ernie website
- Underground Ernie Facebook Page
- Underground Ernie Twitter Page
- Gary Lineker talks about his role as Underground Ernie - audio option
- Joella Productions website
- Transport for London website
- TfL article about Underground Ernie
- Article about merchandising and children's TV which mentions Underground Ernie
- Article about Underground Ernie
- BBC News item about the new series
- BBC Programme copy
- BBC Press Office interview with Gary Lineker about Underground Ernie
- Toys and Playthings article about merchandising for Underground Ernie
- An MPEG clip of the show