THE DUSTBINMEN
MILLIONS watched the Granada TV sitcom The Dustbinmen at the start of the 1970s. It featured the unlikely heroes Cheese and Egg, Heavy Breathing, Winston Platt and Eric – who rode around Manchester in their dustcart Thunderbird 3.
The stars all had surprising links to other TV programmes, ranging from Are You Being Served to The Last of the Summer Wine.
How well do you remember TV from the 1970s to the present day?
Why not test your knowledge in our latest nostalgia quiz – and compare your score with friends?
Many of the questions in our quizzes come from Clive Hardy’s Around Manchester books from 1950s, 60s and 70s. They’re packed with memories and unmissable pictures from the M.E.N. archive.
The books are on sale now for £14.99 including postage and packing. Go to inostalgia.co.uk or ring 01928 503777 to order.
Answers are at the bottom of the page. 1. Actor Kenneth Cope, famous for playing Marty Hopkirk in Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), was a co-writer of The Dustbinmen. Which character did he play in the TV soap Brookside? A) Ray Hilton, B) Jimmy Corkhill, C) Terry Sullivan
2. What was the real name of The Dustbinmen character Cheese and Egg, brilliantly portrayed by Bolton actor Bryan Pringle?
A) Egbert Smith, B) C.E. Petty, C) Harold Cheetham
3. Trevor Bannister, who starred as Mr Lucas in the sitcom Are You Being Served, played Heavy Breathing in The Dustbinmen. What was his recurring role in Last of the Summer Wine from 2003 to 2010?
A) Toby Mulberry Smith, B) Crusher Milburn, C) Wesley Pegden
4. Which star of the Granada sitcom The Lovers played Winston’s girlfriend Naomi in two episodes of The Dustbinmen?
A) Julie Goodyear, B) Paula Wilcox, C) Jan Francis
5. In The Dustbinmen, staunch Blues fan Winston worshipped Manchester City midfielder Colin Bell. How many senior appearances did Bell make for England?
A) 38, B) 48, C) 58
6. Coronation Street veteran Bryan Mosley, who played Weatherfield Mayor Alf Roberts, was a doctor in The Dustbinmen. Which present day Coronation Street character was his former wife?
A) Audrey Roberts, B) Gail Rodwell, C) Rita Tanner
7. Ashton-under-Lyne actor Brian Wilde appeared as Cleansing
Department inspector Bernard Pooke, known as Delilah, in The Dustbinmen. What role did he play in the much-loved BBC sitcom Porridge?
A) Mr MacKay, B) Geoffrey Venables, C) Mr Barrowclough
8. Bury actress Julie Goodyear, Bet Lynch in Coronation Street, appeared in the ITV reality series Celebrity Fit Club alongside which former Coronation Street star?
A) Ken Morley, B) William Roache,
C) Roy Barraclough
9. Who was the main writer of The Dustbinmen? He also wrote 129 episodes of Coronation Street and The Lovers for Granada TV.
A) Ian La Frenais, B) Richard Curtis, C) Jack Rosenthal
10. Who starred as Beryl’s boyfriend Geoffrey in The Lovers?
A) Paul Nicholas, B) Richard Beckinsale, C) Graham Haberfield