Bagpuss creator Oliver Postgate in pictures

'Psshty-kuff, psshty-kuff, psshty-kuff …' Postgate in the study of his home in Broadstairs, Kent, with one of the drawings for Ivor the Engine. Jones the Steam, perched atop Ivor, is deep in conversation with Dai Station. Another adventure looks about to begin … Photograph: Kent News & Pictures Ltd.

Postgate once said the Clangers 'smell, not unpleasantly, of ripe melons'. He should know – he created the creatures and their home planet along with Peter Firmin Photograph: Kent News & Pictures Ltd.

The Clangers shared their hollow planet with the Soup Dragon (pictured right), while the Iron Chicken - modelled from Meccano - lived in an orbiting nest made of scrap metal. Clangers-inspired Scottish indie band the Soup Dragons scored a top five hit with I'm Free in 1990, fact fans Photograph: Channel 4

So how exactly do you fit a ship into a bottle? Professor Yaffle applies some immaculate logic, the mice have a bit of a laugh and the old, saggy cloth cat prepares for another kip in this scene from Postgate’s children’s TV classic, Bagpuss Photograph: PR

The marvelous, mechanical, mouse organ! Another scene from Bagpuss, and the organ which played rolls of music and projected pictures on to the screen, not unlike a television. Those mice in full – Charliemouse, Eddiemouse, Janiemouse, Jenniemouse, Lizziemouse and Williemouse Photograph: Chris Radburn / Rex Features

'Once upon a time, not so long ago, there was a little girl, and her name was Emily. And she had a shop. It was rather an unusual shop because it didn’t sell anything. Everything in that shop window was a thing that somebody had once lost and Emily had found and brought home to Bagpuss ...' Isn’t Emily a bit young to run her own shop? And what if the people ask for their stuff back? Hang on, that’s my PS3! Give it back … Photograph: PR

Postgate with Bagpuss at the 2001 Oldie Of The Year Awards Photograph: William Conran/Press Association

'Good news, fellas! They’ve commissioned a second series!' Original drawings of Noggin the Nog in Postgate's Broadstairs study Photograph: Kent News & Pictures Ltd.

'So it’s an engine, you see. He’s called Ivor and he sings in a choir. And there’s this dragon, right, except it’s an egg when they find it and they have to keep it somewhere warm. So they put it in Ivor’s furnace. Hello? Hello?' One of the original drawings of Ivor the Engine; pictured are Jones, Ivor, Dai Station (on the left) and Evans the Song Photograph: Kent News & Pictures Ltd.

Every children’s bedroom should have some. All your favourite Ivor the Engine characters, plus quite a few of the storylines, by the looks of it, squeezed into this fabulous wallpaper design. Look, there’s Idris the dragon, and the volcano! Didn’t know they had volcanoes in Wales, did you? Not active ones, anyway Photograph: PR

'And then I said to Oliver, look, there’s no way I’m getting out of my crater for anything less than £2K a show. Go back to the BBC and tell them if they don’t like it, we’re off to Channel Five.' At least, that’s what I think the Clanger was saying. Pictured with its creator, Oliver Postgate, of course Photograph: Kent News & Pictures Ltd.