Originally a radio series on BBC Radio 4, running between April 1985 and March 1989; scripts from this parent series were adapted for TV. Both series occasionally broadcast episodes on the same nights.
The setting for the series was Henfield; hence the telephone dialling code for Russell's shop, Bygone Books, is 0403, for Horsham, West Sussex.
The last production for music arranger Ray Cook who died during the run of the second series in March 1989.
The location chosen for the France's house was 7 St George's Road in Twickenham, southwest London, England.