24. Oliver the Western Engine.
Written by: Reverend Awdry.
Illustrated by: Peter and Gunvor Edwards.
Published: 15 November 1969.
Also, the very same year, Oliver got a book dedicated to him, especially since steam was abolished from British Railways.
Dear M.,
We both wanted to call this book Little Western Engines; but Publishers are stern men. They did not approve.
We both wanted to call this book Little Western Engines; but Publishers are stern men. They did not approve.
They, of course, don't know the trouble we've had with Oliver. We hope he has learnt sense, but goodness knows what will happen when he finds he has a book all to himself....
I know! If Oliver gets uppish, we'll set Messrs. Kaye & Ward on to him. That'll teach him!
W.
W.
57. Donald's Duck.
Adapted by: Britt Allcroft and David Mitton.
Aired: US: 23 December 1991. UK: 31 March 1992. AUS: 19 February 1993.
The Fat Controller re-opens the Arlesburgh branch and asks Duck to run it for him. Duck is proud, and one night talks so much about his responsibility that Donald, at the end of his tether, makes quacking noises and says Duck's laid an egg. Duck, furious, makes a plan to get revenge, and his crew put a duckling in Donald's watertank. She pops out the next day at the water tower, and Donald realises it was Duck's pay-back. The duck is tame, and rides with Donald for a fair while, until she gets off at Haultraugh. Donald and his crew, plotting a last ploy, place a nestbox with an egg in it behind Duck's bunker. Duck acknowledges defeat, and nowadays the duck lives happily at Haultraugh.
The adaptation is faithful, but why make this before Escape? It's too bad the Small Engines weren't mentioned, but it makes sense since they weren't in the TV series at the time. Then again, it does make some sense since Oliver wasn't mentioned in the original story, but then again, even though some of this adaptation takes place on Thomas' branch line, it's still a well done adaptation. Also, clever pun, Wilbert! Donald's Duck: Donald Duck.
RWS/TV rating: 9.5/10.
74. Resource and Sagacity/Oliver Owns Up.
Adapted by: Britt Allcroft and David Mitton.
Aired: UK: 16 June 1992. AUS: 16 March 1993. US: 9 July 1993.
After Oliver was rescued, he and Isabel were repainted in Great Western colours, joined by another coach called Dulcie, who was also rescued, and started working on the Arlesburgh branch. The big engines are amazed at Oliver's adventures, and say approving things to him, making him proud and over-confident, but Oliver meets his match after a load of disgruntled ballast trucks push him into the turntable well. After Duck, Donald, Douglas, and the Fat Controller speak to him sternly, he is left feeling very silly.
Okay, the adaptation is not without its faults. Because the Arlesdale engines weren't made for TV at the time, it does affect the adaptation greatly. Also, the other problem is that the trucks weren't filled with ballast. In the adaptation, they're filled with coal. The only thing that overlaps these flaws is the ace accident.
RWS rating: 9/10.
TV rating: 8/10.
98. Toad Stands By.
Adapted by: Britt Allcroft and David Mitton.
Aired: US: 23 September 1995. UK: 10 November 1995. AUS: 17 May 1996.
When Oliver returns, the trucks, led by a wagon named S. C. Ruffey, make rude songs about him. The others try to get them to shut up, but no avail. Toad makes a plan and asks Douglas if he can share it with Oliver. Duck is apprehensive at first, but Oliver feels he must make things right, and so it is arranged. Oliver lines the worst trucks up, with guidance from Toad, and starts. Scruffey, who is at the front, tells the others to hold back, and they do, but Oliver is so determined he simply pulls Scruffey to pieces. Although the Fat Controller attributes it to Scruffey's poor design, he whispers to Oliver to keep it quiet. It's for a good reason, too, because the trucks are so afraid Oliver will pull them apart that they never trouble him again.
This episode should have been kept for Season 3. Because this story takes place after Oliver Owns Up. And there is another problem with this episode. When S.C.Ruffey was pulled apart, why was he repaired? The Spiteful Break Van was broken to pieces and stayed dead afterwards. Coming from an arrogant businesswoman who said The Missing Coach would confuse little kids. But all in all, this story does have the moral of bullies getting what's coming to them. Also, that ripping apart of S.C.Ruffey was well filmed.
RWS rating: 9/10.
TV rating: 8.5/10.
75. Bulgy.
Adapted by: Britt Allcroft and David Mitton.
Aired: UK: 23 June 1992. AUS: 17 March 1993. US: 9 April 1993.
It's Bank Holiday, and Duck meets a left-wing doubledecker bus who is determined to scrap all railways. Oliver tells Duck that he should not be taken seriously and nicknames him Bulgy, but is worried when Bulgy's friend arrives, leaving Bulgy to take their passengers with the promise of a faster way home and the lie that he accepts railway tickets. Duck is crossly puffing home when he is stopped by a bridge where Bulgy has wedged underneath. Duck carefully makes it across, and takes the passengers home. In the end, Bulgy stayed under the bridge until it was mended, but continued to lie, and eventually was turned into a henhouse.
Of all the adaptations of this book, this one is the least loose of them all. And let me tell you all why the homeward rush time being broad daylight isn't a problem. In springtime, especially in May for the Northern Hemisphere and November in the Southern Hemisphere, the sun doesn't go down until like 7:15 pm. Also, this episode is set during Bank Holiday. It's funny to see Bulgy the Double Decker Bus get stuck under the bridge, getting his comeuppance. Solid adaptation indeed.
RWS/TV rating: 9.5/10.
Final thoughts:
Indeed a superb book. It gives Oliver some character development, has a remix of Pop Goes the Diesel, and it gives us details on Duck's branch line. You know, since the Arlesdale engines are in CGi now, let's just hope one of the follow ups to The Adventure Begins is a readaptation of this book to get right a few things Britt didn't in the 1990s.
My rating: 9.3/10.
RWS scorecard:
8. Gordon the Big Engine: 9.2/10.
13. Duck and the Diesel Engine: 9.2/10.
18. Stepney the Bluebell Engine: 9/10.
21. Main Line Engines: 9.3/10.
23. Enterprising Engines: 9.9/10.
24. Oliver the Western Engine: 9.3/10.
25. Duke the Lost Engine: 9.8/10.
26. Tramway Engines: 9.8/10.
30. More About Thomas the Tank Engine: 8.8/10.
40. New Little Engine: 5.7/10.
Season 3 scorecard:
4. Gordon and the Famous Visitor: 9.5/10.
5. Donald's Duck: 9.5/10.
6. Thomas Gets Bumped: 10/10.
7. Thomas, Percy and the Dragon: 9.5/10.
8. Diesel Does it Again: 7/10.
9. Henry's Forest: 9.5/10.
10. The Trouble with Mud: 6/10.
13. Trust Thomas: 10/10.
14. Mavis: 9/10.
15. Toby's Tightrope: 9/10.
16. Edward, Trevor and the Really Useful Party: 8.5/10.
17. Buzz, Buzz: 9/10.
20. Tender Engines: 6/10.
21. Escape: 10/10.
22. Oliver Owns Up: 8/10.
23. Bulgy: 9.5/10.
26. Thomas and Percy's Christmas Adventure: 8.5/10*
Season 3 rating so far: 9.1/10.
Season 4 scorecard:
1. Granpuff: 8/10.
2. Sleeping Beauty: 6/10.
3. Bulldog: 8.5/10.
4. You Can't Win: 9/10.
15. Rusty to the Rescue: 5/10.
16. Thomas and Stepney: 5.5/10.
17. Bowled Out: 9.5/10.
18. Train Stops Play: 9/10.
20. Toad Stands By: 8.5/10.
23. Paint Pots and Queens: 9/10.
Season 4 rating so far: 8.1/10.
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