RWS No. 22: Small Railway Engines

Now's my time to review the first book to feature our favourite little engines, 3 little engines who should never be overlooked. That is Small Railway Engines. Now that almost the entirety of this book has been adapted for TV, I can finally do some reviews on Season 20.

22. Small Railway Engines.
Written by: The Reverend W. Awdry.
Illustrated by: Peter and Gunvor Edwards.
Published: 1967.

Now, I am going to see for myself how well our favourite miniature engines were introduced. Were they introduced well?

Foreword:

Dear Friends,
Some leadmines up in the hills have long been closed, but their waste-heaps still spoil a lovely valley.
The Fat Controller has now found that this waste is good weed-killing railway ballast. He talked to the Owner and the Thin Controller of the Skarloey Railway, and other important people. They "went shares" and built a Small Railway to fetch it away.
The Small Engines are managed by a Controller. They call him the Small Controller; but that is only in fun. He is bigger than either of the others!
The Author

Ballast

New ballast is being laid in the trackbed. Donald and Douglas bring it from a line that starts at Tidmouth, and all they will say is "verra wee engines" bring it down from the hills. Duck is curious and asks to take some trucks along the line. There, he meets a small green engine called Rex, who tells him about the "chute" that loads his trucks. The next time Duck visits, Rex introduces him to two other engines, Bert and Mike. When Duck discovers that they don't have any passengers yet, he leaves, promising to bring some for them.

This sure was a nice way of introducing our favourite little engines we all know as Mike, Rex and Bert. Funny how Donald and Douglas believe they are magic. Too bad this wasn't adapted for TV, but props to Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure for giving Marion the belief that these 3 engines are magical. Also, it was a great way to teach kids who want to be railway enthusiasts that ballast gets spread to kill weeds. As for the Ballast Spreader....well, I'll discuss that when I'm finished reviewing these stories.

My rating: 9.5/10.

Tit for Tat.
Adapted by: Andrew Brenner.
Aired: CAN: 23 January 2017.

Bert's driver tells the engines that two clergymen are coming to take pictures of them and put them in a book. Bert thinks he will be physically stuck in a book, and is apprehensive, but cheers up when he meets them. However, he gets cross again when they don't wave at him while taking pictures, and the final straw is when they accidentally drench him with muddy water when they pass him in their car. Bert plans revenge, and at a hilly part he creates steam, soaking his driver and the Fat Clergyman, who was riding in the cab. But later, after both parties make up, Bert tells the others they will be in the book along with him.

For the first Railway Series adaptation in over 20 years, this was a very faithful one with a few additions. It did start with the proper TV introduction of the Fat and Thin Clergymen. And I've got to give props to Rob Rackstraw for doing a well done voice for the creator of Thomas himself. Sounds like Sir Robert Norramby. This adaptation in CGi just goes to show there are some things you can't do with models. However, the detail in the CGi for this feels as though they've gone back to using models. Funny how they mentioned both the books and the TV Series. And also, that mud on Bert looked very nice.

RWS/TV rating: 10/10.

Mike's Whistle
Adapted by: Andrew Brenner.
Aired: CAN: 23 January 2017.

Duck's whistle is faulty after his crew used his fire to cook eggs, and Mike makes fun of him, saying "engines without whistles aren't engines at all". The others tease Mike about his whistle, and when he blows off steam he is chosen to take the passenger train. Mike is furious and is in a bad temper all day. When a cow strays onto the line, Mike tries to 'shoo' her away by whistling, but all that happens is that his whistle shoots off into the sky. Everyone tries looking for it, but to no avail, and they have to make the whistling noises for him. Mike is sent to work at the quarry for the rest of the day, and to top it off Bert and Rex tease him again in the shed.

This is the loosest of the adaptations. The plus sides are Duck's whistle having boiled his driver and fireman's eggs, and it was funny when the cow licked Mike after his whistle had blown off, but the major downside? Thomas was shoehorned in this. I mean Thomas wasn't in the original story, yet he was put here just to please the soccermums. But despite this, the adaptation was still a nice one.

RWS Rating: 10/10.
TV rating: 9.5/10.



Useful Railway
Adapted by: Andrew Brenner.
Aired: CAN: 30 January 2017.

After an encounter with a flock of sheep, Mike calls them silly and can't understand why Rex calls them useful. The Small Controller arrives and tells them they are now arranging to take wool trains for the local farmers. Rex is chosen to take the first train. Rex is over-confident, but gets his comeuppance when a tractor's load spills onto the line, derailing him. Bert and Mike tease him, but say sorry when they come to take him home, and the Small Controller tells them their railway is more popular than ever.

Another well done adaptation. Funny thing about it was the slow motion effect of Rex having his accident. And I guess Willie has a West Country accent just like the 3 Arlesdale Engines. And it was well done of Jam Filled animating Mike and Bert helping Rex. Further shows all railways are useful no matter what size they are, especially with that ditty of Never Overlook a Little Engine. However, the only minor problem is, yet again, Thomas.

RWS rating: 10/10.
TV rating: 9.5/10.

Observations:



Look at the image I chose for reviewing Ballast. I mean look at the Ballast Spreader's design. What's he supposed to be based on? And they say Lady and Thumper don't have a real basis.

Final thoughts:

This was a well written way to introduce the Arlesdale Engines. And kudos to Jam Filled for animating the adaptations for 3 of these stories. We learn that Mike is similar to James except for one thing, Mike likes pulling trucks over coaches. Rex has a sense of humour and loves teasing Mike, and Bert is friendly and hates when his railway is overlooked and looked down upon by bigger railways.

But as for the adaptations, I think Mike's Whistle and Useful Railway would've been completely faithful if Thomas wasn't shoehorned. And to any of you soccermums reading this, realise that there's more to this franchise than just Thomas! Lighten up for crying out loud! And Mattel and Jam-Filled, if you're reading this, don't use Thomas in places where he isn't needed, and stop bowing down to peer pressure.

That's enough of that. This is another book that's worth reading.

My rating: 9.8/10.

RWS scorecard:

6. Henry the Green Engine:

8. Gordon the Big Engine: 9.2/10.
11. Percy the Small Engine: 9.7/10.

13. Duck and the Diesel Engine: 9.2/10.

16. Branch Line Engines: 9.6/10.

18. Stepney the Bluebell Engine: 9/10.

21. Main Line Engines: 9.3/10.

22. Small Railway Engines: 9.8/10.

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.

RWS rating so far: 9.4/10.

Season 20 scorecard:
25: Tit for Tat: 10/10.

26. Mike's Whistle: 9.5/10.

27. Useful Railway: 9.5/10.

Season 20 rating so far: 9.7/10.