RWS No. 10: 4 Little Engines

Time for me to review the first book to feature our favourite Narrow Gauge engines. The book that shows there are more than just standard gauge railways on Sodor.

(Special thanks to Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia for the images)

10. 4 Little Engines.

Written by: The Rev. W. Awdry.

Published: 1955.

Time to travel on the narrow gauge railway to see our favourite little engines for the first time in the franchise. How does it fair?

Foreword:

Dear Friends,

Sir Handel Brown is the owner of a little Railway which goes to Skarloey and Rheneas. Skarloey means "Lake in the Woods", and Rheneas means "Divided Waterfall". They are beautiful places, and lots of people visit them.

The Owner is very busy, so Mr. Peter Sam, the Thin Controller, manages the Railway.

The two Engines, who are called Skarloey and Rheneas, grew old and tired, so the owner bought two others.

The stories tell you what happened.

The Author

83. Skarloey Remembers/Four Little Engines. (Part 1)

Adapted by: Britt Allcroft and David Mitton.
Aired: UK: 20 October 1995. AUS: 26 April 1996. US: 14 October 1996.

Edward meets his old friend Skarloey, a narrow gauge engine. Skarloey talks to him about his friend, Rheneas, who is being repaired on the mainland, the two new engines, Sir Handel and Peter Sam, his coaches and his work, and when Edward goes to the workshops Skarloey dozes off in the sunshine.

This was a mighty fine way to introduce the wise old Skarloey, and it's nice that Edward knows the Skarloey Railway. It's nice that Skarloey remembers Rheneas being at the works. This would've been a lovely episode had it been adapted on its own, and I'll get to why later. 

My rating: 9.5/10.

84. Sir Handel/A Bad Day for Sir Handel.

Adapted by: Britt Allcroft and David Mitton.
Aired: UK: 23 October 1995. AUS: 29 April 1996. US: 28 October 1996.

The two new engines have arrived. Peter Sam is good natured, but Sir Handel is in a bad temper. The next morning he insults the furious coaches by calling them "cattle trucks", and they get vengeance by holding back on a hill. The Thin Controller scolds Sir Handel, and he behaves until he is sent to work at the quarry one day. He purposely derails himself, and when he is put back on the rails, he is sent to the shed in disgrace.

This is the perfect reason Skarloey Remembers and Old Faithful should've been adapted separately. If Skarloey was sent to the works to be mended in the previous episode, why was he present in this episode? All of this messes up continuity and confuses little kids, especially coming from a woman who said The Missing Coach would confuse little kids. With these errors, she did a fine job at that. However, it was a good conversation Sir Handel and Gordon had with each other, and another flaw was that Sir Handel didn't have his punishment shown. 

RWS rating: 9/10.
TV rating: 8/10.

85. Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady.
Adapted by: Britt Allcroft and David Mitton.
Aired: UK: 24 October 1995. AUS: 30 April 1996. US: 4 November 1996.

While Sir Handel is left in the shed, Peter Sam has to do all the work himself. One day he has so much fun getting ready that he is late, and Henry threatens that he will leave without Peter Sam's passengers if it happens again. Peter Sam is so worried that at the lake he starts off without the Refreshment Lady. She is rather miffed, but bursts out laughing when she hears Peter Sam's story, and explains that Henry was joking. Peter Sam is furious, but Henry has wisely left!

This is without a doubt the best adaptation of the book. It stuck completely with the story, and it even has a town making it seem more detailed than the book. Though I have to ask myself, why did Henry the Green Engine have Gordon the Big Engine's worried face in a couple of shots? But regardless, this was a solid adaptation. 

RWS/TV rating: 10/10.

Old Faithful. (Part 2 to Skarloey Remembers)

It is Market Day, and Peter Sam is away for maintenance, so Sir Handel has to take the coaches. They still do not trust him and when he has to stop suddenly they are bumped, so to pay him out they derail him at the points. Skarloey offers to take the train home, but a spring breaks and Skarloey tilts. Despite this, he braves the journey home, and the Owner sends him to be mended. Sir Handel then learns a lot from Skarloey about how to handle the coaches and hopes for him to come back soon.

This episode would've work better if the 2 stories were separated from each other. The coaches were angry at Sir Handel because he bumped them, and there was no scene of him bumping them! And we didn't get to see the flashback due to the timing constraints. This is further going to confuse little kids. However, this episode will get props for making Skarloey crooked, just like the book, and regardless, he was willing to finish the journey. How's that for determination?

RWS rating: 9.5/10.

TV rating: 9/10.

Observation:

Before this book was published, Reverend Awdry was a guard on the Talyllyn Railway himself, and Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady was based on an event where a train started off, all because of Reverend Awdry, and the passenger the train left behind was the mother-in-law of the driver. 

Also, this was the first book since his introduction that doesn't feature Thomas at all. 

Final thoughts:

This was a very nice debut of the Skarloey Railway team. Too bad they barely got any screen time ever since the CGi switchover. This book was very solid and it opened new ideas for the railway based on the real life Talyllyn Railway. 

My rating: 9.5/10.

RWS scorecard:

6. Henry the Green Engine:

8. Gordon the Big Engine: 9.2/10.

10. 4 Little Engines: 9.5/10.

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.

27. Really Useful Engines: 9.2/10.

30. More About Thomas the Tank Engine: 8.8/10.

40. New Little Engine: 5.7/10.

RWS rating so far: 9.3/10.

Season 4 scorecard:

1. Granpuff: 8/10.

2. Sleeping Beauty: 6/10.

3. Bulldog: 8.5/10.

4. You Can't Win: 9/10.

5. 4 Little Engines: 9/10.

6. A Bad Day for Sir Handel: 8/10.
7. Peter Sam and the Refreshment Lady: 10/10.

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.
21. Bulls Eyes: 8.5/10.

23. Paint Pots and Queens: 9/10.

24. Fish: 10/10.

26. Mind That Bike: 5/10.

Season 4 rating so far: 8.4/10.