RWS No. 2: Thomas the Tank Engine

Time for me to review the very first book to feature the main star of the entire franchise, Thomas the Tank Engine.

Special thanks to Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia for the images

2. Thomas the Tank Engine.
Written by: The Rev. W. Awdry.

Published: 18 October 1946.

Time for me to delve into Thomas' first adventure ever. How does he start to see the world?

Foreword:
Dear Christopher,
Here is your friend Thomas the Tank Engine. He wanted to come out of his station yard and see the world. These stories tell you how he did it.

I hope you will like them because you helped me to make them.

Your Loving Daddy

1. Thomas and Gordon/Thomas Gets Tricked.

Adapted by: Britt Allcroft, David Mitton and Robert Cardona.
Aired: UK: 9 October 1984. AUS: 6 April 1987. US: 29 January 1989.

Thomas the station pilot surprises Gordon and Gordon, furious, wonders how to pay Thomas out. Next day, Thomas is late and forgets to get uncoupled after shunting Gordon's coaches. Gordon takes Thomas on a wild high-speed journey across Sodor. Thomas later resolves to never tease Gordon again.

Even if I feel Edward's Day Out should've been the series premiere, I still think this is a decent way to start the TV series. Thomas the Tank Engine getting his comeuppance for consistently waking Gordon the Big Engine from his sleep. All that effort that went into modelling all the sets just goes to show how capable the entire crew were in the early 1980s. It was a nice way to start the series nonetheless, teaching kids what comes around goes around.

RWS/TV rating: 10/10.

5. Thomas' Train/A Big Day for Thomas.
Adapted by: Britt Allcroft and David Mitton.
Aired: UK: 23 October 1984. AUS: 10 April 1987. US: 12 February 1989.

Henry is ill and Thomas is the only one available to take his train. Thomas, impatient, leaves too early and only stops when a signalman points out he is missing his coaches. Thomas goes back and is able to take the train that time, but is teased by the others for a long time afterwards.

This story and adaptation have a very good moral of being patient. With Thomas so eager to pull coaches, he goes off pretending to be like Gordon. That signalman was clever to realise that Thomas wasn't really pulling a train. Just goes to show that sometimes, we can be in such a rush, we're bound to leave something behind. 

RWS/TV rating: 9/10.

6. Thomas and the Trucks/Trouble for Thomas.
Adapted by: Britt Allcroft, David Mitton and Robert Cardona.
Aired: UK: 23 October 1984. AUS: 13 April 1987. US: 12 February 1989.

Thomas wants to see the world, but no one takes notice until Edward offers him to pull his train the next day. Thomas is excited but careless and the trucks push him down Gordon's Hill. Thomas manages to stop in time and the Fat Director tells him to start shunting trucks at Wellsworth.

This is another good story that shows we must be careful when it comes to doing jobs we're excited to do, because if we're not, things can turn for the worse like Thomas here, not knowing about how troublesome trucks can be. And our first instance of Thomas "Wanting to see the world". 

RWS/TV rating: 9.5/10.

7. Thomas and the Breakdown Train/Thomas Saves the Day.
Adapted by: Britt Allcroft and David Mitton.
Aired: UK: 30 October 1984. AUS: 14 April 1987. US: 19 February 1989.

Thomas is shunting when some trucks push James across the Island and into a field. Thomas comes to his rescue with the Breakdown Train and is rewarded with two coaches and his own branch line.

We at last get to see Thomas become a hero, and not pretending to be like Gordon, right where he saves James. Too bad James wasn't black in the original adaptation. Props to The Adventure Begins for making James black in that adaptation. Thomas finally gets something in return, a branch line. Just goes to show that good things will happen to you if you keep doing good things. 

RWS/TV rating: 9.5/10.

Stray observations:

Thomas was originally going to be an LNER J50 (a.k.a. GNR J23) according to the Rev. W. Awdry's model. Even if the Rev W. Awdry wasn't pleased with the illustrator making Thomas that, he was pleased that Thomas is a real locomotive, an LB&SCR E2. 

Final thoughts:

This book was a very interesting way to bring Thomas himself to life, showing what he did before "seeing the world" (something that kid who said "Thomas never goes anywhere" failed to see). Overall, a great way to show that Awdry's engines acted like children in their early years.

My rating: 9.5/10.

RWS scorecard:

1. The 3 Railway Engines: 9/10.

2. Thomas the Tank Engine: 9.5/10.

6. Henry the Green Engine: 9.2/10.

8. Gordon the Big Engine: 9.2/10.

10. 4 Little Engines: 9.5/10.

11. Percy the Small Engine: 9.7/10.

12. The 8 Famous Engines: 9.5/10.

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

14. The Little Old Engine: 9.6/10.

16. Branch Line Engines: 9.6/10.

17. Gallant Old Engine: 9.5/10.

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: 9.4/10.

Season 1 scorecard:

1. Thomas and Gordon: 10/10.

2. Edward and Gordon: 9.5/10.

3. The Sad Story of Henry: 9/10.

4. Edward, Gordon and Henry: 9/10.

5. Thomas' Train: 9/10.

6. Thomas and the Trucks: 9.5/10.

7. Thomas and the Breakdown Train: 9.5/10.

18. Coal: 9.5/10.

19. The Flying Kipper: 10/10.

20. Whistles and Sneezes: 9.5/10.

24. Off the Rails: 9.5/10.

25. Down the Mine: 9.5/10.

26. Thomas' Christmas Party: 9.5/10.

Season 1 rating so far: 9.4/10.