RWS No. 3: James the Red Engine

Another Railway Series review coming your way!

Special thanks to Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia for the images.

3. James the Red Engine.
Written by: Rev W. Awdry.
Published: September 1948.

Reverend Awdry claimed this book was his least favourite. Do I agree with him?

Foreword:

Dear friends of Edward, Gordon, Henry and Thomas,

Thank you for your kind letters. Here is the new book for which you asked.

James, who crashed in the story of Thomas the Tank Engine, settles down and becomes a Useful Engine.

We are nationalised now, but the same engines still work the Region. I am glad, too, to tell you that the Fat Director, who understands our friends' ways, is still in charge, but is now the Fat Controller.

I hope you will enjoy this book, too.

The Author

8. James and the Top Hat/James and the Coaches/James Learns a Lesson (Part 1)
Adapted by: Britt Allcroft, David Mitton and Robert Cardona.
Aired: UK: 30 October 1984. AUS: 15 April 1987. US: 19 February 1984.

James has recovered from his accident and now has a new coat of red paint. He starts learning how to pull passenger trains with Edward. At the platform, he accidentally showers water over the Fat Controller's new top-hat and then, afraid of the consequences, starts off suddenly. During the run, he almost forgets to drop off his passengers and to top everything off he disturbs an old lady with his hiccups after hearing about the time Edward had to help Gordon up the hill. That night, James is scared of what the Fat Controller will say.

Yep, this story is among the weakest stories of the Railway Series. James felt rather impatient, and he made a silly mistake with the woman who dropped her parcels. Just goes to show what happens when you get too big-headed. 

My rating: 6/10.

James and the Bootlace (Part 2)

James is grumpy after being threatened by blue paint and having to fetch his own coaches. It takes the biscuit when no one comes near him at the platform and James is so determined to pay everyone out that he does not take care with his coaches and causes a leak in the brake-pipe. The crew determines that they need newspaper and leather bootlaces to fix it until they get home and after a great amount of persuasion, a man named Jeremiah Jobling hands his bootlaces over and the train manages to get home.

In my honest opinion, I think it made much more sense to adapt these 2 stories together into one episode. Especially considering how short the original stories were. Otherwise, Fat Controller would've threatened to paint James blue for no reason and it'd feel like filler. 

RWS rating: 7/10.

TV rating: 8.5/10.

9. Troublesome Trucks/Foolish Freight Cars.

Adapted by: Britt Allcroft, David Mitton and Robert Cardona.
Aired: UK: 6 November 1984. AUS: 16 April 1987. US: 26 February 1989.

James is shut up for several days for his bad behaviour, but when the Fat Controller comes to see him, James apologises and is let out to take a goods train. The trucks play tricks on James and break away on Gordon's Hill, but James tries again and with some support from Edward, gets the train to Killdane. The Fat Controller is pleased and allows James to keep his red paint.

This is a well done adaptation, even if the train wasn't more than 10 trucks. But oh well, the show was in its early stages. You can't expect perfection all the time, can you? It was nice of Fat Controller to let James keep his red coat after all. 

RWS/TV rating: 9/10.

10. James and the Express/A Proud Day for James.
Adapted by: Britt Allcroft and David Mitton.
Aired: UK: 6 November 1984. AUS: 17 April 1987. US: 26 February 1989.

Gordon brags that he knows the right line by "instinct", but is proven wrong when he is switched off the Main Line onto the loop. The Fat Controller asks James to take the Express and after a successful run and the promise of being allowed to take the Express, James returns to see Gordon shunting. The two become friends and Gordon refrains from teasing James about the bootlace incident.

There is no doubt this is a well done story. James being allowed to pull the express after Gordon's incident with his way being lost for him. Those shots of James pulling the express show how capable they were in the first half of the 1980s. Good to see Gordon shunting trucks for a change.

RWS/TV rating: 10/10.

Final thoughts:

I respectfully disagree with the Rev W. Awdry about this book. Sure it's weaker than the other books he'd written, but it's still a bearable read. At least James got a book to himself in the 1940s, huh?

My rating: 8/10.

RWS scorecard:

1. The 3 Railway Engines: 9/10.

2. Thomas the Tank Engine: 9.5/10.

3. James the Red Engine: 8/10.

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.

8. James and the Coaches: 8.5/10.

9. Troublesome Trucks: 9/10.

10. James and the Express: 10/10.

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.