RWS No. 9: Edward the Blue Engine

Here comes another review on the Railway Series. One dedicated to everyone's favourite member of the "Steam Team".

Special thanks to Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia for the images

9. Edward the Blue Engine.
Written by: The Red. W. Awdry.

Illustrated by: Clarence Reginald Dalby.

Published: 1954.

Time for me to review the first and only book dedicated to Edward. Does he get the praise he deserves?

Foreword:

Dear Friends,

I think most of you are fond of Edward. His Driver and Fireman, Charlie Sand and Sidney Hever, are fond of him, too. They were very pleased when they knew I was giving Edward a book all to himself.

Edward is old, and some of the other engines were rude about the clanking noise he made as he did his work.

They aren't rude now! These stories tell you why.

The Author 

28. Cows/A Cow on the Line.
Adapted by: Britt Allcroft, David Mitton and Robert Cardona.
Aired: UK: 24 September 1986. AUS: 19 April 1988. US: 16 April 1989.

Edward is pulling cattle trucks when some disgruntled cows run into the train and break a coupling. Edward does not realise until he gets home, causing Gordon and Henry to laugh at him. Gordon is pulling the express the next day when he is stopped by a cow on the Viaduct. Henry, both crews and the passengers try to move her, but to no avail. Henry's guard goes for help and a porter leads the cow's calf to the bridge to lure her away. Edward soon finds out and makes fun of the big engines.

While the adaptation is faithful to its source material for the most part, the ways it wasn't faithful were Henry reversing back to the station and Percy bringing Bluebell's calf to the bridge. Not a bad adaptation, though it could've been better if the entire crew brought the calf instead of Percy. But I don't mind that Edward wasn't pulling 20 cattle vans in the adaptation, especially considering how dear it would've been.

RWS rating: 9/10.

TV rating: 8.5/10.

29. Bertie's Chase.
Adapted by: Britt Allcroft, David Mitton and Robert Cardona.
Aired: UK: 1 October 1986. AUS: 20 April 1988. US: 29 November 1991.

Thomas is late but Edward starts anyway. Bertie arrives with Thomas' passengers just as he leaves - Thomas' fireman was ill - and, seeing he has left, chases him to Crosby, but misses him there too. Bertie's driver and the stationmaster make a plan, and they finally catch up with him at Wellsworth, where Bertie explains the whole story to Edward. Edward apologises and leaves.

There is no doubt this is a solid adaptation, although Thomas wasn't at the end of the original story, but even so, it was nice of Thomas to thank Bertie at the end. I also love the shot of Bertie the Bus going down the hill at a tremendous rate. Always stuck out to me as a kid. 

RWS/TV rating: 9/10.

30. Saved From Scrap.
Adapted by: Britt Allcroft, David Mitton and Robert Cardona.
Aired: UK: 1 October 1986. AUS: 21 April 1988. US: 11 June 1989.

Edward meets a traction engine named Trevor who is due to be scrapped next week. Edward decides to find a home for Trevor, and when he sees the Vicar, he persuades him to buy Trevor. The Vicar goes to the scrapyard, and, after seeing Trevor prove his worthfulness, buys him, and Trevor goes to live in the Vicarage Orchard.

There is no doubt this is a solid adaptation, I don't mind that Thomas was at the beginning since he was there to tease Edward with "You're not that old!", even if he was shoehorned, it didn't feel like he was shoehorned. And it proves that Edward is a hero when it comes to saving Trevor from scrap. And no, I don't think Trevor is a paedophile just because he says "I like children." I mean how can he like children in that fashion? 

RWS/TV rating: 9.5/10.

31. Old Iron.
Adapted by: Britt Allcroft, David Mitton and Robert Cardona.
Aired: UK: 8 October 1986. AUS: 22 April 1988. US: 16 April 1989.

Edward is late. James gets cross and calls him "old iron". The next day, James' driver is ill, and while his fireman gets a "relief", two boys wander into the cab and start James. Edward chases after him and after a long chase, an inspector manages to hook James with a length of rope, and James' fireman checks his speed. The Fat Controller sends Edward to the Works, the boys are caught by the police, and disciplined, and James' driver recovers in hospital.

Definitely another of Edward's best roles in the series. The first story that proves he really is a hero. Here, James teases him for being "Old iron", but it turns out this so-called Old Iron saved James from a runaway. We could've had Edward return from the works at the end, but I guess you can't have it all. 

RWS/TV rating: 10/10.

Stray observations:

In Bertie's Chase, Bertie the Bus has a licence plate that says "CRD54" referencing Clarence Reginald Dalby and the year this book was published. 

In one illustration of Cows, Gordon the Big Engine is missing his steam pipes. And they blame Jam-Filled for animation errors. 

Final thoughts:

This book is fantastic overall. It gives out the right reasons to love Edward as a character, especially when he proves himself to be the saviour of Trevor and James. Saving the former from scrap and the latter from a runaway after he was boastful. Well, another book worthy of reading. 

My rating: 9.3/10.

RWS scorecard:

1. The 3 Railway Engines: 9/10.

2. Thomas the Tank Engine: 9.5/10.

3. James the Red Engine: 8/10.

4. Tank Engine Thomas Again: 9.9/10.

5. Troublesome Engines: 9.1/10.

6. Henry the Green Engine: 9.2/10.

7. Toby the Tram Engine: 9.2/10.

8. Gordon the Big Engine: 9.2/10.
9. Edward the Blue Engine: 9.3/10.

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 2 scorecard:

1. Thomas, Percy and the Coal: 6.5/10.

2. Cows: 8.5/10.

3. Bertie's Chase: 9/10.

4. Saved from Scrap: 9.5/10.

5. Old Iron: 10/10.

6. Thomas and Trevor: 9/10.

7. Percy and the Signal: 9.5/10.

8. Duck Takes Charge: 9/10.

9. Percy and Harold: 10/10.

10. The Runaway: 9/10.

11. Percy Takes the Plunge: 8.5/10.

12. Pop Goes the Diesel: 9/10.

13. Dirty Work: 8.5/10.

14. A Close Shave: 9.5/10.

15. Better Late Than Never: 9/10.

18. Thomas Comes to Breakfast: 10/10.

19. Daisy: 9.5/10.

20. Percy's Predicament: 8.5/10.

21. The Diseasel: 10/10.

22. Wrong Road: 9/10.

23. Edward's Exploit: 10/10.

24. Ghost Train: 10/10.

25. Woolly Bear: 9.5/10.

26. Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree: 9.5/10.

Season 2 rating so far: 9.2/10.