Special thanks to Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia for the images
35. Thomas and the Great Railway Show.
Written by: Christopher Awdry.
Illustrated by: Clive Spong.
Published: 12 August 1991.
Published: 12 August 1991.
Let's see what famous locomotives await Thomas at York.
Foreword:
Dear Friends,
Henry, Gordon and James have been grumpy lately. They were jealous because Thomas had been asked to visit the National Railway Museum in York. The Fat Controller was afraid that they would go on strike, but they didn't.
"If Thomas wants to be a museum-piece", they said to each other, "what's that to do with us?"
Meanwhile Thomas was enjoying himself. I hope you will enjoy reading about how he did so.
The Author
Museum Piece.
Gordon, Henry and James are furious to discover Thomas has been chosen to represent the North Western Railway at a railway show in York, but Thomas is delighted and at last leaves Sodor to travel to the Mainland. However, his run is soon cut short when the lock on a crossing gate breaks and the wind blows it across the track; Thomas is unable to stop in time and crashes into the gate, damaging his front and making him unable to continue by rail.
This story had a very nice nod to the TV series, especially considering Season 3 was in the works while this book was in publication. But the puzzling thing about this story is the text said it was raining, but there was no rain in sight. And also, how is it that Thomas can run all the way from Sodor to York without stopping for water? I mean in The Fat Controller's Engines, Toby and Percy were on wellwagons when taken to the big city. It's a solid story, but the headscratchers let it down. But even so, if they did get another engine to take Thomas to York, the next story would've been pointless.
My rating: 8/10.
Not the Ticket.
A lorry is arranged to take Thomas to York and although he is mortified, he cannot complain when he gets to travel through the countryside from a different point of view. However, the lorry driver does not know the way to the National Railway Museum and after parking the lorry in the wrong place to find a telephone, a traffic warden gives the disgruntled lorry driver a parking ticket.
This story got right what the previous story didn't. Rain in the first illustration. Strange the lorry driver didn't know where the NRM was. Though Thomas the Tank Engine's nightmare did give me a good laugh.
This story got right what the previous story didn't. Rain in the first illustration. Strange the lorry driver didn't know where the NRM was. Though Thomas the Tank Engine's nightmare did give me a good laugh.
My rating: 7.5/10.
Trouble on the Line.
The damage to Thomas' bufferbeam is fixed in the museum's workshop, where Thomas befriends a kindly engine named "Green Arrow". Thomas is later put onto a special line with barriers put up beside. The first day goes without a problem, but near closing time the next day a bag is thrown onto the line and when Thomas brakes to avoid hitting it, a child is frightened by the steam and his furious mother leaves to complain to the manager. Thomas is upset, more so when it is found his brakes are damaged from the collision, but his crew are happy that the crowds may have learnt a lesson from the incident - engines cannot stop at once.
Originally, Christopher intended to have this story reflect heavily on crowd control, which would've taught kids something about railway safety, but for reasons unknown, Kaye and Ward watered it down. Since the publishers watered down the railway safety, it's a point subtraction. But it does show that locomotives can't stop at once, something most of the CGi series fails to do.
Originally, Christopher intended to have this story reflect heavily on crowd control, which would've taught kids something about railway safety, but for reasons unknown, Kaye and Ward watered it down. Since the publishers watered down the railway safety, it's a point subtraction. But it does show that locomotives can't stop at once, something most of the CGi series fails to do.
My rating: 9/10.
Thomas and the Railtour.
A special railtour is going to the seaside and Thomas is delighted when Green Arrow is chosen to pull the trains. When Green Arrow comes back he tells the others of the amount of visitors and as extra trains are an impossibility, extra coaches are added and Thomas is allowed to double-head the train. On the return run, Thomas sees the ground ahead has been eroded by a nearby river and warns Green Arrow to stop. Buses take the passengers home, but Thomas and Green Arrow are able to make it across the rails safely. When the Fat Controller comes to visit a few days later, he and the museum director present Thomas with a special plaque and make him an honorary member of the National Railway Museum.
This is a great story overall, what with Thomas and Green Arrow pulling a train, there are some geographical errors along the way. But even so, the way Thomas and Green Arrow took a different track on the way passed the eroded rail was very creative and thoughtful.
This is a great story overall, what with Thomas and Green Arrow pulling a train, there are some geographical errors along the way. But even so, the way Thomas and Green Arrow took a different track on the way passed the eroded rail was very creative and thoughtful.
My rating: 9.5/10.
Stray observation:
Thomas' driver mentioned that people have seen Thomas on television. It was obvious he was referring to Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, the show that's based these books.
There was a good reference to the Flying Scotsman and the City of Truro. I wonder if this book predicted the future? How those 2 engines would go to the NRM.
Final thoughts:
This book is good as it is, though one of its stories was a bit weak, but I digress. We see more famous British Railway engines and we get to see Thomas travel to the mainland on his own. I'll take this over The Great Race any day.
My rating: 8.5/10.
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.
15. The Twin Engines: 9.3/10.
16. Branch Line Engines: 9.6/10.
17. Gallant Old Engine: 9.5/10.
18. Stepney the Bluebell Engine: 9/10.
19. Mountain Engines: 9.3/10.
20. Very Old Engines: 9.1/10.
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.
28. James and the Diesel Engines: 7.8/10.
29. Great Little Engines: 8.9/10.
30. More About Thomas the Tank Engine: 8.8/10.
31. Gordon the High-Speed Engine: 9.1/10.
32. Toby, Trucks and Trouble: 9.1/10.
33. Thomas and the Twins: 9.4/10.
34. Jock the New Engine: 8.3/10.
35. Thomas and the Great Railway Show: 8.5/10.
40. New Little Engine: 5.7/10.
RWS rating so far: 9.1/10.
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