Hey there, after taking a trip down memory lane I decided to see if there were any modern format videos of the original seasons of the series, only to find out that the only compilations available use the narration for the UK audiences, I'm wondering if there is a source for Ringo's Americanized dub as well as what George Carlin did, as the first four seasons are what I remember from my childhood, and listening to the UK narration just doesn't sound right after listening to how it was worded in the US all those years ago.
Probably your best bet is to atttend a big, and I mean BIG train show. something akin to one of the Greenberg shows or "World's Greatest Hobby On Tour" shows. Quite a few "Thomas" specialists exhibit at those shows.
Got a funny "Thomas" tale...
In 1992 Lady Firestorm and I were at a family gathering at her sister's house. There I was with Lady F's brother Mister Grumpy watching "Thomas The Tank Engine" on "Shining Time Station" with our then three year old niece. Hey, we're railfans and modelers, so you get your rail fix anyway you can, right?
Imagine the sight of two mature men with a three year old between them watching "Thomas"! Mr. Grumpy's reaction? "Harumph! Too much 'Station', not enough 'Thomas!'"
The "Live" Thomas the Tank shows have introduced the fascination of trains to a whole new and younger crowd who thoroughly enjoy the spectacle of something much larger than the Lionel train circling the Christmas tree.
I saw a few of the TV "Shining Time Station Show' with George Carlin ( I was a "fan" of his style and enjoyed his shows for the kids. My younger Brother used to relate to me the experiences of the traveling show that would come to the NC Transportation Museum at Spencer each year. HIs lodge provided a food tent for the crowds at that venue, and apparently those shows were very well received in the 'shorter crowd'
Some of us 'seasoned citizens' managed to live through a time when Mainline Steam was campaigned around the country for our generations to enjoy. " Day out with Thomas" suffices with the current generations.
I wonder how many railroaders became such due in no small part to Thomas?
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
zugmann I wonder how many railroaders became such due in no small part to Thomas?
Well, I remember "Classic Toys Trains" discussing "Thomas" years ago. "Get ready for the next generation of railfans and modelers, 'Thomas The Tank Engine' is going to deliver them!"
By the way, I wonder how many parents were ready to leap across the room to cover their kid's ears when George Carlin started hosting "Thomas"? You know, "Seven words you can't say on TV" and all?
They needn't have worried though, George was cool. He did know about "a time and a place for everything."
Alas, it's my understanding that the folks controlling Thomas are pricing themselves out of the market with outrageous licensing fees.
It's too bad when people get greedy...
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
I'm no fan of the current CGI Thomas shows, though.
I think part of the appeal of Thomas was that it did look like a giant layout, and kids had to *gasp* use their imaginations a bit. Thomas talked without his mouth moving. So did the characters. But yet, I know when I was a kid, it didn't bother me. In a weird sense it made Thomas seem more real, since, you know, real engines don't have mouths that move.
In a strange parallel, a remote-controlled engine will talk back to you. But it doesn't move its mouth, either.
My first exposure to the series was with shining time station, another thing that doesn't seem to have made it to a modern format. I have seen clips of the CGI version of the show in stores, I like how it looks much better using the models from the earlier seasons. Did you know everything on the show in the early days was retooled marklin models?
Also, my very first trainset was Brio, the thomas compatible stuff didn't exist when I was first starting my collection of their wooden railroad system, thomas came later, and I even have several pieces from the first few runs, all wood with the exception of metal axles and plastic wheels.
If anyone can find a source for both Shining Time Station and the first four seasons with the US narration I would be grateful. Fun fact: Season 4 was the last season to heavily derive it's episodes from the reverend's railway series.
With steam still controlling most main lines, and the remainging New York streetcars serving as my giant electric train set, plus first an O=Gauge Lionel Yankee Flyer set and the an American Flyer HO Hudson-with shortened NYNH&H cars, I didn't need TTTE. If Thomas is getting to expensive, what about those real tank 0-4-0T enginers that can easily visit your local trolley and railroad museums and that written up in TRAINS about 14 months ago?
The original (non-CGI) Thomas episodes looked to use a smaller size model earlier on. Then it went to a larger gauge, it seems. Something like HO vs. G, it looked like.
But looking back, there were a lot of RVDs on that show. Sir Topham Hat must have had to fill out a lot of reports.
Not quite sure what you mean by RVDs. According to online sources, the original models were 1 scale, when they introduced the narrow gauge stuff they decided to scale up the standard gauge instead of using 1n2 (the narrow gauge depicted is the same type used in whales at 24 inches).
ExP_Razor Not quite sure what you mean by RVDs. According to online sources, the original models were 1 scale, when they introduced the narrow gauge stuff they decided to scale up the standard gauge instead of using 1n2 (the narrow gauge depicted is the same type used in whales at 24 inches).
RVD = rule violation derailment.
Since "Shining Time Station with Thomas the Tank Engine" was a PBS show you might find DVD's available through them.
daveklepper With steam still controlling most main lines, and the remainging New York streetcars serving as my giant electric train set, plus first an O=Gauge Lionel Yankee Flyer set and the an American Flyer HO Hudson-with shortened NYNH&H cars, I didn't need TTTE. If Thomas is getting to expensive, what about those real tank 0-4-0T enginers that can easily visit your local trolley and railroad museums and that written up in TRAINS about 14 months ago?
Hi Dave! And remember, you had that BIG Pennsy S-1 an the '39 Worlds Fair your poor parents had a hard time dragging you away from!
Wayne
Pardon the "to expensive," Should be "too expensive," obviously.
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