THESE ARE SOLEY MY OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE
DOWN THE MINE
Adapted for Television by
Britt Allcroft, David Mitton & Robert Cardona
Originally Written by
The Rev.W.Awdry
Air Date:
23/11/84
Plot:
At the Junction, Thomas was teasing Gordon about falling into a ditch, but later on he got his own back when he fell down a mine and guess who got him out?
PRO:
- The rescue scene and the music is just fantastic
- The episode did stick with the original text
CON:
- Thomas and Gordon met at the junction, not Lower Tidmouth, even though such a place never existed in the Railway Series books.
- The mines are located on Thomas' branch line not behind Knapford station.
- Why was there a hole when Thomas fell down when really the earth crumbled.
According to Series 1's editor Michael Dixon on SiF in 2011 and Britt Allcroft on an Australian radio interview via phone in 2009, 'Down the Mine' was the pilot episode. Although such a thing exist in this world it was never seen to the public, but fans are speculating whether this episode has scenes from the pilot episode such things like Thomas' running board to be a bit lower then his original and that Gordon has a different face, which can be seen on the Christopher Noulton interview on SiF.
Despite my cons for this episode, I have no problem with it. They are just a few nitpicks I have. First 'Lower Tidmouth', a place like that never existed in the Railway Series books. Where Thomas and Gordon really met is the junction in 'Gordon the Big Engine'. Second, why was Thomas going to the mines at the rear of Knapford station? The mines are located on his branch line, heck its even on the Reverend's maps. Which brings me to my final point about the mine. I know effects weren't that great in the 80's, but there was never a large gaping hole in the book. The earth crumbled due to Thomas' weight and then he fell down. But despite my nitpicking this episode is stuck with its Railway Series counterpart and the rescue, despite that it was only a second, with the music it was fantastic. Mike O' Donnell and Junior Campbell's music are just flawless.
Rating: 4.5/5
