S1 Ep.11: Thomas and The Guard

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OWN OPINION AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

THOMAS AND THE GUARD

Adapted for Television by

Britt Allcroft, David Mitton & Robert Cardona

Originally written by

The Rev.W.Awdry

Air Date:

9/10/84

Plot:

Thomas enjoys his new life on his branch line and he thought it was the most 'important' part of the whole railway. One day, Thomas and his two faithful coaches, Annie and Clarabel had to wait for Henry's train. When he arrived, Thomas left the station to make up lost time and with that he left his guard behind!

PRO:

- The relationship that Thomas has with Annie and Clarabel

- We're given a tour of the Ffarquhar branch line.

CON:

- Elsbridge is not the junction in the RWS, that is Knapford Junction.

The censors in this episode weren't as up tight as it was back in those days. No there was no swearing in this episode, this is to people who are new to Thomas. The one con I have with this episode is why is Elsbridge the junction for Thomas' branch line? In the Railway Series its Knapford Junction. Elsbridge would have to be a country station in the Railway Series as there are no main line tracks leading to the station. However, the Ffarquhar branch line is a really good set, shame that we never get to see this branch line again in the newer episodes as many engines don't have a specific line or job to do. 

But what I also like is Thomas' relationship with Annie and Clarabel, even in many other episodes of the classic era like 'Emily's New Coaches' and even in 'The Great Discovery' in the new series era or any episode, you can see the affection he has with the coaches. When Emily took the coaches, Thomas was mad and when Stanley took the coaches, Thomas was sad that Annie and Clarabel like him and didn't notice Thomas. The episode also shows the connection between a crew member and carriage with Clarabel was sad that Thomas left her guard behind. 

Rating: 4/5 

S1 Ep. 10: James and The Express

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OWN OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

JAMES AND THE EXPRESS

Adapted for Television by

Britt Allcroft, David Mitton & Robert Cardona

Originally Written by

The Rev.W.Awdry

Air Date:

7/09/84

Plot:

Although the Fat Controller is thinking well of James he was still being teased by Gordon and Henry.

The next day, Gordon went much to fast, that he ended up on the loop and he had be turned back towards the big station, much to the passenger's dismay. The Fat Controller offered James the job to pull the express and it was a success and in the end, Gordon, who was shunting trucks in the yard appreciate the quiet work.

PRO:

- Gordon showing much appreciation with shunting.

- The mention of signalman having an important duty. 

CON:
N/A

Gordon's appreciation of shunting and hauling trucks show the maturity he's getting like in the Railway Series. In the other books, you never see Gordon bad mouthing hauling trucks, minus that he hated pulling them in 'Gordon the Big Engine' because of his bad mood about not pulling coaches and that there is the mention of signalman about knowing the right lines and not the engines knowing the right lines unlike the recent series of Thomas. 

There are no cons to me in this episode. It was filmed and made well. 

Rating: 4/5

S1 Ep. 9: Troublesome Trucks

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OWN OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

TROUBLESOME TRUCKS

Adapted for Television by

Britt Allcroft, David Mitton & Robert Cardona

Originally Written by 

The Rev.W.Awdry

Air Date:

2/10/84

Plot:

After having his accident with the coaches, the Fat Controller sent James to the sheds. He had not seen him for several days and he was feeling bad for what he have done. The Fat Controller decided to give him another chance and he gave him the job to take the troublesome trucks. James was rough with the trucks and they decided to pay him out. First, one's brakes went hot and then they broke a coupling up at Gordon's Hill. After James making the trucks behave, the Fat Controller praised James. 

PRO:

- Like in the books, I really like how the engines have tears. It shows that they do have a personality. 

- I love how the the trucks just snapped off and rolled down the hill without a hand touching it.

CON:

- Why was Thomas shunting trucks? He's suppose to be on his branch line.

This is one of those episodes that actually makes you feel sorry for an engine and its amazing to see James with tears coming down from his face, like in the RWS book. But what I really like about this episode is how half of the trucks were snapped off and rolled down the hill without a hand or a string to be seen, well done to David for that clever editing. But yes, why was Thomas seen shunting in the yards for James' train. Thomas, at this time is on his branch line. But since that the show was in its early stages, I guess they didn't have enough money to build another engine. They could've used the Marklian model. 

But this episode shows determination of why James want to impress the Fat Controller to become a really useful engine.

Rating: 4.5/5 

S1 Ep.8: James and The Coaches

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OWN OPINON AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

JAMES AND THE COACHES

Adapted for Television by

Britt Allcroft, David Mitton & Robert Cardona

Originally Written by

The Rev.W.Awdry

Air Date:

25/09/84

Plot:

James first arrived when Thomas was sent out to rescue him after a crash with the trucks in the previous episode.  He's now setting his life nicely on the island, but he still has a lot to learn. One day, he was helping Edward with some coaches. Edward told James not to bump them, but James being careless and it ended up having a puddle of water on the Fat Controller's nice new top hat. After that, James was cross and he was to take some coaches on his own. With him bumping them, he caused a hole in the brake and ended up with a pad of newspaper and a shoelace. 

PRO:

- After many episodes of James having a cameo since the first episode, we finally get to know who he (James) is.

CON:

- Why were Annie and Clarabel part of James' train? 

- With the length of the train there seem to be not enough passengers as there was in the story, 'James and The Coaches' in the RWS book.

Shame that you never get to see a double header in the series, nowadays, minus 'Hero of The Rails'. This is another episode merged with two stories from the Railway Series, 'James and The Top Hat' and 'James and The Coaches'. Its a shame that they never filmed the two engine snorting up Gordon's Hill, like in the book. But there are two flaws with the episodes. 

Annie and Clarabel? Why are they part of James' train? They were seen earlier with Thomas at the junction, I know it was the next day, but Annie and Clarabel are suppose to be with Thomas the next day and with the length of the train and seeing the passengers telling off the man (Jeremiah Jobling), there seem to be a lack of passengers, I know, as I said before, the show were in their early stages, but they could've add more. Here's the differences:

Railway Series

TV Series

The episode is not bad and yes it lacked passengers, but I don't really mind about that. The episode is enjoyable to watch and would watch if I want on my iPad. 

Rating: 4.5/5

S1 Ep. 7: Thomas and The Breakdown Train

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OWN OPINION AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

THOMAS AND THE BREAKDOWN TRAIN

Adapted for Television by

Britt Allcroft, David Mitton & Robert Cardona

Originally Written by

The Rev.W.Awdry

Air Date:

22/09/84

Plot:

With Thomas learning from his incident with the trucks, Thomas began to learn a few things. One day, a new engine named James was being pushed by trucks and caused his brake blocks to be on fire! Later, James was off the line and Thomas collected the breakdown train and on their way to save James, which ended up having his own branch line after being really useful. 

PRO:

- The special effects for the brake block fire was done splendidly. You can do that with CGI nowadays, but back then, it will be a lot of hard work.

CON:

- It's a shame that James was not painted in L&YR black, like his original basis in the book.

This episode was filmed well and as I said before, the special effects at the time would've been alot of hard work with the fire for the brake block scene. Sure, CGI can do that nowadays, but David Mitton is  one talented director and its a shame that he passed away. 

The beginning of the episode shows a good moral about being yourself, nowadays, you have an episode focused onto that moral. But here you have the Fat Controller mentioning, 'You can be fast or strong as Gordon. But you can be really useful.' and thats it and then later we see that moral without the narrator mentioning it at the end, we learn from it from the picture. Thomas is not thinking about himself as Gordon, just himself. 

But its a bit of a shame that James was not painted in his black paint, like the one in the book. But I think they only did so it might not end up getting the child confused on who it is. But despite the one flaw, the episode has great rescue scene and it shows Thomas actually being useful. 

Rating: 4/5 

S1 Ep. 6: Thomas and The Trucks

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OWN OPINION AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

THOMAS AND THE TRUCKS

Adapted for Television by

Britt Allcroft, David Mitton & Robert Cardona

Originally Written by

Rev.W.Awdry

Air Date:

20/9/84

Plot:

With Thomas being bored of shunting trucks and coaches in and out of the station, Edward offered him to take his trucks. But with Thomas being excited to take a long train, he doesn't know how to handle them due to the trucks being cheeky and troublesome. 

PRO:

- Thomas' train of trucks is long

- The first episode to feature a runaway and a near miss

CON:

- Why is Edward cross at the sheds? Sure the show is in its early stages, but Edward is suppose to be a nice and kind engine.

- In the US dub there was an error saying 'Look out for the train!' that is just pointless.

This episode is one of my favourites, it was filmed well, the music was great and I'm sure many people would pick it out already, but the theme when Thomas was pulling the trucks on the main line was actually the extended Thomas theme, the original can be heard on YouTube. I do love how Thomas' train is long, just like in the book. Gordon's one from the second episode was short and in the picture was long, so I'm glad they were able to stick with the pictures.

Plus, this was the first episode to feature a runaway and a near miss. But there are some downsides towards this episode. At the start of the episode, we have Edward looking cross at Thomas because of his bragging about not seeing the world. Edward's character is suppose to be nice and kind. It would be better if it were Gordon or Henry at the sheds as Edward came to the sheds later.

Plus many American fans would know this, but, in 'Thomas Gets Tricked and Other Stories' VHS, a man can be faintly heard saying 'Look out for the train!'. As told by 'UnknownThomasFan1' from YouTube says, they accidentally used the audio when they were filming the episode. Wouldn't the studio even know that happened? That can be found on the episode which known as 'Trouble For Thomas'.

But despite the flaws, this episode is great to watch. 

Rating: 4/5

S1 Ep. 5: Thomas' Train

THESE ARE SOLEY MY OWN OPINIONS AND NOT FROM THE THOMAS & FRIENDS FAN BASE

THOMAS' TRAIN

Adapted for Television by

Britt Allcroft, David Mitton & Robert Cardona

Originally Written by

Rev.W.Awdry

Air Date:

17/09/84

Plot:

Due to Henry's small firebox, he became ill and Thomas decided to pull Henry's train. But an unfortunate mishap happens when he gets too over excited. 

 PRO:

- Thomas seen hauling the express for the first time.

- The wonder large scale close up of Thomas puffing away.


CON:
- Why was Edward one of the engines laughing? Surely that makes him out of character as he is kind and wise. 

We had 'Express Coming Through' earlier this year, but this is were Thomas first pulled the express and in a much more entertaining way. I liked the Season 16 episode, but this Thomas episode is a watchable episode because the story is of course based off the Railway Series. One thing I love about the first series is the close ups of cabs, buffers and couplings, it shows more detail of a steam engine and it was great seeing Thomas hauling the express for the first time as well. But there is one error, why was Edward one of the engines laughing, at the beginning? Surely James would be a better choice as Edward is a kind and wise engine. But the episode shows about how over excited people can get if they're given something special and they could easily make a mistake. 

Rating: 4/5