The Railway Series

[LNER Fan 60008]

I thought I'd put up a thread regarding the Railway Series books, both the originals by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and the later books by his son Christopher. Feel free to move it if this isn't the right category for it.

This may as well serve discussion about the original Clearwater TV series made in 1984 and initially narrated by a certain Beatle. Whether or not others know, the first two series did stick well to Awdry's initial books, then drifted away as the series went on.

To explain a small inconsistency brought up elsewhere by Wootang:

but in the first story (EDWARDS DAY OUT) as a TV episode i quote
"all the other engine were bigger than him and boasted about it"

since when was the tank engine number one bigger than edward?

As you may remember in the original books, Thomas wasn't thought nor drawn until the following book. In place, there were two unnamed tender engines who were in the shed, along with the ostensibly bigger Gordon, Henry, and one that looked like James but wasn't. As to explain the TV series error, there is no real explanation - it is a simple goof along with the likely decision not to waste a large sum of $$$ making models for two unfeatured engines who wouldn't appear again.

Anyone else want to share their memories (or knowledge) of the series?

[kudu]

I would argue the "small inconsistency" in the tv series is consistent with the originals in the wider sense that the originals were FULL of inconsistencies in their illustrations. In the very first story, for instance, quoted above, notice the disappearing shed building supports. Thomas was supposed to have a "short stumpy boiler, a short stumpy chimney and a short stumpy funnel" (I'm quoting from memory) but the illustrations show otherwise. As for Henry, he had problems! 4-6-0 or 4-6-2? - he just couldn't decide.

Kudu

[CVR1865]

Hi Kudu,
Yes I remember the Henry problems. I seem to recall the Rev got very annoyed with his illustrators and at least one was sacked or the Rev refused to work with him as he wasn't drawing the engines correctly or realistically enough.

My favourite recollections of the stories are from the books that encourged me to read and the audio books by Johnny Morris. They were far and away my favourite way to listen, he gave all the engines their own voice, brilliant.

[LNER Fan 60008]

Awdry kicked out William Middleton (the first illustrator, contrary to popular belief) and later C. Reginald Dalby as both made rather unrealistic illustrations in his opinion. The illustrator associated with Thomas' proper image (LBSCR E2) was actually Reginald Payne, who went without credit until not too long ago. One would be surprised at what Awdry's initial sketches for the engines looked like. Henry, as mentioned earlier, was supposed to be a 4-4-2 much like the LNER C1. It's been said Dalby (or Middleton) didn't think any 4-4-2s existed and then drew Henry as a somewhat smaller version of Gordon with some detail differences.

I initially only grew up on the TV series and later on Awdry's original books. I never read Christopher's later books.

[2512silverfox]

Fascinating stuff about Wilbert and his illustrators. I spent a Central Hall exhibition next to him with his Sodor layout in about 1970 and found him great company but one who didi not suffer fools gladly. He did not appear to like children (!) and could be quite aggressive with both children and their parents who got too close to his layout.

I was helping on Garsdale Road and Wilbert did find the clandestine substitution of one of Mike Sharman's Cramptons for the regular loco on the Thames Clyde Express highly amusing. Jenkinson was not however quite so amused.

[kudu]

Awdry kicked out William Middleton (the first illustrator, contrary to popular belief) and later C. Reginald Dalby as both made rather unrealistic illustrations in his opinion. The illustrator associated with Thomas' proper image (LBSCR E2) was actually Reginald Payne, who went without credit until not too long ago. One would be surprised at what Awdry's initial sketches for the engines looked like. Henry, as mentioned earlier, was supposed to be a 4-4-2 much like the LNER C1. It's been said Dalby (or Middleton) didn't think any 4-4-2s existed and then drew Henry as a somewhat smaller version of Gordon with some detail differences

But Henry was never an Atlantic, surely? I can't remember now whether he started as a 4-6-0 or 4-6-2 - I think it was the latter - but I do know his first appearance was in the first book, when he was "afraid of a few drops of rain" and refused to leave the tunnel. After a period of vacillation spanning several books - even in the same story, I believe - he finished up as a Black 5 4-6-0 look-alike, appropriately enough given his rehabilitation at Crewe.

As for Thomas, he was only an E2 at the front - hence Awdry's complaint about differential heights in his buffers. Was this Reginald Payne?

I would be interested in any clarification of who did the illustrations in which books.

[CVR1865]

Hi guys,
info taken http://www.sodor-island.net/railwayserieshistory.html

William Middleton did the original artwork for book 1
Reginald Dalby did the work for 3 and 4 then came back until 1956 including redoing the artwork for 1 and 3
Reginald Payne did book 2
John Kenney took over 1956 with Gallant old engines
Gunvor Edwards then took over in 1962 but couldn't get the pictures small enough so her husband Peter Edwards took over and remained until the last book in 1972.

The books were produced about 1 per year from 1947 until 1972, there is the odd gap but mainly.

thanks
Simon

[Autocar Publicity]

But Henry was never an Atlantic, surely? I can't remember now whether he started as a 4-6-0 or 4-6-2 - I think it was the latter - but I do know his first appearance was in the first book, when he was "afraid of a few drops of rain" and refused to leave the tunnel. After a period of vacillation spanning several books - even in the same story, I believe - he finished up as a Black 5 4-6-0 look-alike, appropriately enough given his rehabilitation at Crewe.

I think Henry's wheel arrangements vary according to which edition you have. I would agree with Kudu that I never remember Henry as an Atlantic, I've seen him mostly as a 4-6-0, occasionally a 4-6-2. Some time ago, when the metal die cast toys currently known as "Take-Along" was known as "ERTL", the packaging had details of the prototype locos the characters were based upon. Henry was quoted as being based on a Black 5.

[LNER Fan 60008]

Awdry kicked out William Middleton (the first illustrator, contrary to popular belief) and later C. Reginald Dalby as both made rather unrealistic illustrations in his opinion. The illustrator associated with Thomas' proper image (LBSCR E2) was actually Reginald Payne, who went without credit until not too long ago. One would be surprised at what Awdry's initial sketches for the engines looked like. Henry, as mentioned earlier, was supposed to be a 4-4-2 much like the LNER C1. It's been said Dalby (or Middleton) didn't think any 4-4-2s existed and then drew Henry as a somewhat smaller version of Gordon with some detail differences

But Henry was never an Atlantic, surely? I can't remember now whether he started as a 4-6-0 or 4-6-2 - I think it was the latter - but I do know his first appearance was in the first book, when he was "afraid of a few drops of rain" and refused to leave the tunnel. After a period of vacillation spanning several books - even in the same story, I believe - he finished up as a Black 5 4-6-0 look-alike, appropriately enough given his rehabilitation at Crewe.

As for Thomas, he was only an E2 at the front - hence Awdry's complaint about differential heights in his buffers. Was this Reginald Payne?

I would be interested in any clarification of who did the illustrations in which books.

Not in the official books, but Awdry's initial sketches had Henry as a 4-4-2. This site shows one of those sketches.
http://www.pegnsean.net/~railwayseries/henry.htm

Henry, as illustrated by Middleton and Dalby, was a 4-6-2 although some illustrations from Dalby show him as a 4-6-0.
I cannot tell what wheel arrangement Payne chose, as we only see his front in those illustrations.
It was also claimed early on that pre-rebuild Henry and post-rebuild Henry were two separate engines, but it seems the current continuity (Chris Awdry's books and TV series) negates that.
Post-rebuild Henry is simply an LMS Black 5 with forward mounted top feed.

In the TV series, Henry is always a 4-6-0 with a rather large "back hang" from his firebox to cab. His chassis is actually the same type as Gordon's, but with the two trailing wheels removed.

Reginald Payne was the first to illustrate Thomas as an E2, but as you mentioned the buffer heights were drawn wrong. Later on, Thomas was "rebuilt" with a corrected front end (not curved). Awdry's initial sketches of Thomas shows him looking similar to an LNER J50. Imagine if that had caught on.

[WOOTANG]

HOW HAVE I JUST FOUND THIS THREAD

its brilliant

[WOOTANG]

sorry
firstly the original model of HENRY ran terrible on rev. awdry's layout so he had the idea of rebuilding the locomotive (THE FLYING KIPPER STORY)
secondly the first story (EDWARDS DAY OUT) was episode 2 as britt allcroft decided to introduce the namesake enging to begin the stories (THOMAS & GORDON)

[WOOTANG]

another episode (TENDERS & TURNTABLES) involves james spinning on a turntable which was based on a true event (cant remember real location) but screens were put up around the turntable

this is my field (stories of the island of sodor)

[LNER Fan 60008]

Almost all of Awdry's original stories were based on actual events. Awdry was quoted on this as such:

“Whatever happened to Thomas, Gordon, Henry and the others had to have actually happened and have a railway-like explanation which fitted.”
~ Rev. W. Awdry

From the Pegnsean site, it is said the turntable incident happened on the Settle and Carlisle line of the Midland Railway. Although I haven't read Christopher's books, I've heard they are more technically oriented as opposed to being based strictly off real events in every story.

Henry is quite an enigmatic character, along with the series as a whole in the early days. One does wonder how the series would have turned out if Henry was a full-out 4-4-2, and would have been written off instead of being "rebuilt", and Thomas was a J50.
Then you have those three no-official-name engines in the first illustration that never appeared again.

It is interesting to see how the original series developed over the years. The earlier books were rather basic but enjoyable, while later books got quite technical and often wrote around then-current events (the end of steam on BR). I personally prefer the earlier stories myself, but they are all very good in their own ways.

[WOOTANG]

well for the current event (end of BR) you had an episode & story (ESCAPE) were douglas saves oliver from scrap
another episode (SAVED FROM SCRAP) involves edward saving trevor
in the episode (RUSTY TO THE RESCUE) the story was called (BLUEBELLS ARE COMING) features the first stanard gauge engine to run on a presearved line (LBSCR terrier 55 stepney)
IN (TENDER ENGINES) the story was (TENDERS FOR HENRY) features diesel talking about diesels taking over the railways as gordon notices to huge green tenders (LNER 4472 FLYING SCOTSMAN)

incidentally FLYING SCOTSMAN was going to get a bigger role as in the story but the model broke a couple of days before filming

[LNER Fan 60008]

Some of the episodes you mentioned were actually from the TV series, and not Awdry's original books.

During the third and fourth seasons (1992 to 1995), it was chosen to deviate from the existing stories and either make up new stories or heavily modifying existing stories.
I'm afraid I don't know the exact reason for the decision, but Awdry hated the fact they began drifting from the original stories.

Stepney's story in the books was mainly done to promote railway preservation, the story being akin to the Bluebell Railway's actual history. Meanwhile, the TV series heavily deviated from this and chose to make up a "new" Bluebell Railway that existed somewhere on Sodor. All ties to the real Bluebell Railway and railway preservation were done away with.

The "Flying Scotsman" story was debunked by one of the crew members on the show. Quoted from Sodor Island Fansite:

SIF -There have been rumours flying around that things didn’t always go to plan in the model department prior to filming. The first rumour we’ve heard is that Flying Scotsman was due to appear in 1991, and while the tenders appeared peering out from the Harbour Station, there was likely no locomotive in front – the rumour goes that the model was dropped or damaged prior to filming, is there any truth in that?

Steve Asquith - The simple fact was that we could not afford to build the complete loco, the same applied to the City of Truro and to Bertram, and by the way economic decisions generally did not come from the studio floor!

City of Truro's story was also hacked up a bit, no mention of the engine's fame-apparent nor it's actual name surfaced in the TV episode. In a rather ironic move, the engine's model was later done up as a scrap model as quoted below.

SIF - Another rumour suggested that the City of Truro was binned around 1995.

Steve Asquith - It would not have been binned, rather the body would have been removed and repainted to look old and rusty and then used as dressing in the scrapyards.