py_megapixel
Established Member
I know this isn't the intended interperetation, but if Henry is afraid of a few drops of rain, imagine his response to a giant snowflake!"Thomas & Henry the Massive Snowflake"
I know this isn't the intended interperetation, but if Henry is afraid of a few drops of rain, imagine his response to a giant snowflake!"Thomas & Henry the Massive Snowflake"
I always found it strange that someone of Ringo Starr's star status would want to do the original voice over. Is he a railway fan, or what was his reasons for doing so, (apart from the obvious one of money!)?
There's quite a few then!And Bishop Eric Treacy; Canon Roger Lloyd; Rev. A.V.W. Mace (who wrote delightful articles in the Railway Magazine about his 1950s rail travels); and RailUKForums' own Roger Farnworth...
I think I heard another story in which she was working on a production involving him or the Rev. Awdry and thought the stories would be perfect for adaption for TV.I think the story is that Britt Allcroft heard his voice on a radio interview and decided it was perfect.
Going off topic a bit, but Bart Simpson is voiced by a woman, and a female character on The Incredibles (can't remember the name, the short one who makes the costumes) by a man. How does that affect diversity (or anything else)?This does overlook that (s)he has a male voice actor though
I just spat my crisps out from laughing."Thomas & Henry the Massive Snowflake"
Have to agree, the model series was better because to me, it required a certain amount of imagination.There's a good reason I have fond memories of the original books - they were a great encouragement to me to learn to read at an early age as I got fed up waiting for one or other of my parents to be free to read them to me!
I'd agree with Cowley that the artwork was good, which was an encouragement to look at the books as well.
I preferred the TV versions based on models; the CGI version just didn't seem to have the 'weight' or solidity that the models had.
They managed to do that on The St Trinian's Great Train Robbery!(A typical example: two uncoupled engines following each other on the same track, a few metres apart. At a junction, one engine continues ahead, and the points change in front of the following engine so it switches to an adjacent line. The RAIB would have a fit!)
Another (fringe) benefit of the use of models was the operational limitations. Using a plain DC system, they had to keep the models on electrically isolated portions of track, in a manner that reflects real-world practice: they physically couldn't do some of the non-prototypical stuff they can get away with in the CGI world.
(A typical example: two uncoupled engines following each other on the same track, a few metres apart. At a junction, one engine continues ahead, and the points change in front of the following engine so it switches to an adjacent line. The RAIB would have a fit!)
You may well be correct: I'm just working back from how the models moved onscreen, and associating that with how I know DC railways work.I thought the original models were radio remote-controlled, not Hornby-style DC through the track?
A mix of "Pontypridd" and "Tonypandy"; I've never known him to be associated with Penmaenmawr before!Fireman Sam from Pontypandy (Penmaenmawr?) is good too, but the fire engines and train are a bit unrealistic
(My bold)What he would have made of the current TV animations, with semaphore signals the wrong way round, goodness knows.
I remember that episode.(My bold)
I believe this was actually a story at one point - something about backing or reversing signals, with Percy coming across a signal which went up and not down for proceed? I believe the thinking was "down is go, up is stop, so further up is reverse"!
-Peter
Rev Awdry was of course a significant rail buff, and wrote some mainstream rail books in later times as well. I believe in retirement he was a significant volunteer at the Dean Forest line at Norchard, and earlier had been involved with the Talyllyn. Something of an aloof character apparently, combined with his railway precision, he regularly got into arguments with the artists about the pictures not being quite 'real' enough, and at least one if not two of the artists, including Reg Dalby who did the characteristic style of the early books, quit as a result. What he would have made of the current TV animations, with semaphore signals the wrong way round, goodness knows.
I remember it, I think, because the GWR had lower-quadrant semaphore signals which they used on Sodor and I have quite the interest in GWR practice . I believe the Rev. Awdry grew up, or at least one point lived near to, the Great Western Mainline near Box Tunnel, from where he got the inspiration to write his stories after he heard the engines powering up the inclines.I remember that episode.
I believe he said something about hearing GWR locomotives climb hills, and as they did, the large locos sounded like they were saying “I can’t do it” as they chuffed along, whilst smaller engines sounded like they were saying “I will do it”I remember it, I think, because the GWR had lower-quadrant semaphore signals which they used on Sodor and I have quite the interest in GWR practice . I believe the Rev. Awdry grew up, or at least one point lived near to, the Great Western Mainline near Box Tunnel, from where he got the inspiration to write his stories after he heard the engines powering up the inclines.
-Peter
That's it Quite a humble and rather innocent starting point for what is now a massive franchise!I believe he said something about hearing GWR locomotives climb hills, and as they did, the large locos sounded like they were saying “I can’t do it” as they chuffed along, whilst smaller engines sounded like they were saying “I will do it”
That's a good story based on the difference between (e.g.) GWR and LNWR semaphores, but it seems Sodor has signals mounted back to front as well these days.(My bold)
I believe this was actually a story at one point - something about backing or reversing signals, with Percy coming across a signal which went up and not down for proceed? I believe the thinking was "down is go, up is stop, so further up is reverse"!
-Peter
...the "Thin Controller" is Edward Thomas, longstanding general manager (and everything else) in the years leading up to preservation...
Surprising that Beeching never featured as a nightmare character.
when you watch my fave episode ,the Flying Kipper' the detail and atmosphere created are amazing. Not something you can do with CGI
Maybe Network Rail have installed bi-directional capability on the Island?That's a good story based on the difference between (e.g.) GWR and LNWR semaphores, but it seems Sodor has signals mounted back to front as well these days.
I think that although I loved the books as a young un I also really enjoyed watching the TV shows with my kids when they were little just because of the quality of some of the modelling, especially the scene you mention.That crash is probably about the most violent thing shown in the entire series.
It's also implied that the guard is still present in the brake van of the train in the loop when Henry crashes into the bag.
However, the way that episode shows the early morning and sunrise is simply beautiful, through nothing more than some clever lighting and the backdrop.
And Wallace and Gromit is ingenious. The level of facial expression in a plasticine dog is unreal