A dark analysis of Thomas the Tank Engine...

[Oswyntail]

... I mean, for example, runaway trains with no drivers with evidently isolated AWS.

The books were originally published as training manuals for use on the west coast line.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Jesus christ what have i just watched.
Sam

A carefully crafted spoof documentary from the looks of it.

 

[krus_aragon]

I've always wondered what Eric Hobsbawn would have mode of the Isle of Sodor...

I'm not sure what Eric Hobsbawn has to do with troublesome trucks. Would you care to elucidate?

 

[NY Yankee]

I remember the three big engines going on strike as they didn't want to fetch their own coaches.

I also remember that episode. Eventually, Thomas, Edward, and I think Percy pulled the coaches instead and the three (Gordon, Henry, James) looked like morons.

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Does Thomas work on Christmas Day though? And what about the proposed all night services?

No, the North Western Railway does not work Christmas Day or New Years Day. As for Night Services, the only things booked to work overnight are the Flying Kipper, the Post Train services, a mixed goods of some sort and an overnight passenger service formed of two express coaches. In addition, some extra freight may be worked by Donald and/or Douglas - normally scrap to and from the island


#

I also remember that episode. Eventually, Thomas, Edward, and I think Percy pulled the coaches instead and the three (Gordon, Henry, James) looked like morons.

Thomas and Edward pulled the coaches while Percy handled shunting and station piloting duties. Somehow, despite using just one tender and one tank engine for passenger work, a fairly good service level was achieved!

 

[TheEdge]

Whatever you do, don't watch a video called Shed 17 on Youtube.

I still have nightmares about it... :eek:

Well, thanks for that. Every single childhood memory I had about Thomas now lies in tattered ruins. And my nightmares will be filled with the screaming! hock:

 

[Bungle965]

Well, thanks for that. Every single childhood memory I had about Thomas now lies in tattered ruins. And my nightmares will be filled with the screaming! hock:

I feel the same way, I think I am going to have nightmares about poor Harold.
Sam

 

[Busaholic]

A very high proportion of the books read by children which were both popular at the time of publication and continue to be read by ensuing generations are allegories. You don't necessarily have to be cognisant of the events which the authors had in mind when they wrote them, but you can probably appreciate them a bit more. The best of them imo can be read by adults too for enjoyment e.g. Animal Farm, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Gulliver's Travels. What they all have in common, apart from wonderful writing, is an awareness of how western society operates, has always operated and probably will forever more operate, based on power, greed and duplicity.

Here endeth the lesson.

A bookseller.

 

[jon91]

Jesus christ what have i just watched.

Well, thanks for that. Every single childhood memory I had about Thomas now lies in tattered ruins. And my nightmares will be filled with the screaming! hock:

I did tell you not to watch it...

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

Whatever your views on it, the video was well made

 

[Tetchytyke]

How strong is the rail union's membership on the Isle of Sodor and when was the last time that any industrial action occurred there?

Well when Henry tried going on strike, he got bricked up in a tunnel by the Fat Controller