Thomas the Tank Engine: 65th Anniversary Edition

Thomas the Tank Engine: 65^th Anniversary Edition by the Rev. W. Awdry (Egmont)

HB RRP $34.95

ISBN 9781405252683

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

This beautiful, cloth bound edition of Thomas the Tank Engine was put out a few months ago to celebrate the 65^th Anniversary of the first publication of The Railway Series. It is a collector’s dream. It comes in a hard slip-case with a sea green background on which all the train characters, sheds, signs and other railway paraphernalia are represented.

The book itself is oblong in shape and has a rich red cloth binding with gold train tracks running parallel to the spine on front and back covers. The end pages are identical in colour and design to the slip case. There are photographs of Wilbert Awdry in the book in his later years.

Its first entry Making Tracks to Great Destinations, talk about the inception of the Railway Series, and how and why the first book, The Three Railway Engines, was  written and then published in 1945.

When Wilbert Awdry’s son Christopher was very ill, he made up stories of engines to keep him entertained through a long illness. Christopher kept correcting his father’s inconsistencies each time the stories were repeated so that Wilbert was forced to write them down. Pictures of these manuscripts with the corrections are shown in this chapter. His wife encouraged him to publish the stories because they were so entertaining. The dream was to publish ‘small books for small hands’.

Finding the appropriate illustrator wasn’t easy. Awdry drew pictures that the illustrator had to adhere to. The third and final illustrator chosen was C. Reginald Dalby, a commercial artist. He was able to re-draw Awdry’s sketches satisfactorily.

The Thomas character was introduced as a wooden toy and was given the number 1. Each new train that was introduced followed numerically in line. A volume was issued annually until 1972 when the last book in the Railways Series, Tramway Engines, was published.

There are also three stories included in the book which are accompanied by coloured framed plates of the engines. In the first one, Thomas and Gordon, a lot of the secondary characters are showcased. We meet the drivers, guards, stationmaster, Fat Controller, signal men, the shunter, and people on the platform. Thomas’s Train and Thomas and the Trucks follow.

This is an ideal keepsake for readers of all ages who adore the personification of Thomas and his friends and appreciate the lessons each story teaches.

Thomas & Friends: Thomas, Emily and the Special Coaches

Thomas & Friends: Thomas, Emily and the Special Coaches The Thomas TV Series, based on The Railway Series by the Rev. W. Awdry (Egmont) no reference to the illustrations/pictures

HC RRP $4.95

ISBN 978-0-6035-6521-2

Reviewed by Anastasia Gonis

It is summer on the island of Sodor. Gordon has set a new record for pulling the Express. The Fat Controller announces a special ceremony to commend his achievements. Emily is sent to bring back two coaches that have been painted to celebrate the occasion.

When Emily stops to take on water, she sees Diesel and tells him of Gordon’s achievement and the coaches. Diesel gets angry, for Gordon is not the only one that has done something special. But Emily rudely cuts him off and hurries away.

Emily arrives at the Yard, but there are no coaches there. Diesel has already collected them. Can she find the coaches and get back in time for the presentation? She races across the island until she sees Diesel coupled to Gordon’s coaches, waiting at a signal. She wants to know why he’s taken the coaches but again, doesn’t allow Diesel to explain. This time Diesel speeds away, angrier at Emily for not listening to him.

Emily goes after him. It is getting later and later. She begs him to stop, but he refuses because she won’t listen to him.

On Emily’s return to Maithwaite Station, the Fat Controller is waiting. After hearing the story, he gets into Emily’s cab and they set out to find the angry engine.

Diesel slows down. He isn’t feeling well. He hides the coaches in a siding but he is found out. While black smoke pours from Diesel’s engine, he accuses Emily of not listening to him. He tells her that he too, has set a record- for ‘shunting more trucks in one day than any other diesel’.

Emily realises that she’s done a great injustice to Diesel by not listening to what he had to say. Later at the presentation, Emily surprises Diesel with a new diesel motor and an apology. She acknowledges two special engines and their efforts.

This story is a wonderful example of how important listening and hearing is to everyone, regardless of age or position in life.

This book is the size of a regular paperback, with a hard cover for easier handling. The glossy pictures share the space with the text on brightly coloured pages of orange, red, blue, yellow and green. Thomas and Emily are on the front cover, smiling as they travel down the tracks together.