NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Thomas and Friends

Thomas & Friends (formerly Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends) is a British children's television series, first broadcast on Anglia Television in September of 1984. is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Present redirects here. ... Childrens television series are television programmes designed for and marketed to children, normally aired during the morning and afternoon hours, mainly before and after school. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

It is based on The Railway Series of books created by the Reverend Wilbert V. Awdry. These deal with the adventures of a group of subanthropomorphised trains and road vehicles who live on the fictional Island of Sodor. The books were based on stories Awdry told to entertain his son Christopher during his recovery from measles. Many of the stories are based on events from Awdry's personal experience. Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: The Railway Series The Railway Series is a set of story books about a fictional railway system located on the fictional Island of Sodor and the engines that lived on it. ... The Reverend W. V. Awdry OBE (15 June 1911 – 21 March 1997) was a clergyman, railway enthusiast and childrens author, best known as the creator of Thomas the Tank Engine. ... 7th millennium BC anthropomorphized rocks, with slits for eyes, found in modern-day Israel. ... A map of the Island of Sodor showing the Railway system (click to enlarge). ... Christopher Awdry (born 1940) is a British author best known for his contributions to The Railway Series of books featuring Thomas the Tank Engine, which was started by his father Rev. ...

During the 1980s, the television rights were sold to Britt Allcroft, who started producing the television series. It premiered in the UK in 1984. The show has been narrated by Ringo Starr (1984-88), Michael Angelis (1991-08), George Carlin (1991-96), Alec Baldwin (1998-02), Michael Brandon (2003-07) and the upcoming series will be narrated by Pierce Brosnan. Britt Allcroft and Alec Baldwin on the set of Thomas and the Magic Railroad Britt Allcroft is the founder of The Britt Allcroft Company (aka, Gullane Entertainment) which was acquired by Hit Entertainment in 2002. ... Richard Starkey, MBE (born 7 July 1940), better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an Academy Award-winning English musician, singer, songwriter and actor, best known as the drummer for The Beatles. ... Michael Angelis (born January 18, 1952 in Liverpool, England) is a British actor. ... George Denis Patrick Carlin[15] (born May 12, 1937) is a Grammy-winning American stand-up comedian, actor, and author. ... Alexander Rae Alec Baldwin III (born April 3, 1958) is an Emmy- and Academy Award-nominated, and Golden Globe Award-winning, American actor. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Pierce Brendan Brosnan,The most gorgeous man on the planet OBE[1] (born May 16, 1953) is an Irish actor and producer best known for portraying James Bond in four films from 1995 to 2002: GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day. ...

Many businesses have been eager to cash-in on the world-wide popularity of the series. 'Thomas'-themed merchandise has appeared in almost every form imaginable, from books and magazines, through vast series of models, to duvet covers, cutlery, soft drinks and even spaghetti shapes.

Heritage railways have also benefitted from the series. "Day Out With Thomas" events, where passengers are given the chance to ride on full-size trains pulled by Thomas or his friends, provide a considerable source of income, and attract those who might not otherwise visit the railway. A scene on a heritage railway. ... Thomas the Tank Engine on the Avon Valley Railway Thomas on the Watercress Line Alresford Day Out With Thomas is a trade name, licenced by HIT Entertainment, for tourist events that take place on heritage steam railways and feature one or more trains decorated to look like characters from the...

Format and animation

Each episode consists of a four and a half-minute (seasons 1-7) or seven-minute (season 8 onwards) story, told by a narrator.

The series is animated using live-action models, seen at the time of first production as the most effective way of realising the stories without the cost and expense of conventional animation. The locomotives and other vehicles move, but people and animals are generally static. Stop-motion is generally used for instances in which a human or animal character is seen to move. In recent seasons, CGI has been used to generate smoke and other effects. The bouncing ball animation (below) consists of these 6 frames. ... A stop motion animation of a moving coin. ... Computer-generated imagery[1] (also known as CGI) is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media. ...

The use of a narrator removes the need to make characters' mouths move when they speak. However, their eyes do move by use of remote controlled mechanisms. The characters' faces are sculpted from foam rubber. Each character has several different faces to convey different emotions.

The models were initially built to the 1:32 scale, known in model railway circles as "Gauge 1". They used chassis made by Märklin with specially made bodies. As well as the eye mechanisms, these bodies also include smoke generators. Coaches and trucks were made using Tenmille kits. Models were later constructed entirely from scratch. This article needs cleanup. ... 1 gauge is a toy train and model railroading standard, popular in the early 20th century, particularly with European manufacturers. ... An O scale Mitropa sleeping car made by MÃ¤rklin MÃ¤rklin (or Maerklin) is a German toy company, founded in 1859. ...

From Season 5 onwards, some larger scale models were used for the narrow gauge characters, in order to make it easier to fit the complex mechanisms into them while retaining a sufficient level of detail. In Season 6, the characters known as "the Pack" (construction machines) were also constructed to a large scale, and large models of Thomas and Percy were made to interact with them. Beginning with the ninth season, the Thomas model also interacted with the narrow gauge engines. It was joined by a large version of James in the tenth season. Map of the Skarloey Railway On the fictional Island of Sodor in The Railway Series by Rev. ... Thomas the Tank Engine This article is about the fictional tank engine. ... The Railway Series book, featuring Percy, which also carries Percys name. ... James the Red Engine in Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ...

Series history

For the first two seasons the series was closely based on stories from the Railway Series. The first season took stories from the first eight books, along with one specially written by the Rev. W. Awdry, Thomas's Christmas Party. Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: The Railway Series The Railway Series is a set of story books about a fictional railway system located on the fictional Island of Sodor and the engines that lived on it. ... The Reverend W. V. Awdry OBE (15 June 1911 – 21 March 1997) was a clergyman, railway enthusiast and childrens author, best known as the creator of Thomas the Tank Engine. ...

The second season took stories from Book 9 (Edward the Blue Engine) to Book 30 (More About Thomas the Tank Engine). This last book was unusual, in that it was written specifically by Christopher Awdry in order to be adapted for the series, as a contractual obligation of the series at that time was that it could not create original stories that had not previously appeared in print. The series also adapted a story from a Thomas Annual, 'Thomas and Trevor', and an especially written stand-alone story, Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree. Edward the Blue Engine is a fictional anthropomorphic steam locomotive from The Railway Series by Rev W. Awdry, and the TV Series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ... Thomas the Tank Engine This article is about the fictional tank engine. ... Christopher Awdry (born 1940) is a British author best known for his contributions to The Railway Series of books featuring Thomas the Tank Engine, which was started by his father Rev. ...

The third season (1991) – made at a cost of £1.3 million^[1] – was a combination of episodes derived from the Railway Series, from stories in the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends magazine and original stories. There were two primary reasons for diverging from the original books. The first was that many of the books not yet adapted featured large numbers of new characters, and so would be expensive to produce. The second was that the producers wanted more stories centering on Thomas, the nominal main character. The Rev. W. Awdry complained that the new stories were unrealistic and not true to the spirit of the books (see Henry the Green Engine for more details on this) ^[1]. Thomas the Tank Engine This article is about the fictional tank engine. ... Henry the Green Engine is a fictional anthropomorphic 4-6-0 steam locomotive from The Railway Series books written by the Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry and his son, Christopher Awdry, and the spin-off childrens television series, Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ...

For the fourth season (1995), the producers planned to introduce some "new" female characters, including Caroline the car, Nancy the guard's daughter and The Refreshment Lady.^[2]. Some commentators took this as a response to a number of accusations of sexism that had been levelled against the series two years earlier^[3]. In reality, they were not "new" characters, but creations of the Rev. Awdry, borrowed from The Railway Series. This article lists and profiles the minor characters appearing in the childrens television program Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ... The television series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends features many fictional people and animals who interact with the engine characters and form the basis for many of the varying storylines. ... The television series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends features many fictional people and animals who interact with the engine characters and form the basis for many of the varying storylines. ... The sign of the headquarters of the National Association Opposed To Woman Suffrage Sexism is commonly considered to be discrimination and/or hatred towards people based on their sex rather than their individual merits, but can also refer to any and all systemic differentiations based on the sex of the...

Season 4 was almost entirely based on the Railway Series, the last season to do so. The narrow gauge engines were introduced, greatly increasing the number of stories that could be produced. Only one original story was used, namely 'Rusty to the Rescue', but this took certain elements of plot and dialogue from the book Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine. A narrow gauge railway (or narrow gauge railroad) is a railway that has a track gauge narrower than the 1,435 mm (4 ft 8Â½ in) of standard gauge railways. ... This list consists all of the Railway Series books by both the Rev. ...

The fifth season was a radical departure, as it was entirely original. This season saw the introduction of new characters and more action-packed storylines^{[citation needed]}.

Following this season, the film 'Thomas and the Magic Railroad' was released. It featured only a small number of characters from the television series and was rather more fantasy based. Despite high production values and the popularity of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, the movie was criticised for being confusing, badly written, poorly directed, poorly acted and not true to the spirit of either the Railway Series or the television adaptation by UK audiences^{[citation needed]}. It was well received by young children at whom it was aimed^{[citation needed]} and made $16 million at the box office; however, no reference to the film has ever been made in the television series. New episodes that had been written by Britt Allcroft and director David Mitton were from then on scripted by hired-in writers. Thomas and the Magic Railroad is a 2000 film based on the well-known TV series and its American spinoff. ...

The sixth and seventh seasons continued the policy of action-packed storylines and new characters. The sixth season was notable for its attempt to create a spin-off series. In this sixth season, two episodes were produced centering around a group of new characters known as 'The Pack'. These were construction machines, and it has been speculated that this was an attempt to cash in on the success of Bob the Builder^{[citation needed]}. The spin-off never materialised, and as the models of the Pack were incompatible with the other characters in the series (having been built to a larger scale), they have not been seen in the series since. However, they have recently appeared in a straight-to-video spin-off release called On Site with Thomas which could presumably be that spinoff that never materialized (a possible hint would be old Tidmouth sheds is still there and the fact that it is filmed with the 35 min camera from season 1-7). A spin-off (or spinoff) is a new organization or entity formed by a split from a larger one such as a new company formed from a university research group. ... Bob the Builder is a childrens television clay character created by Keith Chapman. ... Jack and the Pack is a direct-to-video release for the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends series, much like the movie: Calling All Engines. ...

Following Season 7, a number of significant changes took place. The series was taken over by HIT Entertainment (the owners of Bob the Builder). Episode length was increased from four and a half to seven minutes, and a new theme tune was composed. The number of characters was greatly reduced, with stories focusing on Thomas, Edward, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy, Toby and Emily. Following complaints from parent action groups concerning the number of accidents in the series, the stories' emphasis was moved from action to character, with episodes generally focusing upon morals^{[citation needed]}. The new HIT Entertainment logo, introduced in June 2006. ... Bob the Builder is a childrens television clay character created by Keith Chapman. ... Thomas the Tank Engine This article is about the fictional tank engine. ... Edward the Blue Engine is a fictional anthropomorphic steam locomotive from The Railway Series by Rev W. Awdry, and the TV Series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ... Henry the Green Engine is a fictional anthropomorphic 4-6-0 steam locomotive from The Railway Series books written by the Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry and his son, Christopher Awdry, and the spin-off childrens television series, Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ... Gordon the Big Engine, as portrayed in the TV series. ... James the Red Engine in Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ... The Railway Series book, featuring Percy, which also carries Percys name. ... Toby the Tram Engine. ... Emily Emilys Coaches Emily is a fictional, anthropomorphic steam locomotive from the television series Thomas and Friends. ...

Shortly before the release of Series 9, a straight-to-video film, 'Calling All Engines', was released. This featured characters from 'Thomas and the Magic Railroad', but was not a sequel as such. It proved successful, and more direct-to-video specials are being made for the future.^[4] Calling All Engines is a full-length feature movie based on the TV series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ...

Series 9 and 10 featured the introductions of new characters, as well as returns of several older ones. The show format generally remained the same as Series 8. Season 10, which aired in 2006, became the first season to ever feature 28 episodes, as opposed to the standard 26 episodes per season.

The eleventh season came in 2007, and was the first to be filmed in the increasingly popular high definition format. Only 20 episodes aired freely. However, six other episodes focusing on the Skarloey Railway were released on a DVD called "Engines and Escapades". Generally, high-definition refers to an increase in resolution or clarity such as in: High-definition television (HDTV), television formats that have a higher resolution than their contemporary counterparts High-definition video, which is used in HDTV broadcasting, as well as digital film and computer HD video file formats HDV...

The 2008 series will air in September / October, and will still be in model animation, however, some characters will use CGI faces with static faces used for models in the background shots. The 2009 series is likely to launch firstly with a special and then the actual series itself afterward, this will be the first of the new CGI Thomas series, following a similar trend to other HIT Entertainment shows such as Fireman Sam and Angelina Ballerina.^{[citation needed]}

Characters

Here is a list of characters that have appeared in both Thomas and Friends movies. ...

List of productions

Television Seasons

Thomas and Friends is a childrens television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series of books written by Rev. ... This article is about the year. ... Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends is a childrens television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series of books written by Rev. ... Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ... Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends is a childrens television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series of books written by Rev. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian Calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends is a childrens television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series of books written by Rev. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) The year 1994 was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by the United Nations. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday. ... Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends is a childrens television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series of books written by Rev. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Thomas and Friends (previously known as Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends) is a childrens television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series of books written by Rev. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Thomas and Friends (previously known as Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends) is a childrens television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series of books written by Rev. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Thomas and Friends (previously known as Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends) is a childrens television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series of books written by Rev. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Thomas and Friends (previously known as Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends) is a childrens television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series of books written by Rev. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, later renamed Thomas and Friends is a childrens television series, based on the Railway Series, and which was first broadcast in 1984. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, later renamed Thomas and Friends is a childrens television series, based on the Railway Series, and which was first broadcast in 1984. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, later renamed Thomas and Friends is a childrens television series, based on the Railway Series of childrens books by the Rev. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ...

Cinema movies

Thomas and the Magic Railroad is a 2000 film based on the well-known TV series and its American spinoff. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ...

Direct-to-video sequels

A film that is released direct-to-video (also straight-to-video) is one which has been released to the public on home video formats first rather than first being released in movie theaters. ... For other uses, see Sequel (disambiguation). ... Calling All Engines is a full-length feature movie based on the TV series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Jack and the Pack is a direct-to-video release for the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends series, much like the movie: Calling All Engines. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Engines And Escapades was a Direct-To-Dvd S11 special. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... The Great Discovery is an upcoming direct-to-DVD-special, based on the popular TV series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ...

Future installments

At least three more seasons are planned to be produced after the eleventh season, as well as another two direct-to-DVD specials (after The Great Discovery). These will all be narrated by Pierce Brosnan.^[4] Pierce Brendan Brosnan,The most gorgeous man on the planet OBE[1] (born May 16, 1953) is an Irish actor and producer best known for portraying James Bond in four films from 1995 to 2002: GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day. ...

Thomas on television and in film

The series was first broadcast in 1984 on ITV's Children's ITV in the United Kingdom. It was shown throughout the late eighties and into the early 90s when it was taken off the terrestrial UK network following broadcast of the third series. Between 1994 and 2003, Thomas was never shown on terrestrial UK networks, although did make a comeback on satellite through Cartoon Network in the mid 1990s and lasted until 2001, which was 5 seasons, and then Nick Jr in 2001/2002, where it has remained since and become a popular fixture, even stretching to their involvement with Gullane and HIT Entertainment on recent series of the popular children's series. For other uses, see ITV (disambiguation). ... The current CiTV logo CiTV (short for Childrens ITV) is ITVs brand for childrens television output on its primary television channel known as ITV1. ...

Thomas also made a comeback on Children's ITV in January 2003 with its sixth series of four and a half minute stories. The sixth and seventh series were shown in their entirety in 2002 and 2003. The eighth series was broadcast in 2004, but only 13 episodes were aired, possibly on account of the new format for the programme; it wasn't until July 2006 that the remaining 13 episodes were broadcast. Due to a new agreement between ITV and the Programming Authority (Ofcom) which allowed them to cut their children's TV output in mid 2005, five bought the rights to the series. The ninth series began showing on October 10, 2006, followed one month later on November 10, 2006 by the tenth. The channel now shows series 8-10 in rotation. Ofcom is a regulator for communication industries in the United Kingdom. ... Five, launched in 1997, is the fifth and final national terrestrial analogue television channel to launch in the United Kingdom. ... is the 283rd day of the year (284th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 314th day of the year (315th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

In 1989, Thomas and Friends was shown in North America, in a television series called Shining Time Station, which was broadcast on PBS. Storytime with Thomas is another American spin-off that aired in 1999 on the Fox Family Channel. Today, Thomas and Friends is broadcast in more than twenty languages around the world. In 2000 Thomas moved to the big screen, with the release of Thomas and the Magic Railroad. However, the film was not a success. North American redirects here. ... Shining Time Station was an American television spin-off of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends series co-created by Britt Allcroft and Rick Siggelkow. ... Not to be confused with Public Broadcasting Services in Malta. ... Storytime with Thomas was a childrens television series that aired on Fox Family in 1999 that was a spinoff to Shining Time Station. ... ABC Family is an American cable television network currently owned by Disney-ABC Television Group, a division of The Walt Disney Company. ... Thomas and the Magic Railroad is a 2000 film based on the well-known TV series and its American spinoff. ...

The Thomas and Friends stories were four and a half minutes long. The first two series showed two episodes at a time, with a show of the characters in the middle. It changed to one at a time in series three. In each series until series eight, the number of trains on the railway increases as the railway expands.

In 2004, the series began using computer animated special effects and the story length changed from five to seven minutes. A half-hour show format (aired on PBS and Treehouse TV in North America and on Nick Jr. in the UK from 2004-2008) was also adopted, showing three episodes plus puzzles, songs, and mini stories. The new series made major changes, such as changing the famous theme tune, and took on a more moralistic stance than previous series. Starting Season 10, only two episides aired, with the middle story being replaced with Places around Sodor, a recurring mini-story which features major locations and recaps episodes from Seasons 8-10 that take place at the location. Season 11, also only two episodes aired, and Places around Sodor was replaced by Fun times with One of Sodor Engines. Computer animation is the art of creating moving images via the use of computers. ... Not to be confused with Public Broadcasting Services in Malta. ... Treehouse TV is a Canadian cable television specialty channel with programming targeted towards preschoolers that launched on November 1, 1997. ... Nick Jr. ...

Narrators

UK versions

Richard Starkey, MBE (born 7 July 1940), better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an Academy Award-winning English musician, singer, songwriter and actor, best known as the drummer for The Beatles. ... Michael Angelis (born January 18, 1952 in Liverpool, England) is a British actor. ... Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: The Railway Series The Railway Series is a set of story books about a fictional railway system located on the fictional Island of Sodor and the engines that lived on it. ...

US versions

Richard Starkey, MBE (born 7 July 1940), better known by his stage name Ringo Starr, is an Academy Award-winning English musician, singer, songwriter and actor, best known as the drummer for The Beatles. ... George Denis Patrick Carlin[15] (born May 12, 1937) is a Grammy-winning American stand-up comedian, actor, and author. ... Alexander Rae Alec Baldwin III (born April 3, 1958) is an Emmy- and Academy Award-nominated, and Golden Globe Award-winning, American actor. ... Thomas and the Magic Railroad is a 2000 film based on the well-known TV series and its American spinoff. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Upcoming Narrator

Pierce Brendan Brosnan,The most gorgeous man on the planet OBE[1] (born May 16, 1953) is an Irish actor and producer best known for portraying James Bond in four films from 1995 to 2002: GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, The World Is Not Enough and Die Another Day. ... This article is about the spy series. ...

International versions

This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Salvador Delgado (born July 24, 1961 in Tepalcatepec, MichoacÃ¡n, MÃ©xico) is a Latin American voice actor. ... Arturo Mercado Jr. ... TV 4 is a private Polish TV station. ... Sky du Mont (b. ... For other meanings of DJ, see DJ (disambiguation). ...

Production history

The series has gone through numerous changes throughout its run. The producer is in charge of every aspect of the show for the relevant season(s)

Originally the series was produced by The Britt Allcroft Company and Clearwater Features Ltd (David Mitton and Robert D. Cardona's company). Clearwater closed in 1990 and The Britt Allcroft Company (which changed to Gullane Entertainment in 2000) was the sole producer until 2002, when HIT Entertainment bought the company and now runs its operation. HIT Entertainment was acquired in 2005 by the private equity firm Apax. Britt Allcroft and Alec Baldwin on the set of Thomas and the Magic Railroad Britt Allcroft is the founder of The Britt Allcroft Company (aka, Gullane Entertainment) which was acquired by Hit Entertainment in 2002. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Robert D. Cardona is an American writer, producer, director and animator, who has enjoyed the majority of his success in Britain. ... Britt Allcroft and Alec Baldwin on the set of Thomas and the Magic Railroad Britt Allcroft is the founder of The Britt Allcroft Company (aka, Gullane Entertainment) which was acquired by Hit Entertainment in 2002. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Britt Allcroft Company was a company created by britt allcroft and angus wright in 1984. ... An editor has expressed a concern that the subject of the article does not satisfy the notability guideline or one of the following guidelines for inclusion on Wikipedia: Biographies, Books, Companies, Fiction, Music, Neologisms, Numbers, Web content, or several proposals for new guidelines. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Robert D. Cardona is an American writer, producer, director and animator, who has enjoyed the majority of his success in Britain. ... Gullane Entertainment was a company that produced TV shows for the whole family and was formerly called The Britt Allcroft Company. ... The new HIT Entertainment logo, introduced in June 2006. ... Apax Partners is a private equity and venture capital firm which operates in the United Kingdom, United States, Europe, and Israel. ...

The series has always been filmed at Shepperton Studios. Shepperton Studios, located in Shepperton, Middlesex, England is a film studio with a long history of film making. ...

Behind the Scenes

Satellite image of the inner part of West London Ayad Dibis is the best in West London. ... Shepperton Studios, located in Shepperton, Middlesex, England is a film studio with a long history of film making. ... A cutaway diagram of a hangar. ... Look up miniature in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see Remote control (disambiguation). ... Mike ODonnell is a film and TV composer; his main claim to fame was writing the scores for the childrens TV series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends (between 1984 and 2003) and Tugs, with his partner Junior Campbell. ... William Campbell who was born in Glasgow, Scotland, UK on May 31, 1947 well known for his stage name, Junior Campbell. ... Suresh Joachim, minutes away from breaking the ironing world record at 55 hours and 5 minutes, at Shoppers World, Brampton. ... This article lists, and also profiles, the regular Engine characters of the Television Series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ... This article lists and profiles the minor characters appearing in the childrens television program Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ... This article lists and profiles the minor characters appearing in the childrens television program Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ...

Popularity with autistic audience

The National Autistic Society (NAS) is the United Kingdoms most prominent autism-related charity. ... Autism is a brain development disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction and communication, and restricted and repetitive behavior, all exhibited before a child is three years old. ... Asperger syndrome (also Aspergers syndrome, Aspergers disorder, Aspergers, or AS) is one of several autism spectrum disorders (ASD) characterized by difficulties in social interaction and by restricted and stereotyped interests and activities. ...

Commercialisation

Merchandise

A wide range of merchandise has been manufactured to cash-in on the success of the TV Series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. It is down to the popularity and longevity of the series – having originated in 1945 with the first of The Railway Series books by the Rev. W. Awdry – that large numbers of manufacturers have sought to produce 'Thomas'-branded items. // Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends merchandise describes the range of merchandise that has been manufactured to cash-in on the success of the TV Series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ... In marketing, a product is anything that can be offered to a market that might satisfy a want or need. ... Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: The Railway Series The Railway Series is a set of story books about a fictional railway system located on the fictional Island of Sodor and the engines that lived on it. ... Wilbert Vere Awdry, OBE, (June 15, 1911 â€“ March 21, 1997), better known as the Reverend W. Awdry, was a clergyman, railway enthusiast and childrens author. ...

The most popular and wide-ranging items of merchandise are the models of the characters, which have been produced in many different ranges, some including accompanying railway systems. Other popular products include videos, books and magazines, and computer games. However, 'Thomas' merchandise has also included such diverse items as: audiobooks, annuals, colouring and activity books, jigsaws, board games, stationery, clothing, cutlery, household items such as curtains, duvet covers and lampshades, and even soft drinks and spaghetti shapes. This article lists the video releases for the childrenâ€™s TV series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends in chronological order, showing the episodes on each video release as well as any songs or interstitial segments. ... This article is about the magazine as a published medium. ... An audio book is a recording of the contents of a book read aloud. ... An annual publication, more often called simply an annual, is a book or a magazine, comic book or comic strip published yearly. ... A Bosch power jigsaw A jigsaw is a type of saw used for cutting arbitrary curves, such as stenciled designs or other custom shapes, into a piece of wood or similar material. ... Stationery is a general name given to paper and office supplies such as envelopes, notepads, pens, pencils, erasers, paper clips, staples, etc. ...

Day Out with Thomas

"Day Out with Thomas", is a marketing name used by HIT Entertainment for special events held at heritage railways in the UK. The characteristic features of these events include locomotives wearing 'faces' to resemble 'Thomas' characters, and a "Fat Controller" character, usually performed by one of the railway's volunteers. The general idea is that the public have the chance to ride in a train pulled by 'Thomas' or one of his friends. Thomas the Tank Engine on the Avon Valley Railway Thomas on the Watercress Line Alresford Day Out With Thomas is a trade name, licenced by HIT Entertainment, for tourist events that take place on heritage steam railways and feature one or more trains decorated to look like characters from the... The new HIT Entertainment logo, introduced in June 2006. ... A scene on a heritage railway. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

In the US the name also refers to "Come Ride the Rails with Thomas" [2] which is a US tour by real trains modelled after Thomas the Tank Engine. The Thomas engine visits various historic railroads across the United States allowing visitors to play games, meet Sir Topham Hatt and to ride on a passenger car pulled by the engine. HIT Entertainment sponsors the event to promote the Thomas and Friends brand. The new HIT Entertainment logo, introduced in June 2006. ...

Thomas in Amusement Parks

In the 2007 Summer Six Flags Season, a Thomas and Friends land opened at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (Formerly Six Flags Marine World) in Vallejo, CA, which is located about 30 miles north of San Francisco. And a Thomas Town will also be built at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Los Angeles Californa & in Six Flags Over Georgia in Atlanta Georgia & will open Spring 2008. Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... For the national flags of Texas, see Six flags over Texas. ... â€œMarine Worldâ€ redirects here. ... Vallejo (pronounced in English; in the original Spanish) is a city in Solano County, California, United States. ... San Francisco redirects here. ... Six Flags Magic Mountain is an amusement park located just west of the Valencia neighborhood of Santa Clarita, north of Los Angeles. ... Six Flags Over Georgia is a 230-acre theme park located west of Atlanta, in Austell, Georgia. ...

On March 15th 2008, Drayton Manor in the UK opened their own Thomas Land just like Japan's Amusement Park which attracts 1.7 million fans every year. Drayton Manor Theme Park is a British theme park in the grounds of the former Drayton Manor, near Tamworth in Staffordshire, England. ...

Thomas the Tank Engine Live

References

Brian Sibley is a British writer. ... is the 200th day of the year (201st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

Shining Time Station was an American television spin-off of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends series co-created by Britt Allcroft and Rick Siggelkow. ... This article is about childrens television series. ...

External links

The Internet Movie Database (IMDb) is an online database of information about movies, actors, television shows, production crew personnel, and video games. ... Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: The Railway Series The Railway Series is a set of story books about a fictional railway system located on the fictional Island of Sodor and the engines that lived on it. ... This list consists all of the Railway Series books by both the Rev. ... Wilbert Vere Awdry, OBE, (June 15, 1911 â€“ March 21, 1997), better known as the Reverend W. Awdry, was a clergyman, railway enthusiast and childrens author. ... Christopher Awdry (born 1940) is a British author best known for his contributions to The Railway Series of books featuring Thomas the Tank Engine, which was started by his father Rev. ... Britt Allcroft and Alec Baldwin on the set of Thomas and the Magic Railroad Britt Allcroft is the founder of The Britt Allcroft Company (aka, Gullane Entertainment) which was acquired by Hit Entertainment in 2002. ... Gullane Entertainment was a company that produced TV shows for the whole family and was formerly called The Britt Allcroft Company. ... The new HIT Entertainment logo, introduced in June 2006. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Thomas and Friends is a childrens television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series of books written by Rev. ... Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends is a childrens television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series of books written by Rev. ... Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends is a childrens television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series of books written by Rev. ... Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends is a childrens television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series of books written by Rev. ... Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends is a childrens television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series of books written by Rev. ... Thomas and Friends (previously known as Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends) is a childrens television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series of books written by Rev. ... Thomas and Friends (previously known as Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends) is a childrens television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series of books written by Rev. ... Thomas and Friends (previously known as Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends) is a childrens television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series of books written by Rev. ... Thomas and Friends (previously known as Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends) is a childrens television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series of books written by Rev. ... Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, later renamed Thomas and Friends is a childrens television series, based on the Railway Series, and which was first broadcast in 1984. ... Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, later renamed Thomas and Friends is a childrens television series, based on the Railway Series, and which was first broadcast in 1984. ... Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, later renamed Thomas and Friends is a childrens television series, based on the Railway Series of childrens books by the Rev. ... Thomas and the Magic Railroad is a 2000 film based on the well-known TV series and its American spinoff. ... Calling All Engines is a full-length feature movie based on the TV series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ... Jack and the Pack is a direct-to-video release for the Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends series, much like the movie: Calling All Engines. ... Engines And Escapades was a Direct-To-Dvd S11 special. ... The Great Discovery is an upcoming direct-to-DVD-special, based on the popular TV series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ... Thomas the Tank Engine This article is about the fictional tank engine. ... Edward the Blue Engine is a fictional anthropomorphic steam locomotive from The Railway Series by Rev W. Awdry, and the TV Series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ... Henry the Green Engine is a fictional anthropomorphic 4-6-0 steam locomotive from The Railway Series books written by the Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry and his son, Christopher Awdry, and the spin-off childrens television series, Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ... Gordon the Big Engine, as portrayed in the TV series. ... James the Red Engine in Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ... The Railway Series book, featuring Percy, which also carries Percys name. ... Toby the Tram Engine. ... Duck the Great Western Engine as portrayed in the TV series. ... Donald and Douglas are fictional steam locomotives from The Railway Series by W.V. Awdry. ... Emily as seen in Emilys Coaches Emilys Coaches Emily is a fictional locomotive from the television series Thomas and Friends. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Annie and Clarabel with Thomas the Tank Engine (as portrayed in the television series) In The Railway Series and the related Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, Annie and Clarabel are Thomass coaches. ... Bertie is a small red bus who appears in Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ... Harold is a character in Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ... Terence the Tractor, as portrayed in the TV Series Terence is a fictional anthropomorphic crawler tractor from The Railway Series of childrens books by the Rev. ... Trevor the Traction Engine is a character in Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ... // This article profiles the significant characters of The Railway Series by Rev. ... // The Railway Series by Reverend W.V. Awdry and Christopher Awdry has many characters within its stories. ... // There are many characters featured in The Railway Series books created by the Rev. ... // No railway would be complete without coaches and trucks, and those appearing in the childrens television series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends are no exception. ... Here is a list of characters that have appeared in both Thomas and Friends movies. ... A map of the Island of Sodor showing the Railway system (click to enlarge). ... Map of the Skarloey Railway On the fictional Island of Sodor in The Railway Series by Rev. ... Small Railway Engines book cover, showing the engines (L to R): Mike, Bert and Rex (with Duck in the foreground) The Arlesdale Railway, more commonly known as the Small Railway, is a fictional railway on the Island of Sodor from the Railway Series books by Rev. ... // A map of the Island of Sodor showing the Railway system (click to enlarge). ... // The Mid Sodor Railway is a fictional narrow gauge railway on the Island of Sodor in The Railway Series of childrens books by the Rev. ... A map of the Island of Sodor showing the Railway system (click to enlarge). ... In the childrens books The Railway Series, by the Rev. ... A map of the Island of Sodor showing the Railway system (click to enlarge). ... There are many fictional locations in The Railway Series of books by Rev. ... There are many fictional locations in Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, the television series based on The Railway Series books by Rev. ... The Railway Stories were a series of spoken word albums issued by the Decca record label in the early 1970s. ... // Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends merchandise describes the range of merchandise that has been manufactured to cash-in on the success of the TV Series Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. ... Shining Time Station was an American television spin-off of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends series co-created by Britt Allcroft and Rick Siggelkow. ... This article is about childrens television series. ... Thomas the Tank Engine on the Avon Valley Railway Thomas on the Watercress Line Alresford Day Out With Thomas is a trade name, licenced by HIT Entertainment, for tourist events that take place on heritage steam railways and feature one or more trains decorated to look like characters from the... First official kids ident from PBS, used from 1993-1999 featuring the P pals. ... Barney & Friends is a popular childrens television show produced in the United States, mainly aimed at preschoolers. ... The Berenstain Bears is a 2003 animated television series based on Stan and Jan Berenstains Berenstain Bears childrens book series. ... Between the Lions is a PBS childrens puppet show designed to promote reading. ... Boohbah is a 2004 television show aimed at children between three and six years old. ... Caillou is a childrens television show based on the books by Christine LHeureux and illustrator HÃ©lÃ¨ne Desputeaux. ... Clifford the Big Red Dog is an enduring American childrens book series first published in 1962. ... â€¹ The template below (Expand) is being considered for deletion. ... Curious George is a 2006 animated television series based on the popular Curious George childrens book series and motion picture, which features Jeff Bennett as the voice of The Man with the Yellow Hat. ... Dragon Tales is an animated childrens television series chronicling the adventures of the human children Max and Emmy (brother and sister respectively) and their dragon friends Cassie, Ord, Zak and Wheezie. ... Franny Fantootsie Frannys Feet is a 30-minute animated series for children. ... George Shrinks is a television series based on the childrens book by William Joyce. ... Its A Big Big World is a childrens television show on PBS Kids, that debuted January 2, 2006, and is part of Miss Lori and Hoopers schedule block. ... Jakers! The Adventures of Piggley Winks is a childrens television series, animated using Computer-generated imagery and broadcast in the United States on PBS Kids, in Ireland on RTÃ‰ Two, as part of The Den, in Australia on ABC, in Ontario on TVOKids, in the UK on BBC Two... // Jay Jay the Jet Plane is a childrens butt raping television cartoon fiction series. ... Mister Rogers Neighborhood or Mister Rogers is an American childrens television series that was created and hosted by Fred Rogers. ... The Rainbow Fish is an award-winning childrens HUH drawn and written by Marcus Pfister, and translated into English by J. Alison James. ... The Reading Rainbow logo used between 2000 and 2007. ... Sagwa is the name of a cat in the childrens book Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat by author Amy Tan. ... Sesame Street is an American educational childrens television series for preschoolers and is a pioneer of the contemporary educational television standard, combining both education and entertainment. ... Super Why! is a PBS Kids show that includes spelling, reading and traditional fairy tales. ... Teletubbies is a BBC childrens television series, particularly aimed at young children, produced from 1997 to 2001 by Ragdoll Productions. ... 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Maya & Miguel is a half-hour American childrens television animated series produced by Scholastic Studios. ... Postcards from Buster, also called Busters Postcards, is a childrens television series, containing both animation and live-action that airs on PBS, and is a spin-off of the Arthur cartoon series. ... WordGirl is a childrens animated series produced by Soup2Nuts for PBS Kids GO!. It began as a series of shorts that premiered on PBS Kids GO! on November 10, 2006, usually shown at the end of Maya & Miguel. ... This article is about the television series. ... 3-2-1 Contact was an American science educational television show which aired on PBS from 1980 to 1992. ... The Adventures From The Book of Virtues was an animated television series that developed education for viewers who could make their support for learning for their children who were between the ages of 2 and 9 years old. ... Adventures of Dudley the Dragon is the childrens television series which aired in the United States on PBS. Category: ... Anne of Green Gables is a 1985 television film, based on the novel Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery. ... Bill Nye the Science Guy is an Emmy Award-winning educational television program, hosted by Bill Nye. ... Big Comfy Couch is a childrens TV show. ... Bob the Builder is a childrens television clay character created by Keith Chapman. ... Captain Kangaroo was a childrens television series which aired weekday mornings on the American television network CBS from 1955 until 1984, then moved to the American Program Service (now American Public Television, Boston) to air syndicated reruns of past episodes in 1992. ... Charlie Horse Music Pizza is a childrens television show that was shown on PBS in the United States from January 1998 to May 2000. ... The Electric Company was an educational American childrens television series produced by the Childrens Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop) for PBS in the United States. ... Gerbert is a Christian-based childrens television series, the namesake of which is a puppet reflecting moral positivity. ... Ghostwriter was a television series co-produced by the Childrens Television Workshop and the BBC, originally aired on PBS in the United States from October 1992 to February 1995. ... The Huggabug Club is an educational TV series for kids ages 2-8. ... In the Mix is an award-winning television program for teenagers that has been airing on PBS since 1992. ... Katie and Orbie is an animated television series aimed at preschoolers, originally broadcast in Canada in 1994 by Global and later in America on the Disney Channel and on PBS. Leslie Nielsen (from the Naked Gun films) narrates the adventures of a five-year-old and her friend, a pink... Kidsongs was a series of Music Videos for children that were first released on home video. ... Kratts Creatures is a childrens television program on PBS. The show is hosted by two brothers, Chris and Martin Kratt, who are later included in the spin-off Zoboomafoo, and Alison Baldwin (played by Shannon Duff), with Ron Rubin as the voice of Ttark the dinosaur. ... Charlie Horse redirects here. ... Libertys Kids is a 40-part animated television series produced by DiC Entertainment, originally broadcast on PBS Kids from September 2, 2002 to April 4, 2003. ... An opening screenshot from Long Ago and Far Away Long Ago and Far Away is an award-winning TV series that aired on PBS Television from 1989 until 1993. ... Mark Kistlers PBS series taught children, and adults, to draw using techniques such as perspective and shading. ... Newtons Apple was an educational television program distributed to PBS stations in the United States that ran for fifteen seasons from 1983 to 1998. ... For other uses, see Noddy (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... PBS Kids Bookworm Bunch was a three-hour Saturday morning lineup of shows produced by Nelvana and based on the popular childrens books Corduroy, George Shrinks, Elliot Moose, Marvin the Tap-Dancing Horse, Seven Little Monsters, and Timothy Goes to School. ... The Puzzle Place is a childrens television show produced by KCET in Los Angeles, California and Lancit Media in New York City, New York. ... Shining Time Station was an American television spin-off of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends series co-created by Britt Allcroft and Rick Siggelkow. ... Square One, also known as Square One Television, was a television show produced by the Childrens Television Workshop to teach mathematics and abstract mathematical concepts to young viewers. ... Seven Little Monsters is a kids television program about how seven monsters are a family. ... Theodore Tugboat is a television show for children about a little tugboat, his friends, and their adventures in the Big Harbor. ... Tots TV was a television show, produced by Ragdoll Productions and Central (later owned by Carlton Television) (Both Ragdoll and Central also produced Rosie and Jim and Ragdoll independently produced Teletubbies for the BBC). ... This article is about the PBS game show with this title. ... This article is about the PBS game show with this title. ... Wimzies House was a Canadian produced childrens television program which ran on YTV from 1995 to 1996 and in the United States on PBS from 1997 to 2001[1]. The show has also aired at least as early as 1995 and through the late-1990s on CBC Television... Soccer as Wishbone, the little dog with a big imagination. ... Zoobilee Zoo, a childrens television program featuring costumed performers dressed as animal characters, aired from 1986â€“1987, then in syndication until 2001 on several television channels including commercial network television stations, public television stations, The Learning Channel, and the Hallmark Channel. ... KLCS Channel 58 is a member station of the Public Broadcasting Service, and is owned by the Los Angeles Unified School District. ...

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