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theredengineapologist · 3 months

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From the ttte movies you seen, whats your fav?

✨THE GREAT RACE✨

The Great Race is THE BEST ONE! I may not have seen most of the other movies yet, but I'm very sure NOTHING is ever gonna beat this movie for me.

You're telling me they made a Thomas movie centered around what is basically a Train Pageant (tm) AND they made it a MUSICAL!!??? Hell yeah! Sign me up!

But then you actually get in to the movie and it gets even better.

EVERY SONG IS A BOP! EVERY! 👏 SINGLE! 👏ONE! 👏 THERE WAS NOT A SINGLE MISS IN THIS MOVIE! I don't know what they were on, but they were pumping out JAM after JAM!

Secondly, I think the Great Railway Show was a great way to introduce more foreign engines into the show in a way that made sense. Pity that we didn't really get to see much of them. But I also feel like we didn't really need to. I mainly just liked that we got to SEE them.

One of the things I LOVE about Brenner Era CGI Thomas is how the world of Sodor feels so much bigger. In the model series I get this sense that the Island of Sodor is this quaint little English countryside island where nothing much happens, and the engine's shenanigans are the most interesting things to happen in day-to-day life. Whereas I feel like in Brenner Era CGI Thomas, the world feels much grander. Still very much an English countryside island. But the island itself feels much bigger. The engines and the people living on it feel much busier. And in some ways I would say the cast itself feels more diverse once they gave the characters unique voices. I'm a sucker for shows that allow their characters to speak in different dialects, and giving Duck his West Country accent and the narrow gauge engines Welsch accents honestly endeared them to me more.

Anyway, main point I'm trying to get at is that the introduction of The Great Railway Show helped to expand the Thomas universe and show the rest of the world interacting with Sodor and vice-versa, even if only for a short period of time. It adds to the grandness of the world.

I also really like Thomas's arc in this movie. With how often he gets picked on for being a "little engine" over the course of the series, it's no wonder the guy's a little self conscious. If the narrator called me "short and stumpy" three times in a row I'd be pretty self-conscious too lol. But jokes aside, I did like seeing Thomas have conflict with this part of his identity. His verses in "You Can Only Be You" really made me feel for him, and I loved being able to see him finally come around at the end.

And of course, we can't talk about The Great Race without mentioning

HOW PRETTY JAMES'S DECORATIVE PAINTWORK IS!!!

LOOK AT HIM! LOOK AT MY PRETTY BOY! GAZE UPON HIS BEAUTY AND HIS SPLENDIDNESS!!!

And you know what? I'm gonna say it. James deserved to win Best Decorated Engine. Sorry not sorry RAJIV! But they don't call me the Red Engine Apologist for nothing! My pookie deserved to win!

One of these days I've got to do humanized versions of James's and Emily's looks from this movie. I can see it very clearly in my head but I also want to, um, draw other characters HAHAHAHA

Anyway, TLDR, The Great Race was an amazing movie with a killer soundtrack, great story, and a concept that appeals to ME SPECIFICALLY. I also genuinely think it would adapt very well into a stage musical (similar in visual style to the Spongebob musical). I have a clear vision in my head for what it would look like but unfortunately I don't have the money nor resources to make it a reality so it would just stay in my head. But just know that every time I watch this movie I am actively thinking about how I would hypothetically adapt this to the stage.

I''ve spent WAY too much time rambling about The Great Race but yeah, there's your answer.

Also if you're curious, here's every Thomas movie I've watched so far ranked from favorite to least favorite.

The Great Race (obviously)

Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure (Thomas had a great arc in this one, "Never Overlook a Little Engine" was fun, and visuals are spectacular. Solid movie but it can't beat the campiness of The Great Race)

The Adventure Begins (Solid movie. The other two are just more fun imo)

Tale of the Brave (It was a good movie and I probably would have appreciated it more if I watched it in High Quality. But unfortunately I can't stand Kerry Shale James and so I chose to watch a grainy upload on YouTube instead.)

Journey Beyond Sodor (I'm sorry to my one mutual (you know who you are) who said this was their favorite movie. But unfortunately, in my opinion, the songs do not slap as hard as in The Great Race)

#ttte #thomas and friends #the great race #thomas the tank engine #ttte james #ask answered #ttte episode review #ttte movie review #ttte first impressions #on today's episode of “thinking too hard about trains”...#redengineposts

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ryan1014n2 · 1 year

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After the closure of the Mid Sodor Railway and being sold to the Peel Godred Aluminum Works, Falcon and Stuart were the closest thing each other had to any sort of home.

Stuart tried to stay cheerful enough for the both of them, but it was much easier said than done.

#before the official 'decline' of the msr (selling half of the engines and closing part of the line)#falcon and stuart considered themselves to be friends #and they eventually came to see each other as being like brothers as they grew up together under duke's teaching #after their other friends were sold off they (along with duke) became much more important parts of each other's lives #but it was after they were sold to the aluminum works when they became incredibly close and amost inseparable #it was not a very loving environment and so through the unfortunate circumstance they quickly became each other’s 'home'#they remained as such through their transfer to the skarloey railway and thus their name changes #although sir handel had come out worse from the aluminum works and was not a very cooperative engine #and sir handel became rather jealous and upset with how quickly peter sam befriended rusty #but he got over it once he also got on rusty's good side (after a bad first impression) and all three got along from then on #with both sir handel and peter sam eventually adopting the skarloey railway as their new home #they're not as dependent on each other as they once were which is refreshing and good for both of them #but they are still much closer and more comfortable with each other than they were before the msr's closure #and when duke was rescued and restored he was pleasantly surprised to see how close his boys had become #and duke was welcomed into the railway's family with open arms-- er-- buffers #ttte peter sam #ttte sir handel #ttte headcanon #(especially in the tags I think)#my doodles #my post

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khaohomies · 2 months

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Some more ttte ocs!!! 😁😁😁

(I didn't know diesel locomtive's wheels would be that hard to draw)

Some extra lores under the cut! V

Roland "Roland King" LMS Kitson 0-3-0ST

Roland is a hard worker since day one! Despite him being a small shunter, never underestimate his size! He might not be as strong as the other engines but he has a heart of a lion. He is not afraid of picking fight with anyone who have conflict with him or his friends. But being tougher than your real strength can have it downfall sometime. Losing his peers to modernization and dieselization, having Madeleine and Archibald being the few still standing by his sides. Roland is highly protective of them. He's willing to ignore and look past all of their flaws and throw hands with anyone who disagree.

Honeybee and Cooper are the first diesels he fully open up with, eventually becoming friends outside of his own little circle.

He's that one aggressive short friend

100% will help you bury a body and tell no one

Dandy "Dalan 'Dandy' Robinson" BR Class 52

A goody two shoes one might say. Dandy is a perfectionist. He absolutely want things to go smoothly always. Unlike Shepherd who do it out of his own bossiness, Dandy do it out of pure fear, the fear of getting scrap like his sibilings and other engines. This boy feel the NEED the impress people, he need to show his worthiness to stay, He want the others to thing he's perfect both mentally and mechanically and there's nothing that could go wrong with him!(Oh how wrong he was) Leading him to often push himself beyond his limit. This combinded with the flaws of the class 52 caused him to breakdown sometime, leaving him distressed.

He have sight problem, His old crews somehow managed to convinced the higher up to install glasses on him

Point out any of his flaws and he'll think about it for the next 3 weeks

Madeleine "Mary Rosalie Sabilline" L&YR Hughes 4-6-4T

The most sensible and open minded of the steam trio. She's often one of the few voices of reason on their railway beside Hila, the first diesel she fully open up to(YURI ALERT!!!) The only thing that hold her back from solving the conflict is her insecurity. She's very wary of how the others think of her, especially her best mates, Roland and Archibald. Because of this she's very careful with her usage of words and how she spoke with the other engines, she doesn't want to upset anyone afterall!

Want to keep Roland and Archibald from doing stupid shit but scared it might damage their friendships

Hila helped her become more confidence

ERMM, I THINK THAT'S ALL FOR NOW!!

#ttte #my art #digital art #thomas and friends #thomas the tank engine #oc #artists on tumblr #ttte oc

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sudrian-railways-enthusiast · 7 months

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Traintober Day 3: Twins!

(Don’t check the post date)

A Mashing of Ttte, RWS, and probably some of your guys’s head cannons I accepted through osmosis.

Or:

A Bill and Ben Recap

Bill and Ben are Tank Engine Twins who work the industrial line between the Sodor China Clay Pits and the big harbor on Edward’s Branchline. They are proud of their work, but have fun too. They don’t always get along well, but most of the time they are practically joined at the piston. Sometimes, when there is nothing to do at the clay works, (due to blasting, unusually few pranks, or other slow seasons) they are allowed to “help out” at the harbor.

Many of the engines (and cranes, and workmen) will say that, at the harbor, the twins only do as much work as they create for themselves in the first place, but Percy knows the Twins only want an excuse for company. The Twins rather fancy the fellow Saddle Tank as an elder brother. Percy says they help keep him young again, like his time in the workshop.

The Twins were very impressed with Percy’s story of the promise he made with Thomas. They often wish they were as brave as Percy, especially when the drain floods and they are left stranded on opposite end of the line or with no work to do.

When Thomas saved them from the drain they almost told him they thought him perhaps as splendid an engine as Percy, although they ultimately decided he didn’t yet deserve the compliment. I wonder if Thomas would have taken it that way, don’t you?

And so, when the twins heard tell of Percy’s Plunge off the Pier (on a special order of a large batch of stone specifically for Brendam (Whoa Retcon, don’t get your frames in a bend) ), they were quite horrified; seeing their mentor in such a state, pushed into the sea? Quite possibly the worst fate for an engine they can now think of, even worse than scrap.

Some time later, lurking around the harbor yard, the twins overheard their parental figures, for lack of any better relationship term between locomotives, discussing a most distressing incident.

The Twins decided they wouldn’t stand it; if ever they were to meet this “Gordon” then they’d prove how vulgar branch line engines can be. They did not have to brainstorm long, they were not so busy thinking about what they’d say to Gordon when they next met to loose focus of their work. They already knew the worst fate that could befall an engine. Do you?

#traintober 2023 #ttte bill and ben #ttte bill #ttte Ben #ttte percy #ttte edward #ttte boco

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anonymousboxcar · 9 months

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TTTE/RWS Headcanon: Caroline’s Pen Pal

I don’t have any in-universe justification for my thought processes here. All I can say is that I like the idea of Caroline being a long-term pen pal of a 1920s American car.

The car in question is a Duesenberg Model A named Evanora, who worked for a Hollywood starlet. Evanora accompanied said starlet on a vacation to Sodor. There, she was offloaded from a ship so the actress could drive her favorite car around the Sudrian countryside.

It was on these drives that Evanora and Caroline met. Caroline was initially wary; the starlet’s speedy driving and Evanora’s opulent design soured her first impression. But later, Evanora apologized for the recklessness. She proved to be soft-spoken, genuine, and graceful. This disarmed and even charmed Caroline.

Over several conversations, Caroline liked hearing about Hollywood and its big personalities, and grew to respect Evanora’s patience and adaptability. Evanora in turn enjoyed the perspective of a slower, quieter life. And she appreciated Caroline’s willingness to speak her (opinionated) mind.

When the vacation ended, the two agreed to keep in touch. They sent letters to each other for decades. Caroline told Evanora how she was slowing down, how she came to be the cricket club’s car. Evanora told her about the ever-changing Hollywood and the other actors she drove over the years.

They helped each other out, too. When Caroline needed repairs the cricket club couldn’t afford — even after pooling their funds and taking donations — Evanora’s next letter showed up with a check enclosed.

Caroline, embarrassed, tried to refuse the money. Evanora wouldn’t have it.

( “This may be terribly selfish of me,” she wrote, “but I don’t want to lose my friend. Your cricket club doesn’t want to lose you either. Consider the impact losing you would have on us, darling. Consider accepting the money for our sakes if not your own.

“Also, I can’t take the money back even if I wanted to. My driver signed that check. I wish you the best of luck at reaching him on his indefinite vacation in Alaska, at my recommendation.”)

Touched and humbled, Caroline accepted the check, but not without vowing to one day repay Evanora.

That day came in the 1980s. By then, Evanora’s current driver was too old to drive anymore. And any potential new drivers didn’t want her to be a daily driver anymore; they saw her as a collector’s item to hoard in a sterile garage.

Evanora developed a taste for the quiet life in her correspondence with Caroline, but she wanted to be outside, to move. So she took another page out of Caroline’s book and advocated for herself.

Unfortunately, nobody would listen in Hollywood. She considered the Auburn Cord Duesenburg Museum in Indiana, but she would be on static display, fawned over by hundreds of people. And she was tired of the celebrity lifestyle.

Caroline stayed appraised of all these things through their letters. As it happened, she’d appeared by this point in The Railway Series and Thomas the Tank Engine. These were opportunities she took on with Evanora’s advice and industry knowledge in mind — a small taste of the “fast lane” that she found enjoyable. There were also royalties and paychecks in the hands of her generous, loyal cricket club.

In her next letter to Evanora, Caroline enclosed an ocean liner ticket for Sodor.

Thrilled, Evanora beat back the last aggressive offers from collectors before her voyage across the Atlantic. By the time she arrived, Caroline also set her up with an assisted living home, where older folks going into town could get there in nostalgic comfort and style. It was a slower-paced life in a place where she wasn’t known as a rare car, but would still be appreciated and fulfilled.

(“Are you sure this is what—”

“It’s what she wants. I know it,” Caroline told the cricket player.)

When they reunited, Caroline could’ve fussed about the things that didn’t go right — delayed timetables, muddy roads, etc. — but she didn’t. She only expressed her delight and gratitude at seeing her dear friend again. And Evanora did the same, deciding to take this new phase of friendship and life one wheel-turn at a time.

(Bonus: Elizabeth is intensely jealous of Evanora. Evanora is oblivious and thinks it’s all friendly rivalry. Caroline fluctuates between scolding and reassuring Elizabeth that she isn’t trying to replace her.)

#ttte #rws #ttte headcanon #rws headcanon #ttte oc #rws oc #evanora the duesenburg (oc)#my oc #my headcanons #ttte caroline #ttte elizabeth #apologies if I don’t have Caroline’s character quite right yet

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pxmun · 1 year

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Gordon the engine that grew up too soon

This is focusing on Gordon’s behavior and actions as well as some theories on the engines ages and how Gordon could possibly be one of the younger members of the Steam Team but do to his size others might assume he’s an older engine, also, that he is often labeled as the “senior” member of the group in merchandise and other media.

It’s not a reliable source, but according to the Wiki these are the built years of the Steam Team. (Oldest to youngest) Nia and Rebecca will be excluded as this is concerning the original team. Edward- 1896 James- 1912- 13 Toby- 1914 Thomas- 1915 Henry- 1919 Gordon- 1920- 21 Percy- Anywhere between 1925 and 1935 If this is correct than that makes Gordon, the second youngest member of the team and the youngest tender engine in the group.

This could cause some inner and outer conflicts as Gordon is placed in this position of responsibility, he might not have been ready for and as a result ends up with a big ego.

At the time he was built, Gordon was the newest and fastest engine of his line, so there was likely a lot of pressure he had to face to prove and keep up his worth. When Thomas, Percy, and a few other engines first arrived on Sodor other engines like Edward were put in charge to help mentor them. It makes one wonder if Gordon ever had a mentor and if he did was that engine any good? From Gordon's attempts at trying to mentor Percy and Rebecca it would appear not, as with Percy, Gordon became more focused on impressing others and Rebecca had her own way of doing things. Could Gordon's possible mentor have been a bad influence on the big engine?

It looks like narcissism can result from parentification due to “a child being forced to take on a parent's idealized projection, which can encourage a compulsive perfectionism in the child at the expense of their natural development.” - healthline.com

Gordon’s showing off and boasting might be cries for attention and affection.

Gordon not liking the new engines because to him they are new challengers for the Fat Controller’s and others affection. The same could be applied to how Gordon is towards Thomas, as the little blue engine seems to get a lot of attention.

On top of this Gordon's teasing of Edward for being too old might actually be out of disdain Gordon has for being viewed in the same manner. It is interesting to note that Gordon’s “dream” in “Calling All Engines” is about him being converted into a playground. Although this has happened to engines in real life, it is interesting that Gordon was chosen for this part.

According to dreamencyclopedia.net, playgrounds in dreams can mean a few things. *Expression of joy. *Exploring a need to connect more with this part of one’s nature. *Desire to escape from daily stresses. Need to be more carefree and explore one’s talent. If these meanings are correct, can this possibly mean that Gordon needs to find his “inner child”? or has a desire to escape from something that is causing him stress. If something is causing him stress, what is it? With BWBA Gordon seems to vastly teeter totter. With Rebecca Gordon seems to improve as he works well with her after his initial grumpiness fades away once they become friends and even sings along with her during Rebecca’s segment of meet the Steam Team. However, Gordon can do a 360 and display concerning behaviors like when Edward and Henry move out and he throws an engine version of a toddler tantrum, think its not okay for him to giggle, and his very colorful daydream sequences. Throughout its run TTTE has had several Sir Topham Hatts, but with Bertram Hatt I wonder what he did or say to give Gordon the impression that he would take Gordon’s express away and give him silly jobs for just giggling.

It is very concerning how Sir Bertram Topham Hatt is towards Gordon in BWBA. After Gordon’s tantrum and during his talk with Edward to try and convince him to move back to Tidmouth Sheds, Sir Topham Hatt catches up to Gordon and tells him this:

“You are usually one of my most sensible engines Gordon, but today you’re being very silly indeed”! -Sir Bertram Topham Hatt.

I’m not a parent, I can’t really speak on this so I’ll ask a question to any parent or guardian out there: Would you be concerned if your well- behaved child suddenly threw a tantrum?

I’m mentioning this to bring up that the way Gordon is viewed and treated might be the reason for some of his behaviors.

This isn’t meant to excuse Gordon’s behavior and actions, but rather explain or theorize why he does it.

#ttte gordon #gordon the big engine #mun is weird #mun thoughts #ttte #thomas the tank engine #thomas and friends #gordon the express engine #speculaion #ttte sir topham hatt #Sir Topham Hatt #ttte the fat controller #the fat controller

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transsexualunderground · 1 year

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Thomas 1

I almost forgot I posted an ask game and I was about to be all "yep, he sure is, buddy."

Okay, first impression of Thomas... well, my first impression was laden by memes, vague childhood memory, and having the assumption TTTE was one of those weirdly nicey preschool shows even during classic era.

Boy, was I wrong. Ah, I'm remembering the sheer wondered bafflement I experienced when I heard Thomas dropping CANONICAL INSULTS. T'was a thing of beauty!

#secondman says #secondman (re)sponds #ttte #ttte thomas #railway series #the railway series #thomas and friends #thomas the tank engine

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jobey-wan-kenobi · 11 months

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“The three engines are now great friends...”

I really thought I’d just be filling this post with ironic images of of Edward, Gordon, and Henry being dicks to each other Gordon and Henry being dicks to each other and to Edward.

But actually, the more I rewatch, the more I’m impressed and touched by the subtle little signs that this was true, and not just a pat convenient way to end the first book.

RS/TTTE is the complete opposite of a sitcom where Status Quo is God. In this universe, Change is God, and these stories have since spanned almost a hundred years since the original story about the “Three Railway Engines.”

I feel like it’s super realistic that this honeymoon phase of the next friendship passed in the blink of an eye, practically behind the scenes.

But it’s also really endearing how you can still see this original trio manifesting once and again throughout all the railway expansions and multiplying cast? There’s plenty of moments that show a sort of normal, not toxic, level of ribbing/teasing, and lots of little notes of familiarity and warmth?

Like, yes, they’re all busy and your lives have changed a lot, but I absolutely believe they’ve known each other forever and ever.

#ohhhhhhh man this is an ollllllld draft #it's good enough that i don't wish to delete it but i also don't know how to improve it lol #may as well put it in the queue

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eeveeandme05 · 1 year

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First post, what whaaat!

So, first time here! To get straight to the point, I have a fic crewing which I'll be posting snippets of here. Yes, it is a TTTE story, but with my own twist to it, featuring a pair of human characters. Take this as you will - please enjoy!

The train rushed down the mainline, the rural scenery rushing past in a blur. Amano was sat in one of the coaches, staring vacantly out the window. He was on his way to the Island of Sodor, where a family friend had agreed to host him while he stayed on the island for a month to do some work experience - a mandatory practice instated by his school. While he would have been excited about this new adventure he was going on, something he often longed for, he was feeling unusually sombre.

However consumed he was by whirling, anxious thoughts, they were all promptly swept out of his head the moment the railway drawbridge from Barrow to Sodor came into view. He was almost there. The boy sucked in a breath as he was pulled back to reality.

The stories Amano had heard from this obscure island were, to him, nothing short of legendary, having grown up with them, and now he had been given the opportunity to visit it in person. The excitement he should have been feeling began to well up inside him - he even felt himself crack a smile. He took a deep breath and put on a brave face. He would get there and make a good impression, then show them what a good worker he could be!

***

Donald whistled as he puffed into Vicarstown. It wasn't often that he went to the mainland, but James had been relegated to goods work after being silly a few days prior, so he had been asked to take over the red engine's passenger duties temporarily.

Edward was simmering at one of the adjacent platforms, and opened one sleepy eye at the sound of Donald's arrival.

"Hullo, Donald!" he said cheerfully. "Welcome back. Had a good trip?"

"Aye. A'd forgotten howfur stowed it gets back oan th' mainland. Loads o' tourists this time o' year!"

"Naturally! James must be in a right tiff, knowing how many there are that he can't show off to." The old engine chuckled as he watched the crowds of passengers disembark, gradually dispersing off to their various destinations, until there were only a few left.

"Hello!"

Donald started at the voice right next to him, and glanced over to see a young boy, not much older than fourteen or fifteen, standing on the platform, grinning.

"Awright, laddie," said Donald, bemused. "Haven't seen ye aroond afore. Whit brings ye 'ere?"

Before the boy could answer, a voice hailed him from the station's entrance. Donald looked up to see a man come forward and shake the boy's hand. He was a familiar face, a close friend of Donald's driver; he recalled speaking to him a few times when they met.

"Ah, hullo Donald!" he said, seemingly just noticing the engine. "Sorry old boy, I forgot to tell you. This is Amano, a young friend of mine. He'll be staying here for a little while to learn some life on the railway. I hope you and the others will make him feel welcome!"

Donald looked once more at the boy. He saw his mop of black hair, his sparkling heterochromatic eyes, his cheeky smile, and found himself smiling back. "Weel, weel, weel. Walcome tae Sodor, laddie! Ah shuid hawp ye'll lik' it 'ere."

In the background, Edward raised a bemused eyebrow.

He rather felt like things were about to get interesting on the North Western Railway.

And that's a wrap for now! A work in progress for sure, but I hope you like what we've got so far!

#ttte oc #ttte edward #ttte donald #fanfic #work in progress #upcoming #My brain really didn't enjoy writing some of this but oh well #Should improve with progress!#I should be working on other stuff right now anyway...

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theredengineapologist · 4 months

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Now that you finished the classic era, what are your top ten favorite classic era episodes?

Apologies for this ask taking so long, but I wanted to take the time to answer your question in the detail that it deserves.

Before I begin, I just want to clarify that this is a list of my top 10 favorite episodes. This is not an indicative list of which Thomas episodes I think are necessarily written the best. They are ranked purely based on how much I enjoy them.

Anyway, Top 10 Classic Era Thomas Episodes, Let's GO!

10. S6 Ep15: "James and the Red Balloon"

Kicking off the list with a James episode (because favoritism ALWAYS wins in this house)! There's definitely a nostalgia factor to this episode, as it's one of the few episodes that I actually remember from childhood (I have the "James and the Red Balloon and Other Stories" vhs tape). But also I just love the irony of James getting jealous of another vehicle that is also red.

Also I love his sad face after he saves the balloon.

It's like "Congratulations James! You saved the day!" and then James is just like "But I didn't want to. The balloon's gonna take my job :(". I dunno, I just think it's funny. He's so silly.

Also the ending of James dreaming about flying like the red balloon is very cute.

9. S5 Ep13: "Stepney Gets Lost"

I gotta admit, I do have an interest in Thomas's darker episodes. I know that kids' shows aren't happy/pure/hunky-dory all the time, but it still surprises me when they aren't. Purely because even though I know that, I still don't expect it. And so it's always a pleasant surprise when kids' shows like Thomas and Friends are willing to venture into darker territory. Like, they LITERALLY showed an attempted murder on-screen. I gotta give them props for that.

8. S1 Ep9: "Troublesome Trucks" / "Foolish Freight Cars"

I adore James's whole character arc from the first season, but out of all the episodes from that arc, this one definitely takes the cake for being the best one. I feel like we really get to see all the facets of James' character at their best. Allow me to elaborate.

First of all, for as much flack as James gets for being "the vain one", he takes his mistakes harder than everybody. Look at him here! He's literally crying in the shed! Dude has seen the error of his ways and regrets it so hard. And that's honestly one of the things I love about James's character and that I'm glad stays consistent throughout the show. Yes he has his moments of being a jackass and a showboat. But the moment he sees that he's done something wrong, he will atone for it! He's not afraid to take accountability, and that's something very admirable.

Speaking of atoning for one's actions, I feel like being The Determinator (TvTropes lingo, means a character who never gives up in the face of hardship) is a character trait we more commonly associate with Edward or Thomas. But James sure is one too! No matter how many times the trucks make him stop, James keeps going! I love how encouraging his driver and fireman are being towards him during these moments too. Good to know he has that good support system.

Then we get to the part where James is puffing up Gordon's hill! And he's all like "omg this is so hard. how tall is this hill" and then suddenly it gets easier and he's like "Yippee! Yippee!", not knowing he's left his tail of trucks behind. Any time the engines go about their work smiling and happy unknowing that something bad just did or is about to happen is insanely funny to me.

Now we get to my favorite part of the episode, where James has to go back down for the rest of the trucks. Please excuse my 2x5 shipper brain coming out for this, but I love how Edward has always been a supportive figure throughout James's character arc. He offers to help James with his work. But then James just gives a polite "No thank you". And then Edward continues to support and encourage him to keep going. I love that! I love them!

I don't think it's a coincidence that it was Edward who brought Sir Topham Hatt to see James's triumph. Edward has been with James since his first day working after the accident. And so of course it would be Edward to bring Sir Topham Hatt to see James at his best. Like, this is such a satisfying episode and it's nice to see James win (because let's be real, the majority of his focus episodes going forward is just James taking Ls).

7. S7 Ep7: "James and the Queen of Sodor"

Look I'm gonna be honest, this one's just a really fun watch in my opinion. I love to see James try so hard to be important. Gordon really tried to trick him but James was like, "Nah, fuck you guys! I'm gonna stay ✨shiny and clean✨!" And he did! Up until the very end when Percy sneezed on him. But you know what, a win is a win (and that comes rarely for James as the series goes on).

Also I love this face Gordon makes when he asks if collecting the Queen of Sodor is important. Dude knows what he's doing and he's trying SO HARD not to be smug about it it's hilarious. XD

6. S1 Ep15: "Tenders and Turntables"

What can I say? I enjoy watching the Big Engines struggle. It's really funny XD I love how James makes fun of Gordon for getting stuck on the turntable only to immediately get spun round and round. The Island of Sodor really does have laser-guided karma, huh? XD

Also as a continuity thing, I like that we get to see how Thomas getting his branchline effects the other engines around him. It makes the events of each episode feel like they have a greater impact, something that I believe gets lost in later seasons.

5. S5 Ep10: "Toby and the Flood"

I don't think I ever mentioned it, but Toby is one of my top five favorite characters in the entire series. Right up there with James, Edward, and Thomas! Any time Toby gets a highlight episode, I know it's gonna be the highlight of the season. But this one, BY FAR, takes the cake as the BEST classic Toby episode.

For me, "Toby and the Flood" was the first episode that really made me think "Oh my god! The trains are in PERIL!" Like, this is a legit scary situation they put Toby in this time around. Not that past incidents like The Flying Kipper crash or James' multiple derailments weren't scary from the engine's perspectives. But train crashes kinda feel par for the course in the silly talking train show. Something about a natural disaster just hits different.

Like when Toby was floating in the water about to go over the waterfall, I was legitimately worried for him. Going into this blind, I had no clue how Toby was gonna get out of this. Logically, I knew they couldn't just kill Toby off. But at the same time, when Harold dropped the rope, I thought they were just gonna pull the driver up and leave Toby there. I was not sure how they were gonna save him but I'm so glad they did.

The Toby-Harold-Percy dynamic is ✨P E A K✨ here by the way. I loved seeing them work together and it's a shame we don't get to see more of it.

Aside from the story itself, the score is amazing as well. Really does a great job of setting the tone for this story.

Oh, and one more thing.

THE SETS ARE GORGEOUS!

Seriously, I think this is one of the best examples of just how GOOD the model series can look. The sets look so realistic. And when the dam broke and the water came spilling out? That was spectacular! I'd give this episode a 10/10 just for the visuals alone.

4. S3 Ep18: "All At Sea"

"All At Sea", in my opinion, is by far the most thought provoking episode in the entire classic series. After watching it for the first time, I was still thinking about it and contemplating its meaning for weeks afterwards. Even to this day, I still find myself going back to think about it from time to time.

For a while I remember I was going back and forth about whether I actually liked this episode or not. The lesson at the end is "sometimes, the best travels are the ones you can only dream about", and I wasn't sure what that meant. Growing up American, we were always taught to go out and chase our dreams, no matter the risk or the cost. But in Duck's case, not only is he not encouraged to go travel and see what's beyond the horizon. He is, in fact, actively discouraged from doing so. From a logical standpoint, it makes sense. What reason would an engine have to go sailing or travel the world. But it still got me thinking. Was it really so wrong for Duck to dream about greater things?

But after talking about it with my sibling (bless their heart for dealing with my incessant prattling on a daily basis), we came to the conclusion that it's not that it was wrong for Duck to have dreams. But instead, "All at Sea" is a story about why it's important to be content with where you are right now. Every one of us is going to have dreams. But the unfortunate reality is that not everyone is going to be able to achieve those dreams. Many of us, in fact, will not even have the opportunity to chase our dreams. And in such cases, perhaps it's best to simply be content with where we are right now. Understand that we still have a purpose in life at the place we are currently.

Dreaming is all fine and good. But understand that where you are right now is just as important and just as worthwhile.

3. S2 Ep13: "Dirty Work" / "Diesel's Devious Deed"

I love Duck's whole arc against Diesel. I think it's great. But if I'm being honest, the reason why the middle episode is my favorite out of the three-parter is because the Big Engines are absolutely ✨ICONIC✨ in this!

We get our very first utterance of "DISGRACEFUL! DISGUSTING! DESPICABLE!" in this episode. Not to mention this iconic roast:

"Duck called me a Galloping Sausage!" "Rusty Red Scrap Iron!" "I'm Old Square Wheels!" "Well Duck?" "I only wish sir, that I had thought of those names myself. If the dome fits!"

I just LOVE the drama of watching the engines be absolute Mean Girls to each other. You can't tell me that in an AU where Thomas and Friends is a high school show catered to young girls, that Gordon, James, and Henry wouldn't be the equivalent of The Plastics. I nicknamed them "The Railway Heathers" for a reason. XD

2. S1 Ep2: "Edward and Gordon" / "Edward Helps Out"

This was the episode that made me instantly like Edward. He wasn't someone that I really remembered liking or disliking as kid. But after re-watching this episode, he immediately skyrocketed to being my second favorite character.

The story does a great job of establishing exactly who Edward is with only about four minutes and thirty seconds. He's smaller than the others (though surprisingly, I noticed they don't actually mention that he's old until season 2), and is very kind. But he often doesn't get appreciated for all the hard work he does. It makes you really feel for the guy.

Thankfully, Edward gets many more wins later in the series, so it's all good!

1. S2 Ep5: "Old Iron"

Is it really a surprise to literally anyone that this is my favorite classic series episode? Of course not! It's literally the EPITOME Jameward episode.

My shipping preferences aside, I would also like to say that "Old Iron" is a fantastic James episode AND a fantastic Edward episode as well. Both characters are at their best here, and let me tell you why.

Starting with James first (because, say it with me now, favoritism rules in this house!). We all love James being a dumbass. And while he didn't directly cause his own karma this time around, we still get to see him be a little dumb of ass. Like, when he becomes a runaway at first he doesn't even realize there's anything wrong.

He just puffs along, laughing to himself going "What a lark! What a lark!"

Then of course, we gotta have the "Regretti Spaghetti" moment, in which he realizes "Oh shit! I don't have a driver! I can't stop!"

This is James's second time being a runaway. The first time, he was pushed by cars and derailed into a field. Those memories are probably still fresh at this point, except I'd argue this time is even worse because he's completely alone. No driver or fireman to check him over like last time. James is all by himself.

But who comes to save him? It's Edward!

Edward doesn't even hesitates. He's puffing and chuffing as fast as his wheels can carry him because he HAS to save James. He has to!

The chase scene is very intense. Even if you know how it ends, there's still this feeling of tension there that I'd say is palpable.

At last, Edward catches up to James! He's got him! And they're puffing along together.

"So, the Old Iron caught you after all."

Edward isn't even mad about James's insult to him. He just takes it in stride.

Still, we all know that James, for all of his faults, knows when to take accountability. When he knows he's in the wrong, he apologizes for it and makes up for it, no hesitation.

"I'm sorry. Thank you for saving me. You were splendid Edward."

Splendid is a word James usually reserves only for himself. The fact that he's giving it to Edward really means something special.

I love "Old Iron" because it shows James and Edward, my two favorite characters, at their absolute best. All their greatest characteristics are put on display right here. I would say, not only is "Old Iron" my favorite episode in the Classic Era, but it's also one of my favorite episodes of the entire series period. There's only one episode I like in the entire show more than "Old Iron", but we can talk about that another day (though feel free to place your guesses in the Ask Box).

That just about wraps up the countdown! Thank you Anon for this ask! It was so fun getting to go through my favorite episodes and talk about what makes them so great! I hope y'all enjoyed getting to hear my commentary. ❤ Until next time...

CHOO CHOO BITCHES! 🚂💨💨💨

#anon ask #ask answered #ttte #thomas and friends #ttte james #ttte edward #ttte toby #ttte duck #thomas the tank engine #james the red engine #edward the blue engine #toby the tram engine #duck the great western engine #ttte first impressions #ttte episode review #long post #on today's episode of “thinking too hard about trains”...#redengineposts

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whumpster-fire · 2 years

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Ya know, as much as I love The Railway Series / TTTE and I hate the whole “Sodor is an oppressive capitalist dystopia Sir Topham Hatt is evil, TTTE is anti-worker propaganda” thing, I’ve been rereading/rewatching some of the stories lately, and... I have to admit, some of them really do teach a very unhealthy attitude towards work, and in particular treating working while sick and “pushing through” injury being treated as a positive thing.

Like, off the top of my head I can think of three stories - Edward’s Exploit, Old Faithful, and Gallant Old Engine - where an engine has been suffering from health issues for a while but continuing to work regardless, finally has something serious / potentially catastrophic go wrong, and has to push through and limp the train back to the station because the train will be late / passengers will complain and the struggling railway that the engines are reliant on for survival may close, and this perseverance is portrayed as a positive thing, and long overdue repairs portrayed as a reward for this good behavior.

Which is kinda fucked up if I think about it.

Like, this is something different from the “Thomas Comes to Breakfast” thing where an engine is blamed for being careless when really it was a human who fucked up. It sounds bad but it’s caused by Awdry’s constant struggle between anthropomorphization and depicting railway operations with maximum realism resulting in him never being able to decide how much autonomy and agency the engines have, and he conceived of the engines’ personalities as allegorical for both the quirks of real machines and for the behavior of the real-life people working with them. And the moral lessons about arrogance and carelessness still usually hold up.

But in the “engines pushing through breakdowns” stories, if you view the engines as people then their bravery in pushing through bad situations is admirable, but it seems like there’s never any blame placed on the humans putting them in those situations by neglecting “medical” care and causing worse injuries by making them work while injured, and it’s never questioned that they should put not only other’s safety but others’ profits and convenience before their own well-being. And if you view them as machines then, uhh, failing to perform necessary maintenance on machinery to save time/money thus eventually causing something to break that’s much more expensive than if you’d fixed the original problem and take it out of service for months is a fucking stupid way to run a business. And extra stupid when you’re working with heavy equipment that can fail in a way that can easily cause severe injury or death, which is true of all trains and triple stupid with steam locomotives which are a giant fucking Mythbusters Hot Water Heater Rocket on wheels.

I want to see a RWS story where an engine severely damages themselves by trying to keep pulling a train they’re in no condition to pull and it’s treated as a bad thing and a bus having to take the passengers isn’t the end of the world. I want to see a mid-level manager trying to impress TFC getting chewed the fuck out and fired after it’s found out that he pressured or guilt-tripped an engine into lying about ongoing pain. I want to see an entitled Karen passenger waving a ticket stub in the crew’s face and complaining about how much the railway sucks in full earshot of an engine who’s just sitting there in horrible pain and their fireman just snatching the ticket stub, climbing into the cab, and throwing it in the firebox.

Like I guess James’s wooden brake blocks are sort in that vein but it’s kind of glossed over who the fuck let him pull a freight train with wooden brake blocks in the first place.

#Thomas the Tank Engine fandom #The Railway Series fandom #fiction discourse

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