THE OPINIONS, THOUGHTS AND MUSINGS IN THIS BLOG POST ARE SOLELY THOSE OF ZACK WANZER, NOT THE THOMAS FANDOM IN GENERAL
(special thanks to the Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia for the images)
Very Old Engines
Written by The Rev. W. Awdry
Illustrated by Gunvor and Peter Edwards
Published 1965
For our fourth visit to the Skarloey Railway (fifth if you count their small roles in Mountain Engines), we're going back in time with a little history lesson!
Dear Friends,
One hundred years ago, when Skarloey and Rheneas first arrived on their Railway, they were young and silly. Skarloey was sulky and bouncy. He and Rheneas quarreled.... But they learned sense, and the Owner has just given them a lovely 100th birthday.
Talyllyn and Dolgoch, at Towyn, are 100 too. How about going to wish them "Many Happy Returns"?
The Author
One hundred years ago, when Skarloey and Rheneas first arrived on their Railway, they were young and silly. Skarloey was sulky and bouncy. He and Rheneas quarreled.... But they learned sense, and the Owner has just given them a lovely 100th birthday.
Talyllyn and Dolgoch, at Towyn, are 100 too. How about going to wish them "Many Happy Returns"?
The Author
Crosspatch
Skarloey tells Nancy about his arrival on Sodor; back then, he was young and silly, and thought he would look splendid at pulling coaches rather than trucks, but he refuses to work when ordered to pull trucks. As a result, he's covered with a tarpaulin until he learns to see sense.
The ending scene is very reminiscent to The Sad Story of Henry, only Skarloey is not bricked up in a tunnel and is instead covered up with a tarpaulin. This also does right what S9-12 got wrong - Skarloey acting young and foolish because he WAS young and foolish, and it gives him some background. I also liked the mention of the Sodor and Mainland Railway - it would've been nice if it had been developed more along with its engines.
The ending scene is very reminiscent to The Sad Story of Henry, only Skarloey is not bricked up in a tunnel and is instead covered up with a tarpaulin. This also does right what S9-12 got wrong - Skarloey acting young and foolish because he WAS young and foolish, and it gives him some background. I also liked the mention of the Sodor and Mainland Railway - it would've been nice if it had been developed more along with its engines.
Rating: 9 out of 10
Bucking Bronco
Skarloey is given another chance after he apologizes for being silly and works hard with Mr. Bobbie. Rheneas comes to the railway, but he is more sensible compared to Skarloey, who ignores his warnings to take care with the coaches. However, when Skarloey begins to bounce, he stops too quickly, resulting in Mr. Mack being knocked into a bush and Rheneas to take the train. Despite Skarloey's mistakes, he is given another chance at being given trailing wheels.
Already, there's a bit of tension between the two brothers. Their contrast is understandable, unlike in Rheneas and the Dinosaur, where Rheneas was selfish in taking the bones by himself. Another great story.
Already, there's a bit of tension between the two brothers. Their contrast is understandable, unlike in Rheneas and the Dinosaur, where Rheneas was selfish in taking the bones by himself. Another great story.
Rating: 9 out of 10
Stick-in-the-Mud
Rheneas finishes up the story; Skarloey returns with a cab and trailing wheels, and he becomes conceited. Rheneas disagrees about having a cab, and the two argue before eventually falling out, with Skarloey calling Rheneas a stick-in-the-mud. One morning, Skarloey takes the workmen to the quarry in the rain, but he gets stuck in a landslide and Rheneas is made to help out for the sake of the workmen. Skarloey apologizes, but then they laugh when it turns out Skarloey was the stick-in-the-mud after all.
This shows how far they've come within the course of two stories, or if you consider real time, at least several weeks. Skarloey having a cab is a bit like a teenager having a shiny, new bicycle - they get cocky about it before they get covered in mud, or if the bike gets damaged somehow. Although something makes me curious - how did Rheneas get HIS own cab?
This shows how far they've come within the course of two stories, or if you consider real time, at least several weeks. Skarloey having a cab is a bit like a teenager having a shiny, new bicycle - they get cocky about it before they get covered in mud, or if the bike gets damaged somehow. Although something makes me curious - how did Rheneas get HIS own cab?
Rating: 9 out of 10
Duck and Dukes
Peter Sam has told Duck about the Duke coming for Skarloey and Rheneas' centenary, but Duck tells him that all Dukes have been scrapped, much to Peter Sam's horror, and after he tells the others, they argue other who's right. (I wonder why Sir Handel didn't speak up?) However, on the morning of Skarloey and Rheneas' centenary, the engines are cheerful, and after Skarloey takes the Duke around the loopline, he makes a speech and assures Peter Sam that he is real. Finally, Rheneas asks everyone to visit Talyllyn and Dolgoch on their railway.
Why was this not adapted? Along with Little Old Twins, both would've been great build ups to Duke the Lost Engine, but instead, that book was adapted first and the two stories were shunted aside (in fact, so was the whole book!) That's why I believe season four had the worst structure out of the classic seasons; the Skarloey engines had too much focus on them (not that I dislike them, of course, they're great characters), the Stepney adaptations were bad (not Train Stops Play and Bowled Out) and the remaining eight stories were either out-of-place adaptations or loose filler.
Other than my rant, it's another great story which has never been adapted for TV. But with the Arlesdale engines appearing in CGI, maybe...?
Why was this not adapted? Along with Little Old Twins, both would've been great build ups to Duke the Lost Engine, but instead, that book was adapted first and the two stories were shunted aside (in fact, so was the whole book!) That's why I believe season four had the worst structure out of the classic seasons; the Skarloey engines had too much focus on them (not that I dislike them, of course, they're great characters), the Stepney adaptations were bad (not Train Stops Play and Bowled Out) and the remaining eight stories were either out-of-place adaptations or loose filler.
Other than my rant, it's another great story which has never been adapted for TV. But with the Arlesdale engines appearing in CGI, maybe...?
Rating: 9.5 out of 10
Stray Observation
The first three stories were all based on events on the Talyllyn Railway's early days. In fact, Mr. Bobbie was an engineer working for Fletcher Jennings and Co.
Overall
How coincidental - the 20th Railway Series book was published on the series' 20th anniversary. This book would've been great on the TV screen, and it would've greatly built up to Duke's saga along with Little Old Twins. Sadly, it wasn't to be case, and it left a lot of potential unfulfilled.
Overall Book Rating: 9.1 out of 10
The Railway Series Scorecard
1. The Three Railway Engines: 8.4
2. Thomas the Tank Engine: 9
3. James the Red Engine: 7.5
4. Tank Engine Thomas Again: 9.5
5. Troublesome Engines: 8.1
6. Henry the Green Engine: 8.4
7. Toby the Tram Engine: 9
8. Gordon the Big Engine: 8.6
9. Edward the Blue Engine: 9.3
10. Four Little Engines: 8.8
11. Percy the Small Engine: 8.9
12. The Eight Famous Engines: 8.8
13. Duck and the Diesel Engine: 8.5
14. The Little Old Engine: 8.9
15. The Twin Engines: 9.1
16. Branch Line Engines: 9.3
17. Gallant Old Engine: 9.3
18. Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine: 8.5
3. James the Red Engine: 7.5
4. Tank Engine Thomas Again: 9.5
5. Troublesome Engines: 8.1
6. Henry the Green Engine: 8.4
7. Toby the Tram Engine: 9
8. Gordon the Big Engine: 8.6
9. Edward the Blue Engine: 9.3
10. Four Little Engines: 8.8
11. Percy the Small Engine: 8.9
12. The Eight Famous Engines: 8.8
13. Duck and the Diesel Engine: 8.5
14. The Little Old Engine: 8.9
15. The Twin Engines: 9.1
16. Branch Line Engines: 9.3
17. Gallant Old Engine: 9.3
18. Stepney the "Bluebell" Engine: 8.5
19. Mountain Engines: 8.9
20. Very Old Engines: 9.1
20. Very Old Engines: 9.1
Why was Very Old Engines never adapted for television?
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