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)
Thomas Comes Home
Written by Christopher Awdry
Illustrated by Clive Spong
Published June 15, 1992
Want to know what's been happening on the branchline since Thomas left for York? Well, this book provides the answers!
Dear Friends,
Daisy was most upset when she heard that people were saying there were no female engines on the Fat Controller's Railway.
"You must do something about it" she told me indignantly. "There's me and Mavis, and I was in charge while Thomas was away at that Great Railway Show, wasn't I?"
Well she wasn't really, but would you dare tell her? These stories are about what happened before Thomas came home.
The Author
Daisy was most upset when she heard that people were saying there were no female engines on the Fat Controller's Railway.
"You must do something about it" she told me indignantly. "There's me and Mavis, and I was in charge while Thomas was away at that Great Railway Show, wasn't I?"
Well she wasn't really, but would you dare tell her? These stories are about what happened before Thomas came home.
The Author
Gordon is late at Knapford due to snowfalls on the other railway, but Daisy is unconcerned about snow, thinking it's pretty. She soon eats her words when the snowdrifts prove too much for her, and it gets worse when the snow blocks her air intake. Harold takes the passengers to Dryaw and poor Daisy is stuck in the snow for a week until it melts enough so she can be rescued. Afterwards, Daisy thinks very differently about snow.
I believe that this is the Thomas, Emily and the Snowplough of Railway Series stories. Speaking of which, why were the engines not fitted with snowploughs? If we consider Thomas, Terence and the Snow, Daisy should've had a snowplough fitted to her. Just another example that Christopher Awdry tends to forget minute details in his stories...
I believe that this is the Thomas, Emily and the Snowplough of Railway Series stories. Speaking of which, why were the engines not fitted with snowploughs? If we consider Thomas, Terence and the Snow, Daisy should've had a snowplough fitted to her. Just another example that Christopher Awdry tends to forget minute details in his stories...
Rating: 7 out of 10
The water level in a stream near Hackenbeck has risen to dangerous levels due to the melting snow. Percy is worried, but when Toby tells him that the water level has dropped, Percy feels relieved. When Henry later jokes about Thomas actually staying at the NRM, much to Annie and Clarabel's distress. Percy runs late while soothing their hurt feelings, but runs later still when he takes on water. When he crosses the bridge, it falls apart, but Percy, Annie and Clarabel make it to safety. The branchline is closed while the bridge is repaired, and afterwards, Percy always takes care when crossing it... just in case.
If you ask me, Washout! could've been a great replacement for Toby and the Flood due to that episode's unrealistic nature. Hm, should've reviewed that before doing this, but I digress. Even if Henry was a bit of a jackass to Annie and Clarabel, it does at least show how attached they are to Thomas, even when he isn't with them.
If you ask me, Washout! could've been a great replacement for Toby and the Flood due to that episode's unrealistic nature. Hm, should've reviewed that before doing this, but I digress. Even if Henry was a bit of a jackass to Annie and Clarabel, it does at least show how attached they are to Thomas, even when he isn't with them.
Rating: 10 out of 10
Based on the annual story "The Strawberry Special"
While Percy looks after Annie and Clarabel, Toby does all the shunting at the harbor, and with many trucks to shunt, Toby worries about running low on water. One morning, Mavis is late to deliver her trucks due to feeling unwell, so Toby eventually has to haul forty-eight trucks all by himself, forgetting about his small water tank and the uphill journey. Unfortunately, the water tower at Elsbridge is empty, and Toby doesn't find his driver's joke about fishing all that funny, so he travels to Ffarquhar to take on water and then returns to pick up his trucks.
Yeah, the ending felt extremely rushed in my opinion:
I mean, seriously; was Toby even praised for his determination? They didn't establish that. Although I must give credit for Toby's characterization; he had reason to worry, and his determination in pulling forty-eight trucks is definitely admirable.
Yeah, the ending felt extremely rushed in my opinion:
When Toby told Percy what had happened, Percy wanted to help, but his driver reminded him that he had a train of his own to run in a few minutes.
"Don't worry," said Toby, "I'll follow you down, and have those trucks back up here in a jiffy."
And he did too.
I mean, seriously; was Toby even praised for his determination? They didn't establish that. Although I must give credit for Toby's characterization; he had reason to worry, and his determination in pulling forty-eight trucks is definitely admirable.
Rating: 9 out of 10
George the steamroller is helping to repair a road near the railway, and when he meets with Daisy, he threatens to flatten her rails. However, the engines' concerns about George fade away when they hear the news that Thomas is coming home. On the big day, Daisy runs over a traffic cone at a crossing which jams her brakes. Her fitter quickly repairs the damage and Daisy is able to make it to the junction just in time to welcome Thomas home.
This was the book's main story, and it was a nice end to it as well. A bit odd that George had a reintroduction, but then, he'd been absent for thirty years, so it's understandable. It's also odd that it's never revealed if he was found out for leaving the traffic cone on the crossing, which adds to unfortunate implications.
This was the book's main story, and it was a nice end to it as well. A bit odd that George had a reintroduction, but then, he'd been absent for thirty years, so it's understandable. It's also odd that it's never revealed if he was found out for leaving the traffic cone on the crossing, which adds to unfortunate implications.
Rating: 8.5 out of 10
Stray Observations
Ironically, Thomas only appears in the last illustration without lines.
Toby's Megatrain, like I said, is based on the annual story The Strawberry Special. That was inspired by an incident which happened to one of Toby's brothers, No. 7131, by hauling 400 tons of fruit. If you say that's impossible, well, think again.
In the same story, Toby is weirdly illustrated with having two faces - "Toby's got two cabs, and he gets on alright" - but he's had only one face in previous books! Where did that second face come from?
In the same story, Toby is weirdly illustrated with having two faces - "Toby's got two cabs, and he gets on alright" - but he's had only one face in previous books! Where did that second face come from?
Overall
Wow, the callbacks... This was another pretty good book, even though the first story had a pretty clear plot hole. It was a good way to continue from Thomas and the Great Railway Show, and it would've been nice to see if it would happen again in the Railway Series, and I'll get to that next Monday...
Overall Book Rating: 8.6 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
21. Main Line Engines: 9
22. Small Railway Engines: 9.3
23. Enterprising Engines: 9.5
24. Oliver the Western Engine: 8.9
25. Duke the Lost Engine: 9.4
26. Tramway Engines: 9.1
27. Really Useful Engines: 8.3
28. James and the Diesel Engines: 7.5
29. Great Little Engines: 9
30. More About Thomas the Tank Engine: 8.5
31. Gordon the High-Speed Engine: 9.3
32. Toby, Trucks and Trouble: 9.1
33. Thomas and the Twins: 9.3
34. Jock the New Engine: 7.9
35. Thomas and the Great Railway Show: 8.5
36. Thomas Comes Home: 8.6
20. Very Old Engines: 9.1
21. Main Line Engines: 9
22. Small Railway Engines: 9.3
23. Enterprising Engines: 9.5
24. Oliver the Western Engine: 8.9
25. Duke the Lost Engine: 9.4
26. Tramway Engines: 9.1
27. Really Useful Engines: 8.3
28. James and the Diesel Engines: 7.5
29. Great Little Engines: 9
30. More About Thomas the Tank Engine: 8.5
31. Gordon the High-Speed Engine: 9.3
32. Toby, Trucks and Trouble: 9.1
33. Thomas and the Twins: 9.3
34. Jock the New Engine: 7.9
35. Thomas and the Great Railway Show: 8.5
36. Thomas Comes Home: 8.6
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