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Britt Allcroft's Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - Series 1 (Australia)

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The first series of Thomas & Friends started airing on Monday April 6, 1987 from ABC in Australia. Ringo Starr narrated its twenty-six episodes in Australia.

Production[]

All episodes in the first series were adaptations of the Reverend W. Awdry's stories, with the exception of an episode written by the staff, Thomas' Christmas Party, a book based on the eponymous episode was made as well. The stories were adapted by Britt Allcroft and David Mitton. The seven engines introduced in this series became the core of the cast in later series. The pilot for the series was Down the Mine, which was remade entirely when the rest of the episodes were shot.

Episodes[]

  1. 1987-04-06 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E01 - Thomas and Gordon - Monday April 6, 1987
  2. 1987-04-07 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E02 - Edward and Gordon - Tuesday April 7, 1987
  3. 1987-04-08 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E03 - The Sad Story of Henry - Wednesday April 8, 1987
  4. 1987-04-09 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E04 - Edward, Gordon and Henry - Thursday April 9, 1987
  5. 1987-04-10 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E05 - Thomas' Train - Friday April 10, 1987
  6. 1987-04-13 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E06 - Thomas and the Trucks - Monday April 13, 1987
  7. 1987-04-14 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E07 - Thomas and the Breakdown Train - Tuesday April 14, 1987
  8. 1987-04-15 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E08 - James and the Coaches - Wednesday April 15, 1987
  9. 1987-04-16 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E09 - Troublesome Trucks - Thursday April 16, 1987
  10. 1987-04-17 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E10 - James and the Express - Friday April 17, 1987
  11. 1987-04-20 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E11 - Thomas and the Guard - Monday April 20, 1987
  12. 1987-04-21 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E12 - Thomas Goes Fishing - Tuesday April 21, 1987
  13. 1987-04-22 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E13 - Thomas, Terence & the Snow - Wednesday April 22, 1987
  14. 1987-04-23 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E14 - Thomas and Bertie - Thursday April 23, 1987
  15. 1987-04-24 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E15 - Tenders and Turntables - Friday April 24, 1987
  16. 1987-04-27 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E16 - Trouble in the Shed - Monday April 27, 1987
  17. 1987-04-28 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E17 - Percy Runs Away - Tuesday April 28, 1987
  18. 1987-04-29 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E18 - Coal - Wednesday April 29, 1987
  19. 1987-04-30 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E19 - The Flying Kipper - Thursday April 30, 1987
  20. 1987-05-01 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E20 - Whistles and Sneezes - Friday May 1, 1987
  21. 1987-05-04 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E21 - Toby and the Stout Gentleman - Monday May 4, 1987
  22. 1987-05-05 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E22 - Thomas in Trouble - Tuesday May 5, 1987
  23. 1987-05-06 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E23 - Dirty Objects - Wednesday May 6, 1987
  24. 1987-05-07 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E24 - Off the Rails - Thursday May 7, 1987
  25. 1987-05-08 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E25 - Down the Mine - Friday May 8, 1987
  26. 1987-12-28 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends - S01E26 - Thomas' Christmas Party - Monday December 28, 1987

Episode Descriptions[]

  1. Thomas and Gordon - Thomas enjoys teasing a bigger engine named Gordon, but when his cheekiness goes too far, Gordon decides to teach Thomas a lesson.
  2. Edward and Gordon - A small engine named Edward feels sad, which makes the crew feel sorry for him and take him out one day. Then he gets to help Gordon when he ends up stuck on a hill.
  3. The Sad Story of Henry - A big, green tender engine named Henry believes the rain will spoil his paintwork and he runs into a tunnel, in which he is eventually bricked up due to his refusal to puff out.
  4. Edward, Gordon and Henry - Gordon goes too fast and bursts a safety valve right in front of the tunnel. Henry is let out of the tunnel to help Edward pull the express.
  5. Thomas' Train - Thomas wishes he could pull a train. When Henry is ill, his chance comes with unexpected results.
  6. Thomas and the Trucks - Thomas and Edward agree to swap jobs. However, Edward's train consists of Troublesome Trucks, which love to play tricks.
  7. Thomas and the Breakdown Train - When a new engine called James comes off the rails, Thomas quickly comes to the rescue with the Breakdown Train, and the Fat Controller gives him a branch line as a reward.
  8. James and the Coaches - James wets the Fat Controller's new top hat with steam and then bumps his coaches so hard that one of their brakes fail.
  9. Troublesome Trucks - James has been confined to the shed but is released to pull trucks. The trucks misbehave, but James does not give up.
  10. James and the Express - When Gordon is switched the wrong way and gets lost, James is given the Express.
  11. Thomas and the Guard - Thomas' impatience leads to him forgetting his guard, much to his coaches, Annie and Clarabel's disappointment.
  12. Thomas Goes Fishing - Thomas wants to go fishing, but he learns the hard way when he takes on river water.
  13. Thomas, Terence and the Snow - Thomas meets Terence the Tractor and says his caterpillar tracks are ugly. However, Thomas is shown just how useful they are when he crashes into a snowdrift.
  14. Thomas and Bertie - Thomas meets Bertie the Bus who challenges him to a race.
  15. Tenders and Turntables - Ever since Thomas got his own branch line, the big engines have to shunt their own coaches. Then Gordon and James get into trouble on the turntable.
  16. Trouble in the Shed - The big engines go on strike, so the Fat Controller buys a new tank engine called Percy to help.
  17. Percy Runs Away - Percy forgets to whistle to the signalman so he could go on the main line and is so startled by Gordon that he runs away.
  18. Coal - Henry is not feeling well. The Fat Controller comes to a conclusion that Henry needs special Welsh coal to make steam.
  19. The Flying Kipper - Henry is chosen to pull the "Flying Kipper". However, ice jams the points and snow forces down a signal, leading Henry to crash.
  20. Whistles and Sneezes - Gordon's whistle jams and he cannot stop whistling, and Henry sneezes at some trouble-making boys.
  21. Toby and the Stout Gentleman - A steam tram engine named Toby and his coach Henrietta meet the Fat Controller and his family on their holiday, but their line slowly closes down.
  22. Thomas in Trouble - Thomas gets in trouble with a policeman. When the Fat Controller hears about it, he buys Toby and Henrietta.
  23. Dirty Objects - Toby and Henrietta often get teased by James about their old-fashioned appearance. However, James crashes into some tar tanker trucks.
  24. Off the Rails - Gordon decides to jam the turntable to avoid taking a special train of trucks, but his attempt makes him slide into a ditch.
  25. Down the Mine - Thomas goes to a lead mine to collect some trucks, but foolishly passes a danger board and falls down a mine and needs Gordon's help.
  26. Thomas' Christmas Party - Thomas wants to hold a special Christmas party for Mrs. Kyndley. Unfortunately, Mrs. Kyndley's house is snowed in, so he must assist Toby and Terence to help clear the snow.

VHS's from Series 1[]

1987[]

  • 1987-10-19 - Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends (Volume 1) - Monday October 19, 1987
  1. Thomas and Gordon - Thomas enjoys teasing a bigger engine named Gordon, but when his cheekiness goes too far, Gordon decides to teach Thomas a lesson.
  2. Edward and Gordon - A small engine named Edward feels sad, which makes the crew feel sorry for him and take him out one day. Then he gets to help Gordon when he ends up stuck on a hill.
  3. The Sad Story of Henry - A big, green tender engine named Henry believes the rain will spoil his paintwork and he runs into a tunnel, in which he is eventually bricked up due to his refusal to puff out.
  4. Edward, Gordon and Henry - Gordon goes too fast and bursts a safety valve right in front of the tunnel. Henry is let out of the tunnel to help Edward pull the express.
  5. Thomas' Train - Thomas wishes he could pull a train. When Henry is ill, his chance comes with unexpected results.
  6. Thomas and the Trucks - Thomas and Edward agree to swap jobs. However, Edward's train consists of Troublesome Trucks, which love to play tricks.
  7. Thomas and the Breakdown Train - When a new engine called James comes off the rails, Thomas quickly comes to the rescue with the Breakdown Train, and the Fat Controller gives him a branch line as a reward.
  8. James and the Coaches - James wets the Fat Controller's new top hat with steam and then bumps his coaches so hard that one of their brakes fail.
  • 1987-10-19 - Troublesome Trucks & Other Stories (Volume 2) - Monday October 19, 1987
  1. Troublesome Trucks - James has been confined to the shed but is released to pull trucks. The trucks misbehave, but James does not give up.
  2. James and the Express - When Gordon is switched the wrong way and gets lost, James is given the Express.
  3. Thomas and the Guard - Thomas' impatience leads to him forgetting his guard, much to his coaches, Annie and Clarabel's disappointment.
  4. Thomas Goes Fishing - Thomas wants to go fishing, but he learns the hard way when he takes on river water.
  5. Thomas, Terence and the Snow - Thomas meets Terence the Tractor and says his caterpillar tracks are ugly. However, Thomas is shown just how useful they are when he crashes into a snowdrift.
  6. Thomas and Bertie - Thomas meets Bertie the Bus who challenges him to a race.
  7. Tenders and Turntables - Ever since Thomas got his own branch line, the big engines have to shunt their own coaches. Then Gordon and James get into trouble on the turntable.
  8. Trouble in the Shed - The big engines go on strike, so the Fat Controller buys a new tank engine called Percy to help.
  9. Percy Runs Away - Percy forgets to whistle to the signalman so he could go on the main line and is so startled by Gordon that he runs away.
  • 1987-10-19 - Coal and Other Stories (Volume 3) - Monday October 19, 1987
  1. Coal - Henry is not feeling well. The Fat Controller comes to a conclusion that Henry needs special Welsh coal to make steam.
  2. The Flying Kipper - Henry is chosen to pull the "Flying Kipper". However, ice jams the points and snow forces down a signal, leading Henry to crash.
  3. Whistles and Sneezes - Gordon's whistle jams and he cannot stop whistling, and Henry sneezes at some trouble-making boys.
  4. Toby and the Stout Gentleman - A steam tram engine named Toby and his coach Henrietta meet the Fat Controller and his family on their holiday, but their line slowly closes down.
  5. Thomas in Trouble - Thomas gets in trouble with a policeman. When the Fat Controller hears about it, he buys Toby and Henrietta.
  6. Dirty Objects - Toby and Henrietta often get teased by James about their old-fashioned appearance. However, James crashes into some tar tanker trucks.
  7. Off the Rails - Gordon decides to jam the turntable to avoid taking a special train of trucks, but his attempt makes him slide into a ditch.
  8. Down the Mine - Thomas goes to a lead mine to collect some trucks, but foolishly passes a danger board and falls down a mine and needs Gordon's help.
  9. Thomas' Christmas Party - Thomas wants to hold a special Christmas party for Mrs. Kyndley. Unfortunately, Mrs. Kyndley's house is snowed in, so he must assist Toby and Terence to help clear the snow.

1991[]

  • 1991-06-10 - Thomas and Gordon & Other Stories - Monday June 10, 1991
  1. Thomas and Gordon - Thomas enjoys teasing a bigger engine named Gordon, but when his cheekiness goes too far, Gordon decides to teach Thomas a lesson.
  2. Edward and Gordon - A small engine named Edward feels sad, which makes the crew feel sorry for him and take him out one day. Then he gets to help Gordon when he ends up stuck on a hill.
  3. The Sad Story of Henry - A big, green tender engine named Henry believes the rain will spoil his paintwork and he runs into a tunnel, in which he is eventually bricked up due to his refusal to puff out.
  4. Edward, Gordon and Henry - Gordon goes too fast and bursts a safety valve right in front of the tunnel. Henry is let out of the tunnel to help Edward pull the express.
  5. Thomas' Train - Thomas wishes he could pull a train. When Henry is ill, his chance comes with unexpected results.
  6. Thomas and the Trucks - Thomas and Edward agree to swap jobs. However, Edward's train consists of Troublesome Trucks, which love to play tricks.
  7. Thomas and the Breakdown Train - When a new engine called James comes off the rails, Thomas quickly comes to the rescue with the Breakdown Train, and the Fat Controller gives him a branch line as a reward.
  8. James and the Coaches - James wets the Fat Controller's new top hat with steam and then bumps his coaches so hard that one of their brakes fail.
  • 1991-06-10 - Troublesome Trucks & Other Stories - Monday June 10, 1991
  1. Troublesome Trucks - James has been confined to the shed but is released to pull trucks. The trucks misbehave, but James does not give up.
  2. James and the Express - When Gordon is switched the wrong way and gets lost, James is given the Express.
  3. Thomas and the Guard - Thomas' impatience leads to him forgetting his guard, much to his coaches, Annie and Clarabel's disappointment.
  4. Thomas Goes Fishing - Thomas wants to go fishing, but he learns the hard way when he takes on river water.
  5. Thomas, Terence and the Snow - Thomas meets Terence the Tractor and says his caterpillar tracks are ugly. However, Thomas is shown just how useful they are when he crashes into a snowdrift.
  6. Thomas and Bertie - Thomas meets Bertie the Bus who challenges him to a race.
  7. Tenders and Turntables - Ever since Thomas got his own branch line, the big engines have to shunt their own coaches. Then Gordon and James get into trouble on the turntable.
  8. Trouble in the Shed - The big engines go on strike, so the Fat Controller buys a new tank engine called Percy to help.
  9. Percy Runs Away - Percy forgets to whistle to the signalman so he could go on the main line and is so startled by Gordon that he runs away.
  • 1991-06-10 - Coal & Other Stories - Monday June 10, 1991
  1. Coal - Henry is not feeling well. The Fat Controller comes to a conclusion that Henry needs special Welsh coal to make steam.
  2. The Flying Kipper - Henry is chosen to pull the "Flying Kipper". However, ice jams the points and snow forces down a signal, leading Henry to crash.
  3. Whistles and Sneezes - Gordon's whistle jams and he cannot stop whistling, and Henry sneezes at some trouble-making boys.
  4. Toby and the Stout Gentleman - A steam tram engine named Toby and his coach Henrietta meet the Fat Controller and his family on their holiday, but their line slowly closes down.
  5. Thomas in Trouble - Thomas gets in trouble with a policeman. When the Fat Controller hears about it, he buys Toby and Henrietta.
  6. Dirty Objects - Toby and Henrietta often get teased by James about their old-fashioned appearance. However, James crashes into some tar tanker trucks.
  7. Off the Rails - Gordon decides to jam the turntable to avoid taking a special train of trucks, but his attempt makes him slide into a ditch.
  8. Down the Mine - Thomas goes to a lead mine to collect some trucks, but foolishly passes a danger board and falls down a mine and needs Gordon's help.
  9. Thomas' Christmas Party - Thomas wants to hold a special Christmas party for Mrs. Kyndley. Unfortunately, Mrs. Kyndley's house is snowed in, so he must assist Toby and Terence to help clear the snow.

1997[]

  • 1997-03-10 - ABC For Kids - Favourites - Monday March 10, 1997
  1. Troublesome Trucks - James has been confined to the shed but is released to pull trucks. The trucks misbehave, but James does not give up.
  2. Thomas Goes Fishing - Thomas wants to go fishing, but he learns the hard way when he takes on river water.

1998[]

  • 1998-03-09 - Playtime (Stories, Sing Along Songs & Things to Make and Do) - Monday March 9, 1998
  1. Thomas Goes Fishing - Thomas wants to go fishing, but he learns the hard way when he takes on river water.
  2. Thomas and Bertie - Thomas meets Bertie the Bus who challenges him to a race.
  3. Thomas in Trouble - Thomas gets in trouble with a policeman. When the Fat Controller hears about it, he buys Toby and Henrietta.
  4. Off the Rails - Gordon decides to jam the turntable to avoid taking a special train of trucks, but his attempt makes him slide into a ditch.

1999[]

  • 1999-11-08 - The Biggest Ever Christmas Collection - Monday November 8, 1999
  1. Thomas and the Guard - Thomas' impatience leads to him forgetting his guard, much to his coaches, Annie and Clarabel's disappointment.
  2. Thomas, Terence and the Snow - Thomas meets Terence the Tractor and says his caterpillar tracks are ugly. However, Thomas is shown just how useful they are when he crashes into a snowdrift.
  3. The Flying Kipper - Henry is chosen to pull the "Flying Kipper". However, ice jams the points and snow forces down a signal, leading Henry to crash.
  4. Thomas' Christmas Party - Thomas wants to hold a special Christmas party for Mrs. Kyndley. Unfortunately, Mrs. Kyndley's house is snowed in, so he must assist Toby and Terence to help clear the snow.

2001[]

  • 2001-11-05 - Truckloads of Fun! - Monday November 5, 2001
  1. Thomas and the Trucks - Thomas and Edward agree to swap jobs. However, Edward's train consists of Troublesome Trucks, which love to play tricks.
  2. Troublesome Trucks - James has been confined to the shed but is released to pull trucks. The trucks misbehave, but James does not give up.
  3. Tenders and Turntables - Ever since Thomas got his own branch line, the big engines have to shunt their own coaches. Then Gordon and James get into trouble on the turntable.
  4. Trouble in the Shed - The big engines go on strike, so the Fat Controller buys a new tank engine called Percy to help.
  5. Off the Rails - Gordon decides to jam the turntable to avoid taking a special train of trucks, but his attempt makes him slide into a ditch.

2004[]

  • 2004-06-10 - The Very Best of Thomas & Friends - Thursday June 10, 2004
  1. Thomas and Gordon - Thomas enjoys teasing a bigger engine named Gordon, but when his cheekiness goes too far, Gordon decides to teach Thomas a lesson.
  2. James and the Coaches - James wets the Fat Controller's new top hat with steam and then bumps his coaches so hard that one of their brakes fail.
  3. Percy Runs Away - Percy forgets to whistle to the signalman so he could go on the main line and is so startled by Gordon that he runs away.

DVD's from Series 1[]

2004[]

  • 2004-06-10 - The Very Best of Thomas & Friends - Thursday June 10, 2004
  1. Thomas and Gordon - Thomas enjoys teasing a bigger engine named Gordon, but when his cheekiness goes too far, Gordon decides to teach Thomas a lesson.
  2. James and the Coaches - James wets the Fat Controller's new top hat with steam and then bumps his coaches so hard that one of their brakes fail.
  3. Percy Runs Away - Percy forgets to whistle to the signalman so he could go on the main line and is so startled by Gordon that he runs away.

2005[]

  • 2005-08-03 - Truckloads of Fun! - Wednesday August 3, 2005
  1. Thomas and the Trucks - Thomas and Edward agree to swap jobs. However, Edward's train consists of Troublesome Trucks, which love to play tricks.
  2. Troublesome Trucks - James has been confined to the shed but is released to pull trucks. The trucks misbehave, but James does not give up.
  3. Tenders and Turntables - Ever since Thomas got his own branch line, the big engines have to shunt their own coaches. Then Gordon and James get into trouble on the turntable.
  4. Trouble in the Shed - The big engines go on strike, so the Fat Controller buys a new tank engine called Percy to help.
  5. Off the Rails - Gordon decides to jam the turntable to avoid taking a special train of trucks, but his attempt makes him slide into a ditch.

2006[]

  • 2006-04-06 - The Complete Series 1 - Thursday April 6, 2006
  1. Thomas and Gordon - Thomas enjoys teasing a bigger engine named Gordon, but when his cheekiness goes too far, Gordon decides to teach Thomas a lesson.
  2. Edward and Gordon - A small engine named Edward feels sad, which makes the crew feel sorry for him and take him out one day. Then he gets to help Gordon when he ends up stuck on a hill.
  3. The Sad Story of Henry - A big, green tender engine named Henry believes the rain will spoil his paintwork and he runs into a tunnel, in which he is eventually bricked up due to his refusal to puff out.
  4. Edward, Gordon and Henry - Gordon goes too fast and bursts a safety valve right in front of the tunnel. Henry is let out of the tunnel to help Edward pull the express.
  5. Thomas' Train - Thomas wishes he could pull a train. When Henry is ill, his chance comes with unexpected results.
  6. Thomas and the Trucks - Thomas and Edward agree to swap jobs. However, Edward's train consists of Troublesome Trucks, which love to play tricks.
  7. Thomas and the Breakdown Train - When a new engine called James comes off the rails, Thomas quickly comes to the rescue with the Breakdown Train, and the Fat Controller gives him a branch line as a reward.
  8. James and the Coaches - James wets the Fat Controller's new top hat with steam and then bumps his coaches so hard that one of their brakes fail.
  9. Troublesome Trucks - James has been confined to the shed but is released to pull trucks. The trucks misbehave, but James does not give up.
  10. James and the Express - When Gordon is switched the wrong way and gets lost, James is given the Express.
  11. Thomas and the Guard - Thomas' impatience leads to him forgetting his guard, much to his coaches, Annie and Clarabel's disappointment.
  12. Thomas Goes Fishing - Thomas wants to go fishing, but he learns the hard way when he takes on river water.
  13. Thomas, Terence and the Snow - Thomas meets Terence the Tractor and says his caterpillar tracks are ugly. However, Thomas is shown just how useful they are when he crashes into a snowdrift.
  14. Thomas and Bertie - Thomas meets Bertie the Bus who challenges him to a race.
  15. Tenders and Turntables - Ever since Thomas got his own branch line, the big engines have to shunt their own coaches. Then Gordon and James get into trouble on the turntable.
  16. Trouble in the Shed - The big engines go on strike, so the Fat Controller buys a new tank engine called Percy to help.
  17. Percy Runs Away - Percy forgets to whistle to the signalman so he could go on the main line and is so startled by Gordon that he runs away.
  18. Coal - Henry is not feeling well. The Fat Controller comes to a conclusion that Henry needs special Welsh coal to make steam.
  19. The Flying Kipper - Henry is chosen to pull the "Flying Kipper". However, ice jams the points and snow forces down a signal, leading Henry to crash.
  20. Whistles and Sneezes - Gordon's whistle jams and he cannot stop whistling, and Henry sneezes at some trouble-making boys.
  21. Toby and the Stout Gentleman - A steam tram engine named Toby and his coach Henrietta meet the Fat Controller and his family on their holiday, but their line slowly closes down.
  22. Thomas in Trouble - Thomas gets in trouble with a policeman. When the Fat Controller hears about it, he buys Toby and Henrietta.
  23. Dirty Objects - Toby and Henrietta often get teased by James about their old-fashioned appearance. However, James crashes into some tar tanker trucks.
  24. Off the Rails - Gordon decides to jam the turntable to avoid taking a special train of trucks, but his attempt makes him slide into a ditch.
  25. Down the Mine - Thomas goes to a lead mine to collect some trucks, but foolishly passes a danger board and falls down a mine and needs Gordon's help.
  26. Thomas' Christmas Party - Thomas wants to hold a special Christmas party for Mrs. Kyndley. Unfortunately, Mrs. Kyndley's house is snowed in, so he must assist Toby and Terence to help clear the snow.

2009[]

  • 2009-07-30 - The Best of Thomas & Friends - Volume 1 - Thursday July 30, 2009
  1. Thomas and Gordon - Thomas enjoys teasing a bigger engine named Gordon, but when his cheekiness goes too far, Gordon decides to teach Thomas a lesson.
  2. Edward and Gordon - A small engine named Edward feels sad, which makes the crew feel sorry for him and take him out one day. Then he gets to help Gordon when he ends up stuck on a hill.
  3. James and the Coaches - James wets the Fat Controller's new top hat with steam and then bumps his coaches so hard that one of their brakes fail.
  4. Thomas, Terence and the Snow - Thomas meets Terence the Tractor and says his caterpillar tracks are ugly. However, Thomas is shown just how useful they are when he crashes into a snowdrift.
  • 2009-09-03 - My First Thomas with Thomas - Thursday September 3, 2009
  1. Thomas and Gordon - Thomas enjoys teasing a bigger engine named Gordon, but when his cheekiness goes too far, Gordon decides to teach Thomas a lesson.
  2. Thomas' Train - Thomas wishes he could pull a train. When Henry is ill, his chance comes with unexpected results.
  3. Thomas and the Guard - Thomas' impatience leads to him forgetting his guard, much to his coaches, Annie and Clarabel's disappointment.
  4. Thomas Goes Fishing - Thomas wants to go fishing, but he learns the hard way when he takes on river water.
  5. Thomas, Terence and the Snow - Thomas meets Terence the Tractor and says his caterpillar tracks are ugly. However, Thomas is shown just how useful they are when he crashes into a snowdrift.
  6. Thomas and Bertie - Thomas meets Bertie the Bus who challenges him to a race.
  • 2009-09-03 - My First Thomas with Percy - Thursday September 3, 2009
  1. Trouble in the Shed - The big engines go on strike, so the Fat Controller buys a new tank engine called Percy to help.
  2. Percy Runs Away - Percy forgets to whistle to the signalman so he could go on the main line and is so startled by Gordon that he runs away.
  • 2009-09-03 - My First Thomas with James - Thursday September 3, 2009
  1. Thomas and the Breakdown Train - When a new engine called James comes off the rails, Thomas quickly comes to the rescue with the Breakdown Train, and the Fat Controller gives him a branch line as a reward.
  2. James and the Coaches - James wets the Fat Controller's new top hat with steam and then bumps his coaches so hard that one of their brakes fail.
  3. Troublesome Trucks - James has been confined to the shed but is released to pull trucks. The trucks misbehave, but James does not give up.
  4. James and the Express - When Gordon is switched the wrong way and gets lost, James is given the Express.
  5. Tenders and Turntables - Ever since Thomas got his own branch line, the big engines have to shunt their own coaches. Then Gordon and James get into trouble on the turntable.

2010[]

  • 2010-08-05 - My First Thomas with Henry and Gordon - Thursday August 5, 2010
  1. The Sad Story of Henry - A big, green tender engine named Henry believes the rain will spoil his paintwork and he runs into a tunnel, in which he is eventually bricked up due to his refusal to puff out.
  2. Edward, Gordon and Henry - Gordon goes too fast and bursts a safety valve right in front of the tunnel. Henry is let out of the tunnel to help Edward pull the express.
  3. Off the Rails - Gordon decides to jam the turntable to avoid taking a special train of trucks, but his attempt makes him slide into a ditch.
  • 2010-08-05 - My First Thomas with Toby and Edward - Thursday August 5, 2010
  1. Edward and Gordon - A small engine named Edward feels sad, which makes the crew feel sorry for him and take him out one day. Then he gets to help Gordon when he ends up stuck on a hill.
  2. Toby and the Stout Gentleman - A steam tram engine named Toby and his coach Henrietta meet the Fat Controller and his family on their holiday, but their line slowly closes down.
  3. Thomas in Trouble - Thomas gets in trouble with a policeman. When the Fat Controller hears about it, he buys Toby and Henrietta.

2011[]

  • 2011-02-03 - My First Thomas with The Fat Controller - Thursday February 3, 2011
  1. James and the Coaches - James wets the Fat Controller's new top hat with steam and then bumps his coaches so hard that one of their brakes fail.
  2. Trouble in the Shed - The big engines go on strike, so the Fat Controller buys a new tank engine called Percy to help.
  3. Toby and the Stout Gentleman - A steam tram engine named Toby and his coach Henrietta meet the Fat Controller and his family on their holiday, but their line slowly closes down.

Characters[]

Characters Introduced[]

  • Thomas
  • Edward
  • Henry
  • Gordon
  • James
  • Percy
  • Toby
  • Annie and Clarabel
  • Henrietta
  • Troublesome Trucks
  • Terence
  • Bertie
  • Sir Topham Hatt (The Fat Controller)
  • Stephen Hatt
  • Bridget Hatt
  • Mrs. Kyndley
  • Engine Inspector
  • The Ffarquhar Policeman
  • The First Butler
  • The Little Boys
  • The Stone-Dropping Boys
  • Jeremiah Jobling (not named)
  • Lady Hatt (not named; does not speak)
  • Percy's Workshop Friends (wheels and buffers only; do not speak)
  • Märklin Engine (cameo)
  • Farmer Finney (cameo)
  • Sir Topham Hatt's Blond-haired Assistant (cameo)
  • The Ffarquhar Stationmaster (cameo)
  • Earnest (portrait cameo)
  • Toby's Controller (mentioned)
  • The Green Bus (indirectly mentioned)

Trivia[]

  • When the series was first broadcast on ITV in the United Kingdom, two episodes would be compiled into one ten minute block with a nameboard sequence featured in between. For subsequent broadcasts, the stories were shown individually.
  • Filming lasted seven months, commencing in September 1983 and wrapping in March 1984. Post-production wrapped on 24th April 1984.
  • The production packet for this season can be viewed on Google Drive.
  • According to Ringo Starr, he spent eight days recording his dubs, including retakes for four episodes due to the tone of his voice.
  • In the Norwegian, original Swedish, Finnish, Slovenian and C4U Media's Korean DVDs credit Ringo Starr as the narrator, even though they were re-dubbed in those respective languages.
  • The Korean DVDs of DVD Acadamy credit George Carlin as the narrator, even thought they were dubbed over. Additionally, Carlin's dub can be heard in the background of those DVDs as a dubbing track was not used.
  • In the original Swedish dub, the episode titles were not translated in Swedish.
  • Most of the scripts for this series were partially edited for the US re-dubs.
  • Central Independent Television commissioned the production of this series and the next.
  • In the original Polish and Ukrainian dubs, Ringo Starr's dub can be heard in the background as a dubbing track was not used.
  • Several features are exclusive to this series:
    • It is the only series until the twenty-first to have its UK recordings released in the US, excluding a duplicate of the fifth series episode, Something in the Air released on the Roku Channel, the seventh series episode, The Grand Opening released on both Kabillion on Demand and the Roku Channel and the segments selected for Tales on the Rails.
    • This was the only time lead was used to create the human characters. From the second series to the eleventh, all human characters were made from resin, so they could move around more easily.
    • This was also the only series:
      • Where trucks have their faces embedded in their bodies. From the second to eleventh series, the trucks have moulded faces, although some first series-style trucks appeared in some of these episodes.
      • To feature Old Coaches.
      • Dubbed in Slovak, and the only series dubbed in Icelandic until the thirteenth series.
      • In the Finnish dub where Thomas is always called Thomas the Tank Engine.
      • Shot at Clapham Junction and Clearwater Studios in Battersea. All future series were shot at Shepperton Studios.
      • Released on Betamax. Two tapes were released and consist of all the episodes. The first includes episodes 1-13, and the second includes episodes 14-26. Kaledioscope re-released them on VHS on 28th April 1986, and VCI also re-released them on 16th May 1988, each with similar tactics, such as the nameboards being used in the opening titles. This also happened for the 1990 Bumper Special, as well as the Betamax releases. From 22nd November 1993, the VHS releases were given new covers and renamed from their original versions.
  • Because the first two Railway Series books were adapted in the 2015 special The Adventure Begins, this means that technically, the first seven episodes were recreated in CGI in that special.
    • Scenes from The Sad Story of Henry and Down the Mine were also recreated in CGI for the 2012 special, Blue Mountain Mystery.
    • Scenes from Thomas, Terence and the Snow were recreated for the Series 21 episode, Terence Breaks the Ice.
  • When first broadcast on ITV, Dirty Objects was paired with Thomas' Christmas Party and Off the Rails with Down the Mine. On VHS, however, Dirty Objects was paired with Off the Rails and Down the Mine with Thomas' Christmas Party.
  • On CITV, the first series was broadcast again between 18th November - 24th December 1985 as separate episodes. Repeats of ten-minute blocks include the following:
    • Wednesdays from 8th July - 9th September 1987, ending with The Flying Kipper and Whistles and Sneezes. Thomas' Christmas Party was shown individually on 30th December.
    • Mondays and Thursdays from 5th - 22nd December 1988, then Mondays only from 12th January - 20th February 1989 with a repeat showing of Thomas' Train/Thomas and the Trucks on 27th February which was shortly followed by the second series from 6th March-22nd May 1989 before TUGS was shown on CiTV.
    • Four double bills were repeated on Mondays from 30th July - 20th August 1990.
  • According to an article in the Sunday Telegraph, it cost £500,000 to produce all twenty-six episodes.
  • The UK dub's iTunes release uses the restored version of the series.
  • The final sets built were the ones involving Toby's Old Tramway, and so the majority of promotional images from the first series depict these sets.
  • Some sound effects were specially recorded for the first series at the Talyllyn Railway.
  • This series was introduced by a variety of Children's ITV presenters. Windsor Davies, in character as Sergeant Major Zero from Terrahawks, introduced the first four pairs of episodes of the series for four weeks until the arrival of Bonnie Langford on 6th November 1984. She, in turn, introduced a run of eight episodes for a month. Matthew Kelly took charge of introducing more episodes from 4th December 1984 until the pairing of Dirty Objects and Thomas' Christmas Party on Christmas Day. The following year, Roland Rat introduced the remaining two episodes finally ending the series.
  • According to maps drawn by David Mitton, locations that later appeared in Series 2, Tidmouth and Crosby were meant to either appear or were planned for Series 1.

Opening Credits[]

  • THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE & FRIENDS
  • Based on the Railway Series by: the REV.W.AWDRY
  • Told by: RINGO STARR
  • Directed by: DAVID MITTON

Closing Credits[]

  • Model Engines and Characters by Clearwater Model Making Systems Ltd: DAVID PAYNE JO WEBSTER CHRIS NOULTON DAVID LILLIE and TIM STAFFEL
  • Supervisors: JOHN PENICOTT and TIM STAFFEL
  • Models and Sets: JAMIE BOWERING JAMIE JACKSON-MOORE BEN CAIN JOHN HOLMES and TOM VANE
  • Specialized Model Making: BENARD CARR JOHN KERR and IAN KERR
  • Construction: FRANK SCHULTZ
  • Camera Crew Focus: BARRY BROWN COLIN DAVIDSON and TONY BROWN
  • Camera Assistant: JOHN ATWELL
  • Lighting: BEAMS FILM & TV LIGHTING
  • Gaffer: STEVE DEMPSEY
  • Camera Equipment & Specialized Lighting: TURMITE CAMERA HIRE LTD and CLEARWATER CAMERA COMPUTER SYSTEMS LTD
  • Production Assistant: NASREEN KHAN
  • Lighting Cameraman: TERRY PERMANE
  • Art Director: BOB GAULD GALLIERS
  • 2nd Unit Director: STEPHEN ASQUITH
  • Music Composed and Arranged by: MIKE O'DONNELL and JUNIOR CAMPBELL & BLUEBIRD THEMES
  • Video Facilities: RESEARCH RECORDINGS
  • Editor: MICHAEL DIXON
  • Assistant Editor: ANDREA MacARTHUR
  • Producers: ROBERT D. CARDONA and DAVID MITTON
  • Executive Producer: BRITT ALLCROFT
  • A Clearwater Features Production for Britt Allcroft Ltd
  • © Britt Allcroft Limited 1984
  • © Australian Broadcasting Corporation MCMLXXXVII

See also[]

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