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There's an episode where Thomas thinks he can go without his driver, and crashes into the station masters house.

The station masters wife only seems pissed off that he disturbed breakfast, not that a fucking massive steam engine just ploughed into her dining room.

So they do need drivers. They feature more prominently in the earlier episodes.

Can I take this opportunity to momentarily hijack this thread to vent my spleen about RaRa the effing noisy little lion.

He's another annoyong little shite. Never listens to his friends, causes trouble and inexplicably bursts into repetative discourse. I have to sing the theme tune to ds at least 10 times when he's in the bath.

Thank you. As you were...

Series 1-12 are on Netflix, and our telly aerial wasn't working for a long time.

I have watched a lot of Thomas.

We never watched it but spent many an hour reading all the hundreds of books, they got a bit tedious occasionally but overall gave DS so much pleasure that the memories are fond ones. The DCs are 7 and 9 and still ask for a Thomas story occasionally.

I have always said that if I ever went on mastermind my specialist subject would be Thomas the tank engine. DS still loves it (and will be 5 in June), DD (3) loves it and they love the fact that our local heritage railway is actually in the books and Stepney lives there.

flisspaps that cardigan pattern sounds amazing.

The earlier ones are far better, although I have managed to get a pierce brosnan fix as he narrates one of the feature length ones!!

I am with Harriet - I loved the originals (and it was a mountain engine who persistently flouted safety rules that was used for scrap so not one of the fat controller ' s engines).

New Thomas is a twat - but for the op as I at diesel 10 being camp diesel 10 criminal genius

I really hope ds doesn't get into Thomas, I didn't like it when I was younger! I'm hoping Bob the Builder isn't too bad, as I bought him the whole box set from the HMV sale recently.

MrsGeologist - we have that one on a CD!!

First time after listening to it, I posted on FB '...Thomas story in which he crashes into the Stationmaster's house. His wife's reaction? "You naughty little engine! Look what you've done to our breakfast!"' because I was so about the fact she didn't seem to give a damn about the chunks of plaster dropping down about her head, and the lack of a front wall.

Yes, nevermind that he could have killed them, HE GOT PLASTER IN THE EGGS!

My Dc are 13 and 11. I can still remember the episode where some poor engine gets bricked into a tunnel.

That was tense sparkling

I was reading DS the sad story of Henry and the last line goes 'And I think he deserved that, don't you?'

Boom, take that Henry!

I had to quickly make up a final sentence that resolved the whole issue happily.

I love the proper old books, we still have lots with the original stories. Stuff actually happens, there are reasons (sort of) why various engines fuck up. The language is really descriptive and doesn't patronise the children. We have some of the modern versions of the old books too and it makes me want to cry when we read those as they are so short in comparison, huge parts of the story are missed out. The really new ones are even more shit.

My big ones are 4 and 6 now and we've not read a "modern" Thomas in ages but ds1 will still merrily pick up and read one of the old, long ones which rather goes to show what children would prefer doesn't it.

I think the original books and illustrations are lovely. also they have a place in the history of GB and are nostalgic.

My ds used to love Thomas and still has some of the trains.

not sure about the tv series and Ringo star etc

Beware Thomas, a love of the engines of Sodoff Sodor can lead to an expensive love of NGauge railways that start to take over bedrooms and the sodding garage.
DS is 12, he still loves Thomas but has graduated to buying Ngauge with his birthday and Christmas money and can tell me anything I ever wanted (or not wanted) to know about trains because of Thomas the Tank Engine!
Did you know that the real Thomas engines are 1 scale? Wll you do now

Oh, I'm delighted I started this thread - haven't had such a giggle in ages!

I distinctly remember borrowing the original Rev Awdry books from the library and I must have been about 10 at the time - I just loved how detailed the stories and illustrations were. I think Thomas has been dumbed down a lot over the years. Such a shame. The good Rev must be spinning in his grave...

We also have series 5 on DVD and ds1 used to make me skip all the 'ghost' episodes (and boy were there a lot!) as they scared him too much.

Agree about Mike the Knight (token girl alert!) and Ra-Ra too. There seem to be a lot of SHOUTY characters about at the moment.

On a separate note, did anyone see the new Peter Rabbit over Christmas? What was that all about? And token girl again...

Also, we live not to far from Drayton Manor, which has Thomas Land. The most mental (and overpriced) theme park you'll ever visit!

I seem to remember reading that Christopher Awdry hasn't been entirely happy with the way the franchise has developed.

That book is called "Thomas Comes To Breakfast". Not "Thomas Destroys Breakfast, The Wee Shite" as it should be.

Why on earth would you build your house at the end of a railway anyway? Doubtsees the insurance company paid out!

Cinders and ashes!

Ds1 was obsessed with Thomas, we have every single episode on DVD, all the books, puzzles, tonnes of wooden track and trains etc etc. he can tell you anything you want to know about Thomas, we want to an old railway station near us which has Ben turned into a tea room and park and they have a display in the signal box, ds was about 3 or so at te time an took great delight in telling them something in there display was wrong!!
Ds2 is 2 and seems to have inherited the obsession, he has to go to bed cuddling a Thomas book!! Last night I had to I through all bloody 60 odd of them before he settled on spencer, took them to Thomas land for his birthday (last time we went he was a baby) and he was amazed, was lovely. Will take him to day out with Thomas again this year too.

It's the segregation that gets me. Steamies good, Diesels bad. And the poor diesels are cooped up in that dreadful shanty town, the diesel works. It's introducing the idea of apartheid.

Don't get me started on Ben and Holly, with the ruling class privileged fairies and the downtrodden worker elf...

Oh no, I love Ben and Holly (and Peppa Pig, with the always amazing Brian Blessed as Grampy Rabbit). I see what you mean about the apartheid though. I get so wound up when Thomas belittles Diesel and want to shout 'self fulfilling prophecies you metal dickhead!'. But I don't because ds wouldn't approve...

"sanctimonious little turd" - that line is going to have me inwardly laughing all day, thanks OP

This thread is genius, I have ALWAYS hated TT and should count myself very lucky that my DSs have never been keen, wish I could say the same about Fireman Sam...

Glad to have made you laugh Peterpie. I'm here all week...

Maybe Fireman Sam should have a thread of his own. Hmmmmmm.

DS got into Thomas just before Christmas thanks DMIL

Everything is now Thomas. I even went for a ride on Thomas yesterday at a day out with Thomas.

I fucking detest Thomas. He's a prick.