Wat have they done to Thomas?

[Ozexpatriate]

But that's the point, Thomas never went to the Far East or South America, he stayed put on the Isle of Sodor along with his Sodding(!), Sodorian(?) friends. So why dress him up; most of his intended customers already recognise him as he is and it is doubtful whether such effort will result in much increased revenue for Mattel.

Thomas' route availability will extend well beyond Sodor in this movie.

 

In my fevered imagination, this Great Race will span many continents, quite likely including the Far East and South America and there is no doubt in my mind that people will purchase toys representing the new members of Thomas's fraternity.

 

One wonders how they will cross oceans. Perhaps Boaty McBoatface will give them a ride.

[Ozexpatriate]

Would Decapod be the obese engine?

He's not fat, he's just big boilered. No boiler shaming now, you know that's not permissible.

[Ozexpatriate]

Vinnie - A Canadian, based on GTW 6407

Thanks, I was wondering what Vinnie was supposed to be.  Unsurprisingly the wooden version doesn't look very representative.  Bit of a shame since the GTW 6406 does have a distinctive face - of a sort.

[Ozexpatriate]

Rupert the right on engine who takes offence at everything, doesn't burn a fossil fuel and is fired by tofu?

Freddy the fireless engine?  (That might take a while to explain to the kiddies - plenty of storyline opportunities for when his pressure drops.)

 

I wouldn't be surprised to see an electric locomotive appear somewhere. It would be funny to make it a smug and pretentious, wannabe eco-warrior.

[brianusa]

Thomas is quite happy doing what he does best - being useful.

 

 

Brian.

[PhilH]

I have another couple of stints on the thing tomorrow at the Mid Hant's Thomas event.

 

Deep joy.

[phil-b259]

I have another couple of stints on the thing tomorrow at the Mid Hant's Thomas event.

 

Deep joy.

 

Think of the money so the saying goes.......

 

(Of course in this case, 'the money' relates to cash towards, ahem, authentic engines / carnages / wagons / infrastructure rather than a wage slip)

[petethemole]

Authentic carnages? Hopefully not!

 

'night all.

 

Pete

[dajt]

I think the toys will sell simply due to the urge to collect. A 3-4 year old isn't going to care what it is, if it is a loco in the Thomas range they'll want it. My train-mad 4yo really isn't worried about fidelity to the prototype, and he has no idea what a real railway is.

[Ozexpatriate]

My train-mad 4yo really isn't worried about fidelity to the prototype, and he has no idea what a real railway is.

Nor do the parents or grandparents who will make most of the purchases.

[dajt]

From the article - "Yong Bao from China, who is 'driven to achieve and make progress' " - racial stereotyping!

[Mallard60022]

He's not fat, he's just big boilered. No boiler shaming now, you know that's not permissible.

Apologies of course, but Decapod is a fat ba***rd.

However there could be a group of railway related items,(figures, equipment, music?)  that could help it/him/ her to become sleek and slim again, rather like a Bulleid Pacific. These people just have not thought outside the  box shed have they? Loads of opportunities to encourage health and welfare and clean living; nudism could be introduced for example.

A . Hitler.

[HeeleyBridge]

If The Great Race does not have Guy Martin, we will not be watching it.

 

Message ends.

[Dunsignalling]

Look you lot, steam loco's have all been hiding their petticoat pipes since whenever, so calm down and take a tablet.

R. Audrey.  

Presumably a single line tablet?

[PatB]

Loads of opportunities to encourage health and welfare and clean living; nudism could be introduced for example.

 

 

That'll be when a Bulleid Q1 turns up then?

[Phil Parker]

Four thoughts:

 

1 - Thomas is a world wide brand and the film will be released everywhere. Why is it wrong that a Chinese or Indian child should see a locomotive from their own country?

 

2- All the locos were really children, Surely the idea that they by the end of the film they (spoiler alert) become friends is a good thing?

 

3 - Thomas was ruined by the TV series. Everyone knows that Annie & Clarabel are bogie coaches not 4 wheelers. Triang shorties repainted are perfect for this in model form. Any modeller using 4 wheel vehicles should be thrown out of the hobby. The use of the wrong number of wheels is also directly responsible for all Hornby's woes.

 

4 - Edward was the first engine in the books and the best one of the lot. Thomas is a johnny-come-lately interloper.

[Titan]

Ah yes 'The Railway Series' book number one, 'The Three Railway Engines'  Edward, Gordon and Henry. And old clanking Edward was certainly the 'man of the match' so to speak!

[Arthur]

 

Surprised we haven't got Limpy, the 4-5-2.

 

 

Hat, Coat, marched off to the gulag of Right Think.

[Baby Deltic]

I think a nice addition would be Rasta the Jamaican engine who gets all the other engines in the shed totally stoned because he's burning ganja in his firebox.

[Northroader]

If Mattel wanted to reinforce national stereotypes they could always paint slogans on the tender; (no prizes for guessing the country)

"Forward with the glorious October Revolution"

"One Race, One Country, One Leader"

"Andy Capp Blackpool Special"

[Derekstuart]

How about John the J72- a perfectly ordinary, quiet loco, who no fault of his own was injured and can no longer go to push wagons around no matter how hard he might try. He now has to live off 32 lumps of coal per week and has to take a trip to the other end of Sodor every month to confirm his wheels still won't turn.

 

 

I suspect that is probably getting too political. At least I'll be encouraged to get on with real modelling during my 6 month ban.

[Derekstuart]

No one is saying it is wrong that people should see a locomotive from their own Country, nor suggesting that becoming good friends at the end is a bad thing and it does you no credit to imply otherwise.

 

Four thoughts:

 

1 - Thomas is a world wide brand and the film will be released everywhere. Why is it wrong that a Chinese or Indian child should see a locomotive from their own country?

 

2- All the locos were really children, Surely the idea that they by the end of the film they (spoiler alert) become friends is a good thing?

 

3 - Thomas was ruined by the TV series. Everyone knows that Annie & Clarabel are bogie coaches not 4 wheelers. Triang shorties repainted are perfect for this in model form. Any modeller using 4 wheel vehicles should be thrown out of the hobby. The use of the wrong number of wheels is also directly responsible for all Hornby's woes.

 

4 - Edward was the first engine in the books and the best one of the lot. Thomas is a johnny-come-lately interloper.

[petethemole]

How about John the J72- a perfectly ordinary, quiet loco, who no fault of his own was injured and can no longer go to push wagons around no matter how hard he might try. He now has to live off 32 lumps of coal per week and has to take a trip to the other end of Sodor every month to confirm his wheels still won't turn.

 

 

I suspect that is probably getting too political. At least I'll be encouraged to get on with real modelling during my 6 month ban.

 

It's a well known fact in certain engineering circles that wheels can be made to turn again, even when they have been removed by a gas axe.

[28XX]

I am happy to say that there's a set of reprints of the original books slumbering away in Squidlet's wardrobe for when he's old enough to appreciate (and not chew) them.

Oh yes. And on the high shelf in Leah's nursery.

[Derekstuart]

Yes, in many cases the wheels just need hitting with a large hammer and the locomotive told to stop expecting other locomotives to do all the work and having to share their coal with those which do not leave the depot. However, not all un-productive locomotives fall into that category.

 

Every time a locomotive superintendent tries to work out which is which he either is sacked or resigns.