The Three Railway Engines (lost live BBC broadcast adaptation of "The Railway Series" books; 1953): Difference between revisions

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{{#ev:youtube|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku2jhwh1_Ak|320x240|right|The Thomas and Friends' adaption of "The Sad Story of Henry".|frame}}
{{InfoboxLost
Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends is a children’s show adapted from the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son Christopher Awdry’s “The Railway Series” stories. While this is certainly the most famous adaption of the Awdry’s stories it was not the first. The first attempt was a live broadcast in 1953 by the BBC. However the broadcast didn’t fare well and caused a full series never to be produced.
|title=<center>The Sad Story of Henry (1953 live broadcast)</center>
|image=1953 James.png
|imagecaption= A recently discovered photograph of James from this lost broadcast. Courtesy of the BBC's website.
|status=<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
}}
''Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends'' is by now one of the world's most iconic and beloved children’s TV shows. Originally adapted from the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son Christopher Awdry’s ''Railway Series'' stories, the TV series began airing in 1984 and has continued in some form or another through to the 2020s. While this is certainly the most famous adaptation of the Awdrys' anthropomorphic train tales, it was not the first, having been preceded by '''a live BBC broadcast in 1953'''. Unfortunately, the technical difficulties associated with this adaptation would prevent a full series from being commissioned for the intervening thirty years.


==Background==
==Background==
In 1953 the BBC approached the Railway Series editor Eric Marriott and inquired about the possibility of adapting at least two stories from the Railway Series to television in June of that same year. The proposition was agreed to by the author. The broadcast was to be done using 00 Gauge Hornby Models, while the sets were reminiscent of the books illustrations. This was to ensure that authenticity to the Author and Publishers requests. The episode was broadcast live from Lime Grove Studios on Sunday June 14, 1953.
In mid-1953, the BBC approached ''The Railway Series'' editor Eric Marriott and inquired about the possibility of adapting at least two stories to television. Marriott and Rev. Awdry approved the proposal on the condition that the adaptation be as faithful as possible, in particular to the authentic technical details. Thus the broadcast was to be done using specially-modified 00 Gauge Hornby models of the actual engines pictured in the books, with a track layout and painted backdrops likewise designed to ensure maximum faithfulness to the original illustrations. The script however was 'freely adapted', in order to fit the alotted ten-minute timeslot. It was to be broadcast live from Lime Grove Studios on Sunday, June 14th, 1953.


==Live Broadcast==
==Live Broadcast==
The story that the BBC chose to adapt was Wilbur's third story "The Sad Story of Henry". However the director had to deal with the 00 Gauge Models, Superimposed rain, effects, music , and a narration by Julia Lang. The script was 'freely adapted' to ensure the broadcasts meet the ten-minute broadcast limit. The models were reported to jerk around as they moved. Other than that the broadcast went fine until, the engine derailed. This was caused by the mistake of not switching the points before the engine arrived at them. To the surprise of the viewers, a hand picked up the engine and put it back on the rails!
For this initial attempt, the BBC had chosen to adapt "The Sad Story of Henry", a suitably dramatic tale of the titular engine being bricked up in a tunnel after he refuses to leave it for fear of rain spoiling his new paint. The live adaptation (now renamed to "The Three Railway Engines", presumably for viewers unfamiliar with the books) had to be put together within a month, with the custom model train setup not arriving in the studio until the final rehearsals. Not ideal for what was already a notably complex production for the time, also including superimposed rain and other effects overlaid by music and narration by Julia Lang.  
 
On the day of the broadcast, the model movement was still said to be a bit jerky, but all started off well... until one of the engines derailed, the train set operator having missed switching the points before the engine arrived at them. To the great surprise of viewers - including Marriott and Rev. Awdry - a human hand picked up the errant engine and put it back on the rails instead. It was noted that narrator Lang 'struggled to improvise' around the incident, but unfortunately her actual words are not recorded.


==Aftermath==
==Aftermath==
The incident made the front of several newspapers a week later. This caused the June 28 broadcast to be put on hold and later cancelled and although numerous attempts were made to revive the series, but all were unsuccessful.
The broadcast went on without further incident, but the derailment and its unexpected resolution attracted notice from several national newspapers. Rev. Awdry is recorded therein as being disappointed with many aspects of the adaptation, including the script changes (which added characters that were not in the original story) the jerky model movement and above all the 'elementary mistake' of the incorrectly set points. BBC Controller (head) of Programmes Cecil McGivern evidently agreed with the criticisms, issuing a furious memo in which he called the whole effort 'pathetic'.<ref name="Written Archives">[https://downloads.bbc.co.uk/mypension/en/prospero_feb_2021.pdf The Written Archives pdf highlighting the 1953 Thomas collection among others.]</ref>
 
Awdry demanded guarantees that a similar blunder would not happen in the second broadcast, scheduled for June 28th. Instead, presumably thanks to the official scorn, it was put on hold and later cancelled. Although numerous attempts were made to revive the ''Railway Series'' for television, all were unsuccessful until the current series began production three full decades later.
 
==Availability==
As the show was broadcast live, and knowing the BBC's track record for preserving old content - let alone one with this kind of embarrassing technical issue - it can safely be considered completely lost, save in the improbable event that anyone recorded it privately. Any claims or clips to the contrary floating about online are either re-creations or proven incorrect recollections.
 
However, in more recent years the BBC has developed a sense of humour about the incident. A brochure produced for their 100th anniversary highlighted numerous related documents preserved in their Written Archives, including the Controller's memo, Awdry's letters and at least one contemporary image, showing James' model - ironically, the character Awdry objected to most strongly as not in the original - sitting on the track layout. <ref name= "Written Archives"/>
<ref name="Tweet">[https://twitter.com/fan100_thomas/status/1584077420214517760 Tweet highlighting the portion of the Written Archives PDF dealing with the broadcast.]</ref>
 
A higher quality version of this photograph, several letters relating to the program directed to the BBC and the Rev W Awdry, along with the pilot's camera script, would later be publicly displayed at the Talyllyn Railway's third annual Awdry Extravaganza event on July 22nd, 2023. The script confirms that elements of "Edward's Day Out" and "Edward, Gordon and Henry" were implemented into the episode as a way of extending its length. Additionally, a first-hand account was provided by a volunteer at the Talyllyn Railway who saw the episode as a child.
 
==Gallery==
===Images===
<gallery mode="packed" heights="350px">
Sadstorysnippet.PNG|A small mention of the broadcast in a 1953 edition of the ''Daily Herald''.
F1ov8pRWwAAQSUB.jpg|Higher quality of the aforementioned James photograph.
F1ovYb3WcAEvBbi.jpg|Camera script of the pilot (1/5).
F1ovYb1WAAAQDfW.jpg|Camera script of the pilot (2/5).
F1ovYb4XgAAY c3.jpg|Camera script of the pilot (3/5).
F1ovYb4WIAEdjDk.jpg|Camera script of the pilot (4/5).
F1ov0IKWIAAawS7.jpg|Camera script of the pilot (5/5).
</gallery>
===Videos===
{{Video|perrow  =3
  |service1    =youtube
  |id1          =Jzb9xa0oN-I
  |description1 =ClickClackTrack's video on the subject, including Marriott's and Awdry's reactions.
  |service2    =youtube
  |id2          =foPFm5OrS7I
  |description2 =Scribbles to Screen's video mentioning the 1953 adaptation (0:42-3:43).
  |service3    =youtube
  |id3          =x1_Rm0fWM9k
  |description3 =Scribbles to Screen's follow up video on the subject.
}}
 
==See Also==
===BBC Wiped Programs Media===
*[[1953 British Grand Prix (partially found footage of Formula One race; 1953)]]
*[[Adam Adamant Lives! (partially lost BBC children's TV series; 1966)]]
*[[Anne of Green Gables (lost TV mini-series; 1972)]]
*[[Dad's Army (partially lost episodes and sketches; 1968-1970)]]
*[[Doctor Who (partially lost episodes of British science-fiction TV series; 1963-1974)]]
*[[Jazz Goes to College (partially found BBC jazz concert series; 1966-1967)]]
*[[Late Night Line-Up (partially found Beatles "Abbey Road" special; 1969)]]
*[[Madhouse on Castle Street (partially found BBC television play; 1963)]]
*[[Out of the Unknown (partially found BBC sci-fi series; 1967-1971)]]
*[[Requiem for a Heavyweight (partially found BBC Sunday-Night Theatre TV play; 1957)]]
*[[The Complete and Utter History of Britain (partially found British sketch comedy TV series; 1969)]]
*[[The Quatermass Experiment (partially found BBC sci-fi serials; 1953)]]
*[[Top Of The Pops (partially lost British music series; 1964-2006)]]
*[[United! (lost British soap opera; 1965-1967)]]


==Preservation==
===Thomas & Friends===
As the show was broadcast live and knowing the BBC's track record for preserving old content, it is no surprise that the broadcast is lost. It is highly unlikely that anyone recorded the single broadcast. Nothing is known to be left of this project and will probably never surface.
*[[Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go (partially found test animation of reboot of British children TV series; 2019)]]
*[[Thomas & Friends: Day of the Diesels (lost original cut of direct-to-DVD film; existence unconfirmed; 2011)]]
*[[Thomas & Friends "Jack Jumps In" (found Alec Baldwin narration of British children's TV series episode; 2002)]]
*[[Thomas & Friends "Series 7" (partially found original music of British children's TV series American dub; mid-2000s)]]
*[[Thomas & Friends "Series 12" (partially found Pierce Brosnan narrations of British children's animated series; 2008)]]


===Thomas the Tank Engine===
*[[Thomas the Tank Engine (lost pilot episode of unproduced 2D animated adaptation of "The Railway Series" books; 1976)]]
*[[Thomas the Tank Engine "Down the Mine" (partially found pitch pilot version of British children's TV series episode; 1983)]]
*[[Thomas the Tank Engine "The Missing Coach" (partially found footage from cancelled British children's TV series episode; 1986)]]
*[[Thomas the Tank Engine "Season 3" (found original Michael Angelis narrations of British children's TV series episodes; 1991)]]
*[[Thomas the Tank Engine "Season 4" (found pre-recorded version of British children's TV series episodes; 1994)]]
*[[Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends (partially lost deleted scenes of British children's TV series; 1984-2021)]]


== Recent Discovery ==
===Other===
About June 15 2015 a user called L.J Productions uploaded this video showing photos that were taken of these original models for the live adaption. Nothing is known much on where the photos came from but please take a look at these and let's all hope BBC one day releases the footage. [https://youtu.be/kSVXWCWxYpw]
*[[The Adventures of Thomas (partially found production material of cancelled "Thomas the Tank Engine" live-action film; early-mid 2010s)]]
*[[Barry the Rescue Engine (lost production material of cancelled "The Railway Series" book; 1980s)]]
*[[Jack and the Sodor Construction Company (partially lost episodes and production material of cancelled spin-off series; 2002)]]
*[[Storytime with Thomas (partially found Fox Family series; 1999-2000)]]
*[[The Thomas & Friends Institute of Innovation (partially found informational short film; 2013-2014)]]
*[[Thomas and the Magic Railroad (found deleted scenes of children's fantasy adventure film; 2000)]]
*[[Thomas and the Magic Railroad (lost test footage of 3.5" character models for British children's TV series; 1995)]]
*[[Thomas and the U.K. Trip & Thomas Number 1 (found Japanese "Thomas the Tank Engine" crossover TV special and music video; 1991)]]
*[[Thomas the Tank Engine (found original illustrated edition of book; 1946)]]
*[[Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends (found build of cancelled NES port of educational game; 1993)]]
*[[Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends (lost build of cancelled PlayStation educational game; 1999)]]
*[[The Three Railway Engines (found original edition of book; 1945)]]


==External Links==
*[https://sodor-island.com/the-tv-series The Sodor Island series website.]


==References==
==References==
* http://www.sodor-island.net/thetvserieshistory.html
{{Reflist}}
* http://thomas-the-tank-engine-and-friends-youtube-series.wikia.com/wiki/Thomas_and_Friends
[[Category:Lost recordings of real incidents|Three Railway Engines]]
 
[[Category:Lost TV|Three Railway Engines]]
[[Category:Lost recordings of real incidents]]
[[Category:Completely lost media|Three Railway Engines]]
[[Category:Lost TV]]

Latest revision as of 20:27, 11 December 2023

1953 James.png

A recently discovered photograph of James from this lost broadcast. Courtesy of the BBC's website.

Status: Lost

Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends is by now one of the world's most iconic and beloved children’s TV shows. Originally adapted from the Reverend Wilbert Awdry and his son Christopher Awdry’s Railway Series stories, the TV series began airing in 1984 and has continued in some form or another through to the 2020s. While this is certainly the most famous adaptation of the Awdrys' anthropomorphic train tales, it was not the first, having been preceded by a live BBC broadcast in 1953. Unfortunately, the technical difficulties associated with this adaptation would prevent a full series from being commissioned for the intervening thirty years.

Background

In mid-1953, the BBC approached The Railway Series editor Eric Marriott and inquired about the possibility of adapting at least two stories to television. Marriott and Rev. Awdry approved the proposal on the condition that the adaptation be as faithful as possible, in particular to the authentic technical details. Thus the broadcast was to be done using specially-modified 00 Gauge Hornby models of the actual engines pictured in the books, with a track layout and painted backdrops likewise designed to ensure maximum faithfulness to the original illustrations. The script however was 'freely adapted', in order to fit the alotted ten-minute timeslot. It was to be broadcast live from Lime Grove Studios on Sunday, June 14th, 1953.

Live Broadcast

For this initial attempt, the BBC had chosen to adapt "The Sad Story of Henry", a suitably dramatic tale of the titular engine being bricked up in a tunnel after he refuses to leave it for fear of rain spoiling his new paint. The live adaptation (now renamed to "The Three Railway Engines", presumably for viewers unfamiliar with the books) had to be put together within a month, with the custom model train setup not arriving in the studio until the final rehearsals. Not ideal for what was already a notably complex production for the time, also including superimposed rain and other effects overlaid by music and narration by Julia Lang.

On the day of the broadcast, the model movement was still said to be a bit jerky, but all started off well... until one of the engines derailed, the train set operator having missed switching the points before the engine arrived at them. To the great surprise of viewers - including Marriott and Rev. Awdry - a human hand picked up the errant engine and put it back on the rails instead. It was noted that narrator Lang 'struggled to improvise' around the incident, but unfortunately her actual words are not recorded.

Aftermath

The broadcast went on without further incident, but the derailment and its unexpected resolution attracted notice from several national newspapers. Rev. Awdry is recorded therein as being disappointed with many aspects of the adaptation, including the script changes (which added characters that were not in the original story) the jerky model movement and above all the 'elementary mistake' of the incorrectly set points. BBC Controller (head) of Programmes Cecil McGivern evidently agreed with the criticisms, issuing a furious memo in which he called the whole effort 'pathetic'.[1]

Awdry demanded guarantees that a similar blunder would not happen in the second broadcast, scheduled for June 28th. Instead, presumably thanks to the official scorn, it was put on hold and later cancelled. Although numerous attempts were made to revive the Railway Series for television, all were unsuccessful until the current series began production three full decades later.

Availability

As the show was broadcast live, and knowing the BBC's track record for preserving old content - let alone one with this kind of embarrassing technical issue - it can safely be considered completely lost, save in the improbable event that anyone recorded it privately. Any claims or clips to the contrary floating about online are either re-creations or proven incorrect recollections.

However, in more recent years the BBC has developed a sense of humour about the incident. A brochure produced for their 100th anniversary highlighted numerous related documents preserved in their Written Archives, including the Controller's memo, Awdry's letters and at least one contemporary image, showing James' model - ironically, the character Awdry objected to most strongly as not in the original - sitting on the track layout. [1] [2]

A higher quality version of this photograph, several letters relating to the program directed to the BBC and the Rev W Awdry, along with the pilot's camera script, would later be publicly displayed at the Talyllyn Railway's third annual Awdry Extravaganza event on July 22nd, 2023. The script confirms that elements of "Edward's Day Out" and "Edward, Gordon and Henry" were implemented into the episode as a way of extending its length. Additionally, a first-hand account was provided by a volunteer at the Talyllyn Railway who saw the episode as a child.

Gallery

Images

Videos

ClickClackTrack's video on the subject, including Marriott's and Awdry's reactions.

Scribbles to Screen's video mentioning the 1953 adaptation (0:42-3:43).

Scribbles to Screen's follow up video on the subject.

See Also

BBC Wiped Programs Media

Thomas & Friends

Thomas the Tank Engine

Other

External Links

References