Thomas the Tank Engine "The Missing Coach" (partially found footage from cancelled British children's TV series episode; 1986): Difference between revisions

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{{InfoboxLost
{{InfoboxLost
|title="The Missing Coach"
|title=<center>"The Missing Coach"</center>
|image=Thomas missing coach 1.jpg
|image=Ef-Kq36WAAAzl2-.png
|imagecaption=The first of six released screenshots from the episode (taken from the 1989 ''Thomas'' annual).
|imagecaption=One of numerous screenshots from the episode.
|status=<span style="color:red;">'''Lost'''</span>
|status=<span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''</span>
}}
}}
'''"The Missing Coach"''' (also referred to as '''"Hullo Twins!"''' during early development<ref>[https://twitter.com/TomsProps/status/1261361302795988993 Twitter post by TomsProps]. Retrieved 25 May '20</ref>) was a scrapped episode of ''Thomas the Tank Engine'' based off the Railway Series story of the same name that was intended to be the sixteenth episode of series 2.


Partially shot and later scrapped in 1986 was an episode of ''Thomas the Tank Engine'' titled '''"The Missing Coach"''' (now aptly-named, in an ironic turn of events); the episode was based on the 1960 Railway Series story of the same name.<ref>[http://www.sodor-island.net/sodorislandessayannex/themissingcoachessay.html Sodor Island fansite article on "The Missing Coach".] Last retrieved 09 Nov 2014.</ref><ref>[http://ttte.wikia.com/wiki/The_Missing_Coach_(episode) Thomas & Friends Wikia article on "The Missing Coach".] Last retrieved 09 Nov 2014.</ref>
==Plot==
"The Missing Coach" saw the arrival of twin engines Donald and Douglas, having been ordered from Scotland by the Fat Controller; the twins soon discover that only one engine was sent for and that the other would not be needed (and would likely be sent back). Douglas and his driver, after realising that Douglas is, in fact, the extra, unneeded engine and after mistakenly misplacing Thomas' Special Coach, prompting complaints from passengers (Douglas fearing that his error would give the Fat Controller more reason to get rid of him), hatch a plan with Donald and his driver to switch tenders (on which their respective numbers had been painted), effectively swapping identities and giving Douglas a chance to temporarily avoid being scolded by the Fat Controller (who ultimately decides to keep both engines, but only after uncovering their charade).


"The Missing Coach" (originally intended as the Season 2 opener) saw the arrival of twin engines Donald and Douglas, having been ordered from Scotland by the Fat Controller; the twins soon discover that only one engine was sent for and that the other would not be needed (and would likely be sent back). Douglas and his driver, after realising that Douglas is, in fact, the extra, unneeded engine and after mistakenly misplacing Thomas' Special Coach, prompting complaints from passengers (Douglas fearing that his error would give the Fat Controller more reason to get rid of him), hatch a plan with Donald and his driver to switch tenders (on which their respective numbers had been painted), effectively swapping identities and giving Douglas a chance to temporarily avoid being scolded by the Fat Controller (who ultimately decides to keep both engines, but only after uncovering their charade).
==Cancellation==
Halfway through the episode's production, Britt Allcroft (creator of the ''Thomas'' TV adaptation) decided that it was somewhat lacking in action and that the plot was a bit too complex for children to comprehend; as such, the episode was cancelled outright, instead being replaced by an entirely different episode (which episode this is is currently unknown). Donald and Douglas' official series debut took place in the later series 2 episode "Break Van", in which they were hurriedly introduced through a short piece of opening dialogue. Following the cancellation, numerous clips were placed into other episodes from the series in order to save both time and money, with "Missing Coach" clips being known to have been used in the episodes "Break Van" and "Saved From Scrap".


Halfway through the episode's production, Britt Allcroft (creator of the ''Thomas'' TV adaptation) decided that it was somewhat lacking in action and that the plot was a bit too complex for children to comprehend; as such, the episode was cancelled outright, instead being replaced by an entirely different episode, "Thomas, Percy and the Coal". Donald and Douglas' official series debut took place in the later Season 2 episode "Brake Van", in which they were hurriedly introduced through a short piece of opening dialogue; it has been speculated that the opening scene from "Brake Van" may have been retooled footage originally shot for "The Missing Coach".
==Availability==
Beyond the footage used in other episodes, what footage was filmed of of "The Missing Coach" has never been released, with the closest thing being a large amount of stills released through promotional material or leaked by fans of the series. It is stated on the ''Thomas the Tank Engine '' Wikia that Britt Allcroft's (currently unidentified) nephew once claimed to own footage from the episode, but neither the claim of the Wikia or the alleged claim of the nephew have been confirmed true. Additionally, David Mitton (co-writer, co-producer, and co-director of the first seven series of ''Thomas'') claimed in an interview with Sodor Island Fansite that he was in possession of numerous colour stills from the episode taken during its shooting process (as shot by Terry Permane).<ref>
[https://web.archive.org/web/20120507055127/http://sodor-island.net/davidmittoninterview.html Archived Sodor Island Fansite interview with the late David Mitton, in which "The Missing Coach" is discussed.] Retrieved 19 Jan '20</ref> Mitton never elaborated on these claims before his passing in 2008, and it is currently unknown if the stills he was referring to were among those leaked by fans years after the fact.


In a 2008 interview with the late David Mitton (who co-wrote, co-produced and co-directed the show up until his retirement in 2003), he confirmed that he was still in possession of the scrapped footage, although, as of his death in the same year, the fate of the footage has not been revealed (though it has likely been passed down to his heirs); unfortunately, it seems unlikely that the footage will ever receive a release of any kind.
==Gallery==
 
===Videos===
== Additional screenshots ==
{{Video|perrow  =2
  |service1    =youtube
  |id1          =pgwLxELSO-k
  |description1 = "Break Van", an episode from which numerous shots originate from "The Missing Coach").
  |service2    =youtube
  |id2          =3Nic7NKkPIo
  |description2 =" Saved From Scrap", an episode who's opening shot is recycled from "The Missing Coach" .
}}
===Images===
<gallery mode="packed">
<gallery mode="packed">
File:Thomas missing coach 2.png|The second of six released screenshots (seen on a Japanese ''Thomas'' trading card).
File:Ef-JznyXsAIWnjW.png
File:Thomas missing coach 3.png|The third of six released screenshots (taken from an unspecified Japanese book).
File:TTTETheMissingCoach-Image3.png|Image taken from an unspecified Japanese book.
File:Thomas missing coach 4.jpg|The fourth of six released screenshots (taken from an unspecified Japanese book).
File:TTTETheMissingCoach-Image4.jpg|Image taken from the same unspecified Japanese book.
File:Thomas missing coach 5.jpg|The fifth of six released screenshots (seen on a ''Thomas'' Take-Along card).
File:Ef-J5gIXoAEtJcQ.png
File:Thomas missing coach 6.jpg|The sixth and final released screenshot (source unknown).
File:TTTETheMissingCoach-Image8.png|Image taken from a Japanese profile card.
File:Ef-KgxzX0AMLZ7w.png
File:Ef-KoOpX0AEbXve.png
File:Ef-KtlMWoAAh9Ns.png
File:Ef-KwhxWkAIHoip.png
File:Ef-Fxa0XkAAmmOy.png
File:Ef-I T XsAErse6.png
File:Ef-JLTUXgAEu6Uu.png
File:Ef-JP8jWoAAPaXS.png
File:Ef-JTvEXoAkNuwN.png
File:Ef-JZHAWoAINu6M.png
File:Ef-JeKhX0AEnm5z.png
File:Ef-KN6xWkAU31jF.png
File:Ef-KQjtX0AA3KFb.png
File:Ef-KTOIXYAgMHmI.png
File:Ef-KWrgXoAAkJH8.png
File:Ef-Ka9CX0AAy38t.png
</gallery>
</gallery>


== References ==
==External Links==
<references />
*[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE8Fj2WrSB4 A reading of The Missing Coach's original 1960 Railway Series story.] Retrieved 09 Nov '14
*[http://ttte.wikia.com/wiki/The_Missing_Coach_(cancelled_episode) ''Thomas & Friends'' Wikia page on "The Missing Coach".] Retrieved 09 Nov '14
 
==References==
{{reflist}}


== External links ==
[[Category:Lost TV]]
[[Category:Partially found media]]

Revision as of 01:17, 22 August 2020

Ef-Kq36WAAAzl2-.png

One of numerous screenshots from the episode.

Status: Partially Found

"The Missing Coach" (also referred to as "Hullo Twins!" during early development[1]) was a scrapped episode of Thomas the Tank Engine based off the Railway Series story of the same name that was intended to be the sixteenth episode of series 2.

Plot

"The Missing Coach" saw the arrival of twin engines Donald and Douglas, having been ordered from Scotland by the Fat Controller; the twins soon discover that only one engine was sent for and that the other would not be needed (and would likely be sent back). Douglas and his driver, after realising that Douglas is, in fact, the extra, unneeded engine and after mistakenly misplacing Thomas' Special Coach, prompting complaints from passengers (Douglas fearing that his error would give the Fat Controller more reason to get rid of him), hatch a plan with Donald and his driver to switch tenders (on which their respective numbers had been painted), effectively swapping identities and giving Douglas a chance to temporarily avoid being scolded by the Fat Controller (who ultimately decides to keep both engines, but only after uncovering their charade).

Cancellation

Halfway through the episode's production, Britt Allcroft (creator of the Thomas TV adaptation) decided that it was somewhat lacking in action and that the plot was a bit too complex for children to comprehend; as such, the episode was cancelled outright, instead being replaced by an entirely different episode (which episode this is is currently unknown). Donald and Douglas' official series debut took place in the later series 2 episode "Break Van", in which they were hurriedly introduced through a short piece of opening dialogue. Following the cancellation, numerous clips were placed into other episodes from the series in order to save both time and money, with "Missing Coach" clips being known to have been used in the episodes "Break Van" and "Saved From Scrap".

Availability

Beyond the footage used in other episodes, what footage was filmed of of "The Missing Coach" has never been released, with the closest thing being a large amount of stills released through promotional material or leaked by fans of the series. It is stated on the Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia that Britt Allcroft's (currently unidentified) nephew once claimed to own footage from the episode, but neither the claim of the Wikia or the alleged claim of the nephew have been confirmed true. Additionally, David Mitton (co-writer, co-producer, and co-director of the first seven series of Thomas) claimed in an interview with Sodor Island Fansite that he was in possession of numerous colour stills from the episode taken during its shooting process (as shot by Terry Permane).[2] Mitton never elaborated on these claims before his passing in 2008, and it is currently unknown if the stills he was referring to were among those leaked by fans years after the fact.

Gallery

Videos

"Break Van", an episode from which numerous shots originate from "The Missing Coach").

" Saved From Scrap", an episode who's opening shot is recycled from "The Missing Coach" .

Images

External Links

References