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THE REV. AWDRY ANNUALS
During the 1973 to 1983 hiatus between
Railway Series books, and the leading up to the Television Series, Awdry produced these two annuals to celebrate the life
and times of his famous engines. It is unclear as to why there were no follow-ups in the years of 1981 to 1984, but
these Railway Series annuals were more than suffice to keep the memory of the characters alive in the meantime! ;)
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World Distributors, SBN 7235-0482-2
Written by the Rev. W. Awdry. Illustrated
by Edgar Hodges (uncredited)
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Review by Ryan
The 1979 Annual contained no new material in terms of stories, but it did have retellings
of previous stories as will be explained below.
- First, we are greeted with an intro
by the Author explaining how Thomas/The Railway Series came to be.
- MEET
THOMAS feature, recapping adventures of the Railway Series.
- FRIENDS OF THOMAS
- human characters TFC, Thin Controller, Drivers, Firemen and Guards, Station Masters
QUIZZES
- All About The Engines; Crossed Lines (Crossword);
Rhyming Engines quiz; Nancy's Railway Crossword; What's In An Engine's Name?; The Fat Controller's Quiz; A Riddle Mee-Ree
Engine; and the snakes and ladders type - In The Sidings!
REAL RAILWAY FEATURE:
Beer Heights Opening by Rev Awdry
REAL RAILWAY FEATURE: Mountain Railways
RAILWAY DATES - Events of importance in the 19th/20th Centuries.
REAL
RAILWAY FEATURE: The Ffestiniog
THOMAS HAS A WORD FOR IT - Explanations
of Railway terms.
MAGNIFICENT MODELS - Model Railway Expos (Not Awdry's own)
REAL RAILWAY FEATURE: Ravenglass and Eskdale
FEATURE ON THE NATIONAL RAILWAY MUSEUM
MEET TOBY - Chronicling the life and times of Toby the Tram Engine!
REAL
RAILWAY FEATURE: The Talyllyn
REAL RAILWAY FEATURE: Flying
Scotsman
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World
Distributors, SBN 7235-6561-9
Written by the Rev. W. Awdry. Illustrated by Edgar Hodges
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Review by Ryan
INTRO FROM AUTHOR
FEATURE
on the Rev. Awdry's Own Model Railway.
REAL RAILWAY FEATURE: City of Truro
REAL RAILWAY FEATURE: Keighly and Worth
Valley Railway
REAL RAILWAY FEATURE: Isle
of Man Railway
REAL RAILWAY FEATURE: The Engine Which
Disappeared, the Barrow and Furness incident that Awdry based "Down the Mine" on, where an engine was never found again following
a similar incident!
REAL RAILWAY FEATURE: North York Moors Railway
REAL RAILWAY FEATURE: Shunting
Engines
MEET JAMES
- Life and times of James, recalling RS stories about him
THOMAS' BRANCH LINE
- map and feature on Thomas' Branch.
MEET THOMAS - Furthering the
previous from 1979 including the Tank Engine Thomas incidents and Ghost Train.
REAL RAILWAY FEATURE:
Ravenglass and Eskdale again!
REAL RAILWAY FEATURE: Flying
Scotsman, Sir Nigel Gresley and Cumbrian Coast Express
MEET DUCK
- Recalling the Duck and Diesel Trilogy
REAL RAILWAY FEATURE: The Bluebell
Railway
MEET GORDON - His trip to London and meeting Flying Scotsman again!
MEET PERCY - Duck Takes Charge; Percy's Promise.
THOMAS' ALPHABET
- naming the engines who begin with ABC...etc
QUIZZES:
A Picture Puzzle
Find a Famous Engine
Number the Engines
Know Your Signals
Do You Know Your
Engines?
Express Crossword
The Name's The Same
Who's Who?
The Tricky Track Board Game!
CHRISTOPHER AWDRY & THE
TV SERIES ERA
We now steam proudly into the era that made Thomas
a global phenomenon - The TV Series era. One of the major tie-ins and a favoured Christmas present for many children,
is the Thomas Annuals. These were written by Christopher Awdry up until 1996, when I presume the Copyright dispute came
into action. With stills from the TV series, and illustrations by David Palmer.
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Grandreams,
ISBN 0-86227-237-8
Written by Christopher Awdry. Illustrated by Jo Lawrence and David Palmer.
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Review by Chris
PERCY TO THE RESCUE
Thomas is taking the all the children from the valley to the schools Christmas
party. As the Vicar is leaving the train for the party, he realises he has left his Father Christmas costume at Ffarquhar
station. Can Percy bring the costume in time?
EDWARD CRACKS A NUT
One evening, when Edward tries to leave the station with his
passenger train, he finds he cannot move. It turns out the guard’s brake-handle has seized ‘on’. If he is
to meet Henry’s connection, Edward has to work very hard to get his train to the junction on time.
THOMAS AND THE IMPORTANT VISITOR
One winter day, an important looking man has a meeting with
Mr. Kyndley. Unfortunately both the road and railway are blocked with deep snowdrifts. At Thomas’ suggestion it is Terence
who comes to the rescue to clear the line for them. The important visitor gets to the meeting, and The Fat Controller is very
pleased with them all.
OLIVER GETS THE BIRD
The guard is cross one day, when Oliver starts without him
blowing the whistle. Both Oliver and his driver are puzzled, as they both heard one. Everyone has a good laugh, when it turns
the stationmaster’s parrot, Cocky, had learnt to mimic the sound of the guard’s whistle.
DONALD’S DUCK
Dilly is a duck, who lives at one of the stations on the Little
Western branch line. Both Duck and Oliver become very worried when she goes missing one day and no one can find her. She returns
quite unexpectedly, with a very nice surprise!
GALE WARNING
James teases Henry about hiding in a tunnel one windy day,
but after the green engine helps prevent a nasty accident when a tree falls on the line, James agrees that it’s useful
to be able to stick when you need to.
THE TWIN’S PASSING PROBLEM
On one part of Edward’s branch line, there is a single-track
with a passing loop about halfway along. Usually trains are short enough to pass each other. One day, this is not the case,
when Donald and Douglas both arrive from opposite directions with very long trains of china clay wagons. The signalman is
amazed when the Scottish Twins come up with a clever solution to the problem.
THE STRAWBERRY SPECIAL
In a story that may have provided the inspiration for Toby’s Megatrain, Toby tells Thomas and Percy how, on his old line, he was worked very hard pulling fruit
vans. One day, he had to deliver a whopping 48 strawberry vans. Low on water, he had to leave the vans at a station, and get
his tanks refilled before he could make it home. After going back, he managed to deliver all the strawberries safely.
JAMES’ REST CURE
James is grumbling that he has too much shunting to do and
doesn't go out of the yard as much as he used to. But one day, he and Edward decide to swap jobs. After a very difficult journey
to the Harbour with some stone trucks, James soon realises that he much prefers to stay in the yard!
BERTIE SAVES THE DAY
Bertie is looking forward to taking the Naturalists’
society on a picnic, and is very upset when he becomes ill and cannot take them anywhere. Bertie’s friend Algy has to
take them on the excursion instead. Algy’s engine causes trouble all day, and finally packs in when it is time to go
home. Luckily, Bertie is mended in time and is able to rescue the stranded passengers.
WHISTLE TROUBLE
Sir Handle is grumbling about being overworked again. Over
the next few days, Sir Handel bounces about so much that he shakes the bolt holding the top part of his cab loose. Even though
he was hoping for a rest, it turns out he has to pull his train anyway.
UNHAPPY LANDING
Thomas thinks jumping out of aeroplanes is silly, but he still comes to the rescue when a parachutist
lands in the river.
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Grandreams,
ISBN 0-86227-342-0
Written by Christopher Awdry. Illustrated by David Palmer.
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Review
by Chris
PERCY AND THE CHRISTMAS TREE
One Christmas Eve night, the lorry delivering the Christmas trees
to Tidmouth market has broken down. It is up to Percy to collect them from Hackenbeck and deliver them on time.
OLD
GROANER
James is grumbling about getting old to the others, but they take
no notice. A few days later, an Inspector arrives. It seems people who live near the yard are complaining of a groaning noise
that keeps them awake at night. It turns out it is James: While he was shunting,
his brake-blocks were rubbing together and making the sound. James is pleased he gets a rest, but not when the others nickname
him “Old Groaner”!
TERENCE
TAKES A BATH
Terence is called to clear a branch causing a blockage at the bridge
near Hackenbeck Halt. As he goes to work, the damp earth on the riverbank slips, and Terence slides into the water. Luckily,
Thomas comes quickly to the rescue with the breakdown crane. Later, a grateful Terence thanks Thomas: “Remember that
snowdrift? This makes us quits, I reckon.”
FUNNEL
TROUBLE
Poor Oliver is feeling stuffed up in his smokebox, but the Inspector
can find nothing wrong. He becomes so ill, that Duck has to take his ballast wagons for him. After giving some trucks a big
bump, Duck’s driver later finds that his water gauge is dropping rapidly. It turns out a plate was loosened when Duck
bumped the trucks and his tank is leaking. Algy takes Duck’s passengers, but when Oliver tries to help Duck home something
shoots out of his funnel. He had something jammed there, and now feels well enough to pull his ballast train.
GOLDEN
OLDIES
While on the Ffarquhar Sunday School outing, one of the teachers
falls ill. An ambulance would take a long time to arrive, but luckily, Bertie is on hand to take her to Wellsworth hospital.
This creates another problem, who will take the children home?
GORDON’S
STOWAWAY
Gordon makes fun of Oliver’s friend, Dilly the duck, saying
animals don’t help to run a railway. One winter’s day, while visiting the mainland Gordon feels a scrabbling under
his tender. The next day, while resting Gordon discovers just what that scrabbling was and makes a surprising new friend.
YOU
NEVER KNOW
Toby tells a story about his old line, of how he and Henrietta were
sad because the buses were taking all their passengers. One day however, they came to rescue of the passengers of a bus that
had suffered a mishap…
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Grandreams, ISBN 0-86227-494-X ;
Budget Books, ISBN 0-86801-924-0
Written by Christopher Awdry. Illustrated by David Palmer.
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Review by Chris
DONALD AND THE LOST TARPAULIN
Due to the fact there is no turntable at the end of Duck’s
branch line; tender engines have to run backwards in one direction. This makes Donald cross; especially when the rain gets
into his cab. To the keep the rain off, his crew puts a tarpaulin from the cab roof to the tender. When the weather improves
it is stashed at the back of the tender. Suddenly, the tarpaulin disappears, but it becomes apparent where it’s got
to when Donald’s injector fails…
SIGNAL FAILURE
James wishes there would be no signals since he was having
trouble with them. His wish comes true sooner than expected when a hurricane attacks the island.
TIMBER!
The old elm tree on Wellsworth village green has become
unsafe and must be cut down. Jem Cole and Trevor are called to assist when the
tree cutter breaks down. Trevor and his driver work very hard felling the tree and cutting it into smaller pieces to be taken
away.
LOST
IN THE SNOW
It is winter,
and Thomas is cross about having to wear his snowplough. Meanwhile, at Dryaw station a cat has gone missing in the snow. Thomas
has to stop here for water, and while everyone is searching, Thomas’ crew are filling his watertank with melted snow
because the water column is frozen. It is they who find the cat, in a most unexpected place!
PERCY’S PASSENGERS
Percy
feels sorry for his guard when no passengers travel in his brake van but feels happier when the guard gains the company of
couple of foreign passengers who had missed their stop.
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Grandreams, ISBN 0-86227-372-2
Written by Christopher Awdry. Illustrated by David Palmer.
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Review by Chris
PERCY
AND THE BRAKE-VAN
Percy begins think that perhaps he could get by without
his brake-van. A few days later, Percy sets off with his goods train, unaware that the Guard and the brake van have been left
behind. Suddenly a weak coupling snaps, and the last four trucks roll back down the hill. The Guard runs to the brake-van
in time, slamming the brakes on and then jumping out. The trucks hit the brake-van, which stays on the line, halting the trucks.
Later Percy has to admit that brake-vans are useful after all.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Percy has to spend the night at the Big Station shed,
and Gordon tells him about the responsibilities he has of keeping the railway running efficiently. Next day, Gordon has to
push Percy to the water column. When Gordon tries to use the water column himself, he can’t move; his valves have jammed.
Percy has to push Gordon back to the Shed, although he feels it best to say nothing at all.
THOMAS
AND TREVOR
Trevor has to take some steel pilings to the new harbour,
but Thomas is rather unsure about him due to his unusual looks. On arrival Trevor soon sorts out the terrible mess. Later,
Trevor even gets to give some children rides. Trevor feels sad to leave, but Thomas tells him that they may need his help
again one day, which makes him feel much better.
TERENCE TURN POT HUNTER
Terence is ploughing in a field opposite to one where
an archaeological dig took place. His plough unearths some rather old pottery. The Tidmouth Museum
curator comes to investigate, and discovers why: the archaeologists had been using an old map, and had been digging on the
wrong side of the railway!
ON
YOUR GUARD
There are thieves about, and Bill and Ben are warned
to be ‘on their guard’ although they don’t know what this expression means. One night, Ben hears noises,
and sees a dark shadow in the shed. The intruders are shocked by the Twins thinking they are seeing the same engine again
and again. This proves too much for them, and they make a run for it.
Next morning, Bill and Ben tell their drivers about the
two men who tried to play hide and seek in the sheds with them!
JACK-IN-THE-BOX
A mysterious crate is being loaded into the guards van
James’ train. No one knows what is in the crate. After a delay, James starts in a hurry. When he arrives at the next
station, there is no sign of the Guard. The men look all around, and they go into his van, and find him locked inside the
crate. Everyone laughs when they discover he had been looking in the empty crate when James started suddenly, so he fell in
and it locked itself!
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Grandreams, ISBN 0-86227-635-7
Written by Christopher Awdry. Illustrated by David Palmer.
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Review by Chris
TRAPPED BY
TREES
One blustery morning, Gordon boasts to James and Henry.
He manages to cross the big viaduct with some difficulty, but is stopped later at Edward’s station by a tree blocking
the line. Then another tree falls behind Gordon, trapping his train. Luckily, Trevor is soon on hand to move the tree, but
not before Henry comes past just in time to see Gordon’s predicament!
THE TROUBLE
WITH SHEEP
There is a stray dog about, chasing sheep in the valley.
On one of his journeys, Thomas comes across the canine and has to make an emergency stop. After the sheep are rounded up,
Thomas tries to start again, but he cannot move. His driver fixes the problem with the brakes, but in his haste to start Thomas
once again leaves someone behind…
POST EARLY
FOR CHRISTMAS
One evening, about a week before Christmas, Percy has
to pull a special mail train along the branch line. Despite having a snowplough, Percy cannot move for snow by the time he
reaches the valley. He ends up stuck there for the night. The next day, the skies are clear enough to allow Harold to take
off, and he relieves Percy of the mail, but Percy remains there until the following afternoon.
HAROLD AND
THE LANDSLIDE
Heavy rain causes a landslip on Duck’s branch line.
Then, Harold has to come to the rescue of a hiker who has fallen over some cliffs. It’s a tricky job reaching him in
the high winds, but the man gets to hospital safely. Meanwhile, Duck is not best pleased that he has to stay at Arlesdale
for a week, while the line is repaired!
QUICK THINKING
One day, Donald is taking a long train of china clay
trucks down Edward’s branch line, when they push him down the hill towards the passing loop. He cannot stop, and to
his horror, BoCo is coming the other way with his empties. Will the quick thinking of BoCo’s driver be enough to prevent
a head-on collision?
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Grandreams, ISBN 0-86227-674-8
Written by Christopher Awdry. Illustrated by David Palmer.
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Review by Chris
THOMAS AND THE CRICKETERS
A strong, cold wind is blowing as Thomas puffs to work
one morning. Luckily for him, some cricket players save him from a nasty accident when a tree falls on the line near their
playing field.
HOSEPIPES AND SHUNTERS
Whilst Mavis is away for repairs, Percy has to go the
harbour in an emergency. The Ffarquhar stationmaster calls Terence to help with the shunting. Toby has problems of his own
up at the quarry. In his absence, the water tower has been removed, and he has to take on water by way of a hosepipe connected
to the tap in the quarrymen’s restroom.
N.B.
This story probably takes place around the time of Toby, Trucks & Trouble.
OLD
SQUARE WHEELS
In the first of three annual stories that take place
during Duck and the Diesel Engine, Diesel
begins to plot at how to get back at Duck for the making trucks laugh at him. Then, one day, Henry’s trucks push him
down a hill. The brakes are applied, but Henry’s wheels lock. He slides down the hill and into the Junction, where he
finally manages to stop. Later, the driver discovers the sliding on the hill
causes a flat place to be worn on each of Henry’s drive wheels. When Diesel hears, he is delighted and starts making
a plan…
DONALD
AND THE BREAKAWAYS
One day, Donald is bringing some loaded trucks back from
the Other Railway. Whilst the empties behave well, the loaded trucks are visitors to the island and very badly behaved. During
the journey one truck gets a hot axle-box and another slips it’s brakes on on purpose. More delays follow, and Donald
becomes cross. Worse is to come when a coupling snaps at the top of Gordon’s Hill and the last ten trucks chase Donald
down the other side…
POINTS
OF NO RETURN
James remarks to the others that he would like a branch line to himself. James’ wish comes true sooner than expected when he is switched to the branch line platform of Edward’s
station. Unfortunately, the points behind James have jammed, and he cannot reverse back onto the main line. He is trapped
and has to do odd jobs in the goods yard until they are fixed.
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Grandreams, ISBN 0-86227-784-1
Written by Christopher Awdry. Illustrated by David Palmer.
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Review by Chris
NEAR MISS
Henry scoffs at the trap-points outside the big shed.
They are used to derail runaways from colliding with trains using the main line. Next day, however, Henry is very glad of
their existence when a careless firelighter meddles with his controls. Demolishing the shed doors, he runs out on his own
into the yard, but is derailed just in time to avoid colliding with Gordon’s Express.
TRUCKS
FOR SCRAP
None of the engines like taking ‘The Scrap’.
It is a train made up of the oldest, rudest and noisiest trucks from the Other
Railway. BoCo has a particularly bad time one day, but makes the other trucks behave when one of the older trucks collapses
and is left to be broken up.
THOMAS
& THE SUNDAY SCHOOL OUTING
When Bertie breaks down, Thomas has to take the Sunday
School outing into the mountains. He nearly misses his path home his path home when the Sunday school party is late returning
to the station.
IN
THE DRINK
Trevor the traction engine loves being given unusual
jobs. He and Jem Cole are called upon one day to uproot some old cherry trees. Whilst refilling his tank at a stream, he almost
ends up in the water, when the earth on the bank slips…
RUSTY RED SCRAP-IRON
A story telling of how Diesel came up with his nickname
for James in Duck and the Diesel Engine. When
Diesel makes a mistake arranging James’ train, the red engine gets very cross with him. As we all know, Diesel is not
one to be crossed and began thinking up a nickname for James. Chatting to the trucks, he hears about the time Edward had to
chase the runaway James, and eventually comes up with a suitable name…
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Grandreams, ISBN 0-86227-854-6
Written by Christopher Awdry. Illustrated by David Palmer.
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Review by Chris
PERCY AND THE VICAR’S PRIZES
A slightly extended version of 1985’s Percy to the Rescue. The main difference is the Vicar leaves behind a suitcase full of prizes behind instead of
the Father Christmas outfit.
A PROBLEM
FOR THE TWINS
Another extended re-write of a story from a previous
annual, this time 1985’s The Twins’ Passing Problem.
THOMAS AND
THE SWANS
Percy is frightened by a pheasant-like bird that flies
out and hits him. Thomas scoffs about it, but is soon laughing on the other side of his smokebox, when he has an encounter
of his own with an angry swan, with a broken wing.
BERTIE TO
THE RESCUE
The third and final re-write in the annual is of Bertie Saves The Day (again from 1985).
GALLOPING
SAUSAGE
Christopher Awdry’s own “Diesel trilogy”
concludes with this story. Duck suffers the wrath of Henry and James, who have heard his (or rather Diesel’s) nicknames
for them, and has to sleep in a siding. After talking with the trucks again, and seeing Gordon’s mishap with a water
tower, Diesel comes up with a fitting nickname for the big blue engine. The big engines are all turned against Duck, so the
Fat Controller sends him away to help Edward. Of course, as we all know, he found out who was really making up the silly stories
all the engines became best of friends again.
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Grandreams, ISBN 0-86227-957-7
Written by Christopher Awdry. Illustrations by 'Primary-Design'.
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Review by Chris
JAMES’S TRAFFIC JAM
Some confused foreign passengers pull the emergency cord,
bringing James's train to a halt. When James tries to start, his driver discovers the brakes have locked. To make matters
worse, the train has stopped on a level crossing, causing an enormous traffic jam…
THOMAS AND THE SNOWBLOCK
A reprint of 1985’s Thomas and the Important Visitor.
OLIVER GETS
THE BIRD
A reprint of the earlier story from 1985 with the same
title.
THE HUT THE
WALKED BY ITSELF
High winds whistling around the shed keep the big engines
awake one night. Next day, Gordon has a near miss when a workmen’s hut “walks” along the platform by itself,
with the help of the wind…
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Grandreams, ISBN 1-85830-055-X
Written by Christopher Awdry and Jenny Lewis. Illustrated by David Palmer
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Review by Chris
THE MERRY-GO-ROUND THAT WOULDN’T
Percy is excited when a funfair sets up near the branch
line. He and Trevor talk about it. Trevor thinks he would like to help out at the fun fair. Trevor’s wish to go along
and give the children rides comes true sooner than expected, when the Merry-Go-Round breaks down.
THOMAS
AND THE TICKLES
One winter's night, Thomas has a nasty case of 'the tickles'.
Next morning the mystery is solved when his crew discovers a mother cat and her kittens asleep in Thomas’ cab.
BETTER SAFE
THAN SORRY
Harold gives Thomas a lesson in safety by the sea one
day. Later two children get stuck out at sea on a lilo, and Thomas whistles to get help. Harold flies quickly to the rescue
and the children are soon safe and sound.
JAMES’
REST CURE
Reprint of the story of the same name from 1985’s
annual.
BERTIE THE
SNOW BUS
Returning to the bus station one winter’s day,
Bertie gets stuck in the snow. His driver leaves him to go for help, and the snow soon mounts up around the bus, covering
him like a blanket. After a while, Terence the tractor is able to clear the snows away and tow Bertie back to where the snow
is less deep. Bertie is very glad get home to his nice warm bus station at Wellsworth.
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Grandreams, ISBN 1-85830-140-8
Written by Jenny Lewis. Illustrated by David Palmer
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Review by Chris
EASTER EGG SPECIAL
James feels very pleased to be taking the children on
the Easter Egg hunt on Easter Saturday. The hunt takes them all over the island: to the Bluebird café, a farmer’s barn
and finally back to the Big Station. After searching all over the station, the eggs are discovered in James’ cab.
THE PICNIC EXPRESS
Thomas is upset when Gordon is chosen to pull the special
Picnic Train. Gordon isn’t very pleased either, thinking himself to important to take it. He pulls the train much too
fast, and the passengers get very cross. They complain to The Fat Controller that they didn’t have time to take in the
scenery. In the end, Thomas, Annie and Clarabel get to take the passengers around the island at a more leisurely pace.
OLIVER’S SPARKLER
Oliver is very puzzled about what’s so special
on November 5th. Both his driver and Thomas are very mysterious about it, and Oliver is bursting to know. He soon
finds out later that day, when he takes some passengers to a bonfire party.
THANK
YOU THOMAS AND TOBY
The main roads on Sodor are being repaired, and the Fat
Controller has arranged extra services to be pulled by Thomas and Toby until the roads can be used again. Despite their hard
work, the engines remain cheerful. The passengers are so grateful that they decide to throw a party for the railway staff
in the church hall. This saddens Thomas and Toby as they cannot attend. That night, they discover the passengers have not
forgotten them…
1ST PRIZE
Trevor’s driver is preparing to enter him in the
'Best Kept Engine' rally at the Village Agricultural Show, whilst Edward is collected the farmer’s donkeys who will
be giving rides to children. When Edward breaks down Trevor ends doing his job instead, but he becomes very dirty and doesn’t
win a prize in the rally. He is still able to give rides to the children and the following day, the Vicar presents him with
a special rosette…
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Grandreams,
ISBN 1-85830-288-9
Writer uncredited. Illustrated by David Palmer
|
Review by Chris
JAMES GETS CRACKING
James is very puzzled when he is ordered to collect a load from Farmer
Finney’s battery farm. He didn’t think batteries came from farms! Some hens run across the line and the emergency
stop causes his truck to derail. James now discovers what he’s really carrying – eggs! Farmer Finney arrives with
Terence and, while the mess is sorted out, cooks a delicious pancake with the eggs for James’ driver the workmen.
RINGS A BELL!
Mavis is having trouble at the quarry trucks and Toby seems to have
disappeared. His bell is heard all over the Island, but no one can find him. When The Fat Controller goes to inspect, he discovers
it was really a cow’s bell that everyone has been hearing. They find Toby is stuck in his shed with a broken wheel,
thinking everyone had forgotten him.
ALL PULL TOGETHER
A big storm has blown up on Sodor. Percy is having a tough time at
the harbour when the wind blows the mail right out of his trucks. Then, a particularly nasty lightning strike sends the Island into darkness, after causing a power cut. All the engines as well as Bertie and Harold work hard
through the night to keep the railway running and The Fat Controller is very pleased.
THE WRONG SHIRT
Thanks to a mishap caused by Gordon, a boy's football shirt and a
workman's overalls get mixed up...
PANTOMIME PRANKS
It’s the day before Christmas on Sodor. The engines see unusual
things throughout the day: a talking horse, a flaming black pudding and even a guard in women’s clothing! All is revealed
that evening in the sheds, when the railway staff put on a special party and pantomime for the engines. Everyone has a lot
of fun and looks forward to a happy Christmas.
|
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Grandreams,
ISBN 1-85830-402-4
Writer and illustrator uncredited.
|
Review by Chris
ICE MAGIC
Thomas has to take Mr. Bjork, a visiting engineer from Lapland, around the island
so he can start work repairing signal boxes. He even makes an ice sculpture of
Thomas as a present for the engine. But it melts in Thomas’s warm cab, much to the other engines amusement. Thomas is
sad, but also surprised at what he sees at the sheds the next morning; a huge ice sculpture of the Fat Controller and some
of his engines.
PERCY
IN PRINT
A famous author is visiting Sodor to finish his book about famous
steam engines. On the day when the author has to deliver his manuscript to the printers, a huge storm has blows in and Percy
has to take the author to the other side of the island via the coastal route. It isn’t easy, but Percy is determined,
and when he finally reached the end of his journey, the author takes his photograph. When the book gets published many months
later, there was a picture on the front page of a small green saddletank engine.
SKARLOEY GETS A SCARE
Skarloey is unfortunate enough to have a rather forgetful driver.
One day, he looses his tea mug, his sandwiches and his torch. In the shed that night, he hears loud rustling noises around
him. A policeman comes the next morning to investigate these mysteries, but finds nothing. The next night, Skarloey hears
the noises again. Next morning, all the mysteries are solved; the tea mug is in a toolbox, the torch is besides the telephone,
and the sandwiches had been eaten by a hedgehog and its family in the shed; they had been making the rustling noises.
EDWARD
SAVES THE DAY
Sir Handel doesn’t want to help transport equipment for the
Tidmouth Gymkhana. By mistake he goes to the harbour instead of the riding school, and ends up delivering several pot plants.
Luckily, Edward has a plan to solve this dilemma….
RUSTY’S REVENGE
Rusty is asked to help out at the harbour, but James doesn’t
think that the ‘rusting’ old diesel could prove very useful. James has to pull trucks empty trucks to the windmill
to be loaded with flour. On collecting the flour, he heads back to the harbour. But the trucks surge forward and James comes
off the rails on a bendy line. Flour goes everywhere, and Rusty pulls James back to the sheds, where everyone laughs at him.
PIPE DREAMS
With Burns Night approaching, the Scottish Engines tell the other
engines all about Scotland. Donald tells
Peter Sam about the Loch Ness Monster, and this scares him. That night, as he pulls his train, he hears an eerie noise. At
the Sheds; all is revealed. The noise was in fact the wind whistling through the bagpipes on one of the trucks. When Burns
Night arrives, a party was held at the sheds, which makes the Scottish Engines very happy.
WE WISH YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS
Henry’s driver, Ted is constantly practicing carols during
the day for the carol service on Christmas Eve. The engines want to sing too, but they can’t, so they decide to whistle
instead. On the night before the service, Ted lets the engines use their tuned whistling to help him practice. But there is
problem; the church organ had broken. Fortunately, Ted has an idea, and before long, the engine orchestra are whistling the
tunes to the Christmas carols. The night proves great success, and once again, the Fat Controller is pleased with all of his
engines.
ANNUALS COVER GALLERY - Post 1997
A gallery of annual covers from 1998 to the present. This
period reflects a markedly changed annual content that is targeted at pre-schoolers . This is reflected in the simplistic
puzzles and 'pablumised' storytelling that discouraged many older fans from purchasing the annuals for their collections
- especially during the early part of the new millenium. However, the annual content style and quality have improved
greatly in recent years. We can only hope that HiT and their licensed publishers return to the quality that was,
and still is popular amongst the fans
during the Awdry era annuals!
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1998
World International Limited
ISBN 0-7498-3380-7
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1999
World International Limited
ISBN 0-7498-3764-0
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2000
Egmont World Limited
ISBN 0-7498-4286-5
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2001
Egmont World Limited
ISBN 0-7498-4861-8
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2002
Egmont World Limited
ISBN 0-7498-5144-9
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2003
Egmont Books Limited
ISBN 0-7498-5605-X
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2004
Egmont Books Limited
ISBN 0-7498-5845-1
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2005
Egmont Books Limited
ISBN 1-4052-1390-6
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2006
Egmont Books Limited
ISBN 1-4052-2105-4
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2007
Egmont UK Limited
ISBN 1-4052-2608-0
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2008
Egmont UK Limited
ISBN 978-1-4052-3168-8
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2009
Egmont UK Limited
ISBN 978-1405239134
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2010
Egmont Books Limited
ISBN 978-1405246354
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