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WHY DID YOU SET UP THE WEBSITE?
Generally, I find there's a severe lack of good Thomas related material
on the internet. I can remember trawling through websites trying to find good info on the series, things I didn't know,
but kept hitting brick walls with websites that generally told nothing. The only exceptions I found to this were undoubtedly,
The Real Lives of Thomas Site, The Awdry Family Site and in more recent years - The Sodor Island Forum (or in it's original
days - The Thomas Fan Forum). I tried to set one up a while back, but to no avail, the info
and access to pictures I had then was limited compared to what I have now, so I've generally picked a good time to do
it.
WHY ARE THERE NO TECHNICAL PROFILES ON THE SITE?
If you go to the Real Lives of Thomas site, you'll understand why.
Martin Clutterbuck has been going at it for years, and his technical knowledge is much more advanced than what mine is.
On top of that, Martin's my friend, and he's not provided character profiles for the engines the way that we have here, so
really it's a matter of us complimenting one another's efforts by not treading on one another's toes!
THE RAILWAY SERIES or TV SERIES?
Recently, there's been attention drawn to "Awdry Purists" on
account of Christopher Awdry tackling HIT Entertainment and Egmont Publishing. Personally, I count myself as a Railway
Series Purist with a sense that "the show must go on" whether this be with or without the Railway Series stories being
played out. I will agree, the untelevised Railway Series would be great to see used, but the focus has changed, the
world has changed a lot since those books were first published, and a lot of "Purists" forget this. The TV series has
only ever been based on the Railway Series, and it is not obligatory for them to use all Awdry material. HIT Entertainment
are continuing the Thomas life-span in a certain way, not the way that some people like, but one that is proving a success
by all means and bringing in almost a quarter of HIT Entertainment's profits for 2004! Think how much the Railway Series
ought to bring in if it's brought back into print.
However, while I do have empathy with HIT Entertainment as well as
predecessors Britt Allcroft and Gullane; I have very little if any for Egmont, who should be held to account
for the discontinuation of the Railway Series books, and as a service to loyal fans should bring them back into print in singular
books in their original format, and allow the Awdry family to once again be involved in contributing to Thomas, it would at
least be a nice acknowledgement from HIT Entertainment to know who helped their profit margins get where they are with their
best selling acquisition!
SUBMITTING TO THE SITE
Pending on content, I will accept outside submissions from people with
worthwhile ideas and writings they wish to be published here. Essays are most welcome provided they are of good
quality with a strong, balanced and well founded argument, I will not accept biased rants against the TV series.
If you wish to submit films you have made, whether they be music videos or redubs, they need to be hosted by webspace, as
I have none to spare of my own, but provided its of good quality, it will be put on the site. Submitting ideas are all
well and good also, it's on account of this that we now have the Railway Series reviews up as well as other parts of the site.
Contact details are in the Back Page of the site.
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