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Great Western Coffee Shop > Sideshoots - associated subjects > The Lighter Side > Prince Harry to read Thomas
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Author Topic: Prince Harry to read Thomas  (Read 6991 times)
infoman
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« on: April 28, 2020, 07:32:15 »
the Tank story,this coming May.
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CyclingSid
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« Reply #1 on: April 28, 2020, 07:50:41 »
Oooos gonna pay?
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Lee
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« Reply #2 on: April 28, 2020, 13:58:04 »
Quote from: CyclingSid on April 28, 2020, 07:50:41
Oooos gonna pay?

We're getting there...
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grahame
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« Reply #3 on: April 29, 2020, 05:48:15 »
And from The Mirror

Quote
Thomas the Tank Engine: 75 facts about the lovable locomotive on his 75th anniversary

To mark Thomas the Tank Engine’s 75th anniversary, Prince Harry is introducing a new story about the impish train.

To celebrate, here are 75 facts about the lovable locomotive.

1. Thomas was created by Rev Wilbert Awdry when his son Christopher was suffering from measles and asked him for stories.

2. In Christmas that same year, Awdry made a toy tank engine called Thomas, for Christopher.

[etc]

76. The Awdry family owned Melksham House from late Victorian times until 1920 when it was bought by the Avon India Rubber Company for the leisure use of their employees.
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infoman
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« Reply #4 on: April 29, 2020, 06:36:59 »
Locally we all agree that the idea for Thomas was generated by the Rev watching from his home in Box.

Although I was watching a preservation railway programme some where in Central Wales,a few weeks ago.

Presenter, Matt Baker? saying THEIR railway gave the idea to the Rev to write the books.
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grahame
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« Reply #5 on: April 29, 2020, 06:57:50 »
Quote from: infoman on April 29, 2020, 06:36:59
Locally we all agree that the idea for Thomas was generated by the Rev watching from his home in Box.

I would agree with Box, and so would the local historian sitting beside me (no social distancing - part of same household unit).
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infoman
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« Reply #6 on: April 29, 2020, 07:16:26 »
Well Box has the blue plaque,so no dispute.
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grahame
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« Reply #7 on: April 29, 2020, 08:31:21 »
Quote from: infoman on April 29, 2020, 07:16:26
Well Box has the blue plaque,so no dispute.

Sadly, you cannot 100% trust every blue plaque you see ...
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Western Pathfinder
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« Reply #8 on: April 29, 2020, 08:37:01 »
Very good Grahame,using your lockdown time wisely ✅
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grahame
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« Reply #9 on: April 29, 2020, 08:42:01 »
Quote from: Western Pathfinder on April 29, 2020, 08:37:01
Very good Grahame,using your lockdown time wisely ✅

All about efficiency - a couple of minutes at http://www.corington.co.uk/projects/blueplaque/
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bobm
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« Reply #10 on: April 29, 2020, 10:34:35 »
Quote from: infoman on April 29, 2020, 07:16:26
Well Box has the blue plaque,so no dispute.
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eightf48544
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« Reply #11 on: April 29, 2020, 11:05:45 »
A bit pedantic.  If he was watching trains at Box why is Thomas remarkably similar to a LBSC E2 0-6-0T.

As for James has anyone worked out the prototype? Wikipedia gives: 

James the Red Engine is a mixed-traffic L&YR Class 28 'Mogul' 2-6-0 tender engine. But the 28s were 0-6-0s.
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Oxonhutch
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« Reply #12 on: April 29, 2020, 11:12:02 »
But there really is a Bishop of Sodor and Man.
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grahame
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« Reply #13 on: April 29, 2020, 11:27:44 »
Quote from: eightf48544 on April 29, 2020, 11:05:45
A bit pedantic.  If he was watching trains at Box why is Thomas remarkably similar to a LBSC E2 0-6-0T.

As for James has anyone worked out the prototype? Wikipedia gives: 

James the Red Engine is a mixed-traffic L&YR Class 28 'Mogul' 2-6-0 tender engine. But the 28s were 0-6-0s.


Hmmm ... from my limited reading of the Rev Awdry's books, I've drawn an impression of a whole load of engines, each of different design and with different foibles, and as such I would draw a closer parallel with a heritage railway than any main line prototype.  The timeline is probably wrong, but perhaps holidays were taken at Horsted Keynes, or near to one of the Col. Stevens lines.
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rogerw
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« Reply #14 on: April 29, 2020, 11:36:26 »
One of the books was certainly based on the Talyllyn railway
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