View source for Thomas & Friends: Down the Mine (Partially Found Unaired 1983 Pilot)

{{Lost|image1=DownTheMinePilot1.jpg|current_status=<nowiki></nowiki><span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''|caption1=Footage of the pilot}}

In the early 1980s before ''The Railway Series'' books by Rev W. Awdry of ''Thomas The Tank Engine & Friends'' were receiving the greenlight to be adapted into a television series, a low-budget '''pilot episode''' was made and was pitched to several networks in April 3, 1983. The pilot was based off the story called ''Down The Mine'' from the eighth book from ''The Railway Series'', ''Gordon the Big Engine''. Visually the pilot is largely consistent with the final series, using similar camera angles and featuring the same locations as the final episode. The pilot was used strictly for screening purposes, however, a shot from the twenty fifth episode of the first season, Down The Mine (which is also the name of the pilot), was re-used from the pilot episode. Thomas sits on a hand built plastic chassis, with plunger pickups providing power to his motor and smoke unit. Minor details such as lining and lamp irons are missing. This chassis caused much trouble during shooting, and so the decision was made to use modified off-the-shelf Marklin chassis for the final series.

Photos of Gordon's pilot model, by engine builders Martin Gill and David Payne can be found in an interview with Christopher Noulton by Sodor Island Fansite.<ref>[http://www.sodor-island.net/episodeguide/chrisnoulton.html Crewmember Spotlight on: Christopher Noulton.] Retrieved 29 Dec '13.</ref> 

==Gallery==
<gallery orientation="none" position="center" bordersize="none" captionsize="medium" captionalign="center" spacing="small" widths="185">
Hornby thomas set 1984.jpg|Presumed pilot model of Thomas pictured on a Hornby Thomas toy box
DownTheMinePilot2.jpg|Gordon's original pilot model (Note: the pilot models are lower-budget)
DownTheMinePilot3.jpg|Closeup of Gordon's original pilot model
DownTheMinePilot4.jpg|Gordon's original pilot model, cab closeup
File:Season1SignalboxBehindtheScenes.png|A signal box used the pilot
File:SmallScaleDriver.png|The original pilot model for a driver.
File:DowntheMine.png|Knapford in the pilot
ErAAzNiXYAAzB0I.jpg|Possible image of the pilot showing Thomas' whistle
File:ThomasandBertie20.png|Possible stock footage
DowntheMine13.png|Possible image of Annie/Clarabel
DowntheMine19.webp|The warning sign that says "DANGER: ENGINES MUST NOT PASS THIS BOARD"
DowntheMine33.png|Possible early model of The Fat Controller / Sir Topham Hat
DowntheMine39.png|Possible stock footage
DowntheMine40.png|Possible stock footage
DowntheMine41.png|Possible stock footage
EeWulgzWsAMKaY5.jpeg|Concept art for the Knapford station sign ( credit to the Twitter user " @OldBonesJ " )
20200802 212940.jpg|Concept art for Knapford ( credit to the Twitter user " @OldBonesJ " )
File:KnapfordStationConceptArt2.jpeg|Concept art for Knapford Station ( credit to the Twitter user " @OldBonesJ " )
File:KnapfordSignalGantry.jpeg|Concept art for Knapford Gantry ( credit to the Twitter user " @OldBonesJ " )
File:LowerTidmouthStationConceptArt.jpg|Concept art for Lower Tidmouth ( credit to the Twitter user " @OldBonesJ " )
File:SignalBoxConceptArt.jpeg|Concept art for a signal box ( credit to the Twitter user " @OldBonesJ " )
File:Thomasatknapford Pilot.jpg|Story sketch ( credit to the Twitter user " @OldBonesJ " )
File:ThomasPilotConceptArt.jpg|Story sketch (Note: Thomas has four coaches instead of two) ( credit to the Twitter user " @OldBonesJ " )
</gallery>

==References==
<references />
[[Category:Lost TV]]
[[Category:Lost Britt Allcroft]]
[[Category:Lost Pilots]]
[[Category:Lost Live Action]]
[[Category:Lost Episodes]]
[[Category:Lost UK]]
[[Category:Lost Thomas the Tank Engine]]
[[Category:Lost ITV]]
[[Category:Most likely to be never found]]
[[Category:Lost Forever]]
[[Category:Partially Found Media]]