No edit summary |
No edit summary Tag: Source edit |
||
| (53 intermediate revisions by 27 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| + | {{Lost|image1=DownTheMinePilot1.jpg|current_status=<nowiki></nowiki><span style="color:orange;">'''Partially Found'''|caption1=Footage of the pilot}} |
||
| − | [[File:DownTheMinePilot1.png|thumb|300px|One of the aired shots from the unaired pilot episode.]] |
||
| − | in the early 1980's before the Railway Series books of Thomas & Friends were receiving the green light to be adapted into a televised form, a low-budget '''pilot episode''' was made and was pitched to several networks In April 3, 1983, the pilot was based of the story called Down The Mine from the eighth book from the Railway Series, Gordon the Blue Engine. The pilot was made by using fewer characters, fewer rolling stock, fewer sets and flatter lighting, which was very different to the aired episodes of Thomas & Friends. |
||
| + | 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. |
||
| − | The pilot was never really seen, however, a shot from the twenty-fifth episode of the first season, Down The Mine, seems to be have been re-used from the pilot episode. When Thomas passes Knapford, his model appears to be much more simplistic than the one used in the series, the main differences being the paint on his front splasher appears to be missing the red lining, his side rods seem more toy-like in appearance and his face is different compared to the one used in the series. It is presumed that the photo of Thomas which was seen on a 1984 Hornby set was the original pilot model face. An illustration from the Railway Series book, Branch Line Engines, was where Thomas' pilot model was based on. |
||
| − | Photos of Gordon's pilot model, by |
+ | 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. |
==Gallery== |
==Gallery== |
||
| − | <gallery orientation="none" position="center" bordersize="none" captionsize="medium" captionalign="center" spacing="small" > |
+ | <gallery orientation="none" position="center" bordersize="none" captionsize="medium" captionalign="center" spacing="small" widths="185"> |
| + | File:DowntheMine.png|Knapford in the pilot |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| + | ErAAzNiXYAAzB0I.jpg|Possible image of the pilot showing Thomas' whistle |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| + | File:ThomasandBertie20.png|Possible stock footage |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| + | DowntheMine19.webp|The warning sign that says "ENGINES MUST NOT PASS THIS BOARD" |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| − | DowntheMine33.png| |
+ | DowntheMine33.png|Possible early model of The Fat Controller / Sir Topham Hat |
| − | DowntheMine39.png| |
+ | DowntheMine39.png|Possible stock footage |
| − | DowntheMine40.png|Possible |
+ | DowntheMine40.png|Possible stock footage |
| − | DowntheMine41.png| |
+ | DowntheMine41.png|Possible stock footage |
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| − | ERYy7jFWkAE3Mtn.jpg|Possible face of Gordon built for the Pilot on a prototype of Duck made by Hornby in 1985. ( credit to the Twiter user @BluePioneer1)) |
||
</gallery> |
</gallery> |
||
| + | ===Behind the Scenes=== |
||
| + | <gallery orientation="none" position="center" bordersize="none" captionsize="medium" captionalign="center" spacing="small" widths="185"> |
||
| + | File:DowntheMinePilotScript1.jpg|Dialogue script |
||
| + | File:DowntheMinePilotScript2.jpg |
||
| + | File:DowntheMinePilotScript3.jpg |
||
| + | File:DowntheMinePilotVisualScript1.jpg|Visual script |
||
| + | File:DowntheMinePilotVisualScript2.jpg |
||
| + | File:DowntheMinePilotVisualScript3.jpg |
||
| + | File:DowntheMinePilotVisualScript4.jpg |
||
| + | File:DowntheMinePilotVisualScript5.jpg |
||
| + | File:DowntheMinePilotVisualScript6.jpg |
||
| + | File:DowntheMinePilotVisualScript7.jpg |
||
| + | File:DowntheMinePilotVisualScript8.jpg |
||
| + | File:DowntheMinePilotVisualScript9.jpg|(Note: A page is missing) |
||
| + | File:DowntheMinePilotVisualScript10.jpg |
||
| + | File:DowntheMinePilotVisualScript11.jpg |
||
| + | File:DowntheMinePilotPropRequirementsList1.jpg|Prop requirements list |
||
| + | File:DowntheMinePilotPropRequirementsList2.jpg |
||
| + | File:DowntheMinePilotPropRequirementsList3.jpg |
||
| + | File:DowntheMinePilotPropRequirementsList4.jpg |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| + | 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 " ) |
||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| + | File:Season1SignalboxBehindtheScenes.png|A signal box used the pilot |
||
| + | File:SmallScaleDriver.png |
||
| + | File:DowntheMinePilotGauge1FiguresBTS.jpg |
||
| + | </gallery> |
||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | [[File:The Missing Thomas and Friends Pilot - Lost Media|center|frame|SewerReviewer’s video on the subject.]] |
||
| + | [[File:Lost Thomas the Tank Engine Pilots -LostMedia|center|frame|Scribbles to Screen's video mentioning the "Down the Mine" pilot (5:41-9:00).]] |
||
| − | ==References== |
||
| − | <references/> |
||
[[Category:Lost TV]] |
[[Category:Lost TV]] |
||
| − | [[Category:Lost Britt Allcroft]] |
||
[[Category:Lost Pilots]] |
[[Category:Lost Pilots]] |
||
| − | [[Category: |
+ | [[Category:Partially Found Media]] |
| − | [[Category:Lost Episodes]] |
||
| − | [[Category:Lost UK]] |
||
[[Category:Lost Thomas the Tank Engine]] |
[[Category:Lost Thomas the Tank Engine]] |
||
| − | [[Category:Lost ITV]] |
||
Latest revision as of 12:00, 1 December 2023
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.
Gallery
Knapford in the pilot
Possible image of the pilot showing Thomas' whistle
Possible stock footage
Possible image of Annie/Clarabel
The warning sign that says "ENGINES MUST NOT PASS THIS BOARD"
Possible early model of The Fat Controller / Sir Topham Hat
Possible stock footage
Possible stock footage
Possible stock footage
Behind the Scenes
Dialogue script
Visual script
(Note: A page is missing)
Prop requirements list
Concept art for the Knapford station sign ( credit to the Twitter user " @OldBonesJ " )
Concept art for Knapford ( credit to the Twitter user " @OldBonesJ " )
Concept art for Knapford Station ( credit to the Twitter user " @OldBonesJ " )
Concept art for Knapford Gantry ( credit to the Twitter user " @OldBonesJ " )
Concept art for Lower Tidmouth ( credit to the Twitter user " @OldBonesJ " )
Concept art for a signal box ( credit to the Twitter user " @OldBonesJ " )
Story sketch ( credit to the Twitter user " @OldBonesJ " )
Story sketch (Note: Thomas has four coaches instead of two) ( credit to the Twitter user " @OldBonesJ " )
Presumed pilot model of Thomas pictured on a Hornby Thomas toy box
Gordon's original pilot model (Note: the pilot models are lower-budget)
Closeup of Gordon's original pilot model
Gordon's original pilot model, cab closeup
A signal box used the pilot
