Day Out With Thomas is a trade name, licenced by HIT Entertainment, for tourist events that take place on heritage railways and feature one or more trains decorated to look like characters from the children's TV series, Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. The Avon Valley Railway is a two mile long Heritage railway between Oldland Common and Bitton in South Gloucestershire, England. The Watercress Line is the marketing name of the Mid-Hants Railway, a heritage line in Hampshire, England, running from New Alresford HIT Entertainment PLC was established in 1989, and was originally the international distribution arm of Jim Henson Productions called Henson International A heritage railway ( United Kingdom) preserved railway ( United Kingdom) or tourist railroad ( United States and Canada) is a
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History
The Nene Valley Railway at Peterborough in England was the first railway in the world to possess a full-scale replica Thomas. The Nene Valley Railway (NVR is a preserved railway in Cambridgeshire, England, running between Peterborough Nene Valley and Yarwell History Early history Present-day Peterborough is the latest in a series of settlements which have at one time or other benefited from its situation where the Nene England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland This was an industrial tank engine built by Hudswell Clarke that had been nicknamed "Thomas" due to its blue livery and resemblance to the famous tank engine. Hudswell Clarke and Company Limited (HCCL was an Engineering and Locomotive building company in Jack Lane Hunslet, Leeds, West Yorkshire In 1971 the Rev. W. Awdry made the name official. Wilbert Vere Awdry, OBE, ( 15 June 1911 &ndash 21 March 1997) better known as the Reverend W Later HIT Entertainment tried unsuccessfully to sue the Nene Vally Railway claiming that this loco was breaching their trademark. HIT Entertainment PLC was established in 1989, and was originally the international distribution arm of Jim Henson Productions called Henson International However as the name was given by the Rev. Awdry it has been allowed to remain. However, this "Thomas" does not come under or cannot be used for any Hit Entertainment 'Day Out with Thomas' events. HIT Entertainment PLC was established in 1989, and was originally the international distribution arm of Jim Henson Productions called Henson International
Since then other tank engines around the world have been dressed up as Thomas. Some railways, most notably the Strasburg Rail Road and Mid Hants Railway, have gone so far as to rebuild locomotives in order to produce a better replica. The Strasburg Rail Road is a The Watercress Line is the marketing name of the Mid-Hants Railway, a heritage line in Hampshire, England, running from New Alresford This has divided preservationists. Those opposed claim that it disfigures historic locomotives and trivialises the preservation movement. Those in favour claim that they draw much-needed visitors and can help to kindle an interest in steam within young children.
Some railways have developed a further source of income in the hire of "Thomas" engines to railways that do not have a suitable engine of their own.
As of 2008, many heritage railways in the UK have withdrawn their 'Day Out With Thomas' events due to HIT's revised licensing conditions, which include the requirement for enhanced criminal records (CRB) checks on all the railway's staff and volunteers. The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB established in March 2002 is an Executive Agency of the Home Office in the United Kingdom, which conducts Criminal [1]
Events by country
United Kingdom
Many railways hosted Day Out With Thomas events. Some feature just Thomas himself, and others, such as the Watercress Line, feature other engines, such as Diesel, Percy, Donald and Douglas, Duck, Stepney, Fergus, Daisy and Mavis. The Watercress Line is the marketing name of the Mid-Hants Railway, a heritage line in Hampshire, England, running from New Alresford There is no verifiable information about Season 13 onward at present Percy the Small Engine is a Fictional Anthropomorphic steam engine from The Railway Series of children's books written by the Reverend Wilbert Donald and Douglas are fictional Steam locomotives from The Railway Series by W Duck the Great Western Engine is a Fictional steam engine from The Railway Series by Rev There is no verifiable information about Season 13 onward at present There is no verifiable information about Season 13 onward at present There is no verifiable information about Season 13 onward at present There is no verifiable information about Season 13 onward at present
New Zealand
In New Zealand, Mainline Steam's Bagnall tank locomotive has appeared as Thomas on a number of different locations, including at the new railway station in Auckland and has also appeared at the extremely popular biannual "Day Out with Thomas the Tank Engine" weekends at the Glenbrook Vintage Railway, south of Auckland. Mainline Steam is a New Zealand organisation devoted to the restoration and operation of historic New Zealand Railways mainline steam locomotives The Auckland metropolitan area or Greater Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country Thomastrainjpg|thumb|right|Thomas on the Watercress Line Alresford]] Day Out With Thomas is a trade name licenced by HIT Entertainment, for tourist events that take The Glenbrook Vintage Railway (GVR is a steam railway in Glenbrook New Zealand.
United States
In the United States there are several travelling Thomas replicas. One is narrow gauge, while the others are standard gauge. A narrow gauge railway (or narrow gauge railroad) is a Railway that has a Track gauge narrower than the of Standard gauge railways The standard gauge (also named the Stephenson gauge after George Stephenson, or Normal gauge) is a widely-used Rail gauge. While in transit between events, their appearance is disguised. Standard gauge units are transported from location to location via flatbed truck. Thomas appears in full dress at Day Out with Thomas events hosted by railroads in arrangement with HIT Entertainment. HIT Entertainment PLC was established in 1989, and was originally the international distribution arm of Jim Henson Productions called Henson International Many of the larger railroad museums and tourist railroads across the United States host Day Out with Thomas events periodically[2].
References
- ^ R. Jones: Major lines pull out of Thomas. Heritage Railway magazine, Issue 106, Dec. 2007, page 26
- ^ US Day Out with Thomas events. Retrieved on 2008-02-24. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 303 - Galerius, Roman Emperor, publishes his edict that begins the persecution of Christians in his portion of the
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