Most people born in the 1980s will be familiar with the character Thomas the Tank Engine. First published in a book in 1945, his adventures were later adapted into a TV show Thomas and Friends which ran from 1984 until 2021.
To celebrate the 80th anniversary of this British classic, an unseen version of the pilot episode, discovered in the Mattel archives, filmed back in 1983, has been made available on YouTube.[1]
The pilot includes hand-pushed carts, puffs of steam, carriage shunts, whistles and the narration by former Beatle Ringo Starr.
In a nostalgic mood, I sat down with my children to watch the five-minute episode Down the Mine. I was taken aback by simpler times; the quaint country train stations of the little Britain I grew up in. All the characters were polite and they respected the authority of the fat controller.
Thomas was, of course, his normal cheeky self. He ignored the warning signs and got stuck in a sunken old mine shaft. But his friend Gordon came to the rescue.
“United we stand...”
It was a simple moral lesson for the children watching: "United we stand." No subtle themes pushing gender ideology, race, politics, or sexual preferences. Just people (and locomotives) getting on with their day, making mistakes, helping and forgiving each other. My children loved it.
We often look back romantically, forgetting the troubles of old. In the 1980s I was blissfully unaware of what my parents had to cope with while I was watching Thomas and Friends. The 1980s were not perfect. But there is no denying that since this pilot was recorded, our nation has undergone a huge cultural shift. Yes, we have the wonderful benefits of modern science, healthcare, and en's website. But I do grieve that much of what was taken for granted in this episode has now been lost.
I pray that the church continues to retain these values of respect and unity that were once mainstream, not so long ago.
"I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought” (1 Corinthians 1:10).
[1] Thomas & Friends, 2025, "Down the Mine" | Original 1983 Pilot Fully Restored | Thomas & Friends, https://youtu.be/esi1J2Q_WVM?si=5mE8juCjy9TESG1R
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