# Clarify Thomas the Tank Engine for me, please. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 26, 2005, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685 "2005-08-26T03:25:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2005, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685/21 "2005-08-28T11:51:29Z")
I want to see the episode where Postman Pat takes a ride on Thomas to get to ToyTown to meet Noddy and Big Ears. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2005, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685/22 "2005-08-28T16:01:42Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > I just need to say that I keep reading the thread title as “Clarence Thomas the Tank Engine,” which is just _wrong_. **EXCERPT FROM EMILY THE GREEN ENGINE’S TESTIMONY** : "HE TOLD ME THAT IF I DIDN’T STOKE HIS ENGINE THAT HE WOULD MAKE SURE I COULD ONLY FIND WORK SHUNTING ENGINES IN THE YARD. WHEN I REFUSED, I FOUND THAT HE HAD LEFT A RUSTY UNDERCARRIAGE BOLT ON TOP OF MY WATER TANK." ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2005, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685/23 "2005-08-28T19:19:05Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > I spent much of the summer watching **Thomas the Tank Engine** videos with my little girl, but I’m confused by 2 things: > > 1. Do the engines need drivers and firemen to function? In some episodes, the engines refuse to slow down or follow other orders from their drivers, yet in other episodes they don’t seem to be able to those exact same things without a driver. No, they don’t need enginners and such to function. In fact, as I recall, there was an early espisode where Thomas takes off without the crew, inadvertently and as a result of his enthusiasm. I always thought this was a clever conceit, in that I always took the engines to be the proxies for the children watching them (e.g., sometimes they misbehaved, they always sought approval from the authority figures–those engines who weren’t naughty, anyway). That being the case, it makes perfect sense that the engines can do all sorts of things by themselves, but that the authority figures could and did control and direct them, that they needed to make sure things proceeded okay, just as it is when adults deal with kids. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2005, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685/24 "2005-08-28T19:38:33Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > I just need to say that I keep reading the thread title as “Clarence Thomas the Tank Engine,” which is just _wrong_. I need to say that I had the exact same experience. Although I’m disappointed to see I’m not the first to say it. ---
**Author:** ![Roberta\_Plant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c89c15/32.png) [@Roberta\_Plant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roberta_Plant)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685/25 "2005-08-29T00:17:40Z")
How does one pronounce Sodor, please? ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685/26 "2005-08-29T00:51:57Z")
All the British and American narrators seem to pronounce it the same: “So-door”. ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685/27 "2005-08-29T07:32:44Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > I’m not an expert on all this but as I understand it there were a series of books by the Rev. Audrey, and now there’s dozens of books and videos and whatnot. > > I think first we have to decide what is and is not canon. The little flodnaks were given a single-volume collection of Rev. Awdry’s _Railway Series_ stories, and have collected a number of videos of the television series plus books based on those shows. From what I’ve seen, the TV series followed the Rev’s original stories closely. The books based on the TV show are the same stories, soth photos from the show rather than the original illusrations ---
**Author:** ![flodnak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/838e76/32.png) [@flodnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flodnak)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685/28 "2005-08-29T07:36:39Z")
Dammit! I don’t know how that got posted, I wasn’t finished. Anyway: the books based on the TV series are essentially the same stories, sometimes re-written for a younger reading level, with photos from the show instead of the original illustrations. Mind you, the photos are sometimes a real improvement; the model-makers for the show took some pains to get the engines to resemble the engines the Rev had in mind when he was writing it, while one of the illustrators just drew things that looked kind of like train engines. The feature-length movie, on the other hand, is a completely new story. My kids never really cared for it, truth to tell. ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685/29 "2005-08-29T08:02:08Z")
His name is **The Fat Controller**! That is all 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685/30 "2005-08-29T13:07:30Z")
I viewed the **Trouble in the Sheds** episode over the weekend. Gordon, Henry, and James (all three of whom tend to be rather insufferable assholes) refuse to do the shunting after Thomas is given his branch line because it is beneath their dignity. Hatt’s reply is that they are to follow whatever orders he chooses to gove them. Edward scabs while Hatt goes to a _workshop_ and purchases Percy. Thomas, Edward, and Percy then handle the passenger trains while the three “strikers” languish as prisoners in the shed. The passengers are inconvenienced but understand the necessity of punishing those engines. The message, clearly, is that the engines are property and that they must be punished when they do not do the slavemaster’s bidding. Diesel 10, rather than being evil, increasingly strikes me as simply wanting to destroy an exploitative system that he sees as incapable of repair. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685/31 "2005-08-29T15:54:36Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > I want to see the episode where Postman Pat takes a ride on Thomas to get to ToyTown to meet Noddy and Big Ears. Don’t forget Ivor the Engine (and Jones the Steam) [Ivor](http://www.jedisparadise.co.uk/index.htm?childrenstv/Ivor_the_Engine/Ivor_the_Engine.htm&1) ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685/32 "2005-08-29T17:13:25Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Diesel 10, rather than being evil, increasingly strikes me as simply wanting to destroy an exploitative system that he sees as incapable of repair. Then where does this leave the troublesome trucks? ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685/33 "2005-08-29T17:22:46Z")
I just wanted to say that I’ll be seeing Thomas and Sir Hatt [this weekend](http://tcry.org/dowt%202005/dowt_main.html) (volunteering at our local train museum)… Do you want me to ask them? ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685/34 "2005-08-29T17:24:26Z")
> [@Maus Magill](#): > > Then where does this leave the troublesome trucks? answer: encroachuing minority, threatening financial security and social structure of Shining Time Station and Sodor itself. Duh. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685/35 "2005-08-29T17:25:17Z")
> [@Maus Magill](#): > > Then where does this leave the troublesome trucks? answer: encroachuing minority, threatening financial security and social structure of Shining Time Station and Sodor itself. Duh. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685/36 "2005-08-29T17:28:18Z")
that 's encroaching, not encroachuing. And forgot the 😛 for the “duh”. And what of Harold the Helicopter? Another upstart or stray terrorist? (too much TtheTE stuff in this house…) ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685/37 "2005-08-29T17:50:45Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > And what of Harold the Helicopter? Another upstart or stray terrorist? Well, you’ve seen how Harold tends to lord it over the slower trains. If he’s not on the master side of the master/slave dichotomy, then he’s obviously an analogy to a house slave. > [@](#): > > (too much TtheTE stuff in this house…) Preach it, Sister. Fang _loves_ Thomas ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685/38 "2005-08-29T17:58:03Z")
Troublesome trucks: just another part of the slave underclass. They are less content with their lot, and therefore less eager to please their overlords. Harold the Helicopter: A slave like the rest of the mechanical underclass. He may be a higher level of technology than a steamie, but he is property and can be scrapped just like the rest. One wonders why Hatt didn’t simply dispatch **Nigel the Harrier Jet** (with **Timmy and Jimmy** the guided missiles) to eliminate Diesel 10 during the events detailed in the Thomas the Tank Engine movie. ---
**Author:** ![Future\_days](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/cab0a1/32.png) [@Future\_days](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Future_days)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685/39 "2005-08-29T18:00:24Z")
When did The Fat Controller get re-named? ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2005, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685/40 "2005-08-29T20:28:40Z")
> [@Future days](#): > > When did The Fat Controller get re-named? Well, he was originally The Fat Director, but was promoted to The Fat Controller when the railways were nationalized. Sir Topham Hatt has always been his name, although W. Awdry didn’t reveal this until one of the later books. (A visiting engine refers to “the Fat Controller” and one of the Sodor locals interrupts with “That’s Sir Topham Hatt to _you_”. I’ll look up the details tonight when I get home). The American video dubs tend to favor the Sir Topham name, probably for PC reasons. (Heck, the FAQ on the old, now defunct, Thomas website essentially said everywhere else in the world doesn’t have any problem with the F word, just you overly sensitive Yanks.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685.md?page=3)