# Clarify Thomas the Tank Engine for me, please.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685>\
**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:** 2\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2005, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685/41 "2005-08-30T10:32:54Z")

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> [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](#):
>
> (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). )

That was Diesel - not to be confused with Diesel-10, The Diesel, or one or two other diesels that rejoice in serial numbers. He became a permanent fixture, albeit a troublemaker.

Coupla things…

When Thomas ran off by himself, he thought he was being clever, but he was really only moving because a cleaner had moved his controls before the firelighter came along in the morning.

Diesel-10 timed his cunning plan to coincide with the Fat Controller’s holiday, leaving it all to Mister Conductor and his brother to save the day (another damned Mary Sue story :rolleyes: ).

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**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:** [September 4, 2005, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clarify-thomas-the-tank-engine-for-me-please/318685/42 "2005-09-04T17:14:01Z")

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> [@flodnak](#):
>
> …  
> The feature-length movie, on the other hand, is a completely new story. My kids never really cared for it, truth to tell.

A completely new BAD story, IMHO. Your children have excellent taste.

Even by the somewhat low standards of kid’s movies I find the full length feature nigh unwatchable. Too many characters, a confusing plot, a ferociously annoying role of the Conductor’s “Cousin” and Peter Fonda sleepwalks through like he’s just taken a handful of Valium.

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