The Railway Series #18 Thomas & Friends: Rusty to the Rescue ~ Thomas and Stepney ~ Train Stops Play ~ Bowled Out Music by Mavis M (based on work composed by Mike O'Donnell & Junior Campbell)
Fun fact: Adams and Cromford do not have names in real life, just their numbers, LSWR 448 and BR 58850 respectively. In a way, Awdry basically created OCs out of two real engines by giving them fan-made names!
I have been to The Real Bluebell Railway, and seen Stepney, Adams, Cromford and Captain Baxter in real life too. Wish the crew had had the budget to adapt them into Season 4. I think budget was the main reason as to why Stepney’s backstory was changed for TV.
It is true that the pacing of the original book feels rather lagging in the first half, taking a little much caution with introducing a new concept into the Railway Series, picking up again in the second half as it reverted to the more usual atmosphere with Stepney just happening to be involved. It might have worked better as an overall book if the first story was set around Terrier locomotives like Stepney working on one of the little-explored parts of Sodor, and being introduced to Stepney through members of his old family, introducing us in the classic Railway Series style to the story of the Brighton Terrier locomotives and the preservation of the Bluebell Railway. Regards, Samuel Farris.
Mountain Engines is the 19th book of the Railway Series, and was first published in 1964. It was written by the series creator Wilbert Awdry, and illustrated by Mr. & Mrs. Peter Edwards. Over 57 years later, and NONE of the books four short stories were adapted into episodes of Thomas and Friends. And with no adaptations, we can't spot the differences. (Wah-wahwah-wahwahh)
reason the driver didn't see the ball coming is that the signal happened to drop just as the cricketers bowled and they had to get moving hence the driver drawing his attention to the train instead.
Honestly, Rusty to the Rescue may not have been a realistic episode, but it was ten times more interesting than the source material. Allcroft and Mitton probably realised that kids wouldn't be paying attention to an episode where Percy and Douglas just stand around and talk.
It's worth mentioning, that the only times Stepney actually went off Bluebell metals prior to the book, was the few occasions the Bluebell engines did rail-tours on BR metals via the Ardingly Branch...until the branch closed in 1963.
I’m still nostalgic for Rusty To The Rescue of course it’s not a good episode but I love the scrapyard sets and George Carlin and Michael Angelis narrations were both awesome.
