Check out the A.R.Payne Archive here: tinyurl.com/yc8absm2 Twitter: / clickclacktrack Images courtesy of: SleeperAgent01 TheUnluckyTug TTTE Wikia Beccaporeon Thomas and Friends is owned by Mattel. This video is for general audience.
This was a fantastic video, Reg is certainly the missing chapter in Thomas' great legacy. Poor guy died so young too, it's such a tale of woe and misery...
I really love when you mentioned, "He's a character with enthusiastic, good-natured optimism and a character in love with life. He makes us sympathies with him in his failings and delight in his success. He is an inspired creation. While Wilbert was the one who wrote Thomas, it was Payne who brought him to life, portraying the character with features of a young child: anxious, alarmed, sorry, sad and in one pitch looking like a tired 5 year old. In other illustrations, Thomas is eager, innocent and wide awake. Payne had drawn Thomas to where children can look at him and relate with him."
I now have a deeper appreciation for Payne that I didn't have before What a fascinating history with a very unfortunate end Thank you for going the extra mile to find out about him and getting him this recognition
I'll try and remember Payne as best as I can. We may not know his face or forget his name, but it was his initial imagery that shaped the iconography of Thomas. Young me staring that the characters was seeing them in the style of Payne, even if I didn't know it. We owe him a lot.
Him being my personal favorite illustrator, i honestly think its a huge insult that Dalby was allowed to redraw & edit Payne's Masterwork on Thomas the Tank Engine, when there was no inconsistency with Dalby's original work. And i find it even more unfair that he wasnt even credited as much as the other artists, especially that very little is known of him. I want him to be remembered for creating Thomas' true shape. That was a very interesting Video, and i would love to see yoh make a video on William Middleton.
Amazing video! It is sad to hear of Payne's early death, but he is responsible for bringing one of the most iconic characters to life and he definitely deserves to be remembered for that.
This was super interesting, great detective work. I live less then 20 minutes from the church where Payne is layed to rest, I may try find his grave and pay my respects.
In the drive, I actually did not notice payne’s signature on the Mauretania painting despite me seeing that one piece many times Very interesting video!
(stands and applauds) This is amazing work, and it's great to finally learn more about Payne, the man who gave Thomas his iconic shape and smile, and who codified the shapes of Gordon, James and Edward going forward... to learn that his disappearance was due to an untimely and early death is heartbreaking, and one can only imagine how things might have gone had he lived to continue drawing for the books.
Payne illustration "Boy's Own" is really stunning especially can feel like your in the action would personally like to collect them in the future. Very sad to learn of his passing at failry young age of 38! Hope more people will learn about Payne and his contribution to creating one of the most famous tank engine named Thomas.
It's such a shame that we didn't get to see more of Reginald Payne's illustrations in the RWS. Granted, his illustrations will never be as good as later illustrators drew them to be, but he will always be remembered as the one who truly started it all, the one who gave Thomas his signature E2 look and the one who laid the foundations for future illustrations of the characters in the RWS. It's also a shame that he never got much credit at all and that he never lived to see the little credit he got in the RWS, but he will always be well remembered by the fandom. Rest in peace, Alexander Reginald Payne.
The fact that Payne's work satisfied Awdry *enough* is amazing in of itself. His life is no less fascinating. Although the speculation on why Thomas is an E2 can be (possibly) brought to light via a little illustration industry inside baseball: artists will tend to bring samples of their work to a demo, as well as if it's in person have a sketch book on hand to draw up quick ideas in order to seal the deal faster. It's quite possible (and this is experience based conjecture on my part) while meeting with the agent it's likely that Payne made a quick sketch of what Thomas or the other engines looked like. And having lived in the southern region and thus being familiar with E2s, and probably having just seen some shunting at the station yards, that was likely the first engine to come to mind, and being freshly seen its probable that it was the fastest to sketch. With the agent liking it enough to approve the idea without even bothering to consult the Reverend. Conversely it's also possible the agent l, being familiar with the station, suggested the engine type herself and Payne did a quick sketch (again to seal the deal) and that also sealed the deal, without consulting the Reverend. However I'm of the opinion that the former is more likely than the latter. Also Payne's history as an illustrator of planes, boats, and trains is likely what led to Awdry accepting his work, if not straight up approving of the artist- especially given how fickle Awdry was with later artists. (However given the time the book was made, it's highly unlikely that Awdry had much say at all, at least until the RWS became famous)
I never realised there wasn't much info on Reginald Payne, but wow, what great research you've done there! Indeed, his legacy should be kept alive, knowing he did the first ever official pictures of Thomas! 😃 And they're pretty great too!
Let me ask this, anyone here agree that they should re-release the Payne illustrated version of the Thomas the Tank Engine book? (No Dalby edits, the very first edition)
I think it would be better for the 7th illustration of Thomas And Gordon (where Thomas is pulled behind the express) to be re-illustrated for Thomas facing us while being pulled by the back. Because in Payne's illustration of Thomas bringing the coaches in shows Thomas bulling them by the back and when being pulled away, his bunker is facing us which isn't correct. Thomas needs to be painted in a way so his face is shown while pulled backwards on the express
It’s sad that Payne’s work has almost been lost to time but I call him the man who gave us the Thomas design we all know and love and may he RIP.. plus Reigate is quite nearby to me and the areas station retains its Victorian feel with a level crossing, signal box and original building- and to think Thomas’ origins can be related to that area makes it all the more wonderful
Fascinating seeing his other works, in particular the Ocean Liners portrayed at 14:36, these being the SS Normandie of the French Line and the RMS Queen Mary of the Cunard White Star Line, each going into service in 1935 and 1936 respectively. Thank you for paying such wonderful tribute to an unsung figure in the Railway Series history. Rest in peace A.R Payne.
Thanks for digging and giving this artist the credit deserved. As you said, he gave the main character of this series the body, shape and character that was copies over several reincarnations of the series
My goodness! Even I thought there wasn't going to be a clear answer to all the loose ends, and this comes from someone who usually invests his time in wrapping loose ends up. Your effort in tracking the fate of Payne is remarkable; well done. Regards and you've started a happy new year on a great note. Samuel Farris.
Sometimes I think that, since we have a R.E.V Awdry compilation book and a Chris Awdry one too, I think that the next collection book should be an 'everything else' that includes all of the other stories in-canon with the Railway Series (like Thomas and the Evil Diesel for example). The first couple of pages would be 'Thomas the Tank Engine', but appropriately with the original Payne Illustrations.
Or the more practical solution would be to restore the Payne illustrations in future reprints/compilations. Though it does make me wonder what happened to the original paintings in the first place?
I believe that, by given Thomas a maturing arc, Britt Allcroft was building upon what Payne may have envisioned for Thomas when he made the illustrations for Thomas’s debut book.
Well done! This is an important piece of work; a fascinating story well told. You have rescued Reginald Payne from oblivion. I will share your video with as many friends as I can.
Massive kudos to all the effort you have gone to here, an incredible achievement. Such a shame to hear of his early demise and very indicative of the time that his death is reported in such a way. It puts me in mind of the story of Driver Percy Stacey who was seriously mentally affected by his part (and partially unfair blame) in the Norton Fitzwarren accident in 1940, his death a year later was reported as "for no apparent medical reason" which implies he tragically took his own life I believe.
What a great video. I love the way you've shared those little sideways searches. Not stopping when one thing found but searching around that hit. BTW REIGATE rhymes with HIGHgate.
I wanted to buy the collection for his drawings but now I don't know which books have his original illustrations without being repainted by Dalby :( if anyone knows please tell me
