Bookmark 1995 (BBC) - The Rev W. Awdry RARE Documentary

As part of an online feature from the Box of Stuff, I am pleased to share one of the best documentaries ever made.
In 1995, the BBC programme 'Bookmark' focused on various authors, their successes and legacies. Produced by Nicholas Jones, this rare BBC2 documentary interviewed the Rev W. Awdry himself and shed light into 'The Thomas The Tank Engine Man', discussing his much-loved 'Railway Series', the TV Series it inevitably spawned, and the huge franchise it created.
The documentary was repeated in 1997 shortly after the Reverend's death, and features comments from his son Christopher Awdry, Railway Series illustrator Peter Edwards, children's writer Michael Rosen, TV Series creator Britt Allcroft and those who sadly are no longer with us; Hilary Fortnam (the reverend's daughter, passed away in 2013) and David Mitton (TV Series director, passed away in 2008).
This footage was recorded direct from television nearly twenty-years ago, and actually ran for 45 minutes when broadcast. Sadly, some of the recorded footage was lost and I retrieved what I could. My apologies for the lost footage and the picture/sound quality present. I hope you are all able to enjoy regardless.
D.C. Wood (15.11.2014)
***
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[@daroachdoggjr5799]

22:03 the best moment of the entire show

[@leokimvideo]

Awesome Thomas history upload, one of my viewers landed this link in one of my videos..I'm glad they did

[@dankerthanclanker]

Fancy seeing you here.

[@HexPerplex]

Same here!

[@RockyRailroadProductions_B0SS]

Rev. W. Awdry is simply an amazing person, and a great author.

[@Mason58654]

RockyRailroad Productions He is why I love railways….

[@RockyRailroadProductions_B0SS]

Mason Buskirk And that's why he's a great author, it's his fault that most of us train nerds exist :P

[@Mason58654]

RockyRailroad Productions I would say "railway enthusiast", actually. I have a copy of The Complete Collection of his 26 books.

[@Stussmeister]

A quote from the Reverend himself, which unsurprisingly can be found in the beginning of a book entitled "Trains": "[Of the parallels between the railways and the church] both had their heyday in the mid-nineteenth century, both own a great deal of Gothic-style architecture which is expensive to maintain, both are regularly assailed by critics, and both are firmly convinced that they are the best means of getting man to his ultimate destination."

[@tylerf5929]

He was a christian

[@MrDCWood]

For fans of the Rev W. Awdry. Enjoy.

[@leo11lim]

Don't you mean Tankies lol.

[@OHNEY]

+Leo Lim no just no

[@MrDCWood]

+Patrick Savage This Documentary has only been shown twice on television and was never given a home video release. KZbin is the only way I can share it.

[@theremoteanater]

+Leo Lim NO

[@SuperGunzilla]

Thank you!

[@TBModels]

I love Awdry's point at 33:21. That's what I always think in the CGI episodes!

[@NWR1991]

The models series sometime between S7-12 also ignore engine crews too. Kids pretty much want to see the engines.

[@TBModels]

Quite true.

[@arora2866]

24:43 IT'S MICHAEL ROSEN YOU MAY THINK I'M HAPPY

[@silvermoon3874]

+KoopaCord YEEAAAHH THERE IT IS!

[@jivio]

The Rev W. Awdry for me is someone that'll be remembered as an innovator to whom inspired so many and who's stories - whether their in the books or the stories adapted for the TV Series, that gave that something for some many children to enjoy and even relate too (not purely because the characters are trains or road vehicles, but that mythic persona that they have). Though I do like Henry's Forest, from Awdry's perspective I can totally see why it irrated him because of course their are rules and without those rules there's distress - like a small Child or Adult that wonders off somewhere and nobody knows where they've gone. But personally, I'd like to see this Documentary released in full onto DVD because its interesting of how the Sodor universe has grown and become a cult phenomenon like Disney for example.

[@KalaschniKlown]

R.I.P David Mitton

[@DrKFC69]

R.I.P. George Carlin

[@LegoLover117]

I'm surprised SiF hasn't gone crazy trying to get this taken down like the last time someone uploaded this. I love this documentary, and I hope it stays up.

[@lildeb879]

Yhu

[@josephmarrison4606]

Henry's Forest was one of my favourites as a child and it still is to this day.

[@Kanefan701]

I remember this! whoa as a kid growing up I watched this over and over.... and now I feel like a 5 year old once more.

[@tobythetramproductions]

Thank you Reverend, for my childhood to be perfect, you will always be in my heart.😊😊

[@CaptainJimiPie]

I cannot thank you enough! I have been looking EVERYWHERE for this! I recorded it on VHS in 1995 and unfortunately the tape was watched so much it ended up having to be thrown away! I have been searching the internet for years to find this!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

[@MrDCWood]

You're very welcome, mate. It's a tremendous documentary that deserves to be shared.

[@CaptainJimiPie]

MrDCWood I have to say with the exception of one part I genuinely didn't notice any missing parts (atleast from memory, I was only 7 at the time I saw it first) you've recovered it well!

[@MrDCWood]

Thank you. Sadly, I was frustrated that I wasn't able to recover the missing footage. However, MrJustinCaze1 has! Check out his uploads! kzbin.info/www/bejne/kHq2dJuOj7eFm68

[@CaptainJimiPie]

MrDCWood Well it's still great and thanks for the link! I'll have to download it too!

[@frankydman]

With regard to the Rule 55 controversy; the way I see it, Henry's crew did follow that rule. His fireman did alert the signalman about Henry being stopped in the forest; they just did not show it on screen because you can only show so much in 4 1/2 minutes

[@suprememeowmix9613]

frankydman I live for rule 55. The creator of the Dark Ages forgot.

[@suprememeowmix9613]

Make that completely ignored

[@Watermillfilms]

Really it’s beyond that point. I think Awdry was upset by the fact that the new episodes were moving away from his books. It’s was somewhere around this time I believe the copyright was sold. In my view Britt and Hit changed the program from the books to make maximum profit. Weather that’s a bad thing or not, I don’t know. It’s a shame to think that the current series is completely different, that the Awdry family lost out being on the gravy train. And that the charm which led to the initial success of the books have been lost.

[@zzascha5512]

I have to agree with the Thin Clergyman on some points here: Britt and Co. jumped overboard (although I believe that Henry's love for the forest is fine), but some things, such as going out on a line _without_ notifying the signalman. Besides, Rusty was "crane shunted" to rescue Stepney. People of the Bluebell Railway rescued him, so the second half of season 4 jumped the shark.

[@CraneProductions27]

That is so brilliant. I am so pleased to have seen this and now we see how far Thomas the Tank Engine has come from the great mind of the Reverend Wilbert Awdry. Thomas has come such a long way since his books and now he's a big hit on the television screens :D. I'm sure at 20:36, I saw a deleted scene from 'Paint Pots & Queens'.

[@MrDCWood]

Indeed the episode was 'Paint Pots & Queens'. Really glad you enjoyed the documentary, it was always one of my favourites as a child and as far as I know, it's only been shown twice on television. Pleased I was finally able to convert it from VHS to digital format. My only regret is that it's not the complete thing. Several more minutes' worth of footage was lost from the tape I recorded, sadly.

[@Cnw8701]

Lol Wow. Michael Rosen!

[@MattJay.]

Noice

[@staceyambrosino4905]

Nice

[@amaze4425]

Holy crap Michael Rosen is in this documentary wow awesome :D

[@johnylitalo4163]

I love this documentary.

[@dtmstormphotography]

John Ylitalo ME TOO

[@andoo_11]

22:02 - Nuff Said.

[@merylliu]

OmG IT's michael Rosen and awry in the same video!

[@LawnchairManiac]

Thanks for uploading!

[@RacingVoiceUK]

This is incredible!! I haven't seen this programme for 20 years!!

[@ThomasCollectables]

This was really interesting, thanks for uploading!

[@ArchDennam]

Hey cool. Michael Rosen source. 6:40

[@dtmstormphotography]

I love the Classic model Thomas the Tank Engine! It’s my one and only favorite Thomas! + I love the Railway series books!

[@Steamerthesteamtrain]

Think Britt was bad? Hit is beyond evil.

[@suprememeowmix9613]

steamerthesteamtrain hit is SHiT entertaininment. Britt had a small sense of railway realism. Didn't need a new character every three episodes.

[@britishgypsum4347]

Britt started the ball rolling with writing bad stories that lacked knowledge. Some were good but not all.

[@Steamerthesteamtrain]

If you're going to write a story, you should have knowledge of the things you are writing about.

[@bulbastonecreations2529]

THIS IS OVERLAY THE BEST DOCUMENTARY TO FIT THE FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY OF THE RAILWAY SERIES OF ALL TIME IN MY LIFE!

[@DrKFC69]

Wow this was uploaded on my birthday

[@dragonzilla6482]

The Coronation Scot theme is amazing, to bad it wasn't in Thomas itself.

[@RockyRailroadProductions_B0SS]

Coronation scot?

[@dragonzilla6482]

RockyRailroad Productions That's the name of the theme. :)

[@RockyRailroadProductions_B0SS]

Dragon Zilla ...But that's an LMS train that isn't mentioned at all in either RWS or TV series...

[@dragonzilla6482]

RockyRailroad Productions Oh I know that, I think would I meant was we don't get a theme like it. That's what I meant, not the Coronation Scot theme itself, but something like it. :)

[@RockyRailroadProductions_B0SS]

Dragon Zilla I am not understanding one bit of what you're trying to get at.

[@1989JROG]

This is amazing.

[@sammyb1929]

Jesus I remember watching this first time round!

[@JamesDaffyBenderDonald]

You are very welcome to ignore this comment, but if they had met, I think George Carlin and The Rev. W. Awdry could have been solid friends.

[@avadakedavra9500]

Most likely.

[@Mason58654]

RULE 55!

[@wakusarchive]

Michael Rosen is in this god above 🙏

[@oliverthehero5964]

Everyone knows Thomas and Friends or The Railways Series would be better to say Is going to be 70 Years old soon

[@royalproductions8704]

great documentary, i think awdry would had aproved The Adventures Begins, i wounder since he lived in Wales and Thomas is based on a LBSC E2 from the south, the GWR operated were wilbert lived and i wounder if had seen a engine that look like Thomas, and i also think were did get the first four names, also i think awdry had his version why the engines have faces, i know he told when he was drawing the engines on the smokebox there was a blank space lets say and he told "i just draw little faces just for fun" i think awdrys inspiration camed from trainsppoting, and seeing some engines in news papers

[@mr.vertebrateoldaccount8679]

The models in the background at 30:41 look like Minecarft Herobrine.

[@barttheanorak]

I saw this documentary first time out. This appears to be a heavily edited version - much of the stuff about the series' original creation has been left out as has Wilbert's recollection of the true story that inspired A Close Shave. A great pity.

[@MrDCWood]

+barttheanorak The editing isn't intentional. I'd lost a good chunk of footage many years ago from my recording and I salvaged what I could together. It does bother me, but I am thankful that the full version of the original documentary is available elsewhere on KZbin. Check out kzbin.info/www/bejne/kHq2dJuOj7eFm68 and thanks, MrJustinCaze1

[@barttheanorak]

Thankyou sir, sorry if I was too negative. That documentary was an absolute oasis in the wilderness when I felt like the only Railway Series geek/anti Series 3 person in the village and it's great to see it again. Will check out that link you sent.

[@MrDCWood]

+barttheanorak No worries at all, mate. :)

[@shawnk9016]

HBO should recreate something like this.

[@avadakedavra9500]

Couldn't help to notice the Godzilla and space Godzilla cameo.

[@AECEntertainment]

33:23 the only sensible thing. Said in a nice (ish) way

[@Railroadracer49]

I wish the show would return to its original storyline for the series itself only if Mattel didn’t let BWBA happen and kick Edward and Henry of the steam team the show would How it was back then and don’t even get me started on Thomas Wood

[@ammilligan]

Wow you Heard that lady said Thomas will go on forever

[@Railroadracer49]

3:16 all Hail the god Of Thomas the tank engine

[@shrilleth]

6:44 is that Michael Rosen?

[@masterofcorks4578]

0:24 Is that Willie Nelson or George Carlin?

[@nitroade2831]

33:31 SHADE.

[@lnerengine2644]

was the steam engine at 2:38 a stanier black five or another class of steam engine

[@leoroberts9460]

What's the song at 2:50 called please?

[@MrDCWood]

Sorry for the late response, mate. The song is "Coronation Scot" by Sidney Torch & His Orchestra.

[@thomasthetankengine1783]

Thomas the tank engine my cartoon favorite.🚂

[@ThatOneRedEngine]

its not a cartoon . its better then that

[@JackHenryMurrayTheGamer]

*no!*

[@thejudge1256]

33:45 What episode is being filmed?

[@MrDCWood]

Alison Rice Thomas and the Special Letter; the TV Adaptation of The Fat Controller's Engines.

[@pgj1997]

22:04

[@clownfreak1990]

Annoys me how they have to Americanise everything. Why couldn't they leave it with the British narrators? Can't American children understand English?

[@MrDCWood]

Bill Gilbey I don't think it was a matter of the English language. Rather it was more to do with the British terminology, accent and culture. I think that when broadcasting the series in America and Canada, they used narrators from their own nations to help the younger audiences in those countries to help familiarize themselves with the content more i.e. 'freight cars' instead of 'trucks'. Which is understandable, in my opinion.

[@leokimvideo]

Curious comment, as an Australian I may be able to explain. American audiences can be easily spooked by non American accents and ideas. There is quite a difference between American english and British english. In the end the show is all about selling toys. So the idea is to make it as easy to understand as possible. In Australia the TV programing is a merry mix of both British and American content with a little bit of local shows. But this does not happen in America or the UK. We were shown the British version of Thomas in the 80's, and only via the advent of KZbin I have watched the American version. With some stories the US narration works quite well. But many of the earlier stories have deep rooted British themes that do sound strange being Americanised. It doesn't annoy me the Americans get a different Thomas, what does annoy me is people who don't understand that we are all different.

[@fondrers0]

I thought donald was scottish

[@Chan-ik4gp]

Beth Fondren HE is, The girl thought he was Canadian, because she watched a person who was a Canadian story teller.

[@Chan-ik4gp]

Brock Regnier lol

[@Polymath580]

7:28 HMM *POP* Noice

[@furnessespeon]

DONLAD IS NOT FROM YOUR COUNTRY!!!!!! HE IS SCOTISH, NOT FROM THE WILD WEST!!!

[@NuriToxican]

33:44

[@thejudge1256]

Rule 55 pah!

[@jamtart606]

I was born in the wrong generation...

[@jkk45]

;)keep pressing 25:01

[@EzCuldee]

Why does that girl think Donald is from the Wild West they Scottish the heck?

[@MrDCWood]

In the case of the girl being interviewed, she thought James was Canadian and Donald was from the Wild West because she watched a version of Thomas that was narrated by a Canadian story-teller. Donald was likely presented as being from the Wild West to help (in this case) Canadian audiences feel more familiar with the content by adapting it into their own culture.

[@thomasthetankengine1285]

is goerge Carlin actually Canadian

[@MrDCWood]

+Thomas the tank engine 12 No, he was American.

[@thomasthetankengine1285]

Oh ok thanks I was a little confused

[@MrDCWood]

Thomas the tank engine 12 No worries.

[@dragonzilla6482]

Did anyone spot Spacegodzilla?

[@ffjv55]

James is Canadian?

[@MrDCWood]

It's understandable that those Canadian children would believe that James is Canadian. If the TV Series (when being broadcast in Canada) was narrated by a Canadian storyteller, then young viewers would naturally (logically) assume James and all the other characters are Canadian also. It's similar to the Japanese watching Thomas. As Japan's TV executives/merchandise experts were saying here (at the time), children/parents in Japan didn't realized that Thomas is an English product. And it's easy to see why.

[@jamesdor5329]

+MrDCWood Donald is Clearly Scottish and not from the Wild west That's why they are called the SCOTTISH Twins

[@MrDCWood]

Indeed. But the children being interviewed here in this program believed differently, due to the Thomas show being edited/presented in a fashion to fit Canadian culture. We ALL know the twins were Scottish, but a lot of children from other countries may not have realized that due to executives' feeling the need to help foreign audiences feel more at home with Thomas by adapting it into their cultures. That's what Japan did.

[@ekat2130]

no 22:04

[@Smudger1865]

Oh crud, I ruined the 400 like to 401! I hope nobody would be angry at me... :(