Thomas & Friends in 2017

[JLK2707]

Hey sparks, do you think that the tar tanker wagons and salt vans would look good in cgi? Also, what do you think that the tar tanker wagon would look like in cgi?

Also, what are the contact details of Mattel so I can send them some of my ideas?

[Cheeky_ULP]

The show definitely needs more vans. Right now all we have are normal vent vans and Southern Railway CCTs (and the vents are in the wrong places...!).

I do not know Mattels contact information, but television show producers tend to not like unsolicited ideas.

[JLK2707]

Okay, but thanks for the reply sparks. Also, did you know that Henry was originally a GNR C1 4-4-2 locomotive before his rebuild? Also, I wonder why they would not enjoy suggestions which are unsolicited?

I mean this with absolutely no offence whatsoever, but they are obviously quite closed minded about the ventilated vans that they are using. Do you think they are closed minded or is it most likely just the animation budget and how much they can spend doing stuff?

Also sparks, I have noticed that they also have cattle vans along with the basic vent vans and mail wagons. Have you noticed that they also have cattle vans?

[AJW98Productions]

Okay, but thanks for the reply sparks. Also, did you know that Henry was originally a GNR C1 4-4-2 locomotive before his rebuild?

He was a prototype for the Gresley A1 class actually, a mix of the GNR C1 and LNER A1...Awdry's original drawings depicted him as a GNR C1 though, just none of the artists of the RWS, nor did the TV Series depict that. The whole reason for Henry's rebuild in the RWS was to give him a prototype that actually existed. The GNR C1/A1 prototype Henry was depicted as in the RWS and the early TV Series never existed.

I wonder why they would not enjoy suggestions which are unsolicited?

Imagine all the suggestions and spam they'd get...as a large company, it's fairly easy to imagine why.

I mean this with absolutely no offence whatsoever, but they are obviously quite closed minded about the ventilated vans that they are using. Do you think they are closed minded or is it most likely just the animation budget and how much they can spend doing stuff?

I don't think they are close minded, I would attribute it to the animation budget, more than anything else, and the time taken to create a 3D render of each van...

~Alex

[JLK2707]

Hey sparks and Alex,

Thanks for correcting me, but what I meant about Henry just being a GNR C1 4-4-2 originally was due to what awdry intended for him to be.

[AJW98Productions]

Thanks for correcting me, but what I meant about Henry just being a GNR C1 4-4-2 originally was due to what awdry intended for him to be.

Oh okay, I see. Sorry, my mistake then.

I feel this has drifted very far off course for the 2017 predictions...so here is a little guess at what next year's Narrow Gauge range could contain:

The ubiquitous brown Brakevan. To date, this is the only breakevan to have appeared in the CGI and model eras of the Television Series of Thomas and Friends respectively. Fans have been requesting this item since the range first opened, and it makes sense, as after the Slate Wagons are released, there will be plenty of freight stock in the Narrow Gauge range, but still no brakevan at the tail end of that train to complete it. I'm assuming Skarloey Railway stock isn't vacuum braked either, so without a brakevan, it's only a matter of time before an accident happens!

The dan dubbed "Talyllyn Coaches"...okay, I'll be honest, with all the freight stock we have in the range, it'd be fantastic to see some coaches. Whilst these coaches aren't my personal favourite from the Television Series, I consider them the most likely, with the Narrow Gauge Coaches from the Classic series having last appeared in Seasons 10 and 12...and considering that Season 20 is going to air this year...I think it's probably been too long since we've last seen the older coach liveries for one to make an appearance in the range. My only concern is that their CGI renders appear overscaled in both width and height, and even the TTTEWikia mentions this about them, and it's usually a very reliable source of information.

Granted, if I saw any of the Narrow Gauge Coaches from the model era appear, I'd be ecstatic...particularly if it was the Blue and White ones...with a Blue Brake van to match...I know it's unlikely, but they will likely sell like hotcakes among fans of the model era especially, and on top of that...they bear a strong resemblance resemblance to Agnes, Ruth, Lucy, Jemima, and Beatrice from the Railway Series...which means any fans who model to be accurate to the Railway Series could use them if Bachmann released them, albeit slightly modified, to gain a very Railway Series-esque look

So for now...I think I may just leave this image here:


~Alex

[Kemptown Branch]

So, what would everyone think of a possible Spectrum range for Thomas and Friends? Yes, I know it is highly unlikely, but large scale did get DCC Sound engines this year. What would you want it to include?
On a more possible note, I think they would release another minor character or no engine in HO scale. In narrow gauge, Sir Handel, and in large scale, maybe Edward. Rolling stock would either be Henrietta or some kind of van repaint.

[JLK2707]

Hey sparks and Alex,

If and when Bachmann release Peter sam in the narrow gauge range, would he have his original funnel or his new one?

[Cheeky_ULP]

I don't see a spectrum range happening for the Thomas range because there's really not much to add beyond handrails. The characters are very simplistic and toy-like in design already.

As for Peter Sam, dunno, can't read the future. Bachmann based Skarloey off Talyllyn, but still had the CGI Skarloey piping detail below the cab. It's likely they would have the giesel funnel since Edward Thomas had it during preservation and Peter Sam has it in CGI.

[Chaz]

The models have to meet the standards of Mattel/Hit and those standards include getting the character in its current form on the show and the narrow gauge engines are no exception.  Therefore a safe bet would be Peter Sam's giesel funnel that is used in the CGI series.

[JLK2707]

Hey Alex and Sparks,

Did Peter Sam just look a bit like a Diesel engine to you when he lost his funnel in the episode Special Funnel?

[Cheeky_ULP]

I dunno, you tell me.

[Anthony P2]

unless there was a mix up with "giesel" and "diesel." 

[Chaz]

Hey Alex and Sparks,

Did Peter Sam just look a bit like a Diesel engine to you when he lost his funnel in the episode Special Funnel?

These questions you keep asking literally have nothing to do with the purpose of this thread which is to talk about future product suggestions/speculation.  If you wish to keep asking people these kind of questions, I honestly think it's best if you post in a more relevant thread or send them a message, because this is just getting ridiculous.

Moving onto a more relevant subject, I agree with narrow gauge rolling stock suggestions Alex has made.  I think that because the slate wagons are going to be a new tooling and not a Peco re-tooling (as confirmed via email), I think that some coaches coming in with another engine next year like Sir Handel seems like a pretty safe assumption.  If they also come in a new tooling, I'd be excited to see how they turn out.

[JLK2707]

Thank you for your help. On another note, I would like to suggest the following for 2017:

HO scale:

Engines:

Paxton
Daisy
Updated James

Rolling stock:

Reintroduced tar tanker wagon
Cgi milk tanker
Cgi sodor fuel tanker

Narrow gauge:

Engines:

Sir Handel

Rolling stock:

Skarloey railway coaches
Skarloey railway brake vans

Large scale:

Engines:

Edward, Mavis or Diesel

Rolling stock:

Henrietta
Mail car
Salt wagon
Red coaches

Please tell me your opinions on these.