Sammy the Shunter

[Steamport Southport]

Chuffalong also Ian Allan. Just never seen them before.

 

Seem to have used the same artist.

 

https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=30012747855&cm_mmc=ggl-_-UK_Shopp_RareStandard-_-product_id=bi%3A 30012747855-_-keyword=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvprygoHz9AIVBO3tCh2eUwPHEAQYASABEgL36PD_BwE

 

 

[TerryD1471]

What an exercise in nostalgia! Harold Elliott always came across as a kindly gentleman and his exhibition layout obviously appeared in many locations. My parents took me to see it in Bingley Hall, Birmingham in the early 1950s and I was enchanted. Harold gave a running commentary and whenever Sammy misbehaved, Harold used to swat him with a rolled-up newspaper. Great fun! The layout itself was very impressive because of the large amount of quality 0 gauge stock. What's not to like?

 

The Sammy the Shunter books by Eileen Gibb were fun, but as someone else has observed, the books by Wilbert Awdry struck a more realistic chord. Am I being over-picky in not wanting to call them Thomas books? He wasn't even in the first book! The only named engines there were Edward, Henry & Gordon. Rant over!

[33C]

My first ever books were " Peter Puffers fun book" and "The Good Luck Engine". I was about 3 years old and I'm in no doubt they influenced my whole life! I still have them....picked up the Sammy books around 5 years later but Thomas never really interested me. Bit goody, goody I suppose..

[Steamport Southport]

On 02/03/2022 at 22:12, 33C said:

My first ever books were " Peter Puffers fun book" and "The Good Luck Engine". I was about 3 years old and I'm in no doubt they influenced my whole life! I still have them....picked up the Sammy books around 5 years later but Thomas never really interested me. Bit goody, goody I suppose..

 

The TTTE books do come over as a bit preachy IMO.

 

Do as you are told and be "useful", or you'll get bricked up in a tunnel or sent away for scrap..... 

 

  

 

 

Also what happened to 98462, 87546 and the Big Red Engine (not James)? 

 

https://ttte.fandom.com/wiki/The_Red_Engines?file=Edward%27sDayOutWilliamMiddleton2.jpg#The_First_Red_Tender_Engine

[Rivercider]

2 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

The TTTE books do come over as a bit preachy IMO.

 

Do as you are told and be "useful", or you'll get bricked up in a tunnel or sent away for scrap..... 

 

  

 

 

Also what happened to 98462, 87546 and the Big Red Engine (not James)? 

 

https://ttte.fandom.com/wiki/The_Red_Engines?file=Edward%27sDayOutWilliamMiddleton2.jpg#The_First_Red_Tender_Engine

Mind you that generally happens on the big railway when locos or stock have passed their usefulness (scrapping  -not bricking up). There are instances of locos being 'rescued' for further work as well, and the story of Trevor the traction engine.

 

cheers

[steve1]

I had both Sammy and Chuffalong books, as well as Rev Awdry ones, when I was a lad, along with  ‘TheLittle Blue Engine’, a 2-4-0 tender loco. Anyone else remember it?

 

https://www.wob.com/en-gb/rare-books/ursula-hourihane/the-little-blue-engine-annual/1609788263EWY?keyword=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIkfPkufqr9gIVsmDmCh2dfQIwEAQYBSABEgK91_D_BwE

 

steve

Edited March 4, 2022 by steve1
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[RJS1977]

11 hours ago, Rivercider said:

Mind you that generally happens on the big railway when locos or stock have passed their usefulness (scrapping  -not bricking up). There are instances of locos being 'rescued' for further work as well, and the story of Trevor the traction engine.

 

cheers

 

I don't think any Sudrian engines were ever sent away for scrap (at least not the ones in the stories - 'The Island of Sodor: Its People, History and Railways' mentions that some earlier locos were scrapped) although in the later books the regular engines have heard what has been going on on the mainland and are frightened that the same thing will happen to them.

 

The only locos to be 'sent away' were diesel locos which came on loan from The Other Railway.

 

The nearest a loco came to being scrapped in a story was the American loco on Duke's line which was repurposed as a stationary boiler.

(There was also the loco on the Mountain Railway that 'got smaller and smaller until there was nothing left' but Culdee made that story up!)

[TerryD1471]

On 04/03/2022 at 03:50, Steamport Southport said:

 

The TTTE books do come over as a bit preachy IMO.

 

Do as you are told and be "useful", or you'll get bricked up in a tunnel or sent away for scrap..... 

 

  

 

 

Also what happened to 98462, 87546 and the Big Red Engine (not James)? 

 

https://ttte.fandom.com/wiki/The_Red_Engines?file=Edward%27sDayOutWilliamMiddleton2.jpg#The_First_Red_Tender_Engine

You're quite right, they are a bit "preachy", but then what do you expect from a clergyman? I ask, as an unpaid cleric myself! Frankly, I found that the older I got, the more I drew from the stories about human nature and the more understanding I gained. OK, I can well understand that "preachy" stuff is not to everyone's "comfort" taste; for many years it didn't do much for me! But I still think that there is much to be gained from the gentle appreciation of human nature and its frailties.

[Il Grifone]

Even as a  kid, I thought Henry and his tunnel was rather ridiculous and they went to all the trouble of making another bore! In the end he was sent to Crewe* to be rebuilt into a Black Green Five.

On the other hand I loved Thomas and Co., had all the books, and would have wanted all Hornby's later series**, but back then you had to have Dublo or Tri-ang or Trix as combinations were not on (and neither were they compatible with 'scale' BRMSB).

 

* "A fine place for sick engines!" (Not as fine as Swindon, but rather nearer to Sodor.)

** Perhaps not four wheeled Annie and Clarabel  however!

[On30runner]

Harold Elliot's railway is mentioned in some detail in Jack Ray's book "a lifetime with O gauge" as he often visited him.  In his own words:

 

"Later on, when lunching with Roland Fuller of Bassett-Lowke, Roland told me that Harold was the bane of their life, for he would delay sending in engines for repair until the flanges had worn so thin that they sheared off"

 

The perils of constant motion!

Edited March 13, 2022 by On30runner
typo