''The Missing Coach'' (US Narration - Read Description)

In late 2003, a peculiar image began to surface around the nostalgic Thomas The Tank Engine fandom concerning a TV Series still from a late 1980s annual, of which resembled a scene from one of The Rev. W Awdry's stories from The Railway Series (Of which the Thomas television series was based upon), ''The Missing Coach''. In a 2008 interview, David Mitton, the late director of the series from its debut on British children's television in 1984 to 2003, confirmed that ''The Missing Coach'' was initially slated to be adapted for the second season of Thomas The Tank Engine, but was dropped after filming was half-done due to creator Britt Alcroft's decision that the story was too complex and lacked action.

While many TV Series-esque adaptations of this story have been made on YouTube utilizing Willie Rushton's narration of the story from a 1960s recording, I decided to go ahead and adapt the episode in a truer sense to how it may have aired on television. So, with some stock footage, Adobe Premiere Pro, and some Photoshop magic, I've created a version of ''The Missing Coach'' akin to how it may have aired on television. I tried to get the story to fit into the standard 4:30 timeframe of the series, but it proved too difficult of a challenge, so I've just gone with the story as it originally was with some improvising here and there.

Special thanks goes to Callum Walker of SI3D Films, who directed me to some things that were not initially at my disposal for the project, and GordonLover4 for creating the textless opening which I used (Of which I was also directed to by Callum). Credits also go to anyone who made any sound effects or pieced together any music that I may have used, although there are probably too many people to properly credit them.

In case any UK Thomas fans might be watching this, you'll notice that I use terminology that was used in the US adaptation of the series (''The Fat Controller'' becoming ''Sir Topham Hatt', trucks becoming cars, etc.). With all due respect, I was raised on the US adaptations, so it's awkward for me to use the terms that are associated with the British English version. I more than likely will not rerecord this with UK terminology, but you're free to work off of the model I've created.

That said, I hope you enjoy ''The Missing Coach'' in what could have been its television form.

(Thomas & Friends is the licensed legal property of HiT Entertainment and its shareholders. This is a third-party video produced solely for the use and enjoyment of the Thomas & Friends fanbase. No profit has or will be made off of this video, and I do not hold any shares in either Hit Entertainment or the Thomas & Friends franchise.)

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Thomas
• Friends
• The
• Missing
• Coach
• Donald
• Douglas
• Sir
• Topham
• Hatt