SERIES 4
Released on YouTube from Monday 28 November 2022 to 27 January 2023, Series 4 of Sodor Railway Tales contains 34 episodes, most of which will be adapted from Books 27-34 of The Railway Series (1983 – 1990) written by Christopher Awdry, the son of the series’ creator Wilbert Awdry after his retirement from writing in 1972. Episode 17 and Episode 22 are adapted from the standalone stories Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree (1986) and Thomas and the Evil Diesel (1987), also written by Christopher Awdry.
Episodes 1-4 of Series 4 are taken from the twenty-seventh Railway Series book, Really Useful Engines (1983), written by Christopher Awdry, illustrated by Clive Spong and read by George Brind.
“Dear Friends,
I am happy to say that Thomas and his friends are still at work, trying as hard as ever to prove themselves to be Really Useful Engines. I am happy to say, too, that my father is still taking a keen interest in the Region's affairs and it is with grateful thanks that I would like to dedicate this book to him, the person who began it all.
The Author”
2007 UPDATE: “Sadly my father is no longer able to be involved with the Region's affairs, but it is with grateful thanks that I would like to dedicate this book to him, the person who began it all.
The Author”
EPISODE 1: STOP THIEF!
EPISODE 2: MIND THAT BIKE
EPISODE 3: FISH
EPISODE 4: TRIPLE-HEADER
Episodes 5-8 of Series 4 are taken from the twenty-eighth Railway Series book, James and the Diesel Engines (1984), written by Christopher Awdry, illustrated by Clive Spong and read by Richard Brind.
“Dear Friends,
To hear James talk sometimes you might have thought that he ran the Fat Controller's Railway on his own. He certainly needed no help from diesels - or so he imagined. The other engines were more sensible and realised that diesels could take some of the weight off their own couplings. But now the Fat Controller tells me that James has had a change of heart. These stories tell you how it happened.
The Author”
EPISODE 5: OLD STUCK-UP
EPISODE 6: CROSSED LINES
EPISODE 7: FIRE ENGINE
EPISODE 8: DEEP FREEZE
Episodes 9-12 of Series 4 are taken from the twenty-ninth Railway Series book, Great Little Engines (1985), written by Christopher Awdry, illustrated by Clive Spong and read by Jen Griffin.
“Dear Friends,
Sir Handel has been helping on the Talyllyn Railway, at Towyn, in Wales.
‘You could write a book about it’, he said when I went to see him.
Sir Handel was conceited before he went: whatever would happen, I thought, if he had a book all to himself? But some of his adventures were too good to waste, so I mixed them with stories about the other engines. That ought to keep everyone happy.
The Author”
EPISODE 9: PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE
EPISODE 10: PETER SAM AND THE PRICKLY PROBLEM
EPISODE 11: POP-SPECIAL
EPISODE 12: SIR HANDEL COMES HOME
Episodes 13-16 of Series 4, read by George Brind, are taken from the thirtieth Railway Series book, More About Thomas the Tank Engine (1986), written by Christopher Awdry, commissioned for the Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends TV series created by Britt Allcroft and David Mitton. The illustrations by Clive Spong.
“Dear Friends,
Sometimes Thomas and Percy both think they are the most important engines on the branch line. We know better, of course, and so does the Fat Controller, which is why he did not intervene when Thomas and Percy had a quarrel. Like most quarrels, it wasn't serious to start with. It began when Percy... But why not turn the page and read about it for yourself?
The Author”
EPISODE 13: THOMAS, PERCY AND THE COAL
EPISODE 14: THE RUNAWAY
EPISODE 15: BETTER LATE THAN NEVER
EPISODE 16: DRIP TANK
Episode 17 of Series 4 entitled Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree, read by George Brind, is based on the 1986 standalone book written by Christopher Awdry, commissioned for the Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends TV series created by Britt Allcroft and David Mitton. The illustrations are by Clive Spong.
EPISODE 17: THOMAS AND THE MISSING CHRISTMAS TREE
Episodes 18-21 of Series 4 are taken from the thirty-first Railway Series book, Gordon the High-Speed Engine (1987), written by Christopher Awdry, illustrated by Clive Spong and read by Jerry De La Rue.
“Dear Friends,
Over here on the Other Railway we are used to High-Speed Trains, and know how useful they can be. But when Gordon first heard of them he began boasting about how fast he could go. He should have known better, because he only landed himself in disgrace and made the Fat Controller cross. These stories tell how hard Gordon worked to redeem himself and make the Fat Controller think again.
The Author”
EPISODE 18: HIGH-SPEED GORDON
EPISODE 19: SMOKESCREEN
EPISODE 20: FIRE ESCAPE
EPISODE 21: GORDON PROVES HIS POINT
Episode 22 of Series 4 entitled Thomas and the Evil Diesel, read by Jerry De La Rue, is based on the 1987 standalone book written by Christopher Awdry at the request of the producers of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends TV series. The illustrations are by Clive Spong.
EPISODE 22: THOMAS AND THE EVIL DIESEL
Episodes 23-26 of Series 4 are taken from the thirty-second Railway Series book, Toby, Trucks and Trouble (1988), written by Christopher Awdry, illustrated by Clive Spong and read by Tracy Brooker.
“Dear Friends,
Trucks are silly things. They rattle, bang and chatter to each other so much that they can never hear what their engine says. Even if they did, they probably wouldn't take any notice. They pushed Mavis into a lorry, and that made extra work for Toby and Percy while she was being mended.
But on the other hand, perhaps they're not all bad - after all, they did teach Bulstrode a lesson. See what you think.
The Author”
EPISODE 23: MAVIS AND THE LORRY
EPISODE 24: TOBY'S SEASIDE HOLIDAY
EPISODE 25: BULSTRODE
EPISODE 26: TOBY TAKES THE ROAD
Episodes 27-30 of Series 4 are taken from the thirty-third Railway Series book, Thomas and the Twins (1989), written by Christopher Awdry, illustrated by Clive Spong and read by Jenny Cole.
“Dear Friends,
Bill and Ben keep asking if they can be in a book again. Well, in Cornwall during 1988, I met Bill and Ben's twins and talked to the driver of one of them at Par. He set me thinking, and this is the result: if our china clay twins enjoy being in a book again, they should thank him not me. I hope you will enjoy the stories too.
The Author”
EPISODE 27: SCRAMBLED EGGS
EPISODE 28: WHAT A PICTURE!
EPISODE 29: TREVOR HELPS OUT
EPISODE 30: DOWN THE DRAIN
Episodes 31-34 of Series 4 are taken from the thirty-fourth Railway Series book, Jock the New Engine (1990), written by Christopher Awdry, illustrated by Clive Spong and read by Thomas Puttock.
“Dear Friends,
The Arlesdale Railway is a narrow-gauge line which runs inland along a beautiful valley. It starts at the terminus of Duck's branch line and Duck and Oliver bring many visitors. So many, in fact, that Rex, Bert and Mike found that they couldn't carry them all on their own. And that was why Jock was built. I like Jock - I hope you will too.
The Author”
EPISODE 31: WE NEED ANOTHER ENGINE
EPISODE 32: STICKING POWER
EPISODE 33: JOCK
EPISODE 34: TEAMWORK