Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia
Register
Advertisement
Main Page

The Complete First Series, also known as The Original Adventures of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, is a 1998 UK/IRL VHS featuring all twenty-six first series episodes narrated by Ringo Starr. It was released on DVD in the UK in 2004 as part of the Classic Collection boxset before being released individually in 2005. It was released on DVD in Australia in 2006 under the title Series One. It was re-released on DVD in the UK in 2010 under the title Complete Series 1 and re-released again in 2012 under the title The Complete Series 1. The 2012 release features the restored versions of the episodes.

Description

1998 UK/IRL VHS

All aboard for this special edition classic collection of Original Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends stories. Join Thomas, together with his friends Edward, Gordon, Henry, James, Bertie, Percy, Toby, and of course The Fat Controller on the Island of Sodor in this fun-packed classic collection of 26 episodes. Find out how Thomas earns his own branch railway line, and how James has trouble with the trucks as you join them all in two and a half hours of frantic fun and frolics!

2004 UK/IRL DVD

All aboard for this special edition classic collection of Original Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends stories. Join Thomas, together with his friends Edward, Gordon, Henry, James, Bertie, Percy, Toby, and of course The Fat Controller on the Island of Sodor in this fun-packed classic collection of 26 episodes. Find out how Thomas earns his own branch railway line and how James has trouble with the trucks. You can join them all in over two hours of frantic fun and frolics!

26 classic episodes not to be missed!

2006 AUS DVD

All aboard for this classic collection of original Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends stories. Join Thomas, together with his friends Edward, Gordon, Henry, James, Bertie, Percy, Toby, and of course The Fat Controller on the Island of Sodor in this fun-packed classic collection of 26 episodes. Find out how Thomas earns his own branch railway line and how James has trouble with the trucks. You can join them all in over 2 hours of frantic fun and frolics!

2010 UK/IRL DVD

All aboard for this special edition classic collection of original Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends stories. Join Thomas, together with his friends Edward, Gordon, Henry, James, Bertie, Percy, Toby, and of course The Fat Controller. Find out how Thomas earns his own branch railway line and how James has trouble with the trucks.

26 classic episodes not to be missed!

2012 UK/IRL DVD

All aboard for the first-ever series of Thomas & Friends™. Join Thomas, together with his friends Edward, Gordon, Henry, James, Percy, and, of course, The Fat Controller. Watch how Thomas earns his own branch railway line and how James has trouble with the trucks.

The Fat Controller's Letter (VHS)

My Dear Friends

Welcome to a very special compilation of video stories featuring my family of Really Useful Engines - "The Classic Collection".

As you can see from the title, this is no ordinary compilation. 'Pon my soul, it is a collector's item, containing all 26 stories from the first ever series of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends.

I dare say these splendid stories are older than many of you - it never ceases to amaze me how the years travel by even quicker than Gordon on the Main Line!

The memory of my first meeting with award-winning producers Britt Allcroft and David Mitton way back in 1984 is as clear and vivid as yesterday's lunch. Little did we realise how popular these tales about Sodor Railways would become. The rest, as they say, is history!

Anyway, enough of my ramblings. I must return to my Railway-running responsibilities. Thomas and all the other Engines hope this video brings you hours of fun.

Until we correspond once more, with kind regards I remain

Yours truly

Sir Topham Hatt
The Fat Controller

Episodes

  1. Thomas and Gordon
  2. Edward and Gordon
  3. The Sad Story of Henry *
  4. Edward, Gordon and Henry *
  5. Thomas' Train *
  6. Thomas and the Trucks
  7. Thomas and the Breakdown Train *
  8. James and the Coaches
  9. Troublesome Trucks
  10. James and the Express *
  11. Thomas and the Guard *
  12. Thomas Goes Fishing *
  13. Thomas, Terence and the Snow
  14. Thomas and Bertie *
  15. Tenders and Turntables
  16. Trouble in the Shed
  17. Percy Runs Away
  18. Coal * / **
  19. The Flying Kipper **
  20. Whistles and Sneezes * / **
  21. Toby and the Stout Gentleman *
  22. Thomas in Trouble *
  23. Dirty Objects * / **
  24. Off the Rails
  25. Down the Mine * / **
  26. Thomas' Christmas Party **

(Note: * means episode is not present on other UK DVD releases)
(Note: ** means episode is not present on other Australian DVD releases)

Trivia

  • The original UK/IRL VHS was released both as a single cassette and a double cassette release.
  • This is the only complete series VHS to feature a promo at the start.
  • This was the last Thomas video cassette to feature the 1996-1998 VCI Children's Promo.
  • The inner sleeve of the VHS features an advertisement for Spooks and Surprises.
  • The 1998 VHS release spine uses stills from Train Stops Play, No Joke for James, and Wrong Road.
  • The DVD was released in 2004 in the Classic Collection boxset before being released individually in 2005.
  • On the 2004 and 2010 DVDs in Down the Mine, all shots from the first head-on close up of Thomas in the hole to when Gordon reaches the mine are restored.
  • The back cover of the Australian double pack features images from Thomas and the Lighthouse and Three Cheers for Thomas.

Goofs

  • The inner sleeve of the VHS mentions the Fat Controller featuring in Edward and Gordon and the description for Troublesome Trucks says that Edward helped James. This is incorrect because James handled the trucks himself.
  • Bill, Ben and Stepney appear on the UK/IRL VHS covers despite not appearing until their introductions in the second and fourth series (Percy Takes the Plunge and Rusty to the Rescue).

DVD Packs

UK/IRL

AUS

Advertisement