10 Years of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

**10 Years of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends** is a US VHS/DVD celebrating the 10th anniversary of the television series in the United States. It features 2 1st series episodes, 2 2nd series episodes, 5 3rd series episodes and 1 4th series episode narrated by George Carlin and 1 song. It was distributed by Anchor Bay Entertainment in 1999 and was released on DVD in 2005. Each song and story was bookended with interviews about Thomas from various people at a Day Out with Thomas event at the Strasburg Rail Road in Strasburg, Pennsylvania. Lionsgate released the title for digital download in 2013.

## Description

### 1999 VHS

This commemorative Collector's Edition video celebrates 10 years of Britt Allcroft's Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends in America, and highlights Thomas' favourite friends, as chosen by the experts - his loyal fans! Children love Thomas and his friends because they can identify with their everyday friendships, squabbles and rivalries and parents love Thomas because of its entertaining wholesome qualities that teach gentle messages important in developing good morals and values.

(In this anniversary video) Children from across the country came out for a special day with Thomas to share with us their favorite Thomas friends and episodes, and to help us choose these 10 classic Thomas stories. (In a live-action clip introducing each episode) You'll learn straight from the fans just what they like about their favorite characters. The grand finale features the music of Thomas' theme with special appearances by all the friends Thomas has made over the last 10 years!

## Episodes

1. Thomas and Bertie's Great Race
2. Old Iron
3. The Trouble with Mud
4. Terence the Tractor
5. Percy's Ghostly Trick
6. Mavis
7. Henry and the Elephant
8. Percy's Promise
9. Buzz, Buzz / James Goes Buzz Buzz
10. All at Sea

## Song

* Thomas' Anthem Grand Finale

(Throughout the program) Extracts of the songs Don't Judge a Book by its Cover, Let's Have a Race, Really Useful Engine, Toby, The Island Song and Gone Fishing are featured as background music in the live action interstitials.

## Bonus Features

* "Counting Celebration" game
* "Paint Party" game
* "Fun with Shapes" game
* Link to the official website

## Trivia

* The release was made to celebrate 10 years of Thomas' introduction to America (which was on January 29, 1989 (the airdate of the 1st *Shining Time Station* episode, A Place Unlike Any Other)).
* This was the last VHS to use the original *Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends* logo on the cover.
* This release won a Parents' Choice Award.
* A tin bank was included in some limited-edition releases of the VHS.
* Mr. Conductor's whistle from the 2nd and 3rd seasons of Shining Time Station is heard at the start of each episode.
* The Day Out with Thomas clips were featured in the music videos in Storytime with Thomas on Fox Family.
* Interviews feature kids telling stories of the favourite characters (some of which reference episodes that were not included on this video):
	+ The story about Thomas alludes to the 1st series episode, Thomas and Gordon.
	+ The story about Edward alludes to the 1st series episode, Edward and Gordon.
	+ The stories about Gordon allude to the 1st series episode, Edward and Gordon, that already happened and the 1st series episode, Edward, Gordon and Henry (which happens now).
	+ The story about Percy alludes to the 1st series episodes, Percy Runs Away.
	+ The story about Toby alludes to the 3rd series episodes, Time for Trouble.
	+ The stories about Henry allude to the 1st series episode, The Sad Story of Henry, that already happened and the 3rd series episode, Henry's Forest (which happens now).
	+ The story about Harold alludes to the 3rd series episodes, Thomas, Percy and the Post Train.
	+ 1 story about James alludes to the 1st series episode, Thomas and the Breakdown Train (that already happened).
	+ The story about Duck alludes to the 3rd series episode, Bulgy.
* Wilbert Awdry was not mentioned on the release (despite having written the original stories (except All at Sea)). Shining Time Station was not mentioned either.
* The music video appears twice in the DVD menu, once in the episode selection and again in the sing-along song menu.
* Some VHS copies are black tapes and some are blue tapes.
* (During an interview) A parent mentions Culdee (thus marking the 1st time the Culdee Fell Railway has been alluded to in a television series production).
* The live-action segments were filmed at the Strasburg Rail Road in Strasburg, Pennsylvania. This railroad would be used for filming again in Thomas and the Magic Railroad.
* Julia Weinstein (who was a producer for Shining Time Station) was post-production supervisor for this.
* The recordings of the Day Out with Thomas event took place between April 30 and May 2, 1999.
* James Goes Buzz Buzz is referred to under its UK title on its title card and the episode selection menu on DVD.
* This is the only VHS release captioned by the National Captioning Centre.
* The original VHS with a 2000-2004 styled ink label came in an original 1999 box (which means it was released in 2000) (but the box did not change until 2001).

## DVD Packs

* Totally Thomas Volume 7
* Ultimate Thomas Collection
* Best Tales on the Tracks