Dockyard Films

A photo of the studio on the outside

**Dockyard Films** is a studio founded on January 23, 1941, in London. It is the studio that created Engines Of Eight and a few other cartoons.

## Company information

* Formerly: N/A
* Type: Unknown (possibly a privately held company)
* Founded: 1941-01-23
* Defunct: 2001-10-15
* Fate: Financial difficulties and the loss of their flagship show (Closure of 2001), Fire (Removal of Existence in 2011)
* Successors: Geo Bluecropper Studios (spiritually, beginning on February 18, 2014)
* Headquarters: Iver, London, United Kingdom
* Products: Engines of Eight, Victor Vicar, Jizzle the Clown, and Alberto El Pato
* Owner: Johnathan Dockyard (1973-2001)
* Number of employees: unknown (no specific information available)
* Divisions: TBA

## History

The company was founded on January 23, 1941, in Iver, London, by Sullivan Calderon (1907–1989) and Morgan Bauer (1909–1998). The company got its name due to its close proximity to Ruislip Lido Beach and its founders' love for the ocean. Calderon and Bauer would begin by making cel-drawn animation films and stop-motion films with wood, clay, and other materials. In May of 1945, Bauer would pick up a yellow book at a book store called The Three Railway Engines by Wilbert Awdry. This book would inspire the company to make an animated version of the book. Production started in October 1945 and would eventually be finished in August 1946, with the companies' executives giving a copy to Wilbert Awdry the same day that Thomas the Tank Engine (his second book) was published and released. Wilbert was very mixed about this animation of his first book, reportedly saying to Calderon and Bauer, "While I appreciate the attempt you two made to bring my book to life through animation, I have some reservations about this. The visual representation doesn't align very well with the images I had in mind while writing the book. However, I am grateful for your efforts and the recognition it brings to my work." Calderon and Bauer wouldn't get to air this on television due to the response from Wilbert. But the dreams of making a show about talking trains wouldn't go away just yet.

On September 2, 1953, Dockyard Films made their first big break with a show called Victor Vicar, a show about a clergyman and his various encounters with everyday things. All of the work was done with wooden stop-motion animation, giving the show a unique and charming aesthetic. The success of Victor Vicar paved the way for Dockyard Films to explore more ambitious projects, fueling their determination to make more shows using all sorts of styles. On September 8, 1958, a series named Jizzle the Clown was released. This show introduced a completely different style of animation, using vibrant colors and fluid movements to bring the character of Jizzle to life. The innovative approach captivated audiences and solidified Dockyard Films' reputation as pioneers in the animation industry.

In the 1960s, Dockyard Films was at an all-time high. On March 5, 1960, the company released a show called Alberto El Pato, a show about a Spanish duck that gets into all sorts of adventures. Alberto El Pato quickly became a sensation, captivating viewers with his humorous storytelling and lovable characters. The show's success further cemented Dockyard Films' position as a leading animation studio, attracting a dedicated fan base and opening doors for future creative endeavors. In 1963, the company's new CEOs, John Smith (1938–2008) and Emily Johnson (1947–2018), began hiring live-action film makers to make a show to fulfill the dream that Calderon and Bauer wished to achieve: making a show about talking trains.

Based primarily on various Tom-Foolery Comics and Wilbert Awdry's Railway Series, the show Engines of Eight had its pilot filmed in 1968, and the project would be green-lit for a series of four episodes shortly after. On May 5, 1973, Engines of Eight would be broadcast on television and immediately gain a dedicated fan base. The show was so successful that Dockyard Films eventually concluded their other three properties. Re-runs of the first four episodes of Engines of Eight would be re-aired in 1974–1976, as the show was renewed for another 17 episodes, extending its total run to 21 episodes. The fifth episode would air on June 9, 1977, and the show's first season would continue to air until October 17, 1978.

The show was very well liked and was quickly renewed for another season. The second season was aired beginning on January 22, 1980, consisting of another 21 episodes, bringing the total number of episodes to 42. The success of the show continued to grow, attracting a dedicated fan base and earning critical acclaim for its compelling storylines and talented cast.

Dockyard Films temporarily shut down in 1983. A gas leak is believed to be the probable reason because employees began feeling they were under the influence of carbon monoxide poisoning. So, Crownmire Enterprises completed Series 3 of Engines of Eight. This resulted in what fans said was "the beginning of the end for Engines of Eight," as the quality of the show noticeably declined. Despite this setback, loyal fans remained hopeful for a revival and eagerly awaited the return of Dockyard Films to regain the magic that made Engines of Eight a beloved series.

Dockyard Films would reopen in 1987 and immediately begin working on a fourth season of EOE to wash out the taste of Series 3. The production team at Dockyard Films was determined to address the concerns raised by fans and restore the show's former glory. In the 1990s, Dockyard Films had already begun to decline. They pumped out Engines of Eight's last season (Series 5) beginning in 1993, with the episodes being released in little clusters over the next few years. In 1999, a big blow came to Dockyard Films when The Britt Allcroft Company sued them over the similarities between Engines of Eight and their own show, Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. The court case sided with the Britt Allcroft Company, and Dockyard Studios mostly ended Engines of Eight before Series 5 could fully finish airing. The show was last aired on May 31, 2000.

Dockyard Films would later go out of business on October 15, 2001, due to financial difficulties and the loss of their flagship show. The closure of Dockyard Films marked the end of an era, and many unitedly agreed that it was a significant loss for the whole children's entertainment industry.

The company's building and props would eventually be repurposed into a storage facility archive that was opened on December 4, 2001. Sadly, the building was burned to the ground on March 8, 2011. The cause of the fire was a gas leak that ended up being spotted too late. All of the props from the shows that Dockyard Films made that could be saved were given to crewmembers. Dockyard Films would go forgotten following the beginning of the March 13, 2011, week.

In 2014, a YouTube channel called Geo Bluecropper Studios was formed. It is often theorized that this channel is a spiritual successor to Dockyard Films, but very little to no evidence confirms if this is true or not. In 2023, he made Trainz Engines of Eight, a rebooted version of the show using recreated models in Trainz.