Thread: Gasworks Tunnel
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Old March 9th 21, 05:33 PM posted to uk.transport.london,uk.railway
Graeme Wall Graeme Wall is offline
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Default Gasworks Tunnel

On 09/03/2021 16:48, Marland wrote:
Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 15:44:11 on Tue, 9 Mar 2021,
Sam Wilson remarked:
Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 08:48:09 on Tue, 9 Mar 2021,
Graeme Wall remarked:
On 09/03/2021 08:34, Roland Perry wrote:
In message , at 08:02:52
on Tue, 9 Mar 2021, Trolleybus remarked:
On Mon, 8 Mar 2021 11:45:41 +0000, Roland Perry
wrote:

In message , at 09:44:35 on
Mon, 8 Mar 2021, Trolleybus remarked:
On 7 Mar 2021 11:02:37 GMT, Marland
wrote:

Sigh. Youngsters.

When I were a lad it wasn't The Fat Controller and it certainly wasn't
Sir Topham Hat (who sounds, not coincidently, like a character from
Bridgerton).

It was The Fat Comptroller.

Notwitstanding:

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/...AC_SL1184_.jpg

I have some first edition Thomas books (plus the one with Gordon in the
tunnel: The Three Railway Engines, the first in the series) and the
person in question then was "The Fat Director".

Book 2 "The Fat Director"

Book 3 (James the Red Engine) Arghh - This one seems to be missing from
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* my collection. If someone has an original copy from the 50's
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* maybe they can look.

But by book 4 and onwrds it was "The Fat Controller".

Gordon was rehabilitated in number seven of the series (published 1953)
the forward of which says:

Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* Dear Ian,

Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* You asked for a book about Gordon. Here it is. Gordon has

Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* naughty, and The Fat Controller was stern with him.

Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* Gordon has now learnt his lesson and is a Really Useful
Engine
Â*Â*Â*Â*Â*Â* again.

I wonder if Andrew Lloyd Webber was a Thomas fan.

That seems odd. Have any fictional characters had more names?

Were there different editions, perhaps regional?
Regional books - no I don't recognise that concept.

My memories would be from copies circulating in the 60s.
Mine are from the 50's

I've only one survivor from the 1950s, Toby The Tram Engine, he's
definitely the Fat Controller in that one.

That's number 7, and I've already posted that the name had changed by
number 4.

The only open question is what the name was in number 3.

James The Red Engine was my first Railway book and my first memories are of
The Fat Controller. Take that as any kind of evidence you like.


Sounds good.


And before PC intervened the term “Fat Controller “ was easily understood
and remembered amongst the Target audience of young children, that the
character is instantly remembered by quite a few readers is evidence that
target was well and truly hit. I don’t know when or where this term “ The
Fat Comptroller “ was used but it doesn’t sound like a term that would be
used for Children aged around 6 who will not be aware of the term

Could it have been a misprint on a few books that got through?


Was there ever an American version?


--
Graeme Wall
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