Posts Tagged ‘trains’
1
I Think I Can! I Think I Can!
1
Thomas the Tank Engine by Rev W Awdry
We’re all over it in this household when it comes to train analogies, railway terminology and a good train-related quote. Thanks to my train enthusiast 7-year-old son, I have read every train story known to man from The Little Engine that Could and the adventures of the Little Red Train to more Thomas the Tank Engine stories than I would ever have thought possible. If it is a story with a train as a central character I’ve been there, done that. We’ve even gone old school and often revisit Tootle and The Little Red Caboose. And did I hear someone mention The Polar Express. Yes. We’ve been there too (book and movie).
So, when I decided that it was time to draw a line in the sand and declare myself officially over the mental lethargy
The Little Engine That Could
that has plagued me for so long, it is not surprising that is was phrases from some of our ‘favourite’ train stories that came to mind. I have been psyching myself up to taking action with the mantra ‘I think I can! I think I can!’ and after several weeks of planning, organising and procrastinating, I’m finally ready to declare that I am ready to be Responsible, Reliable and Really Useful (the Fat Controller would be so proud).
So to all those who have endured my extreme disorganisation and vagueness in recent times, I can only apologise. Meredith, Adele, Alison, Laura, Tania, Helen, Jennifer, various book publicists, my accountant and all those friends who are still waiting for me to follow through with my assurances that I will call soon, thank you for your patience. I know that you have probably been mumbling frustrated words under your breath, but I am extremely grateful that you accepted my numerous excuses and gave me room to get myself refocused and ready to face the world again.
Of course, I could simply claim that I have been in hard core, elite-level training for an International Procrastination Championship. Seriously, if they ever introduce procrastination as a competitive sport and I am primed and ready to represent my country at any time – just as soon as I have a cup of tea, check Twitter and Facebook, read a chapter or two of whatever novel I find at the top of my TBR pile, fold the washing and refill the water filter.
I'm finally on the right track (I hope).
So, it’s time to get on track, stoke the fire and power full steam ahead into the exciting new adventures that are just around the bend, both known and unknown. I’m looking forward to it and because I really have read about a gazillion Thomas the Tank Engine stories, I am ready for whatever challenges might arise in the future, unlike the engines on the Island of Sodor who seem to have some memory issues since they are continually surprised that the bridge is out, that there has been a landslide due to a freakish winter storm and that old mine tunnels collapse at the most inconvenient times.
Wish me luck!
1
This is What Optimism Looks Like
1Have you ever wondered what Optimism looks like? No? Well, I’ll give you a moment so that you can see what you come up with….
*quietly humming The Girl from Ipanema to myself while you think deep thoughts*
So. What do you think? Something in a kind of sunshiny yellow colour? A large smiley face? A glass half full with a side order of just-the-way-I-like-it?
Well, I hate to disappoint you, but this is what optimism looks like:
How do I know? Elementary, my dear Watson!
(see how I worked that literary reference in there? Smooth. Trying to keep in character so that I don’t scare away the Sydney Writers’ Centre Best Australian Blog 2011 judges)
We apologise for that shameless self-promotion. Normal service will be resumed as soon as possible…
Sorry. As I was saying. I know that this is what Optimism looks like, because I packed both of these notebooks in my bag today to take on a train trip to Sydney (and back) with my three children and my parents. Yes, I thought that I would have time to make notes for some book reviews, list a few article and blog post ideas, scribble out a To Do list or two and maybe come up with some thoughts on my new blog.
On reflection, perhaps Optimism is a sunshiny yellow smiley face. These notebooks are probably more an indication of what Insanity looks like.
Needless to say, I did absolutely no writing at all, despite spending more than 5.5 hours travelling today. That doesn’t mean that the notebooks weren’t used, however. My 7-year-old son happily took one book during the trip home to draw trains and some weird kind of comic strip about a ball.
The other notebook was used for drawing and playing naughts & crosses (by my 10-year-old daughter) and writing out maths problems (by my 12-year-old son – yes, I know that this is weird. Thanks for pointing it out).
There was plenty of time when the books weren’t in use, but really, why did I think I would have time to concentrate when I had at least one of five people talking to me at any given time, most notably a railway-obsessed 7-year-old who thought that EVERYTHING was fascinating and wanted to make sure that he shared his enthusiasm with everyone else?
Nevertheless, if I had to make the same trip again (which I no doubt will), I will once again pack in my notebook ‘just in case’. You never know when the muse will strike.
So, what do you think? Is packing in notebooks extreme optimism or complete insanity? If you are a writer, do you always have a notebook on hand ‘just in case’?
In an act of complete randomness, I leave you with this rather cute photo (well, to me, anyway) of my mother teaching my daughter how to knit on the train.
1
Book Review – Thomas and His Friends Collection by Rev. W. Awdry
1Title: Thomas and His Friends Collection – 60th Anniversary Edition
Author: Rev. W. Awdry
Publisher: Dean (imprint of Egmont Books Ltd), 2005 (220 pages)
ISBN: 0-603-56211-6
Suitable age: 4+ (for adult to read stories)
While reading my son his bedtime story tonight, I was reminded of just how lovely the original Thomas the Tank Engine stories are.
The range of modern Thomas the Tank Engine books includes educational titles teaching colours, numbers and words, activity books, My Thomas Story Library titles and various other books including Thomas and the Blackout.
We have the 60th Anniversary edition of the Thomas and His Friends Collection. The stories will be familiar to some readers, but they are more detailed than the simplified Story Library books and the collection includes extra stories about the central Thomas and Friends engines including:
- Thomas the Tank Engine
- Percy the Small Engine
- Toby the Tram Engine
- Edward the Blue Engine
- Gordon the Big Engine
- Henry the Green Engine
- James the Red Engine
Other engines mentioned include Duck, BoCo, Mavis, and familiar characters including Terence the tractor, Bertie the bus and Mrs Kyndley.
My son loves these having these Thomas stories read to him and I find the original stories quite enchanting and I love the older illustrations. This book is perfect for snuggling up with your favourite little Thomas fan and marvelling at the fact that stories written more than sixty years ago can continue to hold such an overwhelming fascination for modern children.
Related review: Make your Own My Thomas Story Library Book.
1
Book Review – Thomas and the Blackout
1Title: Thomas and the Blackout – A Searchlight Book
Author: Based on the Railway Series by Reverend W Audry
Publisher: Egmont, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4052-4171-7
With a train-obsessed son, I have seen more than my fair share of Thomas the Tank Engine books. Not that he limits his interest to our favourite responsible, reliable and really useful little blue tank engine, but given his age (five) Thomas does appear rather frequently as a bedtime book selection.
It’s not everyday that one of his Thomas books grabs the attention of my other children (who at 8 and 10 feel that are past such things), but Thomas and the Blackout has been rather popular.
The premise of the story is that there has been a blackout on the Island of Sodor. It is night-time and no-one can see where they are going to get home. The book features Thomas illustrations on transparency pages alternating with standard pages that are entirely black. When viewed unaided with the black page in the background, the transparency image is almost impossible to see.
Fortunately, Harold the Helicopter is able to save the day. Children can remove a cut-out of Harold with a spotlight shining. When placed behind the transparency pages, the white “beam” of the spotlight makes it possible to see the illustration.
The story asks children to find specific images in the illustration, although after one or two reads through they can find these quickly. Getting them to explore the rest of the picture is then more fun – find the red car, the yellow flower, the cow etc.
If you know a young Thomas fan, Thomas and the Blackout is sure to be a popular choice for a birthday present or other gift. Alternatively, check out the review of the DIY My Thomas Story Library book for another Thomas the Tank Engine gift idea.
1
Make Your Own My Thomas Story Library Book
1Don’t you love it when you find the perfect birthday gift for someone and manage to remember it when it comes time to actually buy them a birthday present?
Several months ago I was browsing the Egmont UK website when I came across the ‘You’ and the Birthday Surprise DIY Thomas book. Presented in the My Thomas Library Book format, you can design a character to match you child and have their name appear in the book title and throughout the story. Their personalised picture also appears on the cover and throughout the book.
Now I realise that these DIY books are nothing new. I can remember having similar books when I was young (many, many years ago), but this is in the format of the familiar Story Library books and I have to admit that printing technology has come along way since I received one of the “story featuring your child” books as a kid.
Available exclusively through the Egmont UK website, you can personalise this book with your child’s name, hair style/colour, eye colour, skin tone, shirt colour and gender. Whether boy or girl, they appear in t-shirt, blue jeans and red sneakers. You can also choose the name of one friend that will also appear throughout the story, although you cannot personalise the appearance of this character.
I managed to remember this website when the time came to buy my son’s birthday gifts and I am so glad I went to the trouble of getting a friend in the UK to receive the book and forward it on to me (delivery is only available in the UK). My son LOVES this book, especially one of the final pages when Thomas’ driver invites him to ride in the engine cab. You’d think he was actually there himself.
Even with the exchange rate, this book worked out to be a very reasonable price for a special birthday gift. Current price is £7.99 with no charge for postage.
1
Book Review – Railway Portraits by Robert and Bruce Wheatley
1Title: Railway Portraits
Author: Robert Wheatley and Bruce Wheatley
Publisher: WriteLight, 2006 (112 pages)
ISBN: 0-9752450-6-6
Topic: Steam Engines + Australian Railroad History
One of the highlights of our recent excursion to Hunter Valley Steam Fest at Maitland was meeting Robert and Bruce Wheatley and purchasing a signed copy of their book Railway Portraits.
More than a book about steam engines, this collection of black and white photographs captures the spirit of the age of steam.
I am by no stretch of the imagination a railway enthusiast, but even I find the photographs in Railway Portraits fascinating. They are more than snapshots of trains and stations and they are more than a record of social and technological change and advancement.
For me, these photographs are intrinsically artistic, capturing not only moments in time but also preserving a glimpse of what makes the Age of Steam so fascinating for so many. What makes the artistic beauty of the shots even more remarkable is the age of the photographers, just 13 and 16, when their passion for steam engines and railways first led them to capture images of the railway life and “essence of the steam locomotive”.
Photographs span the years 1964 to 1979 and include images capturing the everyday life of railway workers driving and maintaining the engines. There are images of couplings, backplates, fittings and even the Goulburn North signal box cat (taken in 1978). My favourites are the two photographs of young children hanging over picket fences to gaze with fascination at a passing train.
Robert and Bruce mentioned another project soon to be completed and I admit that I can’t wait to see what other treasures their passion for steam engines and photography might produce. Watch this space for more details.
Visit Suite101.com to read a more detailed review of Railway Portraits.
