Rediscovered Thomas & Friends pilot to be released

A rediscovered and restored version of the pilot episode of Thomas & Friends, the animated children's steam train series narrated by Sir Ringo Starr, is set to be seen for the first time since 1983.

The original test episode, titled Down The Mine, will appear online on Friday 9 May to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the famous talking tank engine franchise.

The popular character began his adventures in a book published in 1945 which was later adapted into a TV show, which ran from 1984 until 2021.

The 40-year-old plus recording of the original pilot - shot on 35mm film - has been dug up and updated digitally, and will be made available to view on YouTube at 18:00 BST.

Beatles drummer Sir Ringo can be heard narrating in the new footage alongside a slightly different bespoke musical arrangement of the theme tune by longtime series composer Mike O' Donnell.

Ian McCue, the series producer on the show from 2010 to 2020, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Friday the team had "stumbled across" the old film cans which had been put in storage and "had to piece it together with great love and care."

"I think that you can see that there's teething problems that they would have had had they not done that [the pilot]," he explained.

"It was a very smart move to do that and to make sure everything was good for when they started season one.

"So obviously smoke coming from behind Thomas's face plate, and I know that, having talked to some of the crew that worked on it, they had problems with the radio control devices not getting through the actual engine builds."

He added: "But I think there's a sort of a lovely charm and innocence about it, and I think even as a pilot, as a test piece, it still has that lovely, classic, timeless story to it, and the voices, everything is just so delightful."

Thomas first appeared on ITV before moving to Cartoon Network, Nick Jr, Channel 5 and can now be found on Netflix.

McCue attributes the show's enduring popularity to its evolution over time while maintaining themes of friendship and teamwork, aligned with its trustworthiness for parents.

"Over the years, it's built up this amazing fandom, but we keep thinking about our next generation of Thomas fans, and keep it relevant for today," he said.

"But we always remember the themes, the messages of friendship and teamwork and communication, and just make sure they're just fun, wholesome adventures and it's a trusted show.

"I think parents actually enjoy the fact that they could leave their children to watch Thomas without any concern."

Roberto Stanichi, from toy company Mattel, agreed that Thomas had "brought joy to generations, sharing timeless stories and valuable life lessons".

"As we celebrate this momentous year, we're unveiling 40-year-old footage and newly uncovered stories from the vault for the first time ever, offering longtime fans and new audiences the chance to reconnect with the beloved adventures of Thomas & Friends in new and nostalgic ways," he said.

The franchise will also put original pieces from the brand's history up for auction, to mark the big birthday celebrations, including artwork and props from the stop-motion scenes that first aired in 1984.

Collectors and fans will have the chance to bid for items signed by celebrities who have voiced characters on the long-running series down the years, including English actors Olivia Colman, Eddie Redmayne and Hugh Bonneville.

The proceeds from the auction - which is open for registration now, with bidding to commence from the 12 May - will be donated to the National Autistic Society.