Day out with Thomas

Day Out With Thomas is a trade name, licensed by HiT Entertainment, for tourist events that take place on heritage railways and feature one or more engines decorated to look like characters from the children's TV Show, Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends.

The Nene Valley Railway at Peterborough in England was the first railway in the world to possess a full-scale replica Thomas. This was an industrial tank engine built by Hudswell Clarke in 1947, that has been nicknamed "Thomas" due to its bright blue livery and resemblance to the famous tank engine. In 1971 the Rev. W. Awdry made the name official. Later HiT Entertainment tried unsuccessfully to sue the Nene Valley Railway claiming that this loco was breaching their trademark. However, as the name was given by the Rev. Awdry it has been allowed to remain. However, this "Thomas" does not come under or cannot be used for any HiT Entertainment's "Day Out With Thomas" events.

Since then other tank engines around the world have been dressed up as Thomas. Some heritage railways, most notably the Strasburg Rail Road and Mid Hants Railway, built working locomotives from original engines producing operational replicas of the characters. This caused some controversy among train preservationists who claimed it disfigured historic locomotives and trivialized the preservation movement. However, those in favor claimed the new projects would draw much-needed visitors and would help rekindle interest in steam engines and historical train travel with young children. Since then, railways experienced an increase of income with appearance fees for "Thomases" to railways that do not have a Thomas replica of their own.

From 2008 onwards, many heritage railways in the UK have withdrawn their "Day Out With Thomas" events due to HiT's revised licensing conditions, which includes the requirement for enhanced criminal records (CRB) checks on all the railway's staff and volunteers. However, the "Day Out With Thomas" events have thrived in the United States and Canada.

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Wikipedia