Thomas & Friends (series 5)
| Thomas & Friends (series 5) | |
|---|---|
DVD cover art
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| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| Release | |
| Original network | Cartoon Network |
| Original release | 1 September – 30 October 1998 |
| Series chronology | |
Thomas & Friends (previously known as Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends) is a children's television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series books written by the Rev. W. Awdry.
This article lists and details episodes from the fifth series of the show, which was first broadcast in 1998. This series is narrated by Michael Angelis for the U.K. audiences, while Alec Baldwin narrated the episodes for the U.S. audiences.
The show's staff had decided since Series 3 that most of the best stories of The Railway Series had been adapted, the rest involving too many new characters or closely resembling previous stories. With Series 5, the decision was made to write a full series of original, staff-written stories. One reason for this was producer Britt Allcroft's desire to create a theatrical Thomas the Tank Engine movie, and requested that director David Mitton show off his modelling skills. Series 5 aired in 1998, and the movie Thomas and the Magic Railroad was released two years later. Stock Footage Theme Music From Season 3-4.
Some inspiration for the stories came from a former LMR manager named David Maidment. In 1997, Maidment met with Steven Wright about the possibility of supporting the Railway Children charity, and while Wright told him the series' staff commonly received such requests, they would consider. During their meeting, Maidment relayed stories about his railway experiences working in South Wales and as the manager at Crewe station. Days later, Maidment received a call asking if he would allow some of his stories to be used as material – the stories from The Railway Series were frequently based on true events, and Allcroft and Mitton preferred this. Maidment agreed, and was also asked to review each story to make sure that the railway in the show operated realistically. As a result, Maidment received writing credit alongside Allcroft and Mitton. 10,000 pounds ($14,406 in U.S. dollars) was donated to the Railway Children for his work.
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