Jim Prower
Passenger Engine
Now as Sir Handel!
Posts: 803
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Post by Jim Prower on Mar 6, 2010 14:14:45 GMT
Dear Sir Handel, 1. Do you miss Duke now he seems to have dissappeared from the face of Sodor? 2. Which engine on the railway is your best friend? 3. What colour paint do you prefer; blue or red? 4. Do you think your portrayal in the books and on TV is accurate? 5. It was said you were away at the quarry all summer, just how long does a summer on Sodor last? 6. Have you really grown up during your time away? If yes why do you think this is? &. Any idea why Skarloey and Rheneas have mentally reverted to the level of children since season 9? 1. Miss Granpuff? How could I? He's still around, still giving his "advice." You just never see him on camera because the scripts "Would never suit his grace!" Privately, I rather agree with him. 2. On the Skarloey? Probably Peter Sam. We're like brothers, he and I. Certainly, we have our differences, but we always make amends in the end. 3. Tough question. When the film crews aren't here, I'm red, but I think I like being blue more. Reminds me of my time on the Mid-Sodor, and makes me stand out a bit more. 4. Oh, Most definitely the Thin Clergyman's books! The television writers made me...ME, not Rheneas or Skarloey, an old, slow, worn-out excuse for an engine! 5. It goes from June to August, like anywhere else North of the Equator. It was simply to add insult to injury, make my return to the series even less believable. I really think those writers still hold a grudge against me... 6. I'm....not entirely certain what you mean. "Grow up?" If you're referring to the fact that I seemed to get older, again, blame the writers! &. See above. Believe me, when they saw the script, Rheneas nearly blew his safety valve clean off! Well, he is certainly not my secret superhero identity, and there is NOT a set of yellow vinyl wraps and a giant headlamp made to fit an engine of my exact shape and size lying around the shed! A bit bossy and old-fashioned...They're good engines, though. A bit like Duke...only not quite as reliant on "his grace." I certainly hope not! That one gives me the creeps every time Peter Sam... I MEAN... UM... NEXT!
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Post by Little Engine on Mar 6, 2010 15:03:04 GMT
Where was your brother Albert when they were filming, and would Stanley have appeared in the tv series?
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Post by trainzfan on Mar 6, 2010 16:42:52 GMT
Have Skarloey and Rheneas ever considered telling HiT that either they get their old personalities back or they go on strike until they do?
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Maxine
Passenger Engine
Posts: 593
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Post by Maxine on Mar 6, 2010 17:02:11 GMT
Dear Sir Handel,
1. What was your most favorite episode to film?
2. What is Rusty like?
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D
Shunting Engine
20%
Posts: 64
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Post by D on Mar 6, 2010 17:49:22 GMT
Have Skarloey and/or Rheneas told that the story about Godred was made-up or was it really true and the Thin Clergyman said that as not to upset readers ?
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Jim Prower
Passenger Engine
Now as Sir Handel!
Posts: 803
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Post by Jim Prower on Mar 7, 2010 1:23:00 GMT
Where was your brother Albert when they were filming, and would Stanley have appeared in the tv series? It's an interesting thing, that...They actually re-opened parts of the Mid-Sodor to film those episodes! based on the True Stories about us! The line work wasn't all that great, but at least it was nice to go nome for just that little while. As for Albert...I've no clue. I hope he found a nice home, and never met the scrapper's torch. As for Stanley...no. They actually found him...too far gone. Poor thing...every engine deserves a chance. Interesting bit of trivia...that actually is Rheneas playing Smudger! He said it was fun to get into a devious side...they didn't actually take his wheels off for the "Generator" Scene, either! Unfortunately, the television show is an important source of revenue for us, bad scripts or not. Rheneas and Skarloey remain adamant about keeping this line open ever since it was threatened with closure. It's not entirely bad, though. 1. of the HiT era episodes? Probably "Thomas and the Big Bang." Fun to smash all that up, get messy...become like a child again, really. I think, though, the one that takes the cake were the ones that told the story about Granpuff and our old line. Like I said, we actually got to go back home for a little while! It was only temporary, but it felt good. The lines they opened up were a couple sections of the mountain line, and sheds modeled after our old ones. The travel between sections was done by Lorry...not exactly dignified, but it didn't matter much to us. 2. Rusty's a good engine, I suppose, though I don't envy his work. Dirty trucks and dirty maintenance...You should have heard him when the narrator confused him for a girl, though! When that episode aired and Driver told him...well...he wasn't exactly pleased, I'll tell you that! He does laugh about it now. ...th...they made it up? SKARLOEY!!!!!
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Post by Rusty Red Scrap Iron on Mar 7, 2010 1:28:17 GMT
Dear Sir Handel,
Do you reckon you'll get your own back on Gordon after he told you about the 'pretending to be ill' segment?
Also, how come you've aged to Duke's age and Peter Sam hasn't and does you becoming old like Duke make Skarloey and Rheneas younger or something?
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Post by Old Square Wheels on Mar 7, 2010 4:05:02 GMT
Just another couple of questions for you, Mr. Handel, Sir. Firstly, quoting from The Little Old Engine: "Vulgar, I call it. Fancy traipsing about making an exhibition of yourslves. I won't do it, I tell you. Tellysomething indeed!" ...yet forty years on, there you were gracing our screens. Why the change in opinion? By the way, I find that quote particularly satisfying to read in this age of reality TV Secondly, I'm not sure if you can disclose this information yet, but will you be following the example of the main lines engines and being converted into CGI for the next series?
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Maxine
Passenger Engine
Posts: 593
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Post by Maxine on Mar 7, 2010 6:52:03 GMT
Dear Sir Handel,
Why have only Thomas and James worked with The Skarloey Railway for the past few seasons?
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Tayhan
Passenger Engine
Nothing but blue skies and clear tracks, and a good head of steam.
Posts: 554
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Post by Tayhan on Mar 7, 2010 8:17:10 GMT
Dear Sir Handel
Your incident with George the Steamroller has undoubtedl given you a firm opinion of George, but does that apply to all steamrollers? And what about other steam-powered road vehicles, like traction engines and steam lorries etc?
All the Best, Tayhan.
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Post by trainzfan on Mar 7, 2010 11:22:31 GMT
Dear Sir Handel,
How did you and the coaches actually get on behind the scenes during season 4's filming?
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Jim Prower
Passenger Engine
Now as Sir Handel!
Posts: 803
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Post by Jim Prower on Mar 7, 2010 14:01:58 GMT
Firstly...the older engines all tell me it was my fault for believing him. And I can't quite get him back when he lives halfway across the island...though I think it'd be a splendid joke to stick a bubble machine down his funnel at night, and see his reaction and those of the firelighters when he wakes up next morning!
Secondly...See previous comments about Script Writers...
Well, That WAS forty years ago, and they were simply filming us as we were...no acting involved. I just thought they were getting in the way, then. Now it's scripted...and I do enjoy acting a bit more than just being filmed at work.
There's been rumours about this CGI thing, but none of us know what CGI is. All we know is that the big engines all now say they can do useful work and still get their royalties. Whatever that means.
Well, the producers think Thomas is important and must be in as many episodes as he can. James is a regular visitor during non-filming times, and it just so happened he arrived while we were filming an episode. Must say the Wharf Extension is nice.
I haven't met another steamroller, so I can't say others are any better than he. There's probably lots of them who are like minded. "Turn 'em into roads" indeed.
When Edward comes around, though, he tells us about his friend Trevor, and some of the steam lorries around the island visit now and again, so they're fairly nice. There's that Scammel who's watched a bit too much Rallying, though...
Oh, dear. Those were actually Ruth, Lucy, Jemima, Agnes and Beatrice, the Cattle Trucks. They STILL have it out for me after all these years. They actually derailed me on my way BACK DOWN, AFTER we'd filmed, AS I was taking the film crew back to the main line...
and you wonder why I dissappeared until Season 10. I'm so glad to have Gertrude and Milicent...
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Post by Rusty Red Scrap Iron on Mar 7, 2010 15:05:07 GMT
Dear Sir Handel,
Which TV Series storyteller do you prefer voicing your goodself: Michael Angelis, George Carlin or Michael Brandon?
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Post by edwardisahero on Mar 7, 2010 15:30:32 GMT
Dear Sir Handel, 1. Who do you prefer as a boss; the fat controller or the thin controller? 2. Where is your favourie place on the line? 3. What happened to the original sheds and Crovans gate station since season 4? 4. Who is your favourite full gauge engine? 5. Do you ever wish you were full gauge? 6. Which do you pull more often; goods or passangers? 7. Which do you prefer; goods or passangers? 8. Do you get on well with the other engines?
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Post by trainzfan on Mar 7, 2010 19:14:12 GMT
Dear Sir Handel,
1. Is Bertram Duke's evil twin, or just a repaint of Duke?
2. What do you consider to be:
a) The worst narrow gauge episode to have been made?
and b) The worst programme on British TV?
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Maxine
Passenger Engine
Posts: 593
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Post by Maxine on Mar 7, 2010 23:11:35 GMT
Dear Sir Handel,
What do you think of the model of you that's on Sodor Island 3D?
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Jim Prower
Passenger Engine
Now as Sir Handel!
Posts: 803
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Post by Jim Prower on Mar 8, 2010 0:48:25 GMT
I think Angelis. Brandon makes me sound a bit too old...Carlin's not bad, either. Probably a toss-up between him and Angelis.
1. The Thin Controller. The REAL Thin Controller. Sir Hatt's a good man, but poor Mr. Peter Sam. They wouldn't let him on! They said children would get confused between him and the engine Peter Sam! How could they? One's a human and one's an Engine! There's no way anyone could confuse them...
Mr Percival, the actor who now Acts in his place as our "controller," is good enough, but he can be a bit abrasive off camera...
SKARLOEY: "Pot calls the Kettle Black!"
Silence, you!
2. My favourite place? I really don't know...the lake loop is nice. It makes our runs easy, too. Just have to watch those points...
3. One word: remodel. The original station is still there, though, at the other end of the yard, near the points for the sheds and up our "main line."
4. Again, I don't know them all. Edward's nice when he comes to visit from his branch, but I do like to associate with Gordon, even if he did fool me.
5. Me? Standard Gauge!? Never! I could never imagine being on anything other than narrow rails!
6. Passengers! I am the Express engine of our line, after all!
7. Passengers, of course! But only in Bogie Coaches. They don't bump about like Cattl...err, four-wheel coaches. I'll take four-wheel coaches, but I don't enjoy it as much. (and for some reason, that's all the filmmakers want us to pull!)
8. Any engine will tell you the same thing: we all have our differences, but if we don't pull together, everything falls apart.
1. "Bertram" is the REASON Granpuff never wanted to be seen on the screen again! Yes, they repainted Granpuff, and then had him meet Toby in that gloomy backwoods...I don't even know where they took him! All he said is that he never wanted to work with these people again!
2a. My Re-Debut appearance. I was cast as pathetic.
2b. ((Ah, great, I don't watch British TV, being American and not having access...but, I have something of a plan))
Driver Tells me of a programme that puts the car over everything...including trains! They even beat that new engine on the Mainland, Tornado! I'll bet George works for them now...
((aaaand I'm really outta luck, here. I Play MSTS.))
I can't say I've ever seen it, but I've heard good things, I suppose it's a worthy facsimile.
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Post by Aidan on Mar 8, 2010 3:23:27 GMT
Dear Sir Handel,
I was wondering which of your whistles you prefer: your Series 4 whistle or your Series 10 and onwards whistle?
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Post by trainzfan on Mar 8, 2010 12:09:17 GMT
Dear Sir Handel,
Where have the SR guard's vans gone recently?
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Revolver
Passenger Engine
Unhappy moth is unhappy.
Posts: 516
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Post by Revolver on Mar 8, 2010 20:08:05 GMT
Dear Sir Handel,
Was there some small period where Peter Sam didn't want to talk to you for a while because of his accident?
How is Duncan? Still the same I'm guessing.
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