Shining Time Station
The Shining Time Station title screen with UP 844
Created byBritt Allcroft
Rick Siggelkow
Directed byMatthew Diamond
Gregory Lehane
Stan Swan
Wayne Moss
John Ferraro
Steve Wright
StarringRingo Starr
George Carlin
Didi Conn
Leonard Jackson
Tom Jackson
Nicole Leach
Jason Woliner
Erica Luttrell
Ari Magder
Danielle Marcot
Brian O'Connor
Jonathan Freeman
Theme music composerJoe Raposo
Opening theme"Shining Time Station Theme" sung by Kevin Roth
ComposersJoe Raposo
Paul Derrick Mason (season 1)
Stacey Hersh (seasons 2 & 3)
Country of originUnited States
Canada (seasons 2 & 3)
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes70
Production
Executive producersDonald Johnson (1989)
Angus Wright (1989)
Britt Allcroft (1991–1995)
Rick Siggelkow (1991–1995)
Jerry Hamza (1995)
ProducersBritt Allcroft (1989–1990)
Rick Siggelkow (1989–1990)
Nancy Chapelle (1991–1995)
Jim Corston (1995)
Running time28 minutes
60 minutes (1995 specials)
Production companiesQuality Family Entertainment
WNET-TV
Catalyst Entertainment (seasons 2 & 3)
YTV Canada (seasons 2 & 3)
Original release
NetworkPBS (USA)
YTV (Canada; seasons 2 & 3)
ReleaseJanuary 29, 1989 (1989-01-29) 
June 11, 1993 (regular series)
28 February 1995 (1995-02-28)
20 November 1995 (1995-11-20) (1995 specials)
Related
Thomas & Friends
Noddy

Shining Time Station is a children's television series jointly created by British television producer Britt Allcroft and American television producer Rick Siggelkow. The series was produced by Quality Family Entertainment (the American branch of The Britt Allcroft Company), in association with Catalyst Entertainment in seasons 2 and 3, for New York City's PBS station WNET, and was originally taped in New York City during its first season and in Toronto during the rest of its run. It incorporated sequences from the British television show Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, which was in turn based on the books of The Railway Series written by the Reverend Wilbert Awdry. The series aired on PBS from January 29, 1989, until June 11, 1993, with four hour-long "Family Specials" premiering in primetime throughout 1995. Reruns continued to air on PBS until June 11, 1998.[1][2] It aired on Fox Family from 1998 to 1999. Reruns of the show aired on Nick Jr. to promote the theatrical release of Thomas and the Magic Railroad beginning June 5, 2000, and continuing until August 11 that same year, when it was replaced by Dora the Explorer beginning the following Monday. The series also aired on Canadian television networks such as APTN and SCN. Elements from the show were incorporated into the 2000 Thomas and Friends film Thomas and the Magic Railroad.

The initial 1989 season featured a cast that included Ringo Starr as Mr. Conductor, Didi Conn as Stacy Jones, Brian O'Connor as Horace Schemer, Leonard Jackson as Harry Cupper, Jason Woliner as Matt Jones and Nicole Leach as Tanya Cupper. The show was retooled for the second (1991) and third (1993) seasons, with only Conn and O'Connor reprising their prior roles. George Carlin replaced Starr as Mr. Conductor, while Erica Luttrell, Ari Magder, Danielle Marcot, and Tom Jackson joined the primary cast in newly created roles. In addition to the three main seasons, a Christmas special featuring the original cast, aired in 1990, and four "family specials" aired in 1995 featuring the second cast. Providing the musical numbers for the show was "The Jukebox Band", a group of puppets. In 1996, only Carlin appeared in a spin-off series called Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales, which featured only six episodes with five Thomas stories and one music video each. The station interior was kept for the spin-off.

Background

After the success of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends in the United Kingdom, Britt Allcroft and her production company teamed up with PBS station WNET in New York City to produce and distribute the sitcom-esque Shining Time Station, every episode of which would include a couple of episodes of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends. The series starred Ringo Starr, George Carlin, Didi Conn, Brian O'Connor, and the Flexitoon Puppets.[3] Ringo Starr, who had already been providing the narration for the British series, agreed to extend the role to include the on-screen character called Mr. Conductor in Shining Time Station. He left the show after its initial season to focus on his musical career and was replaced by George Carlin.

Shining Time Station received critical acclaim. In a review for Entertainment Weekly, Ken Tucker states that, compared to the faster paced Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?, "'Shining Time Station' wants to slow things down. It's an old-fashioned show that creates a gentle, lulling atmosphere to convince children that life is fun and that trains are the way to travel."[4] It was a ratings success as well. In its first season, the show averaged a 0.9 Nielsen rating, translating to about 1.2 million viewers on average. At the peak of its popularity, the show brought in up to 7.5 million viewers per week.[5]

Overview

The Shining Time Station is a fictional train station on the Indian Valley Railroad in an unknown part of the United States. It is managed by Stacy Jones. Its workshop is run in the first season by Harry Cupper, and thereafter by Billy Twofeathers. A local named Horace Schemer, simply referred to as Schemer, runs the station's arcade and serves as the series' comic relief. He often comes up with tricks and schemes (hence his surname) to get his ways, although they usually backfire on him as a result of his foolishness. The narrative is driven by regular and incidental visitors to the station.

Mr. Conductor is a tiny man who lives in a signal house inside the station's mural and tells the stories taken from Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends to the kids. He also introduces songs to the kids in The Anything Tunnel. Sometimes, he may present a magic bubble to the kids that has the song inside as a way of introducing it. On occasion, the kids may look through a film viewer to see the song or film.

Cast

Series regulars (1989–1995)

Season 1 regulars (1989)

Christmas Special characters (1990)

Seasons 2 & 3 regulars (1991–1993)

Recurring characters (full series; 1989–1995)

  • Jerome Dempsey – Mayor Osgood Bob Flopdinger
  • Mart Hulswit – Mr. J.B. King, Esq.
  • Bobo Lewis – Midge Smoot

Recurring characters (Seasons 2 & 3; 1991–1993)

1995 Family Specials characters

The Jukebox Band

  • Steve Horelick – Composer and Music Producer
  • Jonathan Freeman – Tito Swing The Piano Man
  • Olga Marin – Didi The Drummer
  • Wayne White – Tex The Guitarist (1989)
  • Alan Semok – Tex The Guitarist (1990–1995)
  • Craig Marin – Rex The Guitarist
  • Peter Baird/Alan Semok/Vaneese Thomas – Grace The Bass Player (1989)
  • Peter Baird/Kenny Miele – Grace The Bass Player (1990–1995)

The songs were arranged and performed by Steve Horelick with Larry Wolf. They featured vocal performances by Rory Dodd, Vaneese Thomas, Emily Bindinger and Jonathan Freeman.

Segments

The intro to each episode consists of the main theme song of the show, played to footage of the Union Pacific Steam Locomotive 844 and the credits of the series' characters. Only the first verse is sung for the beginning theme. The closing credits contain more shots of the Union Pacific 844, in addition to the full Shining Time Station theme song. For the Christmas special "'Tis A Gift" the footage used for the opening and closing sequences were filmed at the Grand Canyon Railway in Williams, Arizona and features their locomotive #18.

  • Flexitoons Puppets & Marionettes – The Jukebox Band – the show's station band that performs a song inside the jukebox. They consist of pianist Tito Swing, drummer Didi, guitarists Tex and Rex (who control the guitar together), and bass guitarist Grace Bass. JJ Silvers is the manager of The Jukebox Band.
  • Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends – Storytellers, Ringo Starr and George Carlin.
  • The Anything Tunnel – Inside the anything tunnel, which is the tunnel on the station mural, there is a song with a cartoon, a stop motion clip, or a live action one. Sometimes instead of the anything tunnel, Mr. Conductor would show a magic bubble or one of the kids looks through a film viewer.

Episodes

Season 1 (1989)

Mr. Conductor: Ringo Starr[6]

No.TitleDirected byWritten byThomas storiesThe Jukebox Band's SongsMusic VideoAir Date
1"A Place Unlike Any Other"Matthew DiamondBrian McConnachieThomas Gets TrickedEdward Helps Out"I've Been Working on the Railroad""Start Where You Are"January 29, 1989
2"Does it Bite?"Matthew DiamondBrian McConnachieCome Out, Henry!Henry to the Rescue"Camptown Races""Don't Be Afraid"February 5, 1989
3"And the Band Played Off"Matthew DiamondBrian McConnachieA Big Day for ThomasTrouble for Thomas"She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain""Learn from Your Mistakes"February 12, 1989
4"Pitching In and Helping Out"Matthew DiamondEllis WeinerThomas Saves the DayJames Learns a Lesson"Railroad Corral" February 19, 1989
5"Show and Yell"Matthew DiamondBrian McConnachieFoolish Freight CarsA Proud Day for James"Freight Train""Bounce Back"February 26, 1989
6"Faith, Hope and Anxiety"Matthew DiamondBrian McConnachieThomas and the ConductorThomas Goes Fishing"Wabash Cannonball""The Kite Song"March 5, 1989
7"Agree to Disagree"Matthew DiamondEllis WeinerTerence the TractorThomas and Bertie's Great Race"Abilene""We Do Things Differently"March 12, 1989
8"Whistle While You Work"Matthew DiamondEllis WeinerTenders and TurntablesTrouble in the Shed"Pop Goes the Weasel""Let's All Work Together"March 19, 1989
9"Two Old Hands"Matthew DiamondEllis WeinerPercy Runs AwayThomas Comes to Breakfast"A Railroader for Me""Baking a Cake"March 26, 1989
10"Happy Accidents"Matthew DiamondAlan KingsbergHenry's Special CoalThe Flying Kipper"Wreck of the Old 97"April 2, 1989
11"Ring in the Old"Matthew DiamondAlan KingsbergToby the Tram EngineThomas Breaks the Rules"Train Is a Comin'""Old But Wise"April 9, 1989
12"Impractical Jokes"Matthew DiamondEllis WeinerA Cow on the LineOld Iron"Poor Paddy Works on the Railway"April 16, 1989
13"Finders Keepers"Gregory LehaneBrian McConnachieDouble TroubleJames in a Mess"The Desperado"Tubby the Tuba (excerpt)April 23, 1989
14"Just Wild About Harry's Workshop"Gregory LehaneEllis WeinerDuck Takes ChargePercy Proves a Point"Union Train""What Goes Around Comes Around"April 30, 1989
15"Promises, Promises"Gregory LehaneEllis WeinerBetter Late Than NeverPop Goes the Diesel"Oh! Susanna" May 7, 1989
16"Word's Out"Gregory LehaneBrian McConnachieDiesel's Devious DeedA Close Shave for Duck"Jesse James""Be Good to Yourself"May 14, 1989
17"Too Many Cooks"Gregory LehaneEllis WeinerGordon Takes a DipDown the Mine"The Ballad of Casey Jones" May 21, 1989
18"Mapping it Out"Gregory LehaneEllis WeinerThe RunawayPercy Takes the Plunge"Red River Valley""Follow Directions"May 28, 1989
19"Things That Go Ga-Hooga in the Night"Gregory LehaneBrian McConnachiePercy's Ghostly TrickWoolly Bear"Oh My Darling, Clementine" June 4, 1989
20"Is This the End?"Gregory LehaneBrian McConnachieSaved from ScrapA New Friend for Thomas"Little Black Train" June 11, 1989

Christmas Special (1990)

Mr. Conductor: Ringo Starr

TitleDirected byWritten byThomas storiesThe Jukebox Band's SongsMusic VideoAir Date
"'Tis a Gift"Gregory LehaneBrian McConnachieTV: Terence the Tractor
VHS: Thomas' Christmas Party
TV: Thomas' Christmas Party
VHS: Thomas and the Missing Christmas Tree
"Over the River and Through the Wood"
"Jingle Bells"
"It's Christmas time at the Railway Station"
"Simple Gifts"
"The Hobo Song"November 25, 1990

Season 2 (1991)

Mr. Conductor: George Carlin[7]

No.TitleDirected byWritten byThomas storiesThe Jukebox Band's SongsMusic VideoAir Date
1"Scare Dares"Stan SwanEllis WeinerPercy's Ghostly TrickThomas, Percy and the Dragon"Midnight Special""What Am I Afraid Of?"November 18, 1991
2"Oh, What a Tangled Web"Stan SwanSean KellyDiesel's Devious DeedNo Joke for James"Mama Don't Allow" November 19, 1991
3"The Magic is Believing"Stan SwanBrian McConnachieOld IronEdward's Exploit"Nine Hundred Miles" November 20, 1991
4"Win, Lose or Draw"Stan SwanJill GolickDouble TroubleGordon and the Famous Visitor"Arkansas Traveler" November 21, 1991
5"Sweet and Sour"Gregory LehaneWilson ConeybeareDonald and DouglasThe Deputation"Erie Canal" November 22, 1991
6"Achoo"Stan SwanBrian McConnachieTrust ThomasWhistles and Sneezes"Cosher Bailey's Engine""Caring"November 25, 1991
7"A Dog's Life"Gregory LehaneWilson ConeybeareJames in a MessThe Trouble with Mud"Home on the Range" November 26, 1991
8"Field Day"Gregory LehaneSean KellyPercy Proves a PointThomas and Bertie's Great Race"Take Me Out to the Ball Game""Everyone's a Winner"November 27, 1991
9"Wrong Track"Gregory LehaneWilson ConeybeareThomas Saves the DayDown the Mine"Sweet Betsy from Pike" November 28, 1991
10"Washout"Gregory LehaneJill GolickBertie's ChasePercy's Promise"Cumberland Gap" November 29, 1991
11"Crackpot"Stan SwanJill GolickWoolly BearHenry's Forest"John Henry" December 16, 1991
12"Yabba, Yabba, Yabba"Stan SwanEllis WeinerPop Goes the DieselDiesel Does it Again"Old Dan Tucker" December 17, 1991
13"Nickel in a Pickle"Gregory LehaneWilson ConeybeareThomas Comes to BreakfastThomas Gets Bumped"My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean" December 18, 1991
14"Stop the Press"Stan SwanSean KellyPercy and the SignalA Big Day for Thomas"Tennessee Central (Number 9)" December 19, 1991
15"He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not"Gregory LehaneSean KellyThomas, Percy and the Mail Train"Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair""Would He Ever"December 20, 1991
16"Double Trouble"Gregory LehaneDon ArioliThe DiseaselDonald's Duck"This Train" December 23, 1991
17"Is Anybody There?"Gregory LehanePeter WildmanThomas Goes FishingA Scarf for Percy"Chattanooga Choo Choo" December 24, 1991
18"Do I Hear"Gregory LehaneWilson ConeybeareMavisToby's Tightrope"The Riddle Song""Better When He Grows Up"December 25, 1991
19"Jingle, Jingle, Jingle"Stan SwanBrian McConnachieTime for TroubleTrouble for Thomas"City of New Orleans" December 26, 1991
20"All's Fair"Stan SwanEllis WeinerEdward, Trevor and the Really Useful Party"The Railroad Cars Are Coming""Home"December 27, 1991

Season 3 (1993)

Mr. Conductor: George Carlin[8]

No.TitleDirected byWritten byThomas storiesThe Jukebox Band's SongsMusic VideoAir Date
1"Becky Makes a Wish"Wayne MossSean KellyAll at Sea"Cielito Lindo""Help Your Wish Along"March 22, 1993
2"Schemer's Alone"John FerraroWilson ConeybearePercy, James and the Fruitful Day"Polly Wolly Doodle""I Can Do It"March 23, 1993
3"Bully for Mr. Conductor"Wayne MossBrian McConnachieBulgy"Jamaica Farewell""Bad Guy"March 24, 1993
4"Stacy Cleans Up"Wayne MossBrian McConnachieJames Goes Buzz Buzz"Five Hundred Miles""If Everyone Did a Little"March 25, 1993
5"Schemer's Robot"John FerraroWilson ConeybeareTenders and TurntablesTrouble in the Shed"While Strolling Thru the Park One Day" April 19, 1993
6"Billy Saves the Day"Wayne MossJill GolickA New Friend for Thomas"Get On Board, Little Children" April 20, 1993
7"Billy's Party"Wayne MossBrian McConnachieThomas and Percy's Mountain Adventure"We Gather Together/Come, Ye Thankful People, Come Medley""Thanksgiving"April 21, 1993
8"Fortune Teller Schemer"Wayne MossEllis WeinerThomas and the ConductorA Cow on the Line"Turkey in the Straw" April 22, 1993
9"Billy's Runaway Train"John FerraroSean KellyA Close Shave for Duck"Freight Train Blues" May 3, 1993
10"Schemer Goes Camping"John FerraroWilson ConeybearePercy Takes the Plunge"Crawdad""Team"May 4, 1993
11"Mr. Conductor's Evil Twin"John FerraroDon ArioliHeroes"Danny Boy" May 5, 1993
12"Bad Luck Day at Shining Time Station"John FerraroWilson ConeybeareGordon Takes a Dip"Engine One-Forty-Three" May 6, 1993
13"Mr. Conductor's Fourth of July"John FerraroSean KellyEscape"Patriotic Medley" May 17, 1993
14"Stacy Forgets Her Name"Wayne MossSean KellyThomas Gets Tricked"Lullaby Medley" May 18, 1993
15"Schemer's Special Club"Wayne MossEllis Weiner  Oliver Owns Up"Old Joe Clark" May 19, 1993
16"Mr. Conductor's Movie"Wayne MossMarie Therese SquerciatiTender Engines"There's No Business Like Show Business" May 20, 1993
17"The Joke's on Schemer"Wayne MossEllis WeinerWrong Road"This Old Man""Laugh and a Half"May 31, 1993
18"Dance Crazy"John FerraroJill GolickPercy Runs Away"Orange Blossom Special""Dancin' Maitre D'"June 1, 1993
19"Mysterious Stranger"Wayne MossMarie Therese SquerciatiCome Out, Henry!Henry to the Rescue"Waltzing Matilda""Everyone's Afraid of Something"June 2, 1993
20"Dan's Big Race"John FerraroWilson ConeybeareHenry's Special CoalThe Flying Kipper"Michael, Row the Boat Ashore""Start All Over Again"June 3, 1993
21"Mr. Conductor Gets Left Out"Wayne MossBrian McConnachieOne Good Turn"New River Train" June 7, 1993
22"Mr. Conductor's Big Sleepwalk"John FerraroDon ArioliBetter Late Than Never"Beautiful Dreamer""Dreamland"June 8, 1993
23"The Mayor Runs for Re-Election"Wayne MossEllis WeinerJames Learns a LessonFoolish Freight Cars"Hurray for the Railway" June 9, 1993
24"Stacy Says No"John FerraroJill GolickDuck Takes Charge"Cannonball Blues" June 10, 1993
25"How the Station Got Its Name"John FerraroJill GolickToby the Tram EngineThomas Breaks the Rules"Cowboy Medley" June 11, 1993

Family Specials (1995)

Mr. Conductor: George Carlin[9]

No.TitleDirected byOutdoor scenes directed byWritten byThomas storiesThe Jukebox Band's SongsAir Date
1"Once Upon a Time"Wayne MossFrank VitaleSean KellyRusty to the RescueThomas and Stepney"Lonestar Trail Melody"
"Buffalo Gals Melody"
"What's New Pussycat?"
February 28, 1995
2"Second Chances"Wayne MossFrank VitaleBrian McConnachieGranpuffSleeping Beauty"Down in the Valley"
"Skip to My Lou"
"Freight Train"
"Take Me Out to the Ball Game"
September 25, 1995
3"One of the Family"Wayne MossFrank VitaleBrian McConnachieToad Stands ByThomas and the Special Letter"If My Friends Could See Me Now"
"Long, Long Ago"
"This Land Is Your Land"
October 23, 1995
4"Queen for a Day"Wayne MossFrank VitaleSean KellyThomas Meets the QueenSpecial Attraction"The Lovely Ohio"
"Scarborough Fair"
"Mrs. Murphy's Chowder"
November 20, 1995

Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales (1996)

Mr. Conductor: George Carlin[10]

No.TitleDirected byWritten byStoriesSongAir Date
1"Missing Whistles"Steve WrightSean KellyBulls EyesTrain Stops PlayPercy's Ghostly TrickThomas, Percy and the DragonSpecial FunnelReally Useful EngineOctober 7, 1996
2"Wildlife"Steve WrightSean KellyFour Little EnginesTrouble for ThomasToad Stands ByThomas Saves the DayRusty Helps Peter SamTobyOctober 14, 1996
3"Wish You Were Here"Steve WrightSean KellyThomas, Percy and the Mail TrainMind That BikeRock 'n' RollHome at LastThomas and the Special LetterIsland SongOctober 21, 1996
4"For the Birds"Steve WrightSean KellyA Bad Day for Sir HandelSteam RollerOld IronDouble TroubleBowled OutDon't Judge a Book by its CoverOctober 28, 1996
5"Splish, Splash, Splosh"Steve WrightSean KellyPassengers and PolishGallant Old EngineBertie's ChasePeter Sam and the Refreshment LadyYou Can't WinGone FishingNovember 4, 1996
6"Paint the Town Red"Steve WrightSean KellyCome Out, Henry!FishWhistles and SneezesHenry and the ElephantBulldogLet’s have a RaceNovember 11, 1996

Merchandise

VHS

The beginning of each VHS release (except for 'Tis a Gift, Shining Time Station Singsongs, Schemer Presents: The World According to Me, The Jukebox Band: A Day in the Life, and The Jukebox Band: Lullaby) featured a model scale of a typical 1950s drive-in movie theater called the "Shining Time Drive-In Movie Theater" with parody commercials before the episode started. Then, after the episode of Shining Time Station was shown, a short segment known as "Schemer Presents!" was shown. Each segment featured Schemer teaching the viewers how to do something, with one of the other regular characters helping him. Afterwards, the announcer wishes everyone a safe drive home. The Drive-In segments were created by Chip Lord & Mickey McGowan.

  • 'Tis a Gift
  • Sweet and Sour
  • Stacy Cleans Up
  • Schemer Alone
  • Bully for Mr. Conductor
  • Becky Makes a Wish
  • Billy's Party
  • Schemer's Special Club
  • Mr. Conductor's Evil Twin
  • Shining Time Station Singsongs
  • Schemer Presents: The World According to Me
  • The Jukebox Band: A Day in the Life
  • The Jukebox Band: Lullaby

Books

  • A book, titled This Old Band, was written by Britt Allcroft and Rick Siggelkow. It featured the Juke Box Band and was published by Quality Family Entertainment in 1994.

References

  1. "Thomas The Tank Engine Near End Of The Line With PBS". Spokesman.com. December 19, 1997. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  2. "STS Season Guide".
  3. Whitlock, Natalie Walker; Michael Mallory (November 6, 2006). "How Thomas the Tank Engine Works". HowStuffWorks, Inc. Retrieved June 25, 2008.
  4. Tucker, Ken (January 10, 1992). "Two Tickets to Ride". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved June 25, 2008.
  5. "STS Season Guide".
  6. "Season 1 Episode Guide".
  7. "Season 2 Episode Guide".
  8. "Season 3 Episode Guide".
  9. "Family Specials Episode Guide".
  10. "Mr. C's Thomas Tales Episode Guide".

See also

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