Down the Mine

Uncommon card · No. 76474

"Down the Mine" is the television pilot of the British children's television series Thomas & Friends. Created by Britt Allcroft, it was based on a story written by Wilbert Awdry for The Railway Series. In the pilot, Thomas the Tank Engine makes a rude remark to Gordon the Big Engine before falling into a mine tunnel. The pilot began production in April 1983, being produced by Allcroft and the model animation company Clearwater Features. David Mitton, founder of Clearwater Features, directed and produced the pilot and went on to direct the show. After a screening for the studio executives at ITV, leading to the decision to greenlight the series, the pilot was reshot for the first series, while the original pilot was stored for over 40 years. The film was rediscovered in 2025, and an official restoration was released on YouTube by Mattel the same year, receiving positive reviews from fans. After it was released, many of the props from the series were put up for auction.

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