Shining Time Station

PBS (ended 1997)
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Show Summary

  • Ended
Shining Time Station is a railroad station located in the Indian Valley. The station master is Stacy Jones and there were two engineers. In season 1, the engineer was Henry "Harry" Cupper. He was replaced in season 2 by Billy Twofeathers. There is also an arcade with a Jukebox. The owner of the arcade is the humoristic Schemer who likes to play tricks on people. An 18-inch man named Mr. Conductor lives in a painting on the station wall. He was played by Ringo Starr in the first season, but when his character left to go to the North Pole in the Christmas special, he was replaced by his cousin, played by George Carlin. George Carlin and he played his cousin Mr. Conductor who would replace him at the station in the second season and stay there for the entire run of the show. He goes to the Island of Sodor and tells stories about Thomas the Tank Engine. The kids who come to the station are Matt, Tanya, Dan, Kara, and Becky.''''''Shining Time Station is a comedy series which teach lessons about life. It is based on musical (Juke Box Band) and Thomas The Tank Engine & Friends presentations. The Juke Box Band are small puppets who play a large variety of music ranging from folk, country, ballad to rock. "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends" is an art masterpiece. It shows movie clips of miniature trains on an island with beautiful special effects that are similar to real life.moreless
8.2
out of 10
Average Rating: Great
130 votes
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  • Shining Time Station Shined Brightly.

    10
    "Perfect"
    I've always loved this PBS series and it became one of my favorites growing up, this was how I first learned of Thomas The Tank Engine via this show. And while I found the Thomas The Tank Engine and Friends stories fine, I liked what took place in the eponymous train station more and was always more interested in that. I liked how those stories were always incorporated into the episodes when either of the two Mr. Conductors (portrayed by Ringo Starr or the late George Carlin) would tell whatever the stories were, depending on the episode's subject, to the handful of kids who frequented there. That aspect of the program makes it similar to the concept of the Noddy series from the late '90s. This gets my vote to be on the most outstanding kid shows of all time list. What isn't there to like about it?
    Aside from the aforementioned two Mr. Conductors (who were small, could magically appear and disappear at will, and weren't seen nor known about by many, and the few, notable kids who visited the station), there were also the station master Stacy, who I think was related to one or a couple of the kids; Schemer, who if I recall exactly owned the arcade there, loved money (especially nickels) and was always trying to come up with and plot ways (as his name is self-explanatory and implies) to get rich quickly, almost like a true con artist or scam artist; the Flexitoon Puppets who comprised a band and lived in a jukebox where they performed (and they were the ones who played the tracks every time a nickel was dropped into it, and a track was selected) and more. If anyone reading my review has never seen Shining Time, I say check it out, because everything about it, from the storylines to the characters are great. With morals or lessons that were done the right way, I pick and consider this as yet another winner and a keeper for sure.moreless

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  • Probably my favorite childhood show.

    10
    "Perfect"
    Shining Time Station was probably my favorite show when I was little. I really was a huge fan of Thomas and all of his friends. I couldn't get enough of the show and every morning I would try to watch every episode. It is a shame it only lasted as long as it did. I thought that it had some really good stories and it was cleverly written. My favorite engines had to be Thomas, Edward, and The Scottish Twins, Donald and Douglas. Whenever they were on the show, I made show to watch as I would think it was extra interesting. I will never forget watching this show as it was an all time classic for children. Hopefully they will run re-runs again. Thank you.moreless

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  • Great spinoff of the original Thomas & Friends series!

    10
    "Perfect"
    Man, I used to like this show when I was 4 months old. My favorite narrators Ringo Starr and George Carlin were in it too. My favorite parts are when they tell the stories of Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends on the Island of Sodor. Too bad it got cancelled. That show was classic on PBS and always will be. I wonder how it got cancelled, was it Rev. W. Awdry's death, or maybe Thomas & the Magic Railroad was the final episode? Probably B. I wish this show came back. I might rent or buy the videos online.moreless

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  • One of the ways I watched thomas when I was younger.

    10
    "Perfect"
    This show was great because of its storylines and great characters. This was the American spinoff of thomas the tank engine. The person mr conductor was played by Ringo starr for 3 years and George carlin for the rest of the show episodes. Mr conductor was the 18 inch man that told the kids that visited shining time station about thomas the tank engine and all of his friends and then told them a story of thomas each time. For the viewers he showed an episode of thomas the tank engine and the end of every thomas story he told them a valuable moral and a lesson about their problem in the episode of shining time station. Even this show is ended this is one of my favorite shows so i give this show a 10 out of 10 score.moreless

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  • What Introduced me to Thomas

    10
    "Perfect"
    A Great Show whcih Introduced me to Thomas and Friends, I liked George Carlin the Most though I noticed when he started narrated Season 4 of Thomas his voiced changed somewhat or hes just using a Different Tone, Who Knows, But Ringo Starr was also Great. Schemer had to be one of my favorites as well as Mr. Conductor. This is an old Favorite of Mine that I will never forget. Im glad they decided to Introduce Thomas on such a show even though I wish they could have done TUGS to America as a Segment Properly though they Screwed it up in Salty's Lighthouse. Anyway I give this show 5 Stars!moreless

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Animation, Educational, Kids, Suspense, Tech & Gaming

Themes

Child Stars, Childlike Sense Of Wonder, Cultural Institutions, Educational Goals, For The Child In You