Shining Time Station

Shining Time Station
Season 2-3 title screen (Later used on reruns of Season 1)
Format	Children's
Created by	Britt Allcroft Rick Siggelkow
Directed by	Matthew Diamond Gregory Lehane Stan Swan Wayne Moss John Ferraro Steve Wright
Starring	Ringo Starr (1989-1990) George Carlin (1991-1993) Didi Conn Leonard Jackson (1989) Tom Jackson (1991-1993) Nicole Leach (1989-1990) Jason Woliner (1989-1990) Erica Luttrell (1991-1993) Ari Magder (1991-1993) Danielle Marcot (1991-1993) Brian O'Connor Jonathan Freeman
Theme music composer	Joe Raposo
Composer(s)	Joe Raposo Paul Derrick Mason
Country of origin	United States
Original language(s)	English
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	76
Production
Running time	22-23 minutes 60 minutes (1995 specials)
Broadcast
Original channel	PBS, YTV
Original run	January 29, 1989 (1989-01-29) – June 11, 1993 (1993-06-11)
Chronology
Related shows	Thomas & Friends Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales Storytime with Thomas

Shining Time Station was an American children's television series co-created by Britt Allcroft and Rick Siggelkow. The series was produced by The Britt Allcroft Company and Quality Family Entertainment in New York for New York City PBS Station WNET, and was filmed first in New York City and then in Toronto. It incorporated sequences from the British TV show Thomas & Friends. The series aired on PBS from January 1989 to June 1993, but aired re-runs until 1997 (1998 for some PBS affiliates). It aired on Fox Family from 1998 to 1999. It also aired on Nick Jr. in 2000 and on Canadian TV networks such as APTN and SCN. Elements from the show were incorporated into the Thomas the Tank Engine film Thomas and the Magic Railroad.

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 to produce and distribute the sitcom-esque Shining Time Station. Every episode would include a couple of episodes of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. The series starred Ringo Starr, George Carlin, Didi Conn, Brian O'Connor, The Flexitoon Puppets, and Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends. Ringo Starr, who had already been providing the voice of the storyteller for the British series, agreed to extend the role to include the on-screen character Mr. Conductor in Shining Time Station. He later left the show 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."

Overview

Shining Time Station was a train station that resides on the Indian Valley Railroad. It is managed by Stacy Jones, the station master whose grandmother, Gracie Jones (who gave the station its name), ran it when she was Stacy's age. Its workshop is run by Billy Twofeathers.

A local named Horace Schemer (simply called Schemer) runs the station's arcade and was always finding new ways to make more money or to protect it. He serves as the series's comic relief. He believed that strange goings-on in the station happen because it is haunted. Starting in the second season, he would often be aided in his schemes by his nephew, Schemee.

Harry's granddaughter, Tanya, and Stacy's nephew, Matt, also visited the station. In the second season, three new children visited it: Harry's second granddaughter, Kara; Stacy's second nephew, Dan; and a new girl named Becky.

Other visitors to the station include various townspeople, such as socialite and gossip Midge Smoot, farmer Ginny, general store proprietor Barton Winslow, bus driver Felix Perez, Mayor Osgood Bob Flopdinger of East Shemp (the town name likely a reference to Three Stooges member Shemp Howard), and Mr. J.B. King, Esq., the superintendent of the Indian Valley Railroad.

There is a jukebox in the arcade that houses a band that perform for the nickels that are dropped inside. It consists of lead singer/drummer Didi, twin guitarists Tex and Rex (who play one oversized instrument together), bassist/vocalist Grace, and pianist Tito; their manager is J.J. Silvers.

Mr. Conductor is a tiny man who lives in a signal house inside the station's mural and tells the stories of "Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends" to the kids and by blowing on his train whistle a cloud fills the room and goes to the Thomas short. He can teleport in a cloud of his magic gold dust. In the second season, it is learned that he went to the North Pole at the end of the Christmas special and his cousin, also named Mr. Conductor, moved into the signal house and took on the role that his cousin played in the first season.

Cast

Series regulars

• Didi Conn - Stacy Jones
• Brian O'Connor - Horace Schemer

Season 1 regulars

• Ringo Starr - Mr. Conductor
• Leonard Jackson - Henry "Harry" Cupper
• Jason Woliner - Matthew "Matt" Jones
• Nicole Leach - Tanya Cupper

Christmas special characters

• Ardon Bess - Tucker Cooper (Harry's cousin)
• Lloyd Bridges - Mr. Nicholas
• Judy Marshak - Claire
• Rachel Miner - Vickie

Seasons 2-3 regulars

• George Carlin - Mr. Conductor
• Erica Luttrell - Kara Cupper
• Ari Magder - Dan Jones
• Danielle Marcot - Becky
• Tom Jackson - Billy Twofeathers

Recurring characters (full series)

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

Recurring characters (Seasons 2-3)

• Jonathan Shapiro - Schemee
• Gerard Parkes - Barton Winslow
• Barbara Hamilton - Ginny Johnson
• Aurelio Padrón - Felix Perez

The Jukebox Band

• Jonathan Freeman - Tito Swing
• Olga Marin - Didi
• Wayne White/Alan Semok/Rory Dodd - Tex
• Craig Marin - Rex
• Peter Baird/Vaneese Thomas - Grace the Bass (1989–1990)
• Beverly Glenn - Grace the Bass (1991–1995)

Their songs were produced by Steve Horelick with arrangements by Horelick and Larry Wolf.

Series' segments

• Flexitoons Puppets & Marionettes - The Jukebox Band
• Thomas The Tank Engine & Friends - Storytellers Ringo Starr & George Carlin
• A song with a cartoon, a stop motion clip, or a live action clip

Episodes

Season 1 (1989)

Conductor: Ringo Starr

No.	Title	Thomas story 1	Thomas story 2	Jukebox Band Song	Music Video
1	A Place Unlike Any Other	Thomas Gets Tricked	Edward Helps Out	I've Been Working on the Railroad	Start Where You Are
2	Does it Bite?	Come Out, Henry!	Henry To The Rescue	Camptown Races	Don't Be Afraid
3	And the Band Played Off	A Big Day For Thomas	Trouble For Thomas	She'll Be Coming Round the Mountain	Learn from Your Mistakes
4	Pitching In and Helping Out	Thomas Saves The Day	James Learns a Lesson	Railroad Corral
5	Show and Yell	Foolish Freight Cars	A Proud Day For James	Freight Train	Bounce Back
6	Faith, Hope and Anxiety	Thomas & The Conductor	Thomas Goes Fishing	Wabash Cannonball	The Kite Song
7	Agree to Disagree	Terence The Tractor	Thomas & Bertie's Great Race	Abilene	We Do Things Differently
8	Whistle While You Work	Tenders & Turntables	Trouble In The Shed	Pop Goes the Weasel	Let's All Work Together
9	Two Old Hands	Percy Runs Away	Thomas Comes To Breakfast	A Railroader's Bride I'll Be	Baking a Cake
10	Happy Accidents	Henry's Special Coal	The Flying Kipper	The Wreck of Old '97
11	Ring in the Old	Toby The Tram Engine	Thomas Breaks The Rules	Train is A' Comin'	Old But Wise
12	Impractical Jokes	A Cow on The Line	Old Iron	Poor Paddy Works on the Railway
13	Finders Keepers	Double Trouble	James In a Mess	The Desperado
14	Just Wild About Harry's Workshop	Duck Takes Charge	Percy Proves a Point	Union Train	What Goes Around Comes Around
15	Promises, Promises	Better Late Than Never	Pop Goes The Diesel	Oh! Susanna
16	Words Out	Diesel's Devious Deed	A Close Shave for Duck	Jesse James	Be Good To Yourself
17	Too Many Cooks	Gordon Takes a Dip	Down The Mine	The Ballad of Casey Jones
18	Mapping it Out	The Runaway	Percy Takes The Plunge	Red River Valley	Follow Directions
19	Things That Go Ga-Hooga in the Night	Percy's Ghostly Trick	Woolly Bear	Oh My Darling, Clementine
20	Is This the End?	Saved From Scrap	A New Friend For Thomas	Little Black Train

Christmas Special (1990)

Conductor: Ringo Starr

No.	Title	Thomas story 1	Thomas story 2	Jukebox Band Songs	Music Video
21	'Tis a Gift	TV: Terence The Tractor VHS: Thomas' Christmas Party	TV: Thomas' Christmas Party VHS: Thomas and The Missing Christmas Tree	Over the River and Through the Woods, Jingle Bells, It's Christmastime at the Railway Station, Simple Gifts	The Hobo Song

Season 2 (1991)

Conductor: George Carlin

No.	Title	Thomas story 1	Thomas story 2	Jukebox Band Song	Music Video
22	Scare Dares	Percy's Ghostly Trick	Thomas, Percy & The Dragon	Midnight Special	What Am I Afraid Of?
23	Oh, What a Tangled Web	Diesel's Devious Deed	No Joke For James	Mama Don't Allow
24	The Magic is Believing	Old Iron	Edward's Exploit	Nine Hundred Miles
25	Win, Lose or Draw	Double Trouble	Gordon & The Famous Visitor	Arkansas Traveler
26	Sweet and Sour*	Donald & Douglas	The Deputation	Erie Canal
27	Achoo	Trust Thomas	Whistles and Sneezes	Cosher Bailey's Engine	Caring
28	A Dog's Life	James In a Mess	The Trouble With Mud	Home on the Range
29	Field Day	Percy Proves a Point	Thomas & Bertie's Great Race	Take Me Out to the Ballgame	Everyone's a Winner
30	Wrong Track	Thomas Saves The Day	Down The Mine	Sweet Betsy from Pike
31	Washout	Bertie's Chase	Percy's Promise	Cumberland Gap
32	Crackpot	Woolly Bear	Henry's Forest	John Henry
33	Yabba, Yabba, Yabba	Pop Goes The Diesel	Diesel Does It Again	Old Dan Tucker
34	Nickel in a Pickle	Thomas Comes To Breakfast	Thomas Gets Bumped	My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
35	Stop the Press	Percy & The Signal	A Big Day For Thomas	Tennessee Central (Number 9)
36	He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not	Thomas, Percy & The Mail Train		Jeannie with the Light Brown Hair	Would He Ever
37	Double Trouble	The Diseasel	Donald's Duck	This Train
38	Is Anybody There?	Thomas Goes Fishing	A Scarf For Percy	Chattanooga Choo Choo
39	Do I Hear	Mavis	Toby's Tightrope	The Riddle Song	Better When He Grows Up
40	Jingle, Jingle, Jingle	Time For Trouble	Trouble For Thomas	The City of New Orleans
41	All's Fair	Edward, Trevor & The Really Useful Party		The Railroad Cars are Coming	Home

Season 3 (1993)

Conductor: George Carlin

No.	Title	Thomas story 1	Thomas story 2	Jukebox Band Song	Music Video
42	Becky Makes a Wish*	All At Sea		Celito Lindo	Help Your Wish Along
43	Schemer's Alone*	Percy, James & The Fruitful Day		Polly Wolly Doodle	I Can Do It
44	Bully for Mr. Conductor*	Bulgy		Jamaican Farewell	Bad Guy
45	Stacy Cleans Up*	James Goes Buzz Buzz		A Hundred Miles	If Everyone Did a Little
46	Schemer's Robot	Tenders & Turntables	Trouble In The Shed	Strollin' Through the Park
47	Billy Saves the Day	Saved from Scrap	A New Friend For Thomas		Get on Board
48	Billy's Party*	Thomas & Percy's Mountain Adventure		We Gather Together	Thanksgiving
49	Fortune Teller Schemer	Thomas & The Conductor	A Cow on The Line	Turkey in the Straw
50	Billy's Runaway Train	A Close Shave For Duck		Freight Train Blues
51	Schemer Goes Camping	Percy Takes The Plunge		Crawdad	Team
52	Mr. Conductor's Evil Twin*	Heroes		Danny Boy
53	Bad Luck Day at Shining Time Station	Gordon Takes a Dip		Engine One-Forty-Three
54	Mr. Conductor's 4th of July	Escape		Patriotic Medley
55	Stacy Forgets Her Name	Thomas Gets Tricked		Lullaby Medley
56	Schemer's Special Club*	Oliver Owns Up		Old Joe Clark
57	Mr. Conductor's Movie	Tender Engines		No Business like Show Business
58	The Joke's on Schemer	Wrong Road		This Old Man	Laugh and a Half
59	Dance Crazy	Percy Runs Away		Orange Blossom Special	Dancin' Maitre D'
60	Mysterious Stranger	Come Out, Henry!	Henry To The Rescue	Waltzing Matilda	Everyone's Afraid of Something
61	Dan's Big Race	Henry's Special Coal	The Flying Kipper	Michael Row Your Boat Ashore	Start All Over Again
62	Mr. Conductor Gets Left Out	One Good Turn		New River Train
63	Mr. Conductor's Big Sleepwalk	Better Late Than Never		Beautiful Dreamer	Dreamland
64	The Mayor Runs for Re-Election	James Learns a Lesson	Foolish Freight Cars	The Great Pacific Railroad
65	Stacy Says No	Duck Takes Charge		Cannonball Blues
66	How the Station Got Its Name	Toby The Tram Engine	Thomas Breaks The Rules	Cowboy Medley

TV Family Specials (1995)

Conductor: George Carlin

No.	Title	Thomas story 1	Thomas story 2	Jukebox Band Songs
1	Once Upon a Time	Rusty To The Rescue	Thomas and Stepney	Lonestar Trail Medley, Buffalo Gals Medley, What's New Pussycat?
2	Second Chances	Granpuff	Sleeping Beauty	Down in the Valley, Skip to My Lou, Freight Train, Take Me Out to the Ball Game
3	One of the Family	Toad Stands By	Thomas & The Special Letter	If My Friends Could See Me Now, Long, Long Ago, This Land is your Land
4	Queen For a Day	Thomas Meets The Queen	Special Attraction	The Lovely Ohio, Scarborough Fair, Mrs. Murphy's Chowder

Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales (1996)

Conductor: George Carlin

No.	Title	Story 1	Story 2	Story 3	Story 4	Story 5	Song
1	Paint the Town Red	Come Out, Henry!	Fish	Whistles and Sneezes	Henry and The Elephant	Bulldog	Let's Have a Race
2	Splish, Splash, Splosh	Passengers and Polish	Gallant Old Engine	Bertie's Chase	Peter Sam and The Refreshment Lady	You Can't Win	Gone Fishing
3	Missing Whistles	Bulls' Eyes	Train Stops Play	Percy's Ghostly Trick	Thomas, Percy & The Dragon	Special Funnel	Really Useful Engine
4	Wildlife	Four Little Engines	Trouble For Thomas	Toad Stands By	Thomas Saves The Day	Rusty Helps Peter Sam	Toby
5	For the Birds	A Bad Day For Sir Handel	Steam Roller	Old Iron	Double Trouble	Bowled Out	Don't Judge a Book By Its Cover
6	Wish You Were Here	Thomas, Percy & The Mail Train	Mind That Bike	Rock 'N' Roll	Home At Last	Thomas & The Special Letter	Island Song

Merchandise

VHS

• Tis a Gift (Christmas Special, Holiday Special, Ringo Starr Mr. Conductor)
• Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends (Thomas' Christmas Party)
• Sweet and Sour
• Stacy Cleans Up
• Schemer Alone
• Bully for Mr. Conductor
• Becky Makes a Wish
• Billy's Party
• Mr. Conductor's Evil Twin
• Schemer's Special Club
• Shining Time Station Singsongs
• The World According to Me Schemer
• The Jukebox Band A Day in the Life
• The Jukebox Band Lullaby

Books

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

External links

• Shining Time Station at the Internet Movie Database
• Shining Time Station at TV.com
• Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends

See also

• Thomas & Friends
• Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales
• Storytime with Thomas