Great Little Trains of Wales, whose purpose is to promote tourism by using public transport throughout Wales, already unites twelve enchanting railways, including the Bala Lake Railway, the Ffestiniog Railway and Welsh Highland Heritage Railway. Now, they have announced a thirteenth member: the one and only Ivor the Engine.
All 12 cherished railways are joining together to welcome Wales’ most-loved locomotive and The Merioneth and Llantisilly Rail Traction Company Limited with open arms as their official thirteenth member.
This unity coincides with the release of the paperback edition of Ivor the Engine, which was published in hardback last year, the first print run quickly selling out. The book is a faithful reproduction of the first-ever book originally released in 1962, which was initially published alongside the show’s original broadcast on ITV in monochrome.
This exciting development comes as a result of Cardiff-based Candy Jar Books’ successful acquisition of the rights to bring this nostalgic Welsh classic back to life.
With their commitment to preserving and sharing cherished stories, Candy Jar aims to reintroduce Ivor the Engine to a new audience, ensuring that the magic of Ivor’s adventures continues to resonate with both young readers and those who fondly remember the original tales.
“We are thrilled that Ivor is being welcomed as the newest member of Great Little Trains of Wales,” enthuses Keren Williams, Head of Marketing at Candy Jar. “This partnership perfectly aligns with Ivor’s spirit of adventure and community, and we can’t wait for families to enjoy his stories as they explore the stunning landscapes of Wales.”
Written by Oliver Postgate and illustrated by Peter Firmin, Ivor the Engine’s charming adventures were a staple for children on TV screens for decades. They charted the exploits of Ivor the steam engine as he shuttled between Welsh mining villages in the idyllic “top-left hand corner of Wales”.
Daniel Postgate, son of Ivor’s creator Oliver Postgate, shares his enthusiasm: “I’m thrilled that Ivor is joining the Great Little Trains family. My father and his partner, Peter Firmin, set the standard for storytelling, and I believe that families – children, parents, grandparents, and train lovers – will embrace Ivor’s delightful return.”
To further celebrate the book’s release, each railway has been gifted a complimentary copy of the new paperback edition. In a spirit of sharing Ivor’s magic, each railway will pass on the book in a unique way, gifting it to someone they believe would greatly benefit from experiencing Ivor’s heartwarming stories.
Being his first journey, the book is simply called Ivor the Engine, and sees Ivor longing to join the village choir. With the help of a kindly fairground owner and his pipe organ, it seems he might just get his wish.
The books are being distributed by the Books Council of Wales and are available at all good bookshops, including the gift shop at Welsh Highland Heritage Railway, who are proudly stocking copies of the hardback edition and the brand new paperback edition, ensuring that Ivor’s legacy continues to thrive.
Candy Jar Books is an award-winning independent book publisher who publish a wide variety of quality books, from non-fiction, general fiction and children’s, through to a range of cult TV books. Passionate about discovering and nurturing new authors, and offering a fresh perspective on classic genres the company was established in 2010, bringing together skills in book publishing, audio and video production.
Great Little Trains of Wales, whose purpose is to promote tourism by using public transport throughout Wales, already unites twelve enchanting railways: Bala Lake Railway (Llanuwchllyn); Brecon Mountain Railway (Merthyr Tydfil); Corris Railway (Corris); Fairbourne Railway (Fairbourne); Ffestiniog Railway (Porthmadog); Llanberis Lake Railway (Llanberis); Snowdon Mountain Railway (Llanberis);Talyllyn Railway (Tywyn); Vale of Rheidol Railway (Aberystwyth); Welsh Highland Heritage Railway (Porthmadog); Welsh Highland Railways (Porthmadog); and Welshpool and Llanfair Railway (Llanfair Caereinion).
• Buy Ivor the Engine direct from Candy Jar Books | Hardback Edition | Paperback Edition
Something was the matter with Ivor. It wasn’t that he hadn’t enough coal in his fire, he had plenty. It wasn’t that he hadn’t enough water in his boiler, his boiler was full. It was just that — as Jones the Steam (his driver) put it — he just wasn’t pulling right.
So Jones the Steam and Dai Station took Ivor to see the Chief Engineer. They took him all the way down the Main Lines as far as Pontypool Roads, where the big engines are. The Chief Engineer and his assistants gave Ivor a thorough examination. They looked in his boiler, blew on his tubes, dismantled his pistons, and tapped his little wheels with a hammer, but they couldn’t find anything wrong with him, not anything mechanical, that is. No, it was something deeper than that, something that couldn’t be mended by an engineer.
Jones the Steam, with the help of nearly everybody else in that part of Wales, set out to find the trouble and put it right. They found it all right, and soon Ivor was the proudest and happiest little engine in the whole country.
• Buy Ivor the Engine direct from Candy Jar Books | Hardback Edition | Paperback Edition
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The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.
Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.
He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.
Categories: Animation, Books, downthetubes News, Licensing, Other Worlds, Television
Happy 50th Birthday, Bagpuss! A chance to celebrate, in a good cause, new merchandise and more
I see the trahison du spellcheck at work in your title! The illustrator’s name is Postgate – as correctly rendered in the body of the article, NOT “postage”!
Can I blame dragons?