Thomas the Tank Engine (1976)

Prior to the television series produced by Britt Allcroft, another series by the name of Thomas the Tank Engine was being developed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with an animated pilot episode being produced.

Characters
James would have likely also appeared in later episodes.
 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon

Locations
A bridge similar to the Standard Gauge and Narrow Gauge Viaduct from the fourth series of the 1984 television series would have also appeared.
 * Vicarstown Sheds
 * Vicarstown

Production
In 1974, Andrew Lloyd Webber approaced the Rev W. Awdry about creating an animated television adaptation of The Railway Series. Following this, Webber began composing, with actor and writer Peter Reeves contributing lyrics.

The idea was pitched to Granada TV, who commissioned a pilot episode. Animator Brian Cosgrove worked on the pilot, which would feature 2D cutouts of the engines moving along a background in a style reminiscent of the Ivor the Engine series. The cutouts and backgrounds would be based upon illustrations from The Railway Series, albeit in a unique Cosgrove style.

The pilot episode was completed in early 1976, however Granada TV decided not to greenlight a full series, fearing that Awdry's stories would not be popular enough outside of the United Kingdom to justify the production costs.

Preservation
It is not known what became of the original pilot and where it is today, if any footage still exists. The only known image of the series shows Brian Cosgrove animating the pilot.