Network Rail, the owner and infrastructure manager of most of the railway network in Great Britain has teamed up with the world’s most famous blue engine and pre-schooler favourite, Thomas the Tank Engine, to help children learn how to be safe when using the railway!
The Stay Safe with Thomas story book sees the mischievous Thomas having fun on the railway over being safe, putting both himself and his friends in harm’s way. He learns valuable lessons on the dangers of not stopping at a level crossing when the red light shows, leaving gates open to allow animals on to the tracks and when people stand too close to the edge of a platform.
This is the first time a Thomas and Friends book has covered a rail safety theme.
Network Rail, along with British Transport Police, hopes the story book will encourage parents to discuss rail safety with their young children, in the same manner that they teach them about other dangers they may encounter when out and about.
“The railway is full of both obvious and hidden dangers” said Allan Spence, head of public and passenger safety at Network Rail. “By offering parents an engaging and fun way to talk to their children at a young age about safety on the railway, we hope children will grow up knowing the dangers and keep themselves and their friends safe.”
The launch of the story book comes off the back of the ‘You vs Train’ campaign, ran by the rail industry and the British Transport Police (BTP), which targeted older children and teenagers to warn them of the dangers of the railway and that it isn’t a playground.
In the last five years, the number of young people taking risks on the railway has gone up by almost 80 per cent, according to National Fusion Unit data from June 2018.
Superintendent Susan Peters said: “We are delighted to be collaborating on this initiative, our focus is keeping people safe and working with such a well-known children’s television character is exciting. This Thomas the Tank engine story book gives us an engaging and accessible way to ensure essential safety messaging is reaching young children. Although BTP runs activity through the year to educate the public of the seen and unseen dangers in and around the railway tracks, we hope that being able discuss this subject through the use of these books will make our safety messages go further.”
Senior Regional Licensing Manager, Publishing at Mattel Consumer Products, Maribel Le Gelebart, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Network Rail on the launch of the Stay Safe with Thomas storybook. Thomas & FriendsTM has been teaching life lessons for over 70 years through storybooks as well as its exciting content and product ranges. So, it was a natural fit to collaborate on a rail safety storybook which leverages and reinforces the brands’ key values of friendship, teamwork and safety.”
Network Rail and the British Transport Police (BTP) are distributing copies of the book to local libraries, nurseries and doctors’ surgeries across the country. A free, electronic version of the book will be available to download from mid-October 2018.
To download your free copy of the Thomas & Friends: Stay Safe with Thomas eBook please visit: www.networkrail.co.uk/thomas (available in English and Welsh editions and iTunes and PDF formats).
Thomas the Tank Engine™ was created over 70 years ago, by a British clergyman, the Rev W Awdry, as a storybook for his son. That story quickly grew to become the award-winning #1 preschool train brand franchise it is today, enjoyed by families in more than 160 territories and over 55 languages across multiple touch-points and formats, including: 500+ original TV shows; 12 feature-length films; selling 1 engine every second; apps; toys; consumer products; publishing; live attractions and much more. Thomas & Friends is viewable on more than 30 world-class broadcasters including Nick Jr. in the US, Super RTL in Germany, and on Five's Milkshake! in the UK.
To better portray diversity, Thomas & Friends has received an update for its 26 x 11-minute 22nd season. Entitled Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures!, the new season takes Thomas beyond the fictional Island of Sodor for the first time. The major refresh sees the iconic blue engine Thomas travelling farther than ever before, taking kids on a journey of wonder and curiosity as he adventures around the world to discover and learn about new countries and cultures. The show has a more contemporary feel, a brand-new theme tune and a refreshed Steam Team to include three girls and three boy engines, and Thomas, ensuring gender equality across the show, increasing global appeal for preschool viewers. This all-new format series features faster-paced action, increased humour, new music, new international friends, animals and exciting fantasy elements. Thomas & Friends season 22, "Big World! Big Adventures!" is airing now on Milkshake! in the UK (which has seen a 40% growth in viewers) and on Nickelodeon USA, and is now rolling out across the globe.
A 23rd season of the beloved children's series was recently greenlit.
Thomas & Friends can also be viewed across digital platforms including Hulu, iTunes, YouTube and more. On YouTube, the Thomas & Friends channel has had over 1.16 billion lifetime views, over 909k subscribers and 2.6MM engagements. For more information about the world of Thomas & Friends, please visit: www.thomasandfriends.com and on Facebook.
More Thomas: Thomas & Friends Launches Collaboration With the United Nations to Inspire the Next Generation of Global Citizens!
H/T: Licensing.biz; Additional source: Wikipedia (II).
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