Changes: Queen for a Day

Revision as of 18:35, 10 February 2020

Queen for a Day is the final family special of Shining Time Station.

Plot

As the queen and the prince travel on a train, two thieves sneakily detach their train coach, thus the royal family accidentally ends up at Shining Time Station. Unfortunately, nobody knows that the queen is a real one. The queen also brings her jewelry in the station, but accidentally leaves it behind when she goes to Ginny's house for tea. It is Schemer who finds the jewelry and he secretly decides to keep it for himself. Meanwhile, the prince meets Becky, Kara, and Kit and became friends with them. He is very happy because he got the chance to hang out with ordinary people, a wish that he has always wanted to fulfill. The next day, it is the talent show at Shining Time Station. The kids perform a play, while Schemer shows his singing talents by chanting the song "My Queen!" The two thieves suddenly interrupt the show and begin to chase after the queen and Schemer in order to rob the jewels. Schemer and the queen escape on a motorcycle while the thieves chase them on Ginny's truck. The thieves are later caught and stopped by J.B. King and Stacy Jones.

Characters

Thomas Stories

Thomas Meets the Queen

Gordon and Thomas head home after Thomas’ accident down the mine, and learn upon their arrival that the Queen will be paying a visit in due course. The engines debate as to who will pull the royal train, but Henry is convinced that he is the favoured candidate. But when Henry’s smoke causes a painter to drip a can of white paint onto his boiler, Sir Topham Hatt soon changes his mind. Gordon and Thomas make up for their behavior in preparation for the Queen’s arrival and Gordon ends up pulling the Royal Train.

Special Attraction

Toby is called take part in the seaside parade as a ‘special attraction, but is sad to find that he is no longer needed when he finally arrives. Meanwhile Percy is summoned to the harbour to sort out a problem, arriving to find the cars arguing with an arrogant barge called Bulstrode. Percy sorts out the cargo before there are any further delays, but the cars get back at Bulstrode when they are accidentally pushed them through the buffers, landing in his haul. Later, Toby and Percy decide that they are both special attractions whilst Bulstrode is towed away to begin a new life as a children’s climbing frame.

Jukebox Band Segment Song

The Lovely Ohio
Greensleeves/Scarborough Fair
Mrs. Murphy's Chowder

Trivia

This is the last episode/special of Shining Time Station and it marks the last appearances of most of its characters. While still shots of the station's interior set would be used in the show's spin-off series, Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales, the only performer from the original cast to appear in it would be George Carlin as Mr. Conductor, along with his pets.
- The characters of Stacy Jones, Billy Twofeathers and Mr. Conductor would appear one last time in the 2000 film, Thomas and the Magic Railroad, though Mr. Conductor would be played by Alec Baldwin and Billy by Russell Means instead.
Schemer sings a few notes of "King of the Forest" from the 1939 film "The Wizard of Oz" when he tries on the Queen's jewels.
Jeannette Charles (The Queen) is a Queen Elizabeth II look-alike actress. Though the episode never explicitly states who the Queen is, it can be assumed that it is the current (at the time of writing) Queen Elizabeth II of England. Prince Michael (Mickey) is a fictional character, but could have some basis in the Queen's real grandchildren, Prince William and Prince Harry. Jeannette Charles interview can be found here.
Though mentioned in the opening credits, neither Tom Jackson (Billy Twofeathers) nor Ari Magder (Dan Jones) appear in this episode, which implies that Dan is still away at camp.
The exterior scenes were taped mostly around Tottenham, Ontario, Canada. The coaches and diesel shunter are from the South Simcoe Railway.
The locomotive Stacy and Mr. King used to catch Biff and Bull is the same one from Billy's Party.
"Thomas Meets the Queen" was given its UK title, "Paint Pots and Queens", in the end credits.
Mr. Conductor tells Thomas Meets the Queen to Becky and Kara in this special.
Mr. Conductor tells Special Attraction to Becky in this special.

Gallery

Queen for a Day/Gallery

@@ Line 53: / Line 53: @@
 ** The characters of Stacy Jones, Billy Twofeathers and Mr. Conductor would appear one last time in the 2000 film, [[Thomas and the Magic Railroad]], though Mr. Conductor would be played by [[Alec Baldwin]] and Billy by [[Russell Means]] instead.
 * Schemer sings a few notes of "King of the Forest" from the 1939 film "[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wizard_of_Oz_(1939_film) The Wizard of Oz]" when he tries on the Queen's jewels.
-* This episode marked the last appearance of the 1993 PBS Kids logo with the P-Pals.
 * [[Jeannette Charles]] ([[The Queen]]) is a Queen Elizabeth II look-alike actress. Though the episode never explicitly states who the Queen is, it can be assumed that it is the current (at the time of writing) Queen Elizabeth II of England. Prince Michael (Mickey) is a fictional character, but could have some basis in the Queen's real grandchildren, Prince William and Prince Harry. Jeannette Charles interview can be found [http://www.sodor-island.net/shiningtimestation/jeannettecharles.html/ here.]
 * Though mentioned in the opening credits, neither [[Tom Jackson]] ([[Billy Twofeathers]]) nor [[Ari Magder]] ([[Dan Jones]]) appear in this episode, which implies that Dan is still away at camp.