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Hey, it's me again. So that this account doesn't become flooded with just Space Pirate Captain MacTaggart, I thought I'd share this little alternate universe thing I created.
If you've ever looked on my Facebook page, you'll have seen the pictures I posted where I took signs and notices from Thomas The Tank Engine and translated them into Scottish Gaelic (after discovering that Google Translate had added it as a language). Well, I decided today that I'd create some mock-ups of the covers to the VHS releases of Tómas Einnsean Na Tanca. And as a little bonus, I've written up a little fake background for these releases.
ALTERNATE HISTORY STARTS HERE
In the early 80s, the British government increased the funding provided for producing Gaelic-language media, such as radio and television. Networks which broadcast to Scotland became required to air up to an hour of Gaelic programming every day, which most of them did (though for the convenience of English viewers, these programmes were mainly shown at off-peak hours, and with English subtitles where possible).
Among the conditions set down for the networks was that any English programmes broadcast were to be either subtitled or dubbed into Gaelic. In 1986, ITV's Thomas The Tank Engine became one of those programmes that were dubbed, becoming the first foreign language dub of the series. While the original English voices were done entirely by-at the time-Ringo Starr, the Gaelic dub chose to employ individual voice actors for the characters.
To compliment the new Gaelic narration and voices, most scenes featuring signs, name boards or notices were re-edited. Where practical to do so, the original English text was blanked out with the appropriate Gaelic translation superimposed on top (this technique was copied by S4C when they produced the Welsh-language dub in 1987).
In 1987, Clearwater Features, then the producers of Thomas, granted Bhidio Alba (the primary distributor for Gaelic-language VHS titles) the distribution rights to produce and release the VHS titles for the dub of the series, where were identical to those released for the original English version.
Above are shown the releases for the first three seasons of the series, which were dubbed and broadcast in 1986 (Season 1), 1988 (Season 2) and 1992 (Season 3), with the VHS titles generally following at least six months after.
ALTERNATE HISTORY ENDS HERE
Well, it could have happened like that, but it didn't. For a start, while there is a Gaelic version of Thomas, only Seasons 8 and 9 have thus far been dubbed. I have heard from some people that other seasons were dubbed, but I haven't yet been able to find anything. Oh well. Until then, we can all enjoy looking at my fake covers, and speculating over what a Gaelic dub would have sounded like...
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Thomas The Tank Engine (C) Awdry Family, Britt Allcroft, HIT Entertainment and Mattel 1945-2016
Cover Designs (C) Me 2016
If you've ever looked on my Facebook page, you'll have seen the pictures I posted where I took signs and notices from Thomas The Tank Engine and translated them into Scottish Gaelic (after discovering that Google Translate had added it as a language). Well, I decided today that I'd create some mock-ups of the covers to the VHS releases of Tómas Einnsean Na Tanca. And as a little bonus, I've written up a little fake background for these releases.
ALTERNATE HISTORY STARTS HERE
In the early 80s, the British government increased the funding provided for producing Gaelic-language media, such as radio and television. Networks which broadcast to Scotland became required to air up to an hour of Gaelic programming every day, which most of them did (though for the convenience of English viewers, these programmes were mainly shown at off-peak hours, and with English subtitles where possible).
Among the conditions set down for the networks was that any English programmes broadcast were to be either subtitled or dubbed into Gaelic. In 1986, ITV's Thomas The Tank Engine became one of those programmes that were dubbed, becoming the first foreign language dub of the series. While the original English voices were done entirely by-at the time-Ringo Starr, the Gaelic dub chose to employ individual voice actors for the characters.
To compliment the new Gaelic narration and voices, most scenes featuring signs, name boards or notices were re-edited. Where practical to do so, the original English text was blanked out with the appropriate Gaelic translation superimposed on top (this technique was copied by S4C when they produced the Welsh-language dub in 1987).
In 1987, Clearwater Features, then the producers of Thomas, granted Bhidio Alba (the primary distributor for Gaelic-language VHS titles) the distribution rights to produce and release the VHS titles for the dub of the series, where were identical to those released for the original English version.
Above are shown the releases for the first three seasons of the series, which were dubbed and broadcast in 1986 (Season 1), 1988 (Season 2) and 1992 (Season 3), with the VHS titles generally following at least six months after.
ALTERNATE HISTORY ENDS HERE
Well, it could have happened like that, but it didn't. For a start, while there is a Gaelic version of Thomas, only Seasons 8 and 9 have thus far been dubbed. I have heard from some people that other seasons were dubbed, but I haven't yet been able to find anything. Oh well. Until then, we can all enjoy looking at my fake covers, and speculating over what a Gaelic dub would have sounded like...
---
Thomas The Tank Engine (C) Awdry Family, Britt Allcroft, HIT Entertainment and Mattel 1945-2016
Cover Designs (C) Me 2016
Image size
3700x6300px 10.02 MB
© 2016 - 2025 ToastedAlmond98
Comments3
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So I heard through the grapevine that there was, in fact, a Scots Gaelic dub of Season 1 back in the day (late 80's/early 90's, somewhere around there). It was narrated by Donnie MacLeod, who was best known for his work on Dotaman (another kids show from Scotland at the time).
Heck, there was even a book I found on eBay a few weeks back that was basically 10 stories from Season 1 translated in Scots Gaelic: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SCOTS-GAELIC-Thomas-the-Tank-Engine-Tomas-an-T-Einnsean-Tanca-in-Scottish-/174044594805
Someone had already purchased it by now, but it is an interesting find nonetheless 