Exclusive: 'The Christmas Express' delayed by ABC

Australia's ABC2 channel will not show the new Season Sixteen episode, The Christmas Express until the Winter of 2012.

The eighteenth story from this year's Thomas & Friends series had been planned to transmit on Sunday March 4th but was ultimately pulled from it's position in the ABC schedules shortly after announcing.

It was then revealed that the third episode called Express Coming Through would take its place on the date of transmission in the form of a repeat.

ABC's Audience Liaison Officer, Leonie Cambage had this to say; You are quite correct that Episode 3 of Series 16 of Thomas and Friends, Express Coming Through, is scheduled to be repeated on Sunday 4 March, on ABC2.

ABC Children's Television staff have advised that, in general, children's programs with Christmas themes are reserved for screening during the Christmas period.

Consequently, a programming decision was made to suspend screening of Episode 18, The Christmas Express, until the end of this year.

Season Sixteen of Thomas & Friends continues its run in Australia on ABC2 on Saturday March 3rd 2012 at 2:55pm with the episode, Welcome Stafford.

Channel 5 in the UK airs the next episode on their milkshake! slot on Monday March 5th 2012 at 7:35am with Thomas and the Sounds of Sodor.

For a full list of the scheduling, visit the Dieselworks Turntable Roundhouse on the right hand sidebar for more details. 

VIEW THE ABC SCHEDULE

Thanks to NWR1991.