Diesel goes back for Bachmann

Diesel is the latest character to be immortalised to a Bachmann HO Scale model.

Wholesale and Horizon Hobby have listed Diesel w/ Moving Eyes on their databases.

Diesel was previously available as Lionel 00 Gauge model and a Hornby HO Scale. 

Knapford Station and a Large Scale Oil Tanker are also due to be released.

Bachmann Diesel will be released later this year in the US.

Thanks to SnowflakeTH for the alert.

Sodor to go fruity for Betty Crocker

There is to be a new set of fruit flavoured snacks in the US soon based on Thomas & Friends.

Betty Crocker Fruit Flavoured Snacks and Hit Entertainment have teamed up to produce the healthy snacks.

Vice President of US Consumer Products for the Thomas Division, Gabriela Arenas spoke of the launch; High quality and tasty options are as important to us as they are to the parents of all Thomas & Friends fans.

We are therefore thrilled to have the opportunity to work with General Mills, one of the largest and most trusted brands out there, to bring Thomas & Friends themed fruit flavored snacks to families.

The Marketing Manager for Betty Crocker, Ben Mand also contributed to the announcement; We love providing moms with deliciously fun fruit flavored snack options for their kids to enjoy, so we are pleased to offer Thomas & Friends Fruit Flavored Snacks.

The snacks will feature six characters mixed in with flavours including strawberry, orange and grape.

The Thomas & Friends Fruit Flavored Snacks will hit US supermarket retailers later this year in June.

Saban brands a Hit bid

It has emerged that Hit Entertainment's buyout situation is once again in limbo after another bidder stepped forward.

Haim Saban known for owning the Power Rangers is said to be another party on board for Apax and Hit's buyout.

President of Saban Brands, Elie Dekel told of the involvement; You can pretty much bet if there’s transactional activity in the kids space on established brands that we are looking and aware of them.

Whether or not we are pursuing or engaged is really on a case by case basis.

Former Disney Executive Officer Michael Eisner is also another party up for the bid.

It is now thought by the Bank of America Corporation that the end of the month could see some progress. 

READ THE FULL ARTICLE 

Sif reveals 'Day of the Diesels'

The SiF team have officially posted an exclusive promo for the next Thomas & Friends special, Day of the Diesels.

The promo prepared by Hit Entertainment is an image showcasing three Steam Engines and Diesel Engines each with a tagline, adding up to the drama!

Diesel 10 of course returns in the special after his brief and suprise cameo at the end of the last special, Misty Island Rescue.

Newcomers Dart and Den are revealed in their CGI states for the very first time in the image alongside Diesel 10 himself, Thomas, Percy and James.

SiF reveals that all the Diesels who have so far appeared in the CGI Series will be involved in the new special, along with a few more characters due to be confirmed.

TAKE A LOOK AT THE DAY OF THE DIESELS PROMO SHOT AND FOR MORE INFORMATION

Small confirms more for 2011

Ben Small has confirmed more on upcoming TV Series and specials.

Small announced yesterday via YouTube that he had completed his recorded lines for the upcoming Day of the Diesels special; I actually finished my recording of DOTD today.

He also told good news for Stanley fans concerning his recent non-speaking cameos in Season Fourteen.

For those who wanted to know, I will be voicing Stanley in the US episodes from now on and he has an American accent, which is oddly enough the accent I have most used to date in animation.

Then some hours later; I will be voicing Stanley in the US version and Matt (Wilkinson) will be voicing him in the UK version, should have mentioned that!! 

Asked about certain meetings with US cast members, Small told of the friends he had made out of them.

Sometimes I bump into some of the US cast whilst at the studio. Kerry Shale I have met and Jules De Jongh is a close friend of mine, and we've worked together on lots of things before.

She is an awesome actress, and one of the best human beings I know. Regarding Martin P. Sherman, he's a lovely guy!

Day of the Diesels premieres later this year.

Bachmann Donald and Douglas first images revealed

Bachmann have published the first images for the HO Scale models of Donald and Douglas.

Donald and Douglas both feature moving eyes while their models replicate their TV Series models.

Both cost $70 each.

The Bachmann Donald and Douglas models will be released later this year in the US.

2012 annual cover revealed

Amazon.co.uk have published the cover for the next Thomas & Friends annual in the UK.

The cover features Thomas and Harold in the countryside with the tagline No. 1 Engine added.

The annual contains 72 pages.

The Thomas & Friends 2012 Annual hits UK book shelves on August 1st 2011.

PRE-ORDER THE 2012 ANNUAL

Two 'Kid's' for Thomas wood crafting

KidKraft and Kids Only Inc. are to create some new wood furniture based products on Thomas & Friends.

Hit Entertainment have teamed up with the two companies to produce a line of wooden furniture for mainly for bedrooms.

Some of which will include toddler beds, step 'n' stores, chair sets and toy boxes. The companies are to also create plastic and metal room décor's along with patio furniture's.

Vice President of Consumer Products for the Thomas Division, Gabriela Arenas spoke of the announcement; Working with KidKraft and Kids Only Inc., we will be able to create lines of Thomas & Friends furniture and decorative accessories that capture the timelessness of the brand.

The high-quality products will not only delight young Thomas fans, but will also please parents with their durability and modern classic designs.

Kidcraft CEO, Steve Lampert also commented; KidKraft classic designs are a great fit for the Thomas & Friends brand, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to work with Hit Entertainment
on this line.

The Vice President of Marketing at Kids Only Inc., Bob Pagano concluded; The Thomas & Friends
inspired room décor will enable Thomas the Tank Engine fans to take the number-one engine from their TV screens into the coziness of their bedrooms.

We look forward to working with HIT Entertainment on products that will let little ones imagine that they are living on the Island of Sodor with Thomas.

The furniture products will be available later this Spring.

Two new annuals revealed

Two more annual's are to be released later this year in the UK.

A new holiday annual has had it's cover revealed which will contain 96 pages, while the other will be a 2012 annual and will have 72 pages.

Previously, a similar holiday annual called Summer Annual was released last year containing stories from the Twelfth Series.

Both annual's contain activities, puzzles and stories.

The Holiday Annual and the 2012 Annual hit UK book shelves on April 4th 2011 and August 1st 2011 respectively. 

PRE-ORDER THE HOLIDAY ANNUAL AND THE 2012 ANNUAL

Season Nine demands served

FIVE's On Demand service in the UK has made another series available for viewing.

Season Nine is the latest series from the Hit Entertainment era to be enabled for viewing by Demand Five.

However, Season Eleven is currently the only series left on the website yet to feature an On Demand service.

Seasons Eight and Ten-Fourteen are also available.

VIEW THE THOMAS & FRIENDS DEMAND FIVE PAGE HERE

'Day of the Diesels' wraps animation

Ben Small has confirmed more on the next special Day of the Diesels.

He wrote on his official YouTube Channel regarding the special's CGI; As far as the animation goes, yes it's been completed.

He also told the differences between the US and UK cast recordings for the CGI era; The American cast record the voices first, and then the UK cast re-voice to picture.

I get to record straight from the script, as the voices will be used for worldwide distribution.

Day of the Diesels premieres later this year.

High-res version of 'Play Date Pack' cover

Lionsgate Publicity have published a larger version of the cover to the upcoming 3 disc set Play Date Pack.

The pack includes the following DVD's; Thomas and the Jet Engine, On Site With Thomas and Thomas and the Really Brave Engines.

Play Date Pack hits US DVD shelves on April 5th 2011.