Oh dear. A Canadian academic, Shauna Wilton, a professor of political sciences at the University of Alberta, has criticised Thomas the Tank Engine for its "conservative political ideology" and failure to adequately represent women. The show's "right-wing politics" shows the colourful steam engines punished if they show initiative or oppose change, Ms Wilton found. A "class divide" sees the downtrodden workers in the form of Thomas and his friends at the bottom of the social ladder and the "wealthy" Fat Controller, Sir Topham Hatt, at the top.
She was also critical of the fact the show only has eight female characters out of the 49 who feature.
Obviously she hasn't read New Zealand Railfan magazine whose editors insist that all locomotives are feminine and must be referred to as "she".
As for the rest, well it was very much like that in the communist countries too, sweetness.
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