Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Thomas & Friends (franchise)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposed deletion of the article below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.
The result was no consensus. I see no consensus to merge. Owen× ☎ 12:14, 11 June 2026 (UTC)
Thomas & Friends (franchise)
[Hide this box] New to Articles for deletion (AfD)? Read these primers!
- Thomas & Friends (franchise) (edit | talk | history | protect | delete | links | watch | logs | views) – (View log | edits since nomination)
- (Find sources: Google (books · news · scholar · free images · WP refs) · FENS · JSTOR · TWL)
I propose merging to Thomas & Friends because the franchise article is mostly comprised of redundancy and overlapping. The history section is full of info already covered in The Railway Series, the aforementioned TV series, and Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go. Most sources used are either questionable or primary, and a lot of original research and unsourced info has been kept for a long time. The sections "Films and specials", "Commercialisation", "Heritage railways", and "Popularity with autistic audience" could easily be moved to the TV series article, and the last part of the latter section would fit better in All Engines Go. Signed, SleepyRedHair. (talk - contribs) 18:56, 18 May 2026 (UTC)
- Note: this discussion has been included in the AfD sorting lists for the following topics: Film, Television, and Popular culture. Signed, SleepyRedHair. (talk - contribs) 18:56, 18 May 2026 (UTC)
- Merge per nom, theres way too much of a WP:OVERLAP here, everything here could easily be fit and explained in the main Thomas article. Gavetheman555 (talk) 19:04, 18 May 2026 (UTC)
- oppose, you want to merge the franchise that covers, book, tv, film, comic etc with TV page? WHY? — Preceding unsigned comment added by Crazyseiko (talk • contribs)
- I just explained the reason why above. Also, what comics? Signed, SleepyRedHair. (talk - contribs) 22:17, 18 May 2026 (UTC)
- UK had comics, has done for over 30 years and you can still buy them now.. Lets merge because its easier than doing work to improve the page. --Crazyseiko (talk) 15:49, 20 May 2026 (UTC)
- Has there been any journalistic coverage of said comics though? As in, has anyone gone and reviewed them for a reliable news source? Gommeh (talk! sign!) 18:28, 20 May 2026 (UTC)
- Not sure about comics but there is some stuff on the video games. Timur9008 (talk) 16:32, 31 May 2026 (UTC)
- The video games are covered at Thomas & Friends merchandise#Video games, albeit not super well. Signed, SleepyRedHair. (talk - contribs) 16:44, 31 May 2026 (UTC)
- Not sure about comics but there is some stuff on the video games. Timur9008 (talk) 16:32, 31 May 2026 (UTC)
- Has there been any journalistic coverage of said comics though? As in, has anyone gone and reviewed them for a reliable news source? Gommeh (talk! sign!) 18:28, 20 May 2026 (UTC)
- UK had comics, has done for over 30 years and you can still buy them now.. Lets merge because its easier than doing work to improve the page. --Crazyseiko (talk) 15:49, 20 May 2026 (UTC)
- I just explained the reason why above. Also, what comics? Signed, SleepyRedHair. (talk - contribs) 22:17, 18 May 2026 (UTC)
- Note: this discussion has been included in the AfD sorting lists for the following topics: Comics and animation and Toys. WCQuidditch ☎ ✎ 00:19, 19 May 2026 (UTC)
- Merge per nominator's rationale. FaviFake (talk) 16:55, 19 May 2026 (UTC)
- Keep as a franchise article as merging to three or more articles is spreading the information out unnecessarily and making an overview of the subject too difficult for the reader in my view, Atlantic306 (talk) 23:12, 19 May 2026 (UTC)
- I wasn't suggesting merging to "3 or more". Most of the material would go to the TV series article, while the small AEG portions would go to AEG. I don't see how that's too complicated or difficult. Signed, SleepyRedHair. (talk - contribs) 17:23, 20 May 2026 (UTC)
- You stated that the history section is from three different articles The Railway Series, Thomas & Friends, and Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go so you are suggesting forcing the reader to three different articles instead of one if they just want an overview, imv Atlantic306 (talk) 22:49, 20 May 2026 (UTC)
- Not really. The article is barely an overview at all. The history section is, as I previously described, mostly original research with questionable sources. There's not much reason to have it when it just discusses stuff that fits better in each respective article. Most of the sections I mentioned are mostly focused on the OG TV series anyway. I also think the whole "forcing the reader to three different articles" thing is a bit exaggerated, the merge would make the distinction between each article more clear. RWS and the TV shows have very different histories, and as I also stated, the franchise article has way too much WP:OVERLAP, so the "overview" concept seems to me like the one and only reason to keep it. Signed, SleepyRedHair. (talk - contribs) 18:00, 21 May 2026 (UTC)
- You stated that the history section is from three different articles The Railway Series, Thomas & Friends, and Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go so you are suggesting forcing the reader to three different articles instead of one if they just want an overview, imv Atlantic306 (talk) 22:49, 20 May 2026 (UTC)
- I wasn't suggesting merging to "3 or more". Most of the material would go to the TV series article, while the small AEG portions would go to AEG. I don't see how that's too complicated or difficult. Signed, SleepyRedHair. (talk - contribs) 17:23, 20 May 2026 (UTC)
- Oppose - The original television series has ended, but the franchise is still going with new shows, merchandise, events, etc. Maybe the franchise page could be rewritten a bit, especially the origins section, but I didn't think we should merge it. It also makes it easier, as for an example, the Thomas the Tank Engine page has "The Railway Series and Thomas & Friends character" at the top, with Thomas & Friends linking to the franchise page, which is easier as the franchise includes the original show, All Engines Go and the 2026 series. Thomasfan1000 (talk) 12:55, 23 May 2026 (UTC)
- I'd be satisfied with a merge, reducing the repetition, but have the show be in its own content/area. Not sure what to do about the railway series, all engines go, or the reboot yet. TheFlamer2024 (talk) 02:54, 26 May 2026 (UTC)
- Merge per nomination. Lots of overlap. Magical Golden Whip (talk) 18:03, 27 May 2026 (UTC)
- Keep I added some sources and I see more sources via Newspapers.com/The Wikipedia Library. I do agree the article does need cleanup. Timur9008 (talk) 16:48, May 31, 2026 (UTC)
- Thank you, that definitely helps, but there's still the overlapping issue I brought up. Signed, SleepyRedHair. (talk - contribs) 13:57, 31 May 2026 (UTC)
- Merge Only real reason why I would be fine a merge is because of said overlap, though I wonder why it isn't the other way due to franchise articles having usually higher priority over iterations of them.
- KreamoNoBrainos/Kreamy/Fat Man (talk) 17:42, 2 June 2026 (UTC)
- Keep, opposing a merge. if merged, would need a new article just on the TV show anyway. Hyperbolick (talk) 20:48, 3 June 2026 (UTC)
- Keep, I don't think it's productive to remove this article given that the original television series is no longer an active portion of the franchise. I will note however, that the upcoming series has not been confirmed by Mattel to be separate from the original television series, both retain the same title. BAABNRRBBORB1 (talk) 07:57, 4 June 2026 (UTC)
- The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the article's talk page or in a deletion review). No further edits should be made to this page.