A new collection of six festive stamps featuring Thomas and Friends
“All aboard for a big adventure!”… Isle of Man Post Office is pleased to present a new set of festive stamps for Christmas 2021 featuring Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends wintering on the Isle of Man. Depicted celebrating the fun of a Christmas railway excursion in our world-famous transport heritage network, which has strong links to the Thomas series, with the author openly crediting the Isle of Man as inspiration for the Island of Sodor.
The Isle of Man has a long history of heritage transport - and steam railways in particular - and a selection of these are referenced on this collection. The hillside-view stamp, featuring Toby, incorporates the landscape that is home to the Snaefell Mountain Railway, a seasonal service operated under the management of the Isle of Man Government. Meanwhile, Duncan’s stamp is set at the picturesque Groudle Glen Railway which is operated by volunteers and located along the coast a couple of miles north of Douglas.
This collection is our second stamp issue to feature Thomas, in 1995 Isle of Man Post Office released a set of six Thomas the Tank Engine stamps in which Thomas dreamt that he visited his friend, Caledonia on the Isle of Man.
Five years later the Island was one of the locations for the feature film Thomas and the Magic Railroad when Castletown Station transformed into Shining Time Station and the goods shed at Port Erin became the character Burnett Stone's workshop, so the Thomas stories have certainly found their place in Isle of Man and remain very fondly and inextricably linked. Castletown Station is featured on the 1st Class stamp alongside Thomas.
There are six stamps within the issue (1st, EU, Large Letter, Rest of World, USA, EU Large), with each stamp depicting a character from the world of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends. The stamps pay tribute to the earliest era of Thomas artworks with imagery derived from the work of Reginald Payne and Reginald Dalby. Although very early illustrations were by William Middleton the images that remain in print are those modified by Reginald Dalby whose newer versions date from 1949. The festive stamps show a wintery scene at various Isle of Man Heritage railway locations across the Island and have been designed to invoke warm memories of Christmas railway journeys with loved ones.
Available in the collection is:
| Text | Isle of Man Post Office |
| Design | EJC Design |
| Printer | bpost |
| Process | Offset Lithography |
| Colours | 4 |
| Paper | True White LithoFSC 110 |
| Perforations | 11.5 per 2cm |
| Stamp Size | 32mm x 25.96mm |
| No. of Stamps | 6 |
| Sheet Format | 20 |
| Date of Issue | 27th October 2021 |
| Limited Editions | Presentation Packs 3000, First Day Covers 3000 |
Product Code: ZL64
Product Issue Date: 27th October 2021
This Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends at Christmas Sheetlet features all six stamps with a festive snowy border which also showing Thomas the Tank Engine against the splendid Victorian Douglas Railway Station on the Isle of Man. This beautiful sheetlet is presented in a decorative folder complete with the issue text making this a delightful addition to any railway or philatelic enthusiasts collection.
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Product Code: ZL31
Product Issue Date: 27th October 2021
Isle of Man Post Office is pleased to present a festive collection of six stamps featuring Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends at heritage transport locations across the Isle of Man.
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Product Code: ZL41
Product Issue Date: 27th October 2021
This glossy four page full colour booklet contains a full set of mint condition 'Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends at Christmas' stamps. The six stamps depict various characters from Thomas the Tank Engine visiting various locations on the Isle of Man heritage railways.
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Product Code: ZL91
Product Issue Date: 27th October 2021
A beautiful collector's item which includes six festive stamps of Thomas the Tank Engine and friends presented on a superior envelope. This collectable is completed by a black foil postmark for the day of issue.
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Product Code: ZL96
Product Issue Date: 27th October 2021
The complete set of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends at Christmas stamps is displayed on this deluxe cover along with a Railway Letter Stamp. The stamps were cancelled with the Post Office TPO first day of issue pictorial postmark depicting the semaphore signal at the platform end of Douglas Station. The cover also bears the Isle of Man Railways IMR cachet indicating that the cover has been carried on the Travelling Post Office.
This unique cover is truly a must have for any philatelic collector with an interest in railways.
Limited Edition
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Product Code: ZL94
Product Issue Date: 27th October 2021
All six stamps from this wonderfully festive collection are presented on a deluxe envelope, in a self-adhesive format, each with a 67p value.
**Please expect delivery mid November**
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Product Code: ZL32
Product Issue Date: 27th October 2021
Our 2021 Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends at Christmas stamps will soon be available via our retail kiosks and sub-post office counter network. This set of six self adhesive stamps all carry £0.67 value (equivalent of a 1st) and affixing them to your letters and cards is a wonderful way to spread some festive cheer this Christmas.
**Please expect delivery mid November**
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