Shining Time Station (1989–1993) User Reviews

A re-write of my most hated comment.

[The_Light_Triton · 8/10 · 3 March 2010]

Ladies and gentlemen, i apologize for the 5 year old review i made on this Show. i hadn't seen it in so long and i had just turned 15 when i wrote that review. i'm almost 20 now. 18 People hated that comment (and only one guy liked it, which is weird.) and now i hope to write a comment that 18 people like.

Shining time station was a show that was part of my childhood, but i found it boring (Then again, i'm talking about 1993, and i was a big barney fan back then) but after listening to the last great song that Joe Raposo was ever known to compose, i think my opinion just changed.

If I recall correctly, Shining time station was a show about Thomas the tank engine's adventures, but with the events happening at the train station thrown in, and shown more often than Thomas was. Stacy Jones was one memorable character to me, as was schemer and billy Two-Feathers. I remember Stacy Jones being weird, Schemer being Weirder, And Billy two-feathers as the guy that lived in the other room. Yeah, i know it's weird. Today, I see Stacy Jones as a babe (any chick named Stacy is hot) Schemer as Awesome, and billy Two-feathers as epic.

So simply Put, a lot of people like this show, but i'm the minority. The only thing i truly liked about this one, Was the themes, The original from the early eighties, and the masterpiece theme Joe Raposo composed. other than that, i give it an 8, but i'm one of the people that wouldn't want to come back to shining time station.

I miss this show!!!

[zcst · 31 December 2001]

When I was very little I remember going to my grandparents house for a visit often. I can remember very clearly watching "Shining Time Station" on there TV in the mornings. There was Barney, and Sesame Street but I clearly remember watching "STS". I couldn't believe it when it came off the air. I guess my kids will never have the same experience that I had from watching Thomas the Tank engine and all his friends and Mr. Conductor and his little whistle. The stories that Mr. C. told were a lot of fun to listen to. I really miss it and if you have any information on were I can buy "STS" videos anywhere than that would be wonderful. Go ahead and E-mail me.

(zcst) Esti H.

Shining Time Station

[robotwarsandrazerfan1 · 10/10 · 24 October 2006]

I loved watching Shining Time Station on PBS when I was really little. It is a shame that they eventually took it off of the air. It was educational, funny, and fun to watch. It taught kids, like me, about important lessons in life. I miss that show so much. I can still hear the theme song when I am in a quiet place and I think back to those good old days. I wish they would bring it back. It meant so much me and many, many others. I hope that someday soon they either bring it back on TV or they release the original episodes on VHS and DVD, the way they were shown on TV when they originally aired. Please, bring it back!

What a Great Show!

[patjk910 · 10/10 · 23 February 2003]

For me, I really liked Shining Time Station. I liked it they have both Ringo Starr and George Carlin as Mr. Conductor. I did like Ringo Starr as Mr. Conductor, I like it every time he appear and disappear. But, when George Carlin was Mr. Conductor I really like him, he was my favorite. I really liked the kids on the show my favorites were Dan, Kara, Becky, Matt, and Tanya after all they all were cousins on the show. I saw an episode when they had all 5 kids on there, it was when the kids wanted to play baseball and Scheemer was their coach, it was funny. I even saw the first episode of the second season, when it was Halloween and the characters Dan, Kara, Becky, Mr. Conductor played by George Carlin and Billy Twofeathers was introduced, Matt and Tanya was on their too. I wish that Shining Time Station was back on the air so families everywhere can watch it with their kids.

Shining Time Station Shines On Brilliantly.

[Dawalk-1 · 10/10 · 25 August 2011]

Although the Thomas The Tank Engine stories are good, I've always loved this PBS series, Shining Time Station, even more growing up on it. And it was through this show how I learned and got to know of them. I always found what took place in the station even more interesting. I like how the Thomas stories told by either of the Mr. Conductors (whether portrayed by Ringo Starr or George Carlin) to the handful of kids who visited there, were included in the show, that was a nice touch of how it all came together. This aspect of the show is similar to what was done in the late '90s Noddy series, I noticed this for those who may not have seen that show and for your info, and I wonder if those who have seen that other show noticed that, and pointed it out too. And as in Noddy, the stories that were recounted here pertained to whatever the episode's theme or subject matter was. What's there to complain and not like about this show? It is what I'd like to consider one of the perfect kid shows, not just better, and it gets my vote to be on the most outstanding kid shows of all time list. It's just pure gold.

Aside from the aforementioned two Mr. Conductors (who were small, could appear and vanish magically at will, and weren't known of by many but the handful of kids, who I don't remember any of them being cousins to one another as another reviewer mentioned), there were also the station master Stacy (who I think also may have known about the Mr. Conductors), who might have been related to some of the kids; Schemer, who loved money so much that, if I recollect exactly, he was always trying to come up with and plot ways (as his self-explanatory name implies) to get rich quickly, almost like a true con artist or scam artist; the Flexitoon Puppets who consisted of a band and lived in a jukebox (and it was they who played the music whenever a nickel was dropped into the coin slot, and a track was selected), and more. If anyone reading my review has never seen Shining Time Station, I say check it out, because everything about it, from the story lines to the characters, is great. With morals or lessons that were done the right way, I pick and consider this to be both a keeper and a winner for sure.

A fond memory from my childhood.

[daves_train · 10/10 · 24 December 2009]

I loved this show (no kidding right) but it was extra special to me because I was and still am very picky about what I watch. Sure the characters got hammy once in a while but this show was great. Didi Conn, Brian O'Conner, Ringo Starr and Georger Carlin (R.I.P) were excellent. Stacy's nice but worried attitude, Schemer's jerk and childish attitude and Mr. Conductors funny and wise attitudes were real great. I don't know why but my favorite episode was the one with the Good Conductor and the Evil Conductor because of the hilarity that ensued. Overall I think that if you ever find a tape that you should definitely watch it, I own two myself.

A timeless series for all ages

[johnlabouyer · 10/10 · 12 January 2014]

I remember this series from a long time ago and I've always adored it along with Thomas the tank engine. Many children's t.v. series are timeless including this one and Thomas and Friends. I loved the characters Stacey Jones, Schemer, Mr. Conductor, the kids, Billy Twofeathers,the Jukebox band, and Thomas the tank engine. If only this was still on the air, this would've been the best children's railroad series in the history of television. I was also a train fan too. I loved thinking about railroad engineers and big steam engines. It's been so long since I've seen this show on the air in my home every morning on PBS Kids. My favorite episodes were the ones where Schemer always got into trouble and whenever Mr. Conductor would tell his stories about Thomas and all the other engines on the Island of Sodor. This old t.v. show means a lot to me and I hope that one day I could see this back on the air and beloved by many children and their parents whom have enjoyed it as children when they were their age.

One of the best series ever for kids

[Quinoa1984 · 29 February 2000]

The Shining Time Station is a great series for kids. It showcases what is good in the world of trains and teaching lessons that are good for them. Also, the show can be funny at times. But of course, what brings the show to be one of the best is the acting by George Carlin as Mr. Conductor (he received a Emmy nomination for it). Entertaining and enlightening throughout.

A Timeless Childrens Show

[cure_glo88 · 1 June 2002]

What else can be said about this show? It was educational, entertaining, and most of all classic. I LOVED this show when I was a toddler, and even if I saw it today, I would still be entertained and enlightened. The Thomas the Train segments were also inspirational. If only the childrens shows of today were like that!

It's one of my favorite shows growing up!

[moodyblu6905 · 22 October 2000]

This program series has been one of my favorite shows to watch ever since I was eight years old. Didi Conn is my favorite actress and my favorite line from the show is when her character answers the phone with, "Hello, Shining Time Station, Stacy Jones speaking."

Valuable lessons from a train station

[Beta_Gallinger · 22 July 2007]

I was born 1986, so my memories of the early 1990s are obviously not my clearest, but I do have many positive memories from that time, including memories of various TV shows. "Shining Time Station" is one of the TV shows I remember from the first half of that decade. I remember watching it regularly for a while, seeing it just before "Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?" came on. I must have seen reruns of the early '90s kids' programme after its demise as well, because I can recall definitely seeing it after 1993.

The show was set in a train station called Shining Time Station (hence its title). Main characters included Stacy Jones (the station master), Billy Twofeathers (the railroad engineer), and Schemer (the buffoon who owned the station arcade). In Schemer's arcade was a juke box with puppet singers/musicians inside. There were also kids in the show named Becky, Kara, and Dan, who regularly talked to Mr. Conductor, an 18'' inch man who would tell them stories of Thomas the Tank Engine (with sequences using characters from "Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends") and teach them lessons. With all the trouble taking place at Shining Time Station, there were many life lessons to be learned.

Like most kids' shows of this kind, "Shining Time Station" was educational. The lessons that the characters learned could be taught to the young viewers of the show. To entertain its viewers, the show had adventure, humour, good quality characters, songs performed by the puppets in the juke box, etc. A major highlight of the show was Schemer, a character who was responsible for a lot of the humour in the show. He could really annoy other characters, but could also sure give viewers some good laughs!

I guess I didn't catch the show right from the beginning, as I cannot remember the Harry Cupper character (the original engineer who was replaced by Billy Twofeathers in Season 2), nor can I remember Ringo Starr (a former narrator for "Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends", and best known as the drummer for The Beatles in the 1960s) playing Mr. Conductor (he was replaced in the role by George Carlin in Season 2). So, I guess it's clear that I missed Season 1, but of all those shows I saw way back, I probably didn't see every episode of many of them, if any. I may have seen more of other shows than "Shining Time Station", but this show has still left me with positive (and permanent) memories, and I know many others who watched the show in their childhood can say the same!

Shining Time Station

[courtneygbsn · 3 May 2005]

I've seen this program when i was a little kid. The first time I saw Thomas the tank engine I didn't like it. But when I watched it a few times I enjoyed it. My favorite Character was Schemer, he was so funny the way how he loves nickles and he has that crazy curl on his hair. And I will never forget Mr. Conductor. That little man who lives in the wall. Every time if the kids are depressed or mad he tells them a story about Thoamas the tank engine and friends. The first few episodes were better. But some of the later episodes were a little boring but I still liked it because Schemer was still there. I was very disappointed when PBS took this show off the air. This was the best television program on PBS.

Terrific Show!

[Lho3323370 · 4 July 2001]

I used to watch this show when I was three years old. They have great acting. My old friend Loney has some videos of this show. I have not seen this show in a long time. I saw it back when it was on PBS. now it is on Fox Family. It is about a train that moves.

Enjoyable for all ages...

[seashellz · 21 August 2000]

I used to watch this if I woke up early, but lost track of it. I have no idea why it is no longer on PBS. Also sad to see that 'Scheemer', Brian O'Connor died in 1994... Anyway the interaction of DeeDee, Billy and George Carlin as Mr Conductor, and the antics of Scheemer made this quite enjoyable. And the Thomas the Tank Engine sequences where quite good what with the elaborate miniature model work, all done with obvious love....