The economics and politics of Thomas the Tank Engine (2015) (opens in new tab)

I think it originally came from the fact the book series dates to the 1940s. The earliest ones actually predate the 1946 nationalization of British railways. Diesel locomotives were strange and disruptive to the steam-based world that was the baseline.

What gets me is that a tiny island with only trivial industry has acquired an incredibly random fleet of locomotives. In practice, you'd expect to see either a small number of engines built as a fleet, or still relatively similar engines built over time with incremental enhancements.

I could sort of rationalize it if it were being ran as a "hobby business"-- not necessarily based on economic needs, but because the operators are just pathological locomotive collectors, perhaps collecting what British Rail shed at scrap prices as it dieselized.

There is a strong antipathy towards industrialism in the series despite the facts that it is the main profit source for the rail company and steam engines being the symbol of the industrial revolution. Take for example the dreaded Trucks who are universally despised and the crane in the dockyard who is nasty to everyone. An example of nostalgia trumping rational considerations is the story of Toby. An obsolete tram is finally retired from service only to be recomissioned by the Fat Controller to operate on the railway. Clearly a tram on a railway is impractical and inefficient.

Cruel and unusual punishment, public shaming, steeling oneself against the suffering of another, mocking of the obsolete, the (feigned) pretense that you yourself could not be the one locked up next time, etc etc.