Thomas The Tank Engine 2: The Race (ZX Spectrum, Amstrad CPC, C64, Atari)

1992 Alternative Software

Platforms: Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Atari, Amstrad CPC

Back in the day, my Commodore Format magazine used to have an ‘Early Warning Scanner’ with games that were coming soon for the C64. On there for a while was Thomas The Tank Engine 2, but it never really moved and nothing more was shown in magazines. I assumed it was vapourware.

“The games were written in 1990 when Clockwize had moved to an ‘office’ in the town.” explained Dean. “It was really just one big long room that had once been a dance studio. The Alternative budget titles that we did were usually just based around a title that was given to us such as ‘Punch And Judy’ and the design was up to us. Thomas 2 though needed to be based on the book ‘The Race’ where Thomas races Bertie the bus. Both games needed to be fairly simple for younger children to play. Thomas 2 would turn out to be the least problematic.”

In addition, it was the first time the team were asked to create Atari versions of both games, with Clockwize producing a special PDS-to-Atari interface so that they could develop for it.

“Game design and attract mode graphics inspired by the Thomas book: ‘The Race’.” added Dean. “I did the design, coded the ZX version and ported it to the Amstrad CPC but with completely new graphics. Lee Burns and I created the graphics. The nice intro-story pictures and the title screens were Lee’s. I think Dave handled the CBM and Atari version with Dave and Lee sharing graphics duties.”

At the time, Clockwize was struggling and hitting cash flow issues (as well as other problems). Eventually, everything just ground to a halt and Keith went off into business on his own according to Dean. Alternative however still wanted the games, so Dave, Jeremy and Dean setup the hardware back at home to do all the modifications and Alternative wanted to Thomas 2 and bug fixed it up all ready.

By sometime in 1992, the final master makers were created for Thomas 2, but some dispute still remained with Alternative over something relating to the game (which cannot now be recalled), and so none of the conversions would ever see the light of day.

After many years, thankfully Dean still had final versions of the game and backed the C64 and Spectrum editions up – however, neither TZX Vault (ZX Spectrum) or Games That Weren’t (C64) were able to release anything of them. However, that today all changes. We have finally been given permission by Alternative to put out the games across all platforms – but the lack of a CPC and Atari version of both games meant there was still work to be done.

Games That Weren’t was given a large box of Alternative materials in late 2025, and within was the Amstrad CPC master build makers on 3″ disks. These have been preserved, and a proper tape image created. Then we also found some tapes with an earlier ZX Spectrum build of Thomas 2 and Atari versions too. Dean also dug out the Atari editions of Thomas 2 and kindly backed these up as well, and finally passed over the ZX Spectrum builds that he had created way back in 2009.

And as a result, here we are – the complete version of Thomas The Tank Engine 2. A bonus is the ZX Spectrum demo that we found on one of the tapes with an earlier build with no sound or second player.

We hope you enjoy going through them all and checking out titles that children should have been buying and enjoying back in 1991/92!

With a huge thank you to Dean Hickingbottom, Andy Barker, Darren Melbourne and Steve Brown (TZX Vault) for all their help and input.