Comparison of British to Red Rose Transport(ation) series

Red Rose "borrowed" the British Brooke Bond series 16 called "Transport Through the Ages." It's a great series about everything from the Elephant (first card) to the Rocket Ship (the last card.) The Red Rose conversion had to bring the number of cards from 50 to 48 and since we don't say Transport here in the Americas it was named "Transportation Through the Ages." In a funny side note, there was no London Bus in the original British series.

I'm sure you are just itching to find out the differences between the two sets. There were a bunch of re-numberings (just swapping the card number to something different.) Then a few renames, retexting and re-picturing for Americanization. Some keep the same name but have different texts, some have new names, texts and pictures. Either way they still carry the same basic facts. The last card in this group is a re-picturing that should have been re-written. Oops! Finally you have the loss of three cards and the insertion of one new one. What do you say we take a peek.

Exactly How Different are the Two Series?

A quick (maybe not quick) comparison of the two series shows that:

•  Cards 4 and 5 (Chariot and Ox Wagon) were swapped.
•  Cards 9 and 10 (Galley and Kayak) were swapped - at least on some of the Red Rose cards.
•  Cards 17 and 18 (Stephenson's Rocket and Steam Wagon) were swapped.
•  The Electric Tram is card number 27 in the Red Rose series while number 28 in the British series.
•  The Electric Locomotive is card number 28 in the Red Rose series while number 29 in the British series.
•  Early Motor Car is card number 30 in the Red Rose series while number 31 in the British series.
•  The Bluebird is card number 31 in the Red Rose series while number 32 in the British series.
•  Motorcycle is card number 32 in the Red Rose series while number 33 in the British series.
•  Sno-Cat is card number 33 in the Red Rose series while number 34 in the British series.
•  The Wright Brothers Aeroplane is card number 34 in the Red Rose series while number 35 in the British series.
•  Airship is card number 35 in the Red Rose series while number 36 in the British series.
•  Early Airliner is card number 36 in the Red Rose series while number 37 in the British series.
•  Flying Boat is card number 37 in the Red Rose series while number 38 in the British series.
•  Supermarine Schneider Trophy Plane is card number 38 in the Red Rose series while number 39 in the British series.
•  Helicopter is card number 39 in the Red Rose series while number 41 in the British series.
•  First Turbojet Airliner is card number 40 in the Red Rose series while number 42 in the British series.
•  Boeing 727 is card number 41 in the Red Rose series while it's match is number 43 in the British series and is called Modern Jet Airliner.
•  Variable Wing Aircraft is card number 42 in the Red Rose series while number 44 in the British series.
•  The Mesoscaphe is card number 43 in the Red Rose series while number 45 in the British series.
•  Hydrafoil is card number 44 in the Red Rose series while number 46 in the British series.
•  Hovercraft is card number 45 in the Red Rose series while number 47 in the British series.
•  Nuclear Ship is card number 46 in the Red Rose series while number 48 in the British series.
•  Nuclear Submarine is card number 47 in the Red Rose series while number 49 in the British series.
•  Apollo Space Rocket is card number 48 in the Red Rose series while it's match is number 50 in the British series and is called just Space Rocket.

 Re-Naming, Re-Texting and Re-Picturing

•  Airship has the same name and text in both series, but the pictures are a bit different. Notice the swastikas on the fins of the British version of the zeppelin (left.) One wonders if there was concern that the Americans would be offended with the symbols.
  





•  Modern Jet Airliner is card number 43 in the British series while it's match is number 41 in the Red Rose series but it is called Boeing 727. Both texts are about jet airliners, but maybe the British flag on the side of the plane was too much.
  





•  Diesel Locomotive is number 20 on both sides of the pond but the picture changed as well as the text. The original is quoted talking about "Bristol to Paddington in 1965" so you just know the CN diesel is all about Canada.
  





•  Space Rocket is card number 50 in the British series while it's match is number 48 in the Red Rose series but it is called Apollo Space Rocket. Both texts are written for their respective countries but both cards texts are about rockets. How could Red Rose pass up a chance to have a rocket painted with United States on it?
  




• The number 47 Red Rose Nuclear Submarine card was re-pictured but they forgot to re-do the text. It was Dave White from the UK who caught that one. As a matter of fact, it was because of him that I decided to do this whole darn page. Thanks Dave! Check out the point on the Localization error page.

 Dropped Cards

•  The Oil Tanker (Number 27) in the British series does not come over to Red Rose.
•  The Monorail (Number 30) in the British series does not come over to Red Rose.
•  Transport Aircraft (Number 40) in the British series does not come over to Red Rose.

 Added Card

•  A new London Bus card (number 29) is created for the Red Rose series.

It's interesting to see what was changed to "Americanize" the set. Of course I speak of the Americas, the US and Canada. I'll stick my neck out and say that I don't think a yank would understand a Brit when he said he just had a good cuppa....

So Why Drop What They Did and Add the London Bus?

Certainly they had to drop two cards. The British had issued 50 cards as they had on many previous occasions. Red Rose always had 48. An oil tanker is an easy drop. A big old tanker may mean a lot to BP but oil spills are associated too easily with tankers in the US and Canada. The Monorail. Who's running a monorail in the US or Canada besides Disney? It's big in Europe but not so much here. I bet they originally had the Transport Aircraft and decided to nix it when some genius at Red Rose said, "Hey, how can they have a series on Transportation in Britain and not have a London Bus?"

Of course, it is all speculation... but what fun.

Remember, keep your eyes peeled. Sets, posters, individual cards ... even on the common stuff. You never know what rare find may be lurking around the corner... just waiting for you to discover it.

Last modified: February 12, 2017

[ Home ] [ Up ]

Send mail to with questions or comments about this web site.