Journey Beyond Sodor

"Think positively, Lexi! Ask yourself what can you do!" "You mean, anything?" "Uh, no, we can't do anything". "But we can try!"

- Thomas, Lexi, Theo and Merlin

Journey Beyond Sodor is a 2017 straight-to-DVD film.

Plot Summary
Determined to prove his importance on Sodor, Thomas takes James' trucks and sets off on a big adventure to the Mainland. On the way he makes friends with the cheerful and helpful "Experimental Engines," but after a wrong turn, he finds himself lost in the steelworks. There, Thomas encounters two mysterious engines who instantly make him feel welcome, but who are not what they first seem.

After Thomas fails to return, James sets off to the Mainland, but runs into trouble himself and so it is up to Thomas and the Experimental Engines to save the day.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Emily
 * Rosie
 * Philip
 * Two Mainland Diesels
 * Victor
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Trevor
 * Kevin
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Jem Cole
 * Farmer McColl
 * Some Workmen
 * Farmer Trotter
 * Sodor Brass Band
 * Duck
 * Donald and Douglas
 * Oliver
 * Bill and Ben
 * Flying Scotsman
 * Harvey
 * Spencer
 * Whiff
 * Stanley
 * Hiro
 * Charlie
 * Scruff
 * Belle
 * Stephen
 * Connor
 * Caitlin
 * Porter
 * Timothy
 * Samson
 * Glynn
 * Ryan
 * The Mainland Engines
 * Diesel
 * Daisy
 * Mavis
 * 'Arry and Bert
 * Salty
 * Den
 * Dart
 * Sidney
 * Paxton
 * Norman
 * The Mainland Diesels
 * Hugo
 * Flynn
 * Stafford
 * Marion
 * Skiff
 * Rheneas
 * Peter Sam
 * Luke
 * Millie
 * Rusty
 * Bert
 * Rex
 * Mike
 * Henrietta
 * Slip Coaches
 * Toad
 * Rocky
 * Judy and Jerome
 * Bradford
 * Cranky
 * Big Mickey
 * The Thin Clergyman
 * Sir Robert Norramby
 * The Ffarquhar Policeman
 * The Teacher
 * The Bird Watcher
 * The Search and Rescue Manager
 * The Schoolchildren
 * The Ginger-haired Boy
 * The Blond-haired Boy
 * Dowager Hatt's Friends
 * The Great Composer
 * The Welsh Bird Watcher
 * The Lady with the Big Hat
 * Albert's Wife
 * The Female Puppet Show Entertainer
 * The Great Railway Show Judge
 * The Knapford Stationmaster
 * The Maithwaite Stationmaster
 * Ferdinand
 * The Ffarquhar Stationmaster

Characters Introduced

 * Theo
 * Lexi
 * Hurricane
 * Merlin
 * Frankie
 * Beresford
 * The Log Engine

Locations

 * Island of Sodor
 * Arlesburgh West
 * Arlesburgh Harbour
 * Arlesburgh Maritime Museum
 * Bluff's Cove
 * Brendam Docks
 * Sodor Shipping Company
 * Blue Mountain Quarry
 * Coastal Cliffs
 * Bridge Over Tunnel Runby
 * The Fenland Track
 * Anopha Quarry
 * Ulfstead Castle
 * Harwick Branch Line
 * The Little Western
 * Thomas' Branch Line
 * The Windmill
 * McColl Farm
 * Farmer Trotter's Pig Farm
 * Maithwaite
 * Knapford
 * MC BUNN
 * Sir Topham Hatt's Office
 * Knapford Station Yard
 * Knapford Yards
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Sodor Steamworks
 * Vicarstown
 * Vicarstown Goods Yard
 * Vicarstown Bridge
 * The Mainland
 * The Mainland Canal
 * The Experimental Engines' Yard
 * The Steelworks
 * Bridlington Goods Yard
 * Ulfstead
 * Great Waterton
 * The Lead Mines
 * The Ffarquhar Stationmaster's House

UK, AUS and NZ

 * John Hasler as Thomas
 * Keith Wickham as Edward, Henry, Gordon, the Fat Controller and some Steelworks Workers
 * Rob Rackstraw as James, Toby and the Troublesome Trucks
 * Nigel Pilkington as Percy and Trevor
 * Teresa Gallagher as Emily, Annie and Clarabel
 * Nicola Stapleton as Rosie
 * Rasmus Hardiker as Philip
 * John Schwab as Ulli and the other Mainland Diesel
 * Steven Kynman as the Knapford Station Worker and a Steelworks Worker
 * Darren Boyd as Theo
 * Sophie Colquhoun as Frankie
 * Jim Howick as Hurricane
 * Hugh Bonneville as Merlin
 * Colin McFarlane as Beresford
 * Lucy Montgomery as Lexi and the Troublesome Trucks
 * Christopher Ragland as Jem Cole, some Orchard Workers and the Troublesome Trucks
 * Kerry Shale as Kevin and the Troublesome Trucks
 * William Hope as Two Troublesome Trucks
 * Matt Wilkinson as Farmer McColl
 * David Bedella as Victor (uncredited)

US and CAN

 * Joseph May as Thomas
 * William Hope as Edward, Toby, Two Troublesome Trucks and Farmer McColl
 * Kerry Shale as Henry, Gordon, the Troublesome Trucks and Kevin
 * Rob Rackstraw as James and the Troublesome Trucks
 * Christopher Ragland as Percy, Trevor, Jem Cole, some Orchard Workers and the Troublesome Trucks
 * Jules de Jongh as Emily
 * Nicola Stapleton as Rosie
 * Rasmus Hardiker as Philip
 * John Schwab as Ulli and the other Mainland Diesel
 * Teresa Gallagher as Annie and Clarabel
 * Keith Wickham as Sir Topham Hatt and some Steelworks Workers
 * Steven Kynman as the Knapford Station Worker and a Steelworks Worker
 * Darren Boyd as Theo
 * Sophie Colquhoun as Frankie
 * Jim Howick as Hurricane
 * Hugh Bonneville as Merlin
 * Colin McFarlane as Beresford
 * Lucy Montgomery as Lexi and the Troublesome Trucks
 * David Bedella as Victor (uncredited)

Songs

 * Somebody Has to Be the Favourite
 * Who's Thomas?
 * The Hottest Place in Town
 * I Want to Go Home
 * We Can't Do Anything
 * The Most Important Thing is Being Friends

UK/US/AUS

 * Music Videos: Who's Thomas?, The Hottest Place in Town, We Can't Do Anything and The Most Important Thing is Being Friends
 * Landmarks of Sodor: Travelling to the Mainland
 * Top 5 Funniest Moments

Trivia

 * This special is twelve minutes longer than The Great Race.
 * This is the first special since the AUS verison of Tale of the Brave to be seventy minutes long.
 * The film's production began in April 2016 and ended in February 2017.
 * This is the second musical special, with the first being The Great Race.
 * This special takes place between the twenty-first series and Big World! Big Adventures!.
 * An image of Thomas from this special is re-used on the spine of the DVD release of the next special, Big World! Big Adventures!.
 * Hugh Bonneville, Colin McFarlane, Darren Boyd, Jim Howick, Sophie Colquhoun, Lucy Montgomery and Nicola Stapleton join the voice cast.
 * The special was shown in select cinemas:
 * In the US at Edaville Railroad on 19th August 2017.
 * In Australia, Hoyts and Event Cinemas previewed the special 1-3 times everyday between 31st August - 6th September 2017 and on 9th, 10th and 12th September 2017.
 * The special aired on TV:
 * On PBS Kids on 17th November 2017 in the US. After the film ended on television, the song Race with You, Learn with Thomas segment, Not Showing Off, Engine Roll Call song and the twentieth series episode, Mucking About were included at the end to fill the timeslot.
 * On Milkshake! in the UK on New Years Day, 2018. It was later also repeated on Milkshake! on Easter Sunday, 1st April 2018.
 * On ABC Kids in Australia on New Year's Eve, 2017 and again on Christmas Day, 2018.
 * On Cartoonito UK on Saturday 8th September 2018.
 * On Nickelodeon split into three half hour blocks on 2nd July - 4th July 2018. Since the special was an hour and twelve minutes, some scenes and the Engine Roll Call had to be removed to fit the time slot. Treehouse also aired the three-part version of the movie on 14th November - 16th November 2018.
 * References to the first series episode, Down the Mine, the second series episode, Thomas Comes to Breakfast and The Adventure Begins are made.
 * There are a few references to the 1939 film, The Wizard of Oz.
 * In addition, this is the second Thomas production to reference The Wizard of Oz. The first being Stepney Gets Lost.
 * This is one of four Thomas & Friends films currently available on iTunes and Google Play in the US.
 * This special marks the first of a few things:
 * The first special animated by Jam Filled Toronto.
 * The first special produced by Mattel Creations.
 * The first special where James is voiced by Rob Rackstraw in the UK.
 * The first appearance of the salt vans in CGI and their first appearance since the twelfth series episode, Best Friends.
 * The first time that tankers have had faces since the fourth series episode, Toad Stands By.
 * The first time the Mainland diesels have spoken, as two of them speak in this special.
 * The first time the Troublesome Trucks all have their own unique voices, as opposed to all being voiced by one person.
 * The first appearance of Vicarstown Goods Yard since the first series episode, Tenders and Turntables, which was also its debut appearance.
 * Harvey's first appearance in a special since The Great Discovery.
 * Rusty's first appearance since the eighteenth series episode, Duncan the Humbug.
 * Jem Cole's first speaking role since the fifth series episode, Lady Hatt's Birthday Party.
 * Trevor's first speaking role in a special.
 * The first special since Calling All Engines! not to include the French narration on the US DVD.
 * The first time vehicular characters are able to "bounce", in that their bodies can tilt on all axes, thus allowing them to be more expressive than before.
 * This special also marks the last of a few things:
 * Mark Moraghan's last special as narrator.
 * The last special was narrated by Jon Kabira in Japan.
 * The last special to air on PBS Kids in the US.
 * The last special to date produced and released before the series it takes place after.
 * The last special to have DVD to be released in the US to-date.
 * Hiro, Hugo, Flynn and Rusty's last appearances to date.
 * This special also marks the only occurrences of a few things:
 * The only special to date not to have Tim Whitnall and Joe Mills since they joined the voice cast in Tale of the Brave and the eighteenth series.
 * The only special since his return in The Great Race where the Flying Scotsman appears, yet does not speak.
 * The only special to date where Donald, Douglas, Flying Scotsman, Belle, Stephen, Caitlin, Timothy, Glynn, Ryan, Den, Dart, Sidney, Paxton, Flynn, Marion, Skiff, Luke, Millie, Bert, Rex, Mike, Judy and Jerome appear, but do not speak since their returns and introductions in the third series, Day of the Diesels, King of the Railway, The Adventure Begins and Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure.
 * The only appearances of Hugo, the Slip Coaches and Bradford in a special.
 * From this special onwards, the engines, trucks and other vehicles perform non-static body movements when they speak or look in different directions, which while debuting in earlier CGI series, were made more prominent as of this special. The special also introduced new comedic devices, which carry on after Series 21.
 * The events of this special are mentioned by James in Big World! Big Adventures! during the song, Where in the World is Thomas?
 * This special marks Merlin's only appearance until the twenty-second series episode, Seeing is Believing and currently Theo, Lexi, Hurricane, Frankie and Beresford's only appearances to date.
 * According to a showreel by Chris Renshaw, when Thomas meets Lexi and Theo for the first time, the musical score would continue to play for much longer than in the final cut of the film. This was changed for unknown reasons.

Goofs

 * In the shot showing the town of Arlesburgh, the ocean is floating above the beach.
 * David Bedella is not credited in both dubs for voicing Victor.
 * Gavin Ebedes is not credited for being supervising editor on DVD and theatrical end credits. However, he is credited on the PBS Kids end credits.
 * The visuals and audio of the UK/Australian release are out of sync.
 * As Connor passes Henry, he has Caitlin's whistle sound.
 * The trucks that Hiro is pulling at the beginning change between the crash scene and the recovery scene.
 * In the opening shot of Emily pulling a goods train, her tender chassis and body do not line up.
 * In the scenes of James in the goods yard, the letters on Vicarstown are missing.
 * When Frankie laughs and says "Well isn't he a clever little tank engine," her wheels are clipping through the rails.
 * At Bridlington Goods Yard, when the troublesome trucks are being pushed, their buffers do not touch each other.
 * The points, such as the ones inside the steelworks, do not have rails.
 * In the scenes of Tidmouth Sheds, the bushes behind the sheds are clipping through the brick wall.
 * Throughout most of the special, with the exception of a few scenes, James' tender chassis is positioned further back than usual, making it clip through his tender bufferbeam.
 * When Merlin says "I can do something!" the audio is out of sync.
 * In the close-up of Lexi when she explains how they are fully stocked in coal and water, Thomas is not present.
 * During "We Can't Do Anything," Thomas' driver's hand clips through his cab door.
 * When Theo runs into the pole and it falls over, it is made of wood, but when it hits the barrels, it is made of metal.
 * When Thomas travels along the canal, he passes the area where Beresford usually is, but Beresford is absent. In the next scene, Thomas has been moved back, as Beresford is back in his original position, with Thomas passing the same building twice.
 * Some of the trucks swap voices throughout the special.
 * A few times in the US dub, a character says "cars" but their mouths move to say "trucks."
 * During "The Most Important Thing is Being Friends," Beresford can be heard singing before he visually does.
 * The front cover of the DVD shows Frankie puffing steam, but she is a diesel.
 * Most of the tracks outside near the slag pit are floating.

Books

 * Journey Beyond Sodor (Golden Book)
 * Thomas at the Steelworks/Friends to the Rescue!
 * Journey Beyond Sodor: The Movie Storybook
 * Journey Beyond Sodor: Sticker Activity Book

Plarail

 * Ringing Thomas in Tekoro (Limited Edition)
 * Ringing Theo in Tekoro
 * Ringing Lexi in Tekoro
 * Hurricane and Frankie
 * Thomas and Merlin Set

TrackMaster

 * Lexi The Experimental Engine
 * Merlin the Invisible
 * Steelworks Thomas
 * Steelworks Hurricane
 * Scrapyard Escape Set

Wood

 * Merlin the Invisible
 * Steelworks Frankie

Adventures

 * Steelworks Hurricane
 * Steelworks Frankie
 * Merlin the Invisible
 * Theo the Experimental Engine
 * Lexi The Experimental Engine

Minis

 * Steelworks Stunt Set

Motorized Railway

 * Merlin the Invisible
 * Steelworks Escape Set

Capsule Plarail

 * Lexi
 * Theo
 * Merlin
 * Hurricane
 * Frankie
 * Ladle Truck
 * Beresford
 * Steelworks Shed