Series 8

The eighth season of the television series was the first to be produced by HiT Entertainment. The twenty-six episode season was first broadcast in 2004 and narrated by Michael Angelis in the UK and Michael Brandon in the US.

Songs

 * Sounds
 * Emily
 * Surprises
 * A World Around You
 * Determination
 * Patience
 * Ode to Gordon
 * Engine Rollcall

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Harvey
 * Emily
 * Arthur
 * Spencer
 * Diesel
 * Mavis
 * 'Arry and Bert
 * Salty
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Bertie
 * Elizabeth
 * Harold
 * Cranky
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Farmer McColl
 * Sodor Brass Band
 * One member of the Railway Board
 * Murdoch (does not speak)
 * Trevor (does not speak)
 * Refreshment Lady (does not speak)
 * Lady Hatt (does not speak)
 * Alicia Botti (does not speak)
 * The Duke and Duchess of Boxford (do not speak)
 * Henrietta (cameo)
 * George (cameo)
 * Caroline (cameo)
 * Butch (cameo)
 * Tiger Moth (cameo)
 * Stephen Hatt (cameo)
 * Bridget Hatt (cameo)
 * Mrs. Kyndley (cameo)
 * Jem Cole (cameo)
 * Jeremiah Jobling (cameo)
 * Farmer Trotter (cameo)
 * Nancy (cameo)
 * Cyril the Fogman (cameo)
 * The Storyteller (cameo)
 * City of Truro (picture cameo)
 * Donald and Douglas (mentioned; deleted scene)
 * Duck (music video cameo)
 * Oliver (music video cameo)
 * Rheneas (music video cameo)
 * Rusty (music video cameo)
 * Toad (music video cameo)
 * The Fisherman (music video cameo)
 * Bill and Ben (deleted scene)

Characters introduced

 * The Ice-Cream Factory Manager
 * Halloween Engine (does not speak)
 * Kuffy the Clown (not named; does not speak)
 * The Dairy Manager (cameo)
 * The Photographer (cameo)

Half hour format
Season 8 was the first half hour format airing of Thomas and Friends that first aired in the UK on Nick Jr., PBS Kids in the US and Treehouse in Canada. In the airings, two Season 8 episodes, one Season 7 episode, a few Learning Segments and sometimes a song is paired. In the Nick Jr. airings in the UK, Michael Angelis' narrations of Season 7 episodes are paired with Robert Hartshorne's music replacing Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell's music. On November 18th, 2006, an airing called "Thomas' Winter Tales" aired replaying four Season 8 episodes, learning segments and a song.

Thomas' Winter Tales (Canada only broadcast)

 * Percy's New Whistle
 * Thomas' Emily and the Snowplough
 * Gordon Takes Charge
 * Don't Tell Thomas
 * Learning Segment: Thomas Trundles out of the Station
 * Learning Segment: What Thomas needs to do in the Winter
 * Song: Ode to Gordon

Trivia

 * This was the first season of several things:
 * The first season to not feature any new characters that would appear after their debut episodes.
 * The first season produced by Simon Spencer.
 * The first season not to have Britt Allcroft, David Mitton, Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell involved in production.
 * The first season to have every episode to have the same UK and US title.
 * Sam Barlow's first season as story executive.
 * The first season to use Flange (Bold) as the font
 * The first season not to feature Terence, Duck, Oliver and the Skarloey Railway since their debut, although Duck, Oliver, Rheneas and Rusty made stock footage cameos in a song.
 * The first season to use the new opening titles and theme.
 * The first season shot using BetaCam video, as opposed to 35mm film.
 * The first season that established the Steam Team.
 * The first season to air on PBS outside of Shining Time Station.
 * This was also the last season of several things as well:
 * Abi Grant's second and last season as script editor.
 * The last season to be broadcast on ITV in the UK, who would lose the licence to Channel 5 in 2006.
 * The last season narrated by Leo Morimoto in Japan, as well as the last season to feature the original Japanese voice cast.
 * The last season to use stock footage from the Classic Series.
 * This was also the only season of several things as well:
 * Paul Larson's only season as script editor.
 * The only season to use an extended version of the theme for the end credits.
 * This season contained the 200th episode of the television series.
 * When broadcast on ITV from 2005-2006, the episodes were shown with a different theme arrangement and lacked the Engine Rollcall before the credits.
 * The original opening is used in the Greek version.
 * Due to seasons 5-7 never being shown in Finland, those viewers would not have known who Emily, Harvey, Arthur, Spencer, 'Arry and Bert, Salty, Elizabeth, Cranky, Farmer McColl, Murdoch and Alicia Botti are.