Journey Beyond Sodor

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

- Thomas, Lexi, Theo and Merlin

Journey Beyond Sodor is the 2017 Thomas &amp; Friends special.

Plot
Thomas leaves the Island of Sodor for the first time ever to travel to the mainland where he sees and experiences things that are beyond his wildest dreams. On his epic journey Thomas befriends the Experimental Engines, Lexi, Theo and Merlin, who look like no engines he has seen before. Merlin even has a special power - all he has to do is say 'invisibility on!' and shut his eyes and he is convinced that nobody can see him! After spotting a magical-looking place on the horizon, Thomas stumbles into the Steelworks, where he meets two engines, Frankie and Hurricane, who aren't quite what they seem because they were insane well crazy koo koo co co puffs and soon put Thomas to work. When James comes to find Thomas and gets trapped in the Steelworks, it's up to Thomas and his newfound friends to rescue James and prove that friendship always wins!

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Emily
 * Rosie
 * Philip
 * The Mainland Diesels (two speak)
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Judy and Jerome (do not speak)
 * Farmer Trotter (does not speak)
 * Farmer McColl (not named; does not speak)
 * Duck (cameo)
 * Donald and Douglas (cameo)
 * Oliver (cameo)
 * Bill and Ben (cameo)
 * Flying Scotsman (cameo)
 * Harvey (cameo)
 * Spencer (cameo)
 * Whiff (cameo)
 * Hiro (cameo)
 * Belle (cameo)
 * Charlie (cameo)
 * Scruff (cameo)
 * Porter (cameo)
 * Stephen (cameo)
 * Connor (cameo)
 * Caitlin (cameo)
 * Timothy (cameo)
 * Samson (cameo)
 * Ryan (cameo)
 * Glynn (cameo)
 * Diesel (cameo)
 * Daisy (cameo)
 * Mavis (cameo)
 * 'Arry and Bert (cameo)
 * Salty (cameo)
 * Den (cameo)
 * Dart (cameo)
 * Norman (cameo)
 * Paxton (cameo)
 * Sidney (cameo)
 * Hugo (cameo)
 * Flynn (cameo)
 * Winston (cameo)
 * Marion (cameo)
 * Skiff (cameo)
 * Stafford (cameo)
 * Rheneas (cameo)
 * Peter Sam (cameo)
 * Victor (cameo)
 * Luke (cameo)
 * Millie (cameo)
 * Rusty (cameo)
 * Bert (cameo)
 * Rex (cameo)
 * Mike (cameo)
 * Henrietta (cameo)
 * The Slip Coaches (cameo)
 * Toad (cameo)
 * Rocky (cameo)
 * Bradford (cameo)
 * Trevor (cameo)
 * Kevin (cameo)
 * Cranky (cameo)
 * Jem Cole (cameo)
 * Sir Robert Norramby (cameo)
 * The Thin Clergyman (cameo)
 * Sodor Brass Band (cameo)
 * Ferdinand (portrait cameo)

Characters Introduced

 * Lexi
 * Theo
 * Hurricane
 * Merlin
 * Frankie
 * Beresford

Locations

 * Arlesburgh
 * Arlesburgh Harbour
 * Bluff's Cove
 * Brendam Docks
 * Blue Mountain Quarry
 * The Fenland Track
 * Ulfstead Castle
 * Harwick Branch Line
 * The Little Western
 * Thomas' Branch Line
 * McColl Farm
 * Farmer Trotter's Pig Farm
 * Maithwaite
 * Knapford
 * Knapford Yards
 * Knapford Station Yard
 * Thomas' Branch Line
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Sodor Steamworks
 * Vicarstown
 * Vicarstown Goods Yard
 * Vicarstown Bridge
 * The Mainland
 * The Steelworks
 * Bridlington Goods Yard

UK, AUS & NZ

 * Mark Moraghan as the Narrator
 * John Hasler as Thomas
 * Keith Wickham as Edward, Henry, Gordon, Sir Topham Hatt
 * Rob Rackstraw as James, Toby and Troublesome Trucks
 * Nigel Pilkington as Percy
 * Teresa Gallagher as Emily, Annie and Clarabel
 * Nicola Stapleton as Rosie
 * Rasmus Hardiker as Philip
 * David Bedella as Victor
 * Matt Wilkinson as Kevin
 * Jim Howick as Hurricane
 * Hugh Bonneville as Merlin
 * Darren Boyd as Theo
 * Lucy Montgomery as Lexi and Troublesome Trucks
 * Sophie Colquhoun as Frankie
 * Colin McFarlane as Beresford
 * Christopher Ragland and Kerry Shale as the Troublesome Trucks

US and CAN

 * Mark Moraghan as the Narrator
 * Joseph May as Thomas
 * William Hope as Edward and Toby
 * Kerry Shale as Henry, Gordon, Kevin and Troublesome Trucks
 * Rob Rackstraw as James and Troublesome Trucks
 * Christopher Ragland as Percy and the Troublesome Trucks
 * Jules de Jongh as Emily
 * Nicola Stapleton as Rosie
 * Rasmus Hardiker as Philip
 * John Schwab as the Mainland Diesels
 * David Bedella as Victor
 * Teresa Gallagher as Annie and Clarabel
 * Keith Wickham as Sir Topham Hatt
 * Steven Kynman as a Workman
 * Jim Howick as Hurricane
 * Hugh Bonneville as Merlin
 * Darren Boyd as Theo
 * Lucy Montgomery as Lexi and Troublesome Trucks
 * Sophie Colquhoun as Frankie
 * Colin McFarlane as Beresford

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, The Most Important Thing is Being Friends
 * Landmarks of Sodor: Travelling to the Mainland
 * Top Five Funniest Moments!

Trivia

 * Hugh Bonneville, Colin McFarlane, Darren Boyd, Jim Howick, Sophie Colquhoun and Lucy Montgomery join the voice cast.
 * This is the first special to be animated by Jam Filled Toronto.
 * This is the first special distributed by Mattel Creations.
 * This is the longest special to date, and the first special to be longer than 63 minutes, as it has a running time of 70 minutes.
 * This special holds the record for the most cameo appearances in a Thomas & Friends production, with more than 50 cameos.
 * References to the first season episode, Down the Mine, the second season episode, Thomas Comes to Breakfast and The Adventure Begins were made.
 * This special marks a few things:
 * The first appearance of the salt vans in full CGI.
 * The first time that tankers have had faces since the fourth season.
 * Rosie's first speaking role since the sixteenth season and her first appearance in her new livery.
 * This is the first time British Railways Diesels have spoke since their debut, however, only two of them spoke in this special.
 * In addition, one of them is named Ulli.
 * From this special-onwards, the characters now have exaggerated movement.
 * This is the first time an engine's basis is said in the TV series.

Goofs

 * When Henry passes Connor in the beginning, he is near a grassy area, right after that, when the camera changes, both engines are at Vicarstown.
 * Connor has Caitlin's whistle as the beginning.
 * Throughout the special, James has an unusual black block underneath the rear end of his tender.
 * The Troublesome Trucks' voices continually change.
 * Despite being moved to work on the Harwick Branch Line, Judy and Jerome are seen back in their old Knapford siding.
 * During The Hottest Place in Town, Hurricane's valve gear can be seen floating when he's dancing, Merlin suffers the same issue.
 * When James goes to Bridlington, the van that usually said, "Are we there yet?", has a face at either end.
 * When Beresford picks Thomas up so he could hide from Hurricane and Frankie, Beresford appears higher and further away from his rails.

Merchandise
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Books

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

TrackMaster

 * Lexi
 * Merlin the Invisible
 * Steelworks Thomas
 * Steelworks Hurricane
 * Cable Bridge Set

Adventures
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 * Hurricane
 * Frankie
 * Merlin
 * Theo