Thomas and the Magic Railroad

Thomas and the Magic Railroad is a film based on the well-known television series and its American spinoff. The film was produced and distributed by Destination Films, and released to theatres by 2000. It is set in the 1980s.

Story
The film begins with Thomas, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy and Toby being introduced. It then cuts to Gordon, who has been waiting 8 seconds for Thomas at Wellsworth. When Thomas arrives, Gordon tells him that he is late. Thomas replies that Gordon is being bossy and then says that he has to find Mr. Conductor, who is looking after the North Western Railway while Sir Topham Hatt is taking a much-needed holiday at Bournemouth. But Gordon isn't so sure about Mr. Conductor being needed, until Diesel 10 speeds by. ..

Thomas is later talking to James at Tidmouth Sheds when Diesel 10 shows up and voices his plan to destroy a lost engine and thus Sodor. James is confused, but Thomas is worried and goes to find Mr. Conductor.

Meanwhile, at Shining Time Station, Patch and Mutt the dog have just finished painting the town's sign. After seeing Billy Twofeathers's map and noticing some strange lines on it, Patch has a talk to Billy about it before heading off to Muffle Mountain to see Burnett Stone.

There's something on Muffle Mountain, a secret that Burnett only shared with his childhood friend and future wife, Tasha. He remembered he had promised Tasha he would drive an engine and take her with him. When Patch shows up and sees the engine, Burnett reveals the engine's past - The engine's name is Lady, and she has been hidden inside Muffle Mountain ever since an evil diesel crashed her. Burnett says that he had been trying to bring her back to life but cannot because he couldn't make her steam.

Back on Sodor, Diesel 10 admires a carving he made of himself on a rockface at Anopha Quarry. When his henchmen Splatter and Dodge arrive, he tells them of his plan. The two diesels report Mr. Conductor is coming to Sodor, so Diesel 10 decides to destroy him too.

Meanwhile, Mr. Conductor prepares to leave Shining Time, while Billy prepares his next train. Stacy and Mutt don't want either to leave, but they must. Mr. Conductor is having some difficulty with his gold dust, but soon meets up with Thomas on Sodor. Thomas reports about Diesel 10.

At Muffle Mountain, Burnett looks at a painting of Lady and laments of failing to guard her well as well as doubting his belief in magic. Meanwhile, at a big city during a rainy day, Lily, Burnett's granddaughter, tells her mother about her concerns about her visit to his grandfather, as he had been sad since Tasha's death. Her mother comforts her by giving her a hug, and Lily then climbs up to her apartment through the fire escape. She takes out her bluebird and tells him that she's taking him along with her.

Back at Sodor, at Tidmouth Sheds, Thomas and James are arguing about who should haven taken Mr. Conductor. When Gordon agrees with James, he insults Thomas. Splatter and Dodge are making fun of Thomas while Henry, Toby, Percy and James are talking about the engine, which is more powerful than diesels, and they must have to find her. Splatter and Dodge are still teasing Thomas, but Harold flies by, spreading dust all over them as well as Thomas.

In Sir Topham Hatt's office at Knapford, Mr. Conductor reads the letter Sir Topham Hatt wrote to him. He tries on the controller's top hat, but when seeing a portrait of the controller looking angry, he quickly puts the hat back. Mr. Conductor then recieves a phone call from Sir Topham Hatt and recieves his instructions.

That night at Tidmouth Sheds, the engines are sleeping with Mr. Conductor. When Diesel 10 creeps up, he demolishes the side of the Tidmouth Sheds with his powerful claw, waking the engines and Mr. Conductor up. Mr. Conductor reprimands Diesel 10 for demolishing Tidmouth Sheds, but then he discovers that he has run out of gold dust. Diesel 10 is delighted at this and tries to question Mr. Conductor about the lost engine's whereabouts, but Mr. C is able to frighten Diesel 10 away with a bag of sugar. Mr. Conductor then tells Thomas about the problem with his gold dust, but tells the engines to go back to sleep.

Mr. Conductor then talks in his sleep, which Percy was able to hear. He then has a nightmare of Stacy standing in a Shining Time in ruins while calling out his name in despair. He realizes that his universe is in danger and had to find more.

The next morning, Mutt went to the big city with Billy. He knew that Lily could help Mr. Conductor, but only if she met someone in Shining Time first. And therefore, put her on the wrong train.

Meanwhile, Mr. Conductor was helping get James' tickle gone. Afterwards, James went to work and Mr. C decided to go to the windmill on Thomas' branch line. Unfortunatly, he got lost on the Culdee Fell Railway. Mr. C is worried, as he has to find the windmill to find the source of his sparkle.

Mr. Conductor tries some vegetables to make him think properly. He then got an idea and calls Junior, his beach-loving cousin, via a "bellflower" at Devil's Back. However, the line was very bad. Mr. Conductor told Junior the situation. To make matters worse, Junior is also almost out of his gold dust. He told Junior to go to Shining Time and get his emergency whistle, then go to the Island of Sodor. Junior tries to ask his cousin for more information, but the line goes dead.

Lily arrives at Shining Time and Mutt barks at her to get off the train. Lily finds the station empty and meets Junior, and after a talk Lily picks up the gold dust Junior leaves behind. At Sodor, Mr Conductor is sleeping at the bottom of a bush when he has another nightmare. He wakes up hearing Thomas calling out his name, and he tries to call out for Thomas but it seems that the little engine can't hear him.

Quotes

 * Splatter: Uh, so boss . ..
 * Dodge: How come you let twinkletoes escape?
 * Splodge: Yeah?
 * Diesel 10: Oh, that. Well, I did it on . . . purpose. You know, I . . . was . . . testing him to see if he could escape.
 * Splatter: Liar, liar.
 * Dodge: Pants on fire.
 * Splatter: Does he wear pants?
 * Dodge: Well, training pants.
 * Splatter: Oh, yeah.
 * Diesel 10: All right! Playtime's over, Splodge!
 * Splodge: Uh-oh.
 * Diesel 10: Now it's time for the next lesson, eh?! I call it: "How to Stop Being Stupid."
 * ''(Diesel 10 uses Pinchy to hit the coal chute. Coal spreads all over him and James, Henry, and Gordon laugh)


 * Diesel 10: Uh, now that's gonna ruin my facial.
 * ''(Splodge groans)

Criticism
Sadly, the movie was a box office flop. Some people felt it focused too much on the people in the movie, instead of the engines which the audience had come to see. Britt Allcroft, director of the movie had made some last minute changes to the movie, and so the actual movie has never been seen. Also, the British audience had never known about Shining Time Station, as it was a way to introduce the show to the American audience.

Return of the Magic
Very recently, members of the Sodor Island Forums dicovered a script for the movie completely different to the actual version shown. Curious, they started a search for the real story behind the movie. They have begun to learn more about the techniques used and the secondary characters given a chance to shine, George, Cranky and Edward. They have also begun a petition to convince the producers to release a Director's Cut Version of the movie, as was originally intended before it was extensively editied. For more information, please visit the Sodor Island Fansite Magic Railroad Minisite.

Featured charectars
Splatter and Dodge Diesel 10 Lady Juinor Mr. Conductor Lily Bernette Toby Henry Gordon Thomas James Percy Harold http://www.sodor-island.net/themagicrailroadminisite/index.html