The Great Race

The Great Race is the 2016 special.

Description
Thomas wants to go to the Great Railway Show, but the big engines only laugh at him. They say he's not strong or big enough to compete from the best around the world, but Thomas is determined to find a way. First, he tries to get himself streamlined, but the Fat Controller decides that it would better be suited for Gordon. Then, he tries to get himself repainted like a brightly coloured engine named Ashima, from India. His plans go horribly wrong. Thomas learns how to be himself when he finally discovers a way to compete. Thomas nearly gets to the show when Diesel threatens his chance once again.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Duck
 * Donald and Douglas
 * Emily
 * Stanley
 * Charlie
 * Scruff
 * Porter
 * Bill and Ben
 * Timothy
 * Marion
 * Flying Scotsman
 * Spencer
 * Hiro
 * Stephen
 * Connor
 * Caitlin
 * Samson
 * Victor
 * Diesel
 * Daisy
 * Salty
 * Dart
 * Den
 * Paxton
 * Norman
 * Sidney
 * Philip
 * Stafford
 * Skarloey
 * Rheneas
 * Sir Handel
 * Peter Sam
 * Rex
 * Bert
 * Mike
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Harold
 * Cranky
 * Kevin
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * The Docks Manager
 * Hiro (does not speak)
 * Winston (does not speak)
 * Toby (cameo)
 * Oliver (cameo)
 * Rosie (cameo)
 * Henrietta (cameo)
 * Toad (cameo)
 * Mrs. Kyndley (mentioned)

Characters Introduced

 * Ashima
 * Vinnie
 * Carlos
 * Raul
 * Shane
 * Frieda
 * Axel
 * Gina
 * Étienne
 * Ivan
 * Rajiv (does not speak)
 * Yong Bao (does not speak)
 * The Three Diesel Shunters (cameo)

Locations

 * Island of Sodor
 * The Mainland
 * Brendam Docks
 * Knapford
 * Knapford Yards
 * Maron
 * Sodor Dieselworks
 * Sodor Steamworks
 * Sodor Suspension Bridge
 * Shunting Yards
 * Blue Mountain Quarry
 * Arlesburgh Junction
 * Maithwaite
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * The Watermill
 * Henry's Tunnel
 * Sodor China Clay Company
 * Vicarstown
 * Vicarstown Bridge

UK and AUS

 * Mark Moraghan as the Narrator
 * John Hasler as Thomas and Rheneas
 * Keith Wickham as Henry, Gordon, James, Den, Norman, Stafford, Skarloey, Sir Handel, Bert, Harold and Sir Topham Hatt
 * Nigel Pilkington as Percy
 * Teresa Gallagher as Emily, Daisy, Frieda, Gina and Annie and Clarabel
 * Matt Wilkinson as Stanley, Charlie, Scruff, Spencer, Cranky and Winston
 * Jonathan Broadbent as Bill and Ben
 * Kerry Shale as Diesel
 * Steven Kynman as Duck, Porter, Paxton, Dart and Peter Sam
 * Rasmus Hardiker as Philip
 * Joe Mills as Donald and Douglas
 * Bob Golding as Stephen and Sidney
 * Jonathan Forbes as Connor
 * Rebecca O'Mara as Caitlin
 * Tina Desai as Ashima
 * Rufus Jones as Flying Scotsman
 * Rob Rackstraw as Axel and the Race Announcer
 * Robert Wilfort as Samson and a Judge
 * John Schwab as Vinnie
 * Tom Stourton as Rex
 * Tim Whitnall as Timothy and Mike
 * Olivia Colman as Marion
 * William Hope as the Docks Manager

US

 * Mark Moraghan as the Narrator
 * Joseph May as Thomas
 * Kerry Shale as Henry, Gordon, Diesel and Harold
 * Rob Rackstraw as James, Stanley, Axel and the Race Announcer
 * Christopher Ragland as Percy
 * Jules de Jongh as Emily
 * Glenn Wrage as Spencer and Cranky
 * Matt Wilkinson as Winston
 * Jonathan Broadbent as Bill and Ben
 * Keith Wickham as Den, Norman, Stafford, Skarloey, Sir Handel, Bert and Sir Topham Hatt
 * Steven Kynman as Duck, Paxton, Dart and Peter Sam
 * John Hasler as Rheneas
 * David Menkin as Porter
 * Rasmus Hardiker as Philip
 * Joe Mills as Donald and Douglas
 * Bob Golding as Stephen and Sidney
 * Teresa Gallagher as Daisy, Frieda, Gina and Annie and Clarabel
 * Tina Desai as Ashima
 * Rufus Jones as Flying Scotsman
 * Robert Wilfort as Samson and a Judge
 * John Schwab as Vinnie
 * Tom Stourton as Rex
 * Tim Whitnall as Timothy and Mike
 * Olivia Colman as Marion
 * William Hope as the Docks Manager

Songs

 * Will You Won't You
 * Streamlining
 * The Shooting Star Is Coming Through
 * Be Who You Are, And Go Far
 * I'm Full of Surprises
 * He's Full Of Surprises

Bonus Features

 * Four music videos

Trivia

 * This special will be shown in select UK cinemas beginning on May 21st.
 * This special will introduce the most new characters to date, at a total of twelve.
 * This special ties in with the 2016 Summer Olympics and Flying Scotsman's return to service in real-life.
 * In the promotional images, the Dutch flag can be spotted on the castle, but no Dutch engine competes in the Great Railway Show.
 * The events of Thomas and the Special Letter and The Little Engine Who Raced Ahead are mentioned.
 * When Gordon is forced to drop out of the Great Race, the race announcer says "It could all be over now. It is now". This is a reference to the 1966 Football World Cup final, where the commentator says "There are people on the pitch, they think it's all over. It is now".
 * Tina Desai, Rufus Jones and John Schwab join the voice cast.
 * Starting from April 13th, the official YouTube channel will be uploading promotional videos of each of the Great Railway Show's contestants, each video being uploaded once a week on Wednesday.
 * Several previous sets are heavily modified for the contestants' promotional videos to resemble their home country, such as:
 * The Shunting Yard was redressed with palm trees to resemble Brazil for Raul's video.
 * Bluff's Cove was redressed to resemble Australia for Shane's video.
 * Arlesburgh Harbour was re-rendered as a seaside Italian town for Gina.
 * Both Axel and Yong Bao's promotional videos show un-modified sets of the Main Line and the hill from Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure, both representing Belgium and China respectively.
 * The Main Line was redressed with flowers to represent India for Ashima's video.
 * The Dieselworks was redressed with snow to represent Russia for Ivan's video.
 * This special marks the first of a few things:
 * The first full appearance of Flying Scotsman in the television series, and his first appearance since the third season.
 * The first appearance of Mrs. Kyndley since the seventh season, although she is only mentioned.
 * The first appearance of Vicarstown station in the television series.
 * The first appearance of the red express coaches in full CGI, and their first appearance since the twelfth season.
 * This is the first special to feature Nigel Pilkington as Percy in the UK and Kerry Shale as Diesel in the US.
 * The first and only appearances of the international engines, excluding the Flying Scotsman.
 * The first special to be composed by Chris Renshaw.

Goofs

 * In one shot on the mainland, Ashima is not on the rails.
 * When Flying Scotsman first sees Gordon in his streamlined casing, his eyebrow phases through his forehead.

Merchandise
{{Scroll box|

Wooden Railway

 * Ashima
 * Gina
 * Vinnie
 * Frieda
 * Vicarstown Station
 * Race Day Relay set
 * Diesels in Disguise Pack

Take-n-Play

 * Ashima
 * Ivan
 * Raul
 * Racing Vinnie
 * Shooting Star Gordon
 * Streamlined Thomas

TrackMaster

 * Thomas' Sky High Bridge Jump Playset
 * Thomas and Percy's Railway Race set
 * Flying Scotsman
 * Shooting Star Gordon
 * Trophy Thomas}}