Series 22

The twenty-second series of Thomas & Friends aired on 3 September 2018 in the UK and on 17 September 2018 in the US.

Development
Series 22, alongside Big World! Big Adventures! mark the third major reboot of the franchise, following the introduction of the Steam Team in Series 8 and the show switching over to full CGI in Hero of the Rails. Both productions were the result of the market research Mattel conducted with audiences around the globe. It was about how Mattel could keep Thomas & Friends relevant in a competitive market, as well as reversing declining toy sales. The one suggestion Mattel was intridged with came from a child declaring “Thomas is a train but he never really goes anywhere”. This evolved into Thomas travelling around the globe and learning about different cultures.

The episodes retained their eleven minute-long runtime, but were now broken into seven minute-long stories, with an additional four minutes reserved for a variety of segments like sing-along karaoke songs, music videos, or segments of Thomas talking directly with the audience about lessons learned during a particular episode. Additionally, all episodes have a fantasy sequence, and six of the seventeen development goals Mattel chose from the United Nations are featured. Among many other changes, Edward and Henry were removed from the Steam Team to make room for Nia and Rebecca in order to move the gender ratio among the main cast to a 50/50 split between male and female characters, with an episode focused on addressing their removal. Toby was also quietly dropped from the Steam Team for the same reason, and the narrator was replaced with Thomas in a first person perspective. Despite this, Mark Moraghan has said that he will still work on the series. In School of Duck, he voiced an old coach named Dexter who was converted into a school classroom. He also now portrays a character in live-action segments named Mr. Evans, replacing the late Ben Forster's role as Mr. Perkins.

Series 22 is set after ''Big World! Big Adventures!'' The series is split into two halves: one half with Thomas travelling around the world, visiting China, India and Australia, and one half taking place on the Island of Sodor.

Songs

 * Engine Roll Call
 * Set Friendship in Motion
 * The Journey Never Ends
 * All the Girls Around the World
 * The Steam Team
 * Let's Dream

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Edward
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Duck
 * Bill and Ben
 * Flying Scotsman
 * Harvey
 * Emily
 * Spencer
 * Rosie
 * Whiff
 * Stanley
 * Belle
 * Porter
 * Marion
 * Samson
 * Ashima
 * Rajiv
 * Shane
 * Yong Bao
 * Merlin
 * Nia
 * Diesel
 * Daisy
 * Salty
 * Dart
 * Sidney
 * Paxton
 * Philip
 * The Chinese Diesel
 * Shankar
 * Skarloey
 * Victor
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Henrietta
 * Rocky
 * Judy and Jerome
 * Bradford
 * Hannah
 * The Male Chinese Breakdown Crane
 * Trevor
 * Kevin
 * Cranky
 * Reg
 * Carly
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Lady Hatt
 * Stephen Hatt
 * Bridget Hatt
 * Dowager Hatt
 * Cyril the Fogman
 * The Foreman
 * The Duke and Duchess of Boxford
 * Headkeeper Jack
 * Charubala
 * The Teacher
 * The Lady with the Big Hat
 * The Blond-haired Boy
 * Samson's Driver
 * The Film Crew Leader
 * Mr. Bubbles
 * The Grey Tender Engine
 * Slip Coaches
 * Sir Robert Norramby
 * Charlie
 * Scruff
 * Stephen
 * Troublesome Trucks
 * The Brown Tender Engine
 * The Dark Red Tank Engine
 * A Diesel Shunter
 * Winston
 * Skiff
 * Peter Sam
 * Duncan
 * Luke
 * Jack
 * Big Mickey
 * Merrick
 * Owen
 * Jem Cole
 * The Thin Clergyman
 * Farmer McColl
 * The Mayor of Sodor
 * Captain Joe
 * The Tree Specialists
 * The Bird Watcher
 * Two Schoolchildren
 * The Ginger-haired Boy
 * Sodor United Football Team
 * One of Dowager Hatt's Friends
 * Albert's Wife
 * The Great Railway Show Judge
 * Ferdinand
 * Oliver
 * Hiro
 * Connor
 * Caitlin
 * Gator
 * Timothy
 * Ryan
 * Axel
 * Frieda
 * Gina
 * The Brazilian Tank Engine
 * Beau
 * Mavis
 * Den
 * Norman
 * A Mainland Diesel
 * The Arizona Diesel
 * Flynn
 * Stafford
 * Etienne
 * Millie
 * Bert
 * Rex
 * Mike
 * Toad
 * Ace
 * Carter
 * Fergus Duncan
 * The Fat Clergyman
 * Mr. Percival
 * Sodor Brass Band
 * The Groundsman
 * Diesel 10
 * Terence
 * Butch
 * Thomas the Baby
 * Theo
 * Lexi
 * Kwaku
 * Kobe
 * The Female Chinese Breakdown Crane
 * Father Christmas
 * Lord Callan
 * Daisy's Fitter

Characters Introduced

 * Hong-Mei
 * Rebecca
 * Noor Jehan
 * Tamika
 * An An and Yin-Long
 * Aubrey and Aiden
 * Dexter
 * Lei
 * Isla
 * The Indian Actor
 * The Indian Director
 * The Tiger Hunters
 * Madeleine
 * Madeleine's Parents
 * Ranger Jill
 * Doctor Claire
 * The Indian Police
 * The Indian Breakdown Cranes
 * The Purple Tank Engine
 * The Purple Tender Engine
 * The Chinese Diesel Shunter
 * The Indian Fashion Designer

UK, AUS and NZ

 * John Hasler as Thomas
 * Keith Wickham as Edward, Henry, Gordon, Harvey, Whiff, Salty, Skarloey, Sir Topham Hatt, Dowager Hatt and the Foreman
 * Rob Rackstraw as James, Toby, Bradford and the Fat Tiger Hunter
 * Nigel Pilkington as Percy, Trevor and Merlin in Percy's fantasy
 * Steven Kynman as Duck, Porter, Dart and Paxton
 * Rasmus Hardiker as Bill, Philip and the Angry Man
 * Matt Wilkinson as Ben, Spencer, Stanley, Rocky, Cranky, Kevin, the Duke of Boxford and the Knapford Stationmaster
 * Rufus Jones as Flying Scotsman
 * Teresa Gallagher as Emily, Belle, Annie, Clarabel, Judy, Lady Hatt, Stephen Hatt, Bridget Hatt, the Duchess of Boxford and Madeleine's Mother
 * Nicola Stapleton as Rosie
 * Olivia Colman as Marion
 * Robert Wilfort as Samson
 * Tina Desai as Ashima
 * Nikhil Parmar as Rajiv and the Indian Director
 * Shane Jacobson as Shane
 * Dan Li as Yong Bao
 * Hugh Bonneville as Merlin
 * Yvonne Grundy as Nia
 * Kerry Shale as Diesel, Cyril the Fogman and Headkeeper Jack
 * Tracy-Ann Oberman as Daisy
 * Bob Golding as Sidney
 * David Bedella as Victor
 * Maggie Ollerenshaw as Henrietta
 * Tim Whitnall as Jerome and Reg
 * Lucy Montgomery as Hannah and Carly
 * Joe Mills as a Passenger
 * Rachael Miller as Rebecca, Isla, Madeleine, the Teacher and some Australian Passengers
 * Chipo Chung as Hong-Mei
 * Siu-see Hung as An An and Chinese Women
 * Windson Liong as Yin-Long, Lei, the Male Chinese Breakdown Crane, the Chinese Guard and Chinese Men
 * Su-Lin Looi as The Chinese Diesel
 * Sheena Bhattessa as Noor Jehan and Charubala
 * Sanjeev Bhaskar as Shankar and the Indian Actor
 * Rose Robinson as Tamika
 * Mark Moraghan as Dexter
 * Genevieve McCarthy as Aubrey
 * Tim Bain as Aiden and Madeleine's Father
 * Ian McCue as the Thin Tiger Hunter
 * Tariro Mavondo as Ranger Jill
 * Jass Patel as a Concessions Worker
 * Jessica Hann as a Child
 * Charlie Barnard as a Child
 * Mia Hope Gaywood as a Child
 * Holly Hazelton as a Child
 * Innis Robertson-Pinnell as a Child
 * Damon Denton-Snape as a Child

US and CAN

 * Joseph May as Thomas
 * William Hope as Edward, Toby, Whiff, Rocky and the Duke of Boxford
 * Kerry Shale as Henry, Gordon, Diesel, Kevin, Cyril the Fogman and Headkeeper Jack
 * Rob Rackstraw as James, Stanley, Bradford and the Fat Tiger Hunter
 * Christopher Ragland as Percy and Trevor
 * Steven Kynman as Duck, Dart and Paxton
 * Rasmus Hardiker as Bill, Philip and the Angry Man
 * Matt Wilkinson as Ben and the Knapford Stationmaster
 * Rufus Jones as Flying Scotsman
 * Keith Wickham as Harvey, Salty, Skarloey, Sir Topham Hatt, Dowager Hatt and the Foreman
 * Jules de Jongh as Emily and the Duchess of Boxford
 * Glenn Wrage as Spencer and Cranky
 * Nicola Stapleton as Rosie
 * Teresa Gallagher as Belle, Annie, Clarabel, Judy, Lady Hatt, Stephen Hatt, Bridget Hatt and Madeleine's Mother
 * David Menkin as Porter
 * Olivia Colman as Marion
 * Robert Wilfort as Samson
 * Tina Desai as Ashima
 * Nikhil Parmar as Rajiv and the Indian Director
 * Shane Jacobson as Shane
 * Dan Li as Yong Bao
 * Hugh Bonneville as Merlin
 * Yvonne Grundy as Nia
 * Tracy-Ann Oberman as Daisy
 * Bob Golding as Sidney
 * David Bedella as Victor
 * Maggie Ollerenshaw as Henrietta
 * Tim Whitnall as Jerome and Reg
 * Lucy Montgomery as Hannah and Carly
 * Joe Mills as a Passenger
 * Nigel Pilkington as Merlin in Percy's fantasy
 * Rachael Miller as Rebecca, Isla, Madeleine, The Teacher and some Australian Passengers
 * Chipo Chung as Hong-Mei
 * Siu-see Hung as An An and Chinese Women
 * Windson Liong as Yin-Long, Lei, the Male Chinese Breakdown Crane, the Chinese Guard and Chinese Men
 * Su-Lin Looi as The Chinese Diesel
 * Sheena Bhattessa as Noor Jehan and Charubala
 * Sanjeev Bhaskar as Shankar and the Indian Actor
 * Rose Robinson as Tamika
 * Mark Moraghan as Dexter
 * Genevieve McCarthy as Aubrey
 * Tim Bain as Aiden and Madeleine's Father
 * Ian McCue as the Thin Tiger Hunter
 * Tariro Mavondo as Ranger Jill
 * Jass Patel as a Concessions Worker
 * Jessica Hann as a Child
 * Charlie Barnard as a Child
 * Mia Hope Gaywood as a Child
 * Holly Hazelton as a Child
 * Innis Robertson-Pinnell as a Child
 * Damon Denton-Snape as a Child

Trivia

 * This series marks the first of several things:
 * The first series in which the United Nations and Mattel collaborate to introduce the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to preschool audiences throughout the show.
 * The first series to use the new intro, credits and Set Friendship in Motion as an intro song.
 * The first series to feature the newly updated Engine Roll Call.
 * The first series since the fifteenth series dubbed in Finnish.
 * The first series to feature Thomas as the narrator. Because of this:
 * This is the first series since the sixteenth to have a different narrator in both the UK and US dubs, as well as the first since said series to not feature Mark Moraghan as the narrator.
 * This is the first production since Thomas and the Magic Railroad to have a first-person narrative.
 * The first series since ninth series where Maron station does not appear.
 * The first series to feature the new Steam Team - Thomas, Gordon, James, Percy, Emily, Nia and Rebecca.
 * The first series in which Dart appears, but without Den.
 * The first series in which Rasmus Hardiker and Matt Wilkinson voice Bill and Ben respectively, since Jonathan Broadbent's departure from the series.
 * The first series since the twelfth to have seven minute long story segments.
 * Flying Scotsman's first appearance in an episode since the third series and his first full appearance and speaking role in an episode.
 * Ashima, Rajiv, Shane, Yong Bao, Merlin, Nia, The Chinese Diesel, Shankar and Charubala's first appearances in an episode.
 * Rajiv, Shane, Shankar and Charubala's first speaking roles in the franchise.
 * The only seasons to feature Lei, Tamika and Isla to date.
 * Cyril the Fogman's first appearance in full CGI.
 * Vicarstown Sheds' first appearance in full CGI.
 * The first time the Aquarium Trucks appear in the CGI Series, as well as their first appearance in the series overall.
 * The first series to feature Learn with Thomas segments at the end of every episode.
 * The first series to have episodes written by Michael White and Tim Bain. It is also the first series to have episodes written by Becky Overton since the nineteenth series.
 * The first series not to receive any DVD releases in the United States.
 * The first series to use a fantasy sequence in every episode.
 * The first and currently only series in the television series to date in which Bertie does not appear.
 * This is the only series for a few things:
 * The only series to date in which Stephen, Duncan and Sir Robert Norramby appear, but do not speak since their introductions.
 * The only series to date in which Caitlin, Glynn, Ryan, Mavis, Norman, Stafford, Bert, Rex, Mike, Fergus Duncan and The Fat Clergyman do not appear since their debuts. However, Caitlin, Ryan, Mavis, Norman, Stafford, Bert, Rex, Mike, Fergus Duncan and The Fat Clergyman appear in four Music Videos.
 * The only series to date in which Donald, Douglas, Terence, Harold, Bulgy, Oliver, Max, Monty and Farmer Finney do not appear since their returns in Misty Island Rescue, Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure and the previous series. However, Terence's caterpillar treads do appear in Dexter's fantasy scene in School of Duck.
 * The only series to date where Arlesburgh Harbour, Ffarquhar, Hackenbeck Tunnel, Terence's Field, Dryaw, Dryaw FC and Kellsthorpe Road do not appear since their returns in the seventeenth series, The Adventure Begins, the nineteenth series, Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure and the previous series.
 * The only series to date where Ulfstead Mine, Arlesburgh West, Arlesburgh West Shed, Arlesburgh Goods Yard and Arlesburgh Yard Shed do not appear since their introductions in King of the Railway, Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure and the twentieth series.
 * The only series to date since they joined the voice cast in King of the Railway not to have Mike Grady and Miranda Raison as part of the cast. It is also the only series to date since he joined the voice cast in the twenty-first series and Journey Beyond Sodor not to have Colin McFarlane as part of the cast.
 * The only series where the beginning of the ending sequence does not have any music.
 * The only series where the director's credit is shown after the episode title and writer's credit. In the next series, all three will be shown together.
 * This is the final series of a couple of things:
 * The last series to feature the remaining original members of the Steam Team, as well as Bulgy and Bertie without added details, which they gain in Series 23.
 * The last series to have Lee Pressman on the writing team.
 * The last series to have Micaela Winter as producer.
 * The last series where Thomas appears physically in all the episodes.
 * Two days before the UK broadcast on Saturday September 1st, 2018, Number One Engine, Forever and Ever, What Rebecca Does? and Banjo and the Bushfire were first shown at the Princess Anne Theatre (BAFTA) in London.
 * Rufus Jones, Tina Desai and Hugh Bonneville return to the voice cast.
 * Nikhil Parmar, Siu-see Hung, Windson Liong, Sheena Bhattessa, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Rose Robinson, Genevieve McCarthy, Tim Bain, Tariro Mavondo, Shane Jacobson, Jass Patel, Jessica Hann, Charlie Barnard, Mia Hope Gaywood, Holly Hazelton, Innis Robertson-Pinnell and Damon Denton-Snape join the voice cast.
 * This series introduced a new sequence used at least once in almost every episode, featuring an engine backing up to the selected rolling stock and a close-up of their couplings being hooked, followed by a close-up of their whistle being blown (horns for diesels and a bell if they have one) before the start of the main plot.
 * Davey Moore wrote the most episodes in the total of nine episodes written, whilst Andrew Brenner and Michael White wrote only two episodes, making both write only two episodes each this series.
 * The mist surrounding the frame in the fantasy sequences is very similar to classic cartoon thought bubbles. Depending on who is having the fantasy, it is white for steam engines (and rolling stock) and black for diesels.
 * Emily is the only current Steam Team member to not get a starring role this series.
 * This is the third series where Henry and Toby only speak in two episodes.
 * Apart from Thomas reading the titles aloud and talking directly to the audience before and after the stories, Forever and Ever, What Rebecca Does and Apology Impossible are the only episodes this series to not feature narration.
 * China is the most featured foreign country this series, appearing in five episodes, while Australia and India were each featured in four episodes.
 * Yong Bao and Rajiv are the only returning characters from The Great Race to appear in every episode of the series set in their respective country. Ashima and Shane were only featured in three out of the four episodes for their respective countries.