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Really Useful Around the World, also known as Thomas' Tour, is a series of online Thomas & Friends videos released for the Thomas' YouTube World Tour series. The videos were narrated by Mark Moraghan and the videos were animated in the style of a comic book. The videos feature Thomas travelling around the world to various countries, as well as introducing new characters exclusive to these videos. The videos were written by Davey Moore, directed by Morgan Francis, and animated by Spider Eye Animation and Wip Vernooij.
Plot[]
The premise of the series is described at the beginning of each video. Thomas has longed to see the world ever since his arrival on the Island of Sodor. One day, while taking trucks to Brendam Docks, he sees a large open crate on the rails that is about to be put on a ship and, seizing the opportunity, goes inside it.
Thomas Goes to New York[]
Thomas Goes to New York is the first video to be released for the Thomas' Tour series. It was originally released on 29th April 2015.
Plot[]
All aboard for New York City! Yellow cabs, tall buildings, underground train tunnels and more! Follow Thomas as he goes where no engine has gone before!
Characters[]
- Thomas
- The Skyscraper Builders (one speaks)
Locations[]
Trivia[]
- A tugboat resembling Zug from Tugs can be seen. This makes sense as Zug and the other Z-Stacks were based on the Moran Fleet from New York City in the 1920s.
- In real life, Thomas would not be allowed to operate in New York City as it would violate the Kaufman Electrification Act of 1923, which banned all steam locomotives from operating within city limits.
Goofs[]
In Other Languages[]
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Czech | Tomáš u Sochy Svobody |
| Greek | Ο Τόμας πάει στη Νέα Υόρκη |
| Mandarin (Taiwan) | 紐約之旅 |
| Russian | Приключения Томаса в Нью-Йорке |
Video[]
Thomas in the Sahara[]
Thomas In the Sahara is the second video for the Thomas' Tour series. The video was released on 20th May 2015.
Plot[]
Bubbling Boilers! Thomas is in the Sahara Desert! He's hard at work when he realises his tanks are nearly empty. So, he fills up at the local oasis, leaving no more water for the camels!
Characters[]
Locations[]
Trivia[]
- The Sahara Desert covers ten countries in North Africa and according to the opening titles, Thomas' adventure in this short takes place in Niger.
Goofs[]
- When the men fill up Thomas' tanks, his tanks are closed.
In Other Languages[]
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Czech | Tomáš a velbloudi |
| Greek | Ο Τόμας στη Σαχάρα |
| Italian | Il Trenino Thomas arriva nel Sahara |
| Mandarin (Taiwan) | 沙哈拉沙漠之旅 |
| Polish | Tomek na Saharze |
| Russian | Томас в пустыне Сахара |
| Turkish | Thomas Sahra Çölü'ne gidiyor |
Video[]
Thomas Visits Pompeii[]
Thomas Visits Pompeii is the third video for the Thomas' YouTube World Tour series, narrated entirely by Mark Moraghan. It was released on 10th June 2015.
Plot[]
Ciao! Thomas is in Italy and he’s carrying passengers to Pompeii. But bubbling boilers! It appears Thomas didn't just travel to Pompeii, but back in time itself!
Characters[]
- Thomas
- The Movie Director
- Settebello (not named)
Locations[]
Trivia[]
- The storyboard sketches of this story were uploaded to Wip Vernooij's website.[1]
- When Thomas visits Pompeii, a recreation of the main theme used in the first series composed by Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell can be heard.
Goofs[]
- Only one frame shows an overhead line.
In Other Languages[]
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Czech | Tomáš a sopka |
| Greek | Ο Τόμας επισκέπτεται την Πομποιία |
| Italian | Il Trenino Thomas arriva a Pompeii |
| Mandarin (Taiwan) | 龐貝之旅 |
| Polish | Tomek odwiedza Pompeje |
| Russian | Поездка Томаса в Помпеи |
Video[]
Thomas Crosses Australia[]
Thomas Crosses Australia is the fourth video for the Thomas' Tour series. It was released on 24th June 2015.
Plot[]
Bust my buffers! Thomas is carrying passengers across Australia, and along the way he hears some very interesting sounds! He finally discovers a funnel shaped instrument called a didgeridoo.
Characters[]
- Thomas
- The Man with the Didgeridoo
- Edith (not named; does not speak)
Locations[]
In Other Languages[]
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Czech | Tomáš a tajemný nástroj |
| Greek | Ο Τόμας διασχίζει την Αυστραλία |
| Italian | Il Trenino Thomas attraversa l'Australia |
| Mandarin (Taiwan) | 澳洲樂器迪吉里杜管 |
| Polish | Podróż przez Australię |
| Russian | Томас пересекает Австралию |
| Turkish | Thomas Avustralya'ya gidiyor! |
Video[]
Thomas Meets Marshall in the Canadian Rockies[]
Thomas Meets Marshall in the Canadian Rockies, also known as Thomas Visits the Canadian Rockies, is the fifth video for the Thomas' Tour series. It was released on 8th July 2015.
Plot[]
Freezing funnels! Thomas is hauling tankers through the Rocky Mountains when he gets stuck in the snow! Luckily, Thomas meets a Canadian engine named Marshall to help him.
Characters[]
Locations[]
Goofs[]
- At one point, the tankers and brake van aren't place on the rails correctly.
In Other Languages[]
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Czech | Tomáš a sněžné překvapení |
| Greek | Ο Τόμας επισκέπτεται τα Όρη του Καναδά |
| Italian | Il Trenino Thomas in Canada |
| Mandarin (Taiwan) | 洛基山脈 |
| Polish | Tomek odwiedza Góry Skaliste |
| Russian | Томас в Канадских скалистых горах |
| Turkish | Thomas Kanada'ya gidiyor! |
Video[]
Thomas and the Cheeky Chimpanzees in Kenya[]
Thomas and the Cheeky Chimpanzees in Kenya, also known as Thomas in Kenya, is the sixth video for the Thomas' Tour series. It was released on 5th August 2015.
Plot[]
Bust my buffers! Thomas is taking his passengers on a safari along the East African Rift Valley. They see flamingos, hippos, rhinos, and lots of cheeky chimpanzees!
Characters[]
- The Little Boy
- Thomas (does not speak)
Locations[]
Trivia[]
- This is the only episode in which Thomas himself does not speak.
In Other Languages[]
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Czech | Tomáš na Safari |
| Greek | Ο Τόμας και οι Χιμπατζήδες στην Κένυα |
| Italian | Il Trenino Thomas arriva in Kenya |
| Japanese | アフリカ・ケニア |
| Mandarin (Taiwan) | 東非大裂谷 |
| Russian | Приключения Томаса в Кении |
| Turkish | Thomas ve Şempanzeler Kenya'da |
Video[]
Thomas' Kangaroo Adventure in Australia[]
Thomas' Kangaroo Adventure In Australia or Thomas Visits Australia, is the seventh video for the Thomas' Tour series. It was released on 12th August 2015.
Plot[]
Rumbling 'Roos! Thomas is carrying passengers across the Australian Savanna when a kangaroo stops on the tracks. Thomas is cross with the kangaroo until he realises the kangaroo is also carrying a passenger, a joey! They are both being really useful!
Characters[]
- Thomas
- Some Passengers
Locations[]
- Australia
- The Outback
- Darwin (map only)
Trivia[]
- This is the first time in the World Tour series that Thomas has another adventure in the same country (Australia).
Goofs[]
- The narrator states that was another passenger who shouted at Thomas about the kangaroo, even though he's the same one who asked Thomas about him stopping.
In Other Languages[]
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Czech | Tomáš mezi klokany |
| Greek | Ο Τόμας συναντά ένα Καγκουρό στην Αυστραλία |
| Italian | Il Trenino Thomas e il cangure |
| Mandarin (Taiwan) | 袋鼠 |
| Polish | Kangurza przygoda Tomka w Australii |
| Russian | Приключения Томаса в Австралии |
Video[]
Thomas Gets an Elephant Wash "Sri Lankan Style"[]
Thomas Gets an Elephant Washdown "Sri Lankan Style", also known as Thomas Goes to Sri Lanka, is the eighth video for the Thomas' Tour series. It was originally uploaded on 26th August 2015.
Plot[]
Thomas thought Sri Lanka was a beautiful country but he struggled with the heat and dust, especially in the tea plantation. Thomas had made it only so far from the depot until he ran over some broken tracks and someone very special saved the day.
Character[]
Locations[]
- Island of Sodor
- Sri Lanka
- Galle ( Probably)
- Ella (Probably)
Trivia[]
- The events of the fourth series episode, Henry and the Elephant are referenced.
- The plot may have been used for the twenty-second series episode, Trusty Trunky.
- Additionally, this video is also the only one to feature another engine from Sodor.
- Sri Lanka's Railway gauge in 5ft 6, so technically Thomas isn't compatible with the Sri Lankan Railway
In Other Languages[]
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Czech | Tomáš mezi slony |
| Greek | Ο Τόμας λούζεται από έναν Ελέφαντα |
| Italian | Il Trenino Thomas arriva in Sri Lanka |
| Mandarin (Taiwan) | 斯里蘭卡 |
| Polish | Tomek i pomocne słonie na Sri Lance |
| Russian | Томас едет на Шри-Ланку |
Video[]
Thomas Travels to Japan[]
Thomas Travels to Japan, formerly known as Thomas Learns the Meaning of Kon'nichiwa or Thomas Visits Japan, is the ninth video for the Thomas' Tour series. It was released on 9th September 2015.
Plot[]
Kon'nichiwa! Thomas travels to Japan where he encounters some really useful passengers, or Sumos, that help him clear a blocked line of the railway.
Characters[]
- Thomas
- Satoshi and Takeshi (not named)
Locations[]
Goofs[]
- In one shot, Thomas' side rods are missing.
- The narrator states it was another train Thomas saw, but the engine who passed him is just the same one who passed earlier.
- Japan's standard gauge is 1,067 mm, which is narrower than the international standard gauge. Therefore, Thomas with 1,435 mm of gauge cannot run together.
- The station building and the kimono of women is Chinese style.
In Other Languages[]
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Czech | Tomáš mezi samuraji |
| Greek | Ο Τόμας μαθαίνει Γιαπωνέζικα |
| Italian | Il Trenino Thomas visita il Giappone |
| Japanese | 日本 |
| Mandarin (Taiwan) | 日本 |
| Russian | Приключения Томаса в Японии |
| Turkish | Thomas Japonya’da! |
Video[]
Thomas Makes Scary Faces in New Zealand[]
Thomas Makes Scary Faces in New Zealand, also known as Thomas Goes to New Zealand, is the tenth video of the Thomas' Tour series. It was released on 16th September 2015.
Plot[]
Cinders and ashes! Thomas meets the Sodor rugby team all the way on the other side of the world in New Zealand. The team captain teaches Thomas the Maori tradition of greeting people with scary faces to determine how brave they are and Thomas gets to practice his scary faces on the local rugby team.
Characters[]
Locations[]
- New Zealand
- Island of Sodor (mentioned)
Trivia[]
- Thomas' classic theme is used when he meets up with the Auckland rugby team.
- The Auckland rugby team Thomas meets is based on the All Blacks.
- This is one of two comic shorts to have real life people as characters, the other being "Thomas in London".
- This the first time that Sudrian characters have met Thomas in an international location.
In Other Languages[]
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Czech | Tomáš na Novém Zélandu |
| Greek | Ο Τόμας στη Νέα Ζηλανδία |
| Mandarin (Taiwan) | 紐西蘭 |
| Polish | Tomek robi straszne miny w Nowej Zelandii |
| Russian | Новая Зеландия |
Video[]
Thomas Thinks Bamboo is Really Useful[]
Thomas Thinks Bamboo is Really Useful, also known as Thomas Has an Adventure in China is the eleventh Thomas' Tour video. It was released on 23rd September 2015.
Plot[]
Thomas finds himself chugging through a forest in China. While in China, Thomas learns of the word Bamboo, and sets out to learn what exactly bamboo is used for. Thomas learns that there are so many uses for bamboo, even feeding pandas.
Characters[]
Locations[]
Trivia[]
- This video may have been the partial inspiration behind the twenty-second series episode, The Water Wheel.
In Other Languages[]
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Czech | Tomáš a pandy |
| Greek | Ο Τόμας και το Μπαμπού |
| Italian | Il Trenino Thomas va in Cina |
| Mandarin (Taiwan) | 熊貓 |
| Russian | Панды в Китае |
Video[]
Thomas is the Star of the Rio de Janeiro Carnival[]
Thomas is the Star of the Rio de Janeiro Carnival, also known as Thomas Visits Rio, is the twelfth video released for the Thomas' Tour series. It was originally released on 14th October 2015.
Plot[]
Thomas travels to Rio de Janeiro where he learns the meaning of "oi" and unexpectedly finds himself as the star of a festive carnival!
Characters[]
Locations[]
In Other Languages[]
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Czech | Tomáš na karnevalu |
| Greek | Ο Τόμας είναι ο Σταρ του Καρναβαλιού στο Ριο |
| Italian | Il Trenino Thomas arriva a Rio |
| Japanese | ブラジル |
| Mandarin (Taiwan) | 里約 |
| Polish | Tomek gwiazdą karnawalu w Rio |
| Russian | Томас едет в Рио |
Video[]
Thomas Attends a Greek Wedding[]
Thomas Attends a Greek Wedding, also known as Thomas Travels to Greece, is the thirteenth video released for the Thomas' Tour series. It was released on 21st October 2015.
Plot[]
Thomas is in charge of a very important task for a Greek wedding. Thomas makes sure to go slow on the way to the wedding, but the Greek music has him very excited. Thankfully the plates and Thomas’ passengers arrive safely, but Thomas is very confused when the wedding guests begin throwing the plates.
Characters[]
- Thomas
- Demetre
- The Greek Wedding Band (does not speak)
Locations[]
In Other Languages[]
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Czech | Tomáš na svatbě |
| Greek | Ο Τόμας πάει σε Ελληνικό Γάμο |
| Italian | Il Trenino Thomas arriva in Grecia |
| Mandarin (Taiwan) | 希臘婚禮 |
| Russian | Приключения Томаса в Греции |
Video[]
Thomas and the Day of the Dead in Mexico City[]
Thomas and The Day of The Dead in Mexico City, also known as Thomas Goes to Mexico City, is the fourteenth video released for the Thomas' Tour series. It was originally released on 4th November 2015.
Plot[]
Cinders and Ashes! Thomas is scared to visit Mexico City during the Day of the Dead. Once he gets to his destination, Thomas quickly realises there was no reason to be scared and joins in the festive celebrations.
Characters[]
Locations[]
- Mexico
- Mexico City
In Other Languages[]
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Czech | Tomáš a duchové |
| Greek | Ο Τόμας και η Μέρα των Νεκρών στο Μεξικό |
| Italian | Il Trenino Thomas arriva a Città del Messico |
| Mandarin (Taiwan) | 亡靈節 |
| Russian | День Мертвых |
Video[]
Thomas Dresses Up for The Black Beauty Contest in India[]
Thomas Dresses Up for The Black Beauty Contest in India, also known as Thomas Goes to India, is the fifteenth video for the Thomas' Tour series. It was released on 18th November 2015.
Plot[]
Thomas travels to India where he meets a lot of interesting engines. While Thomas is picking up a shipment of Indian fabrics, he meets an engine dressed as a Bengal, and an engine with wings. Bust my buffers! Thomas learns it’s The Black Beauty Contest in India…
Characters[]
Locations[]
Trivia[]
- The frame when Coran tells Thomas about his livery changes for a millisecond. This is noticeable because Coran's wheel changed positions.
- This short could have been inspiration for the twenty-fourth series episode, Shankar's Makeover.
Goofs[]
- Rajinda and Coran switch places in the last shot.
In Other Languages[]
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Czech | Tomáš v Indii |
| Greek | Ο Τόμας ετοιμάζεται για Διαγωνισμό Ομορφιάς στην Ινδία |
| Italian | Il Trenino Thomas arriva in India |
| Mandarin (Taiwan) | 印度 |
| Russian | Индия |
| Turkish | Hindistan'da Thomas! |
Video[]
Thomas Joins a Tomato Fight in Spain[]
Thomas Joins a Tomato Fight in Spain, also known as Thomas Goes to Spain, is the sixteenth video for the Thomas' Tour series. It was released on 2nd December 2015.
Plot[]
Thomas meets a new friend named Nuria in Spain. Thomas and Nuria have a very important pickup of crates and crates of tomatoes for the Tomato Festival. Thomas wonders how all the tomatoes will be used. He certainly doesn’t think it’s for a tomato fight!
Characters[]
Locations[]
Trivia[]
- As the photograph is taken at the end, a watermark reading Sc022 appears in the top right hand corner of the photo.
In Other Languages[]
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Czech | Tomáš a rajčatová bitva |
| Greek | Ο Τόμας σε Ισπανικό Ντοματοπόλεμο |
| Italian | Il Trenino Thomas arriva in Spagna |
| Mandarin (Taiwan) | 西班牙 |
| Polish | Tomek i hiszpańska bitwa na pomidory |
| Russian | Томас в Испании |
Video[]
Thomas Runs into Trouble at Monument Valley[]
Thomas Runs into Trouble in the Monument Valley, also known as Thomas Visits Monument Valley, America, is the seventeenth video for the Thomas' Tour series. It was released on 16th December 2015.
Plot[]
Thomas is traveling across Arizona when he runs into trouble. Rumbling rails! Thomas doesn't use his brakes fast enough and slides off the tracks down by the road.
Characters[]
Locations[]
Trivia[]
- This is the second time Thomas has had an adventure in the same country twice (previously travelling to New York City, United States), the first being in Australia - Arizona is also in the United States.
- The storyboard sketches of this story were uploaded to Wip Vernooij's website long before the video was uploaded to YouTube.[2]
Goofs[]
- The lines on Thomas' bunker are missing after he slid down.
In Other Languages[]
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Czech | Tomáš a kouřové signály |
| Greek | Ο Τόμας σε μπελάδες |
| Italian | Il Trenino Thomas in Arizona |
| Japanese | アメリカ モニュメント・バレー |
| Mandarin (Taiwan) | 紀念碑谷 |
| Polish | omek wpada w tarapaty w Dolinie Pomników |
| Russian | В долине монументов |
| Turkish | Thomas Arizona'ya gidiyor! |
Video[]
Thomas Sees the Northern Lights in Alaska[]
Thomas Sees the Northern Lights in Alaska, also known as Thomas Goes to Alaska, is the eighteenth video for the Thomas' Tour series. It was released on 13th January 2016.
Plot[]
Thomas was traveling through Alaska to collect some very important passengers who were climatologists. As he was traveling along, he encountered a few scientists who were relieved to see him because they didn't have heat or light.
Characters[]
- Thomas
- Michelle
- The Climatologists (do not speak)
- The Alaskan Scientists (do not speak)
Locations[]
Trivia[]
- This is the first time in the World Tour series that Thomas has a third adventure in the same country (United States).
In Other Languages[]
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Czech | Tomáš za polárním kruhem |
| Greek | Ο Τόμας στην Αλάσκα |
| Polish | Tomek widzi zorzę na Alasce |
| Russian | Северное сияние на Аляске |
| Turkish | Thomas ile Alaska'ya Yolculuk! |
Video[]
Thomas Meets an Artist in Paris[]
Thomas Meets an Artist in Paris, also known as Thomas Goes To France, is the nineteenth video for the Thomas' Tour series. It was originally released on 27th January 2016.
Plot[]
Cinders and ashes! Thomas thinks France is beautiful. As he's traveling through France, he picks up a few different passengers who tell him about the different famous buildings.
Characters[]
Locations[]
- France
- Paris
Trivia[]
- This is the first time Thomas himself is not photographed at the end of a "Really Useful Around the World" segment.
In Other Languages[]
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Czech | Tomáš je model! |
| Greek | Ο Τόμας και ο Καλλιτέχνης στο Παρίσι |
| Italian | Il Trenino Thomas arriva in Francia |
| Mandarin (Taiwan) | 巴黎 |
| Russian | Томаса во Франции |
Video[]
Thomas Celebrates the Chinese New Year[]
Thomas Celebrates the Chinese New Year is the twentieth Thomas' Tour video. It was released on 10th February 2016.
Plot[]
Thomas travels to China to celebrate the Chinese New Year. Along the way, he meets an engine, Yen, and a picks up a very important passenger, a dragon.
Characters[]
Locations[]
Trivia[]
- This is the third time Thomas has had an adventure in the same country twice, the first being in Australia and the second being in the United States.
- This video may have been the inspiration behind the twenty-second series episode, Thomas and the Dragon.
In Other Languages[]
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Czech | Tomáš a drak |
| Greek | Ο Τόμας γιορτάζει την Κινέζικη Πρωτοχρονιά |
| Italian | Il Trenino Thomas al capodanno cinese |
| Japanese | 中国 |
| Mandarin (Taiwan) | 中國新年 |
| Russian | Китайский Новый Год |
Video[]
Thomas Picks Up a Special Passenger in London[]
Thomas Picks Up a Special Passenger in London, also known as Thomas in London, is the twenty-first and final video released for the Thomas' Tour series and the final video for the YouTube World Tour. It was released on 2nd March 2016.
Plot[]
Thomas thinks that London is full of special passengers. Along the railway, he picks up the Lord Mayor of London, a goat, and saves the most special passenger for last.
Characters[]
- Thomas
- The Important Man
- The Lord Mayor of London (does not speak)
- The Soldiers (do not speak)
- Elizabeth II (not named; does not speak)
Locations[]
Trivia[]
- This is one of two comic shorts to have real life people as characters, the other being "Thomas Goes to New Zealand".
- The World War II warship, HMS Belfast, appears when Thomas stops thinking about his meeting with the important man.
- This short could have been inspiration for the twenty-fourth series double-length episode, Thomas and the Royal Engine.
Goofs[]
- When Thomas stops thinking about his meeting with the important man, his coaches vanish.
- Based on the buildings with Tower Bridge behind HMS Belfast, the ship is in the wrong place compared to the real world.
In Other Languages[]
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Czech | Tomáš a tajemný pasažér |
| Greek | Ο Τόμας και ένας ιδιαίτερος Επιβάτης στο Λονδίνο |
| Italian | Il Trenino Thomas arriva a Londra |
| Mandarin (Taiwan) | 倫敦 |
| Polish | Londyn i wyjątkowy pasażer Tomka |
| Russian | Томас в Лондоне |
Video[]
Trivia[]
- The United States was the most visited country in the series, appearing in a total of three videos.
- These shorts are the first exposure to music composed by Chris Renshaw, who quickly became the composer of the show after Robert Hartshorne and Peter Hartshorne's contracts with HiT Entertainment and Mattel ended after Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure.
- This is the first time since the twelfth series where the narrator has voiced all the characters in a story instead of utilising voice actors for both British and American English dubs.
- This series of videos produced the most videos for the Thomas' YouTube World Tour series, at a total of twenty-one videos.
- These videos are not canon to the Thomas & Friends television series. However, it is possible they are the inspiration behind The Great Race and the launch of Big World! Big Adventures! and the series that followed after the 2018 special.
- The videos were animated with the following softwares: Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Flash, Premiere, Manga Studio and Maya.
- In the Japanese dub, the series was narrated by Kumiko Higa as Thomas, the same way the twenty-second to twenty-fourth series had Thomas speaking as the narrator.
Goof[]
- On the world map seen throughout the videos, Sudan and South Sudan are depicted as being one country despite their division in 2011, four years before the videos began to be uploaded.
