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Really Useful Engine, alternately titled A Really Useful Engine and He's a Really Useful Engine, is the first song and music video in the UK from the fourth series dedicated to Thomas. In the US, it was first introduced in the Mr. Conductor's Thomas Tales episode, Missing Whistles. An orchestral and shortened version of the song, with the original children's voices and added backup vocals by Steven Page, was used in Thomas and the Magic Railroad. A third version was made, with vocals by Robert Hartshorne and the Kidmore Children's Choir and slightly modified lyrics for The Adventure Begins.
Lyrics
Series 4 version
- He's a really useful engine, you know
- All the other engines they'll tell you so
- He huffs and puffs and whistles rushing to and fro
- He's the really useful engine we adore!
- He's the one, he's the one
- He's the really useful engine that we adore
- He's the one, he's the number one
- Thomas the Tank Engine
- He's a really useful engine, you know
- Cos the Fat Controller, he told him so
- Now he's got a branch line to call his very own
- He's the really useful engine we adore
- He's the one, he's the one
- He's the really useful engine that we adore
- He's the one, he's the number one
- Thomas the Tank Engine
- Little blue train, he's always there
- Whenever you need a hand
- If you need help with a situation
- Who comes into mind
- He's the one, he's the one
- He's the really useful engine that we adore
- He's the one, he's the number one
- Thomas the Tank Engine
- He's a really useful engine, you know
- Maybe little, but he's never slow
- Stand back in amazement just you watch him go
- He's the really useful engine we adore
- He's the one, he's the one
- He's the really useful engine that we adore
- He's the one, he's the number one
- Thomas the Tank Engine
- He's the really useful engine we adore!
Thomas and the Magic Railroad version
- He's a really useful engine, you know
- All the other engines they'll tell you so
- He huffs and puffs and whistles
- Rushing to and fro
- He's the really useful engine we adore!
- He's a really useful engine, you know
- Cos the Fat Controller, he told him so
- Now he's got a branch line
- To call his very own
- He's the really useful engine we adore
- He's the one, he's the number one
- Thomas the Tank Engine!
- He's the really useful engine we adore!
The Adventure Begins version
- He's a really useful engine, you know
- All the other engines they'll tell you so
- He huffs and puffs and whistles, rushing to and fro
- He's the really useful engine we adore
- He's the one, he's the one
- He's a really useful engine that we adore
- He's the one, he's the one you know (UK/US version 1)/he's the number one (UK/US bonus feature music video)
- Thomas The Tank Engine!
- He's a really useful engine, you know
- 'Cos The Fat Controller, he told him so (UK version 2 and bonus feature music video)/Sir Topham Hatt, well, he told him so (US version 2 and bonus feature music video)
- Now he's got a branch line, to call his very own
- He's the really useful engine we adore
- He's the one, he's the one
- He's the really useful engine that we adore
- He's the one, he's the number one
- Thomas The Tank Engine!
- Little blue train, he's always there
- Whenever you need a hand
- If you need help with a situation
- Who comes into mind?
- He's the one, he's the one
- He's the really useful engine that we adore
- He's the one, he's the number one
- Thomas The Tank Engine!
- He's a really useful engine, you know
- 'Cos The Fat Controller he told him so (UK Version 1)
- Maybe little, but he's never slow (US Version 1)
- Stand back in amazement, just you watch him go
- He's the really useful engine we adore!
- He's the one, he's the one
- He's the really useful engine that we adore
- He's the one, he's the one you know
- Thomas The Tank Engine!
- Thomas The Tank Engine!
Characters
Series 4 version
- Thomas
- Edward
- Henry
- Gordon
- James
- Percy
- Oliver
- Bill
- Annie and Clarabel
- Bertie
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Stephen Hatt
Thomas and the Magic Railroad version
The Adventure Begins version
- Thomas
- Edward
- Henry
- Gordon
- Annie and Clarabel
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Farmer McColl
- One of Dowager Hatt's Friends
- The Ginger-Haired Boy
Locations
Series 4 version
- Arlesdale Lake and Mountains Line
- Knapford
- Tidmouth Sheds
- Gordon's Hill
- Ffarquhar River Bridge
- Toryreck
- Elsbridge
- Arlesdale Castle
- Tidmouth
- Ffarquhar Quarry
- Maron
- Ulfstead
- Elsbridge Viaduct
- The Valley Bridge
- Dilly's Pond
- Callandale
- The Watermill
- The Viaduct
Thomas and the Magic Railroad version
- Sodor Grain Windmill
- Tidmouth Sheds
- Killaban
- Sodor Ironworks
- Henry's Tunnel
- The Watermill
The Adventure Begins version
- Knapford
- Knapford Station Yard
- Sir Topham Hatt's Office
- Crosby Lake
- McColl Farm
- Tidmouth Sheds
- Wellsworth
- Ffarquhar
Footage Used
Series 4 version
- Thomas and Gordon
- Thomas' Train
- Thomas and the Trucks
- Thomas and the Breakdown Train
- Thomas, Terence and the Snow
- Thomas and Bertie
- Thomas in Trouble
- Down the Mine
- Thomas' Christmas Party
- Thomas Comes to Breakfast
- Percy's Promise
- Thomas Gets Bumped
- Thomas, Percy and the Dragon
- Trust Thomas
- Thomas and Percy's Christmas Adventure
- Thomas and Stepney
- Henry and the Elephant
- Thomas and the Special Letter
- Paint Pots and Queens
The Adventure Begins version
Deleted and Extended Scenes
- Thomas and the Breakdown Train:
- A deleted shot of Thomas leaving the yard after seeing the Breakdown Train.
- A deleted shot sees Thomas pushing the breakdown train into place.
- Thomas Comes to Breakfast - An extended scene of Thomas' wheels when puffing out of the shed.
- Trust Thomas:
- A deleted scene of Thomas pushing his stone trucks at the quarry.
- Thomas and Percy's Christmas Adventure - Some deleted scenes of Thomas with Annie and Clarabel arriving at a church.
- Unknown:
- A scene from the first series when Thomas is puffing on Toby's Old Tramway with Annie and Clarabel.
- A close up of Thomas' whistle.
Trivia
- A version without subtitles is seen on Your Favourite Story Collection UK VHS.
- This is the first song dedicated to a character without being based on the character's theme, and the second song to be dedicated to Thomas.
- This is a differently mixed instrumental and pronounced vocals from Thomas and the Best-Kept Station Competition.
- This is a first few seconds are cut off from Singalong with Thomas.
- This is the fourth song to be re-released with different lyrics and footage. The first was Engine Roll Call, the second was Go, Go Thomas and the third was Working Together.
- The Adventure Begins version of this song is the first song since Where, oh Where is Thomas? to be sung by children.
- In The Adventure Begins, as Thomas approaches Edward before he says, "What are you so happy about today, Thomas?", Thomas can be heard humming the song. This is only present in the US version.
- A small riff of this song is heard in Philip to the Rescue when Edward tells Thomas that Philip reminds him of a little tank engine who wanted to see the world.
- The 1993 and 2000 recordings play at B flat whereas the 2015 recording plays at A flat.
Goofs
- When the CGI version of the song aired in the Series 19 airing, Finders Keepers, in the ending credits, Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell are miscredited as the composers of the music video. It was re-composed by Peter Harshorne.
- In Thomas and the Magic Railroad, the subtitles refer to the Fat Controller as the "Last Controller" and Thomas's Branch Line as a "workshop". Also, in the montage of the song, Clarabel is facing forwards and is front of Annie.
In Other Languages
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Arabic | Ana Mufidat Haqanaan Qatira Qitar Mufid Haqanaan Hataa Alnawe (Arabic TV Dub) |
| Catalan | Una Locomotora és També Útil (Thomas e le Ferrocarril Mágica) |
| Czech | Jsem Lokomotiva V Mysli |
| Danish | Et Nyt Lokomotiv er Også Nyttig (Thomas og den Magiske Jernbanen) |
| French | Un Locomoteur de Utile Vraiment (Thomas et la Voie Ferrée Magique) Le Moteur de Vraiment Utile (Thomas et le Magie Ferroviaire) |
| German | Eine Lok Und Nützlich im Gebrauch |
| Greek | Εγω πραγματικά χρήσιμο τρένο (Ο μαγικός κόσμος του Τόμας) |
| Hebrew | לא ראיתם עוד קטר כה מקסים (תומס ומסילת הקסמים) |
| Hungarian | Egyfajta Mozdony Vagyok |
| Indonesian | Aku Lokomotif Sangat Berguna |
| Italian | Sono Una Locomotiva Utile |
| Japanese | やくにたつきかんしゃ |
| Norwegian | Thomas kan brukes til alt |
| Portuguese | Ele é Muito Prestativo O Locomotiva Realmente Útil (Thomas e a Ferrovia Mágica) |
| Spanish | Una Locomotora Realmente Útil Una Máquina Muy Útil es el (Thomas y el Tren Mágico) Un Motor que es de Gran Utilidad (Thomas y el Ferrocarril Mágico) |
| Swedish | Jag är en Riktigt Användbar Lokomotiv |
Home Media Releases
UKUS
DVD Boxsets
AUS
DVD BoxsetsNZ
JPN |
CDS
- Thomas and the Best-Kept Station Competition
- Thomas and the Magic Railroad (soundtrack)
- Thomas' Songs & Roundhouse Rhythms
- Hop on Board: Songs and Stories bonus CD
Song
Really Useful Engine - Music Video
Original Music Video
Really Useful Engine - Thomas and the Magic Railroad Music Video
Thomas and the Magic Railroad Music Video
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