- “Come to Uncle James!”
- ―James talking to the egg.
Thomas' Animal Ark is the eighteenth episode of the twenty-second series.
Plot
When the boiler at the Animal Park on Sodor breaks down on a cold, snowy day, Thomas decides to take the animals to the Steamworks where they will be warm. However, snowdrifts on the line make the journey impossible, so he takes them instead to Tidmouth Sheds, where the engines are forced to spend the night with elephants, giraffes and an ostrich. When Sir Topham Hatt arrives at the shed in the morning, an ostrich steals his hat!
Characters
- Thomas
- Henry
- Gordon
- James
- Percy
- Emily
- Nia
- Rebecca
- Carly
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Headkeeper Jack
- Cranky (cameo)
- Big Mickey (cameo)
- Luke (stock footage; does not speak)
Locations
- Sodor Animal Park
- Brendam Docks
- Sodor Shipping Company
- Knapford
- Crosby Tunnel
- Gordon's Hill
- Tidmouth Sheds
- Blue Mountain Quarry (stock footage)
- Ulfstead Castle (stock footage)
- Sodor Steamworks (mentioned)
- India (mentioned)
- Africa (mentioned)
Cast
UK
- John Hasler as Thomas
- Keith Wickham as Henry, Gordon and Sir Topham Hatt
- Rob Rackstraw as James
- Nigel Pilkington as Percy
- Teresa Gallagher as Emily
- Yvonne Grundy as Nia
- Rachael Miller as Rebecca
- Lucy Montgomery as Carly
- Kerry Shale as Headkeeper Jack
US
- Joseph May as Thomas
- Kerry Shale as Henry, Gordon and Headkeeper Jack
- Rob Rackstraw as James
- Christopher Ragland as Percy
- Jules de Jongh as Emily
- Yvonne Grundy as Nia
- Rachael Miller as Rebecca
- Lucy Montgomery as Carly
- Keith Wickham as Sir Topham Hatt
Trivia
- A reference to the episode Trusty Trunky is made.
- At the end of the episode, Thomas mentions the events of the seventeenth series episode, Luke's New Friend. Stock footage from said episode is used.
- Throughout the episode, the tune to "Deck the Halls" can be heard at various points.
- This is the only episode of the twenty-second series to feature an extra scene within the life lesson, being two deleted scenes of an open Tidmouth Sheds' berth at night and James adoring the newly-hatched baby ostritch.
- This is the last episode where James lacks his Series 23 details, excluding stock footage cameos.
Goofs
- When Thomas rushes by Headkeeper Jack and says “Can’t stop,” the running board of the fourth truck in his train is missing.
Home Media Releases
UK/AUS
In Other Languages
| Language | Title |
|---|---|
| Brazilian Portuguese | A Arca Animal de Thomas |
| Dutch | De Dierentrein |
| German | Tiere in Not |
| Italian | L'Arca Degli Animali di Thomas |
| Polish | Zwierzęca Arka Tomka |
| Spanish | El Arca de Animales de Thomas |
| #01 Number One Engine | #10 Outback Thomas | #19 Cyclone Thomas |
| #02 Forever and Ever | #11 School of Duck | #20 Kangaroo Christmas |
| #03 Confusion Without Delay | #12 Tiger Trouble | #21 Thomas and the Dragon |
| #04 Trusty Trunky | #13 Seeing Is Believing | #22 Rosie is Red |
| #05 What Rebecca Does | #14 Apology Impossible | #23 The Case of the Puzzling Parts |
| #06 Thomas Goes to Bollywood | #15 The Water Wheel | #24 Banjo and the Bushfire |
| #07 Thomas in the Wild | #16 Samson and the Fireworks | #25 Counting on Nia |
| #08 Thomas and the Monkey Palace | #17 Runaway Truck | #26 Hunt the Truck |
| #09 An Engine of Many Colours | #18 Thomas' Animal Ark | |