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Thomas and the Magic Railroad

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For other uses, see Thomas and the Magic Railroad (disambiguation).

"Little engines can do big things!"
― Thomas

Thomas and the Magic Railroad is a 2000 British-American fantasy adventure film based on The Railway Series, the television series Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends and its American spin-off Shining Time Station. It was produced by Gullane Pictures, The Britt Allcroft Company, Isle of Man Film Commission and Destination Films and was distributed by Icon Productions in the UK and Ireland and Destination Films in the US. It stars Alec Baldwin, Peter Fonda, Mara Wilson, Michael E. Rodgers, Cody McMains, Didi Conn, Russell Means and Lori Hallier, with the voices of Eddie Glen, Neil Crone, Kevin Frank, Susan Roman, Linda Ballantyne, Colm Feore, Shelley-Elizabeth Skinner and Britt Allcroft, who also wrote, directed and produced. In the 110-minute uncut version of the film, it includes original voice talents by John Bellis, Michael Angelis, Keith Scott and Patrick Breen and the performances of Doug Lennox. The latter five roles were ultimately cut from the final film.

Released in cinemas on 14 July 2000 in the United Kingdom and Ireland and on 26 July 2000 in the United States and Canada, Thomas and the Magic Railroad was lambasted by critics upon its initial release, with criticism of the acting, plot, special effects and lack of fidelity to its source material, with several critics pointing out the uneven connection to Shining Time Station, with many stating that it never aired in the UK. Grossing $19.7 million worldwide on its production budget of $19 million, the film was a box office bomb. A sequel was originally conceived by Destination Films, revealed on 1 July 2000, though was quietly cancelled.

Plot

Mr. Conductor begins the film by introducing Thomas the Tank Engine, his engine friends and the Island of Sodor.

At a station, Gordon and Thomas bicker over Thomas being eight seconds late with his passenger local. Thomas then says that he has to find Mr. Conductor, who is looking after the North Western Railway while Sir Topham Hatt takes a holiday. Gordon claims they can take care of themselves, but he instantly changes his mind when an evil diesel named Diesel 10 speeds by, kicking up dust and dirt and leaving Gordon rattling in fear. Thomas reminds Gordon how Diesel 10 hates steam engines and is rated 10 out of 10 for devious deeds and brutal strength.

Mr. Conductor then introduces his home town of Shining Time, where we see happy residents full of life around the local railway station.

Later, Thomas ponders the trouble that is soon to come if Diesel 10 has unfinished business on Sodor when he accidentally bumps into some buffers at Tidmouth Sheds. James briefly teases Thomas about this, but when Thomas asks why he is idling in the shed, James admits that he was shut up by Sir Topham Hatt as punishment for being naughty. Suddenly, Diesel 10 sneaks up from behind Thomas and announces that he has returned to destroy "a lost steam engine" and thus dominate the engines on Sodor. Thomas is defiant against Diesel 10 as he puffs off to find Mr. Conductor, but James, who is once again alone, is confused as to what lost engine they were talking about.

Once the Rainbow Sun arrives at Shining Time Station, a boy named Patch talks to its driver, Billy Twofeathers, about noticing some strange lines on Billy's map. After they finish their conversation, Patch heads off on his horse to Muffle Mountain to do some work for Burnett Stone.

Inside Burnett's workshop within Muffle Mountain is a secret that Burnett only shared with his childhood friend Tasha, who would later become his wife; he promised he would drive an engine and take her with him. When Patch enters the workshop and sees the engine, Burnett reveals the engine's past - her name is Lady, and she was sealed inside Muffle Mountain after Diesel 10 crashed and nearly destroyed her long ago. Burnett has tried to fix her up but has never been able to make her steam again and bring her back to life.

Diesel 10 admires his self-portrait carved into a mountain, but when his cronies Splatter and Dodge arrive, he quickly recomposes himself to tell them that he has come back to find a steam engine and explains his past with Lady. He also says that "as long as she exists, so do the others, but if she can be destroyed..." though this causes Splatter and Dodge to become squeamish. The two bumbling diesels report that Mr. Conductor is coming to Sodor, so Diesel 10 decides to destroy him too with "Pinchy", his rooftop hydraulic claw, only to humiliate himself in front of Splatter and Dodge when his claw whacks him on the nose.

ThomasAndTheMagicRailroad179

"Sparkle, sparkle, sparkle!"

Meanwhile, Mr. Conductor prepares to leave Shining Time. When he goes to say goodbye to Stationmaster Stacy Jones, Stacy shows him a childhood self-portrait of Burnett Stone in a place that Mr. Conductor thinks might be the Island of Sodor, though he is confused as to how Burnett could get there without gold dust or the lost engine. Before going to Sodor himself, Mr. Conductor says goodbye to both Billy and his dog Mutt. Despite some problems with his gold dust, he manages to blow his whistle and teleport to Sodor, where Thomas meets him. Thomas reports that Diesel 10 is back, but Mr. Conductor is confident that he can use his gold dust to keep Diesel 10 in order.

Burnett looks at a painting of Lady and laments his failure to guard her or to understand magic. Meanwhile, far away in the big city, Burnett's granddaughter, Lily, prepares to visit him, noting that her grandfather has been very sad since her Grandma Tasha died.

At Tidmouth Sheds, Thomas, James and Gordon argue about who should have taken Mr. Conductor; Gordon boasts that Thomas is too small to do important jobs, which infuriates Thomas as he shunts some Troublesome Trucks, unaware that Splatter and Dodge are spying on them. Henry tells the other engines about the legend of the lost engine's power, which is why Diesel 10 wants to find her, so Percy and James decide to find her before Diesel 10 does. Knowing that Diesel 10 dumped sneezing powder all over the yard, Splatter and Dodge laugh at Thomas being sprayed by a passing Harold, but this backfires when Harold sprays them as well.

Inside Knapford, Mr. Conductor reads the letter Sir Topham Hatt left him. After trying on his top hat and returning it after he notices the portrait of the Controller appears angry, then smiling, he receives a phone call from Sir Topham Hatt and receives his instructions.

That night, the engines are asleep at Tidmouth Sheds but Mr. Conductor is having a hard time trying to sleep and pretends to talk with a ball and a bat. But that does no good and then has a cup of cocoa, when Diesel 10 rolls up and demolishes the scaffolding of the sheds with his powerful claw and scares the engines awake. Mr. Conductor taunts Diesel 10 but then finally discovers that he has run out of gold dust. As Diesel 10, delighted, tries to force Mr. Conductor to confess to the lost engine's whereabouts otherwise he will destroy the shed even more but Mr. Conductor frightens Diesel 10 away with a bag of sugar after he threatens to dump the entire bag in his fuel tanks to seize him up permanently. Mr. Conductor voices his concern about his gold dust but tells the engines to go back to sleep, despite their concerns.

Later that night, Mr. Conductor has a nightmare of Shining Time in ruins and Stacy Jones begging him to come back home. He soon realises that his universe is in danger and that he needs more gold dust.

The next morning, Mutt goes to Lily's hometown with Billy, as he knows that Lily can help Mr. Conductor but only if she meets someone special at Shining Time first. To reach that end, he intentionally directs her onto the wrong train, placing her on the train bound for Shining Time instead of the train to Muffle Mountain. Meanwhile, Burnett Stone hears the sound of Lady's magic echoing through the mountain.

Back on Sodor, Mr. Conductor is helping make James' itch disappear to make him feel comfortable. When James notices that Mr. Conductor looks so tired and asks if it is because he is red considering Diesel 10's negative opinion of the colour, he happily reassures him that red is bright and cheerful just like his gold dust. He then sends James off to work while he departs to deal with his own problems.

Mr. Conductor goes to the windmill in search of more gold dust but ends up lost in the forest. He tries to blow his whistle but his gold dust is completely gone. Meanwhile, the engines gather for a meeting. As Bertie passes by and tells them to smile, all have their individual concerns about Diesel 10 destroying Lady (while Henry has a stuffed-up smokebox). Thomas heads off to look for Mr. Conductor to help him. Bertie offers a race with Thomas but Thomas declines the offer, saying that he has to help Mr. Conductor solve some mysteries.

Back in the forest, Mr. Conductor finds a note left by a rabbit and tries a carrot and a stick of celery to make him think properly and has the idea of his beach-loving cousin Junior, who has used up most of his gold dust too, by snoring the whole time during his nap. He tells Junior to go to Shining Time Station first and pick up his emergency whistle, then go to Sodor and warns him not to talk to anyone about the buffers, making sure they are kept secret. Before he can say anything else, the phone line goes out.

Meanwhile, the Rainbow Sun arrives at Shining Time and Mutt barks at Lily to get off the train. Lily finds the station empty and meets Junior. After a talk, Lily picks up the gold dust Junior leaves behind. At Sodor, Mr. Conductor is sleeping by a bush when he has another nightmare about Shining Time in ruins, the Big Dipper crumbling and Lady's wheels rolling on the rails. He soon wakes up when he hears Thomas calling his name. Mr. Conductor tries to reply but poor Thomas cannot hear him as he chuffs away.

Lily meets Stacy, who takes her to Burnett who is giving directions to a biker. That night, Burnett and Lily hear Lady's whistle coming from the mountains. Patch, who is outside with his horse, hears it too.

As Percy arrives at Knapford with the Mail Train, he and Thomas talk about what Mr. Conductor is up to and conclude that he travels to Sodor on a magic railroad by a set of magic buffers, as Percy overheard him the night before. Diesel 10 overhears them and goes to the Sodor Ironworks to tell Splatter and Dodge his plan. Toby, who has secretly followed them there, hears their plans when the diesels arrive and distracts them by ringing his bell. Trying to smash him, Diesel 10's claw causes the shed to crash down on him, Splatter and Dodge, thus blocking their path and trapping them underneath it.

The next day, with the diesels trapped, the steam engines work very hard on the main and branch lines, delivering goods and passengers to every station and yards, as repairs continue.

Thomas finds Henry suffering a boiler ache and offers to fetch six trucks of special Island of Sodor coal to make him better. Thomas does not notice the sixth truck has not been coupled properly and is rolling away into some magic buffers. Bertie passes and greets Thomas and his five trucks; Thomas is confused. When he tells Percy about the missing coal truck while pulling Annie and Clarabel, they realise that the buffers where the truck disappeared are the buffers leading to the Magic Railroad. Thomas tells Percy to guard the buffers while he goes to find Mr. Conductor, citing that Percy is a brave engine.

Meanwhile, Mr. Conductor is wandering aimlessly at The Big Dipper when Diesel 10 suddenly appears and grabs him with his claw. Diesel 10 then reveals to Mr. Conductor that he knows about the magic railroad and threatened to drop him off the bridge unless he tells him the location of the magic buffers. Mr. Conductor notices the viaduct has begun to lose chunks of pieces, just like in his dream and realizes the world is beginning to fall apart without the gold dust. Mr. Conductor then realizes that he is caring a pair of pliers but as soon as he gets them out a magnetic pole takes them out of his hands, he stretches with all of his might and manages to grabs the pliers and cuts one of Diesel 10's hydraulic tubes to his claw and is flung into the air and lands right in front of the windmill, much to Diesel 10's rage and fury. There, he reads mysterious writing saying: "Stoke up the magic in the mountain and the Lady will smile, then watch the swirls that spin so well". Right after these two phrases the writing suddenly disappears.

Meanwhile, Splatter and Dodge question Diesel 10 for letting Mr. Conductor escape, he replies that he just did it on purpose and was testing to him to see if he could escape. Splatter and Dodge thinks that he is lying and mock him and Diesel 10 angrily decides to attempt to teach them "How to stop being stupid" but makes an even bigger mistake when he taps the coal hopper above him with his claw and pours coal all over himself with his claw. James, Gordon and Henry laugh at Diesel 10.

Lily is introduced to Patch, who offers her a horse ride to Shining Time. There, she meets Junior again, who offers to take her to Sodor via the magic buffers. But as they were floating, Junior tells her that the Magic Railroad is vanishing and about the lost engine. Along the way, they notice the missing coal truck that Thomas bumped earlier and soon they make it to Sodor. They meet Thomas, who agrees to help and uncouples Annie and Clarabel, together they find Mr. Conductor at the windmill. When Mr. Conductor tells Junior about his clue to the gold dust, Lily is introduced to Mr. Conductor. While their backs are turned, Junior climbs onto the sail, as the strong wind current blows him off and he lands onto Diesel 10. Meanwhile Patch tells Burnett that he has no idea where Lily is since she was not at the station when he went back for her. Despite Lily having apparently vanished, Burnett is confident she will turn up again.

That night, Percy finds Splatter and Dodge at the magic buffers. He tries to stay brave like Thomas says he is but he is too easily frightened by a flock of crows, a talking tumbleweed and a slamming door. Splatter and Dodge argue about who tells Diesel 10 about the magic buffers until an owl frightens them. Finally they suggest telling Diesel 10 about the buffers tomorrow and Percy races back to warn Thomas.

Mr. Conductor and Lily camp out with Thomas. Mr. Conductor tries to keep Lily entertained but she is worried about being late as her grandfather told her to return by sunset. After a conversation, they realise that Burnett may hold the key to the clue of the gold dust. As Burnett reveals to Patch that Lady is magic, they realise that the railroad is vanishing and that it needs Lady. But Burnett does not know her secret and time is running out.

Thomas and Percy do not want Diesel 10 to get rid of the Magic Railroad, so they know they must get Lily back to Burnett at Muffle Mountain now before trouble occurs. Thomas wonders how Lily can get home without gold dust, Mr. Conductor reveals that only the lost engine could do so now. Then he has the idea and asks Thomas if he will take Lily to Muffle Mountain. Thomas is not sure but decides that he will try before he and Lily set off. Guided by a tumbleweed, the two roll right through the magic buffers. While journeying through the Magic Railroad, they discover the missing coal truck. Lily realises the connection between the truck and the clue, so Thomas decides to go back for it and couple up to before setting off again. They soon arrive on Muffle Mountain with the coal truck behind them. As Lily leaves to find Burnett, a gust of wind blows Thomas down the hill, away from the coal truck and back into the Magic Railroad through another portal at the bottom.

Lily finds Patch, who takes her to Burnett's workshop. Lily figures out only special Island of Sodor coal can make Lady steam, so she sends Patch to collect the coal from the truck.

Diesel 10, with Junior still on his cab, races into the Smelters where he corners James who is working there. Junior tries to whistle both of them out, only to discover that he, too, is out of gold dust. As Diesel 10 drives the two closer into a melting pit, Junior uses the last of his extra gold dust to teleport himself and James away to safety much to Diesel 10's bewilderment. The two arrive near the buffers, where Mr. Conductor is there waiting. James happily departs, while Mr. Conductor and Junior, both out of gold dust, refuse to give up hope. Lily asks Burnett Stone if Tasha took a ride on Lady and if she loved her as much as Burnett did. Burnett says that she loved Lady because he loved her but could not fix her in time for Tasha to take a ride on her before she passed away.

By now, Burnett Stone has finally succeeded in making Lady steam, by using the special Island of Sodor coal from the truck Thomas and Lily picked up from the Magic Railroad. Together with Lily, Patch and Mutt on board, they set off into the Magic Railroad. The railroad, receiving energy from Lady, comes back to life, while Lady's face appears. The team reunite with Thomas, who is right behind them, before appearing on Sodor through the buffers, where they reunite with the two conductors. Junior happily states they can go to Shining Time but Mr. Conductor fears that they will not make it back to Shining Time until they have gold dust.

Before the team can find the rest of the clue, Thomas appears from the buffers but they are found by Diesel 10, Splatter and Dodge. Diesel 10 starts to close in on the two engines, with his claw raised up and orders his cronies to destroy Lady but Splatter and Dodge, fed up with Diesel 10's ways, decide to abandon him. Thomas offers to help Lady, with Burnett driving Lady. Mr. Conductor warns them about the unsafe collapsing viaduct. Just as the engines run away from the large diesel, the conductors realize that Lady is part of the clue to the gold dust.

ThomasAndTheMagicRailroad1078

"TIN KETTLE!!!"

Diesel 10 chases the two fleeing engines and Burnett throughout the Kirk Ronan sites and even run pass Percy pulling a train, until they approach the Big Dipper. As Lady and Burnett pass, a gap appears on the viaduct. When Thomas manages to make it across the gap just in time before it gives way, whistling in victory, Diesel 10 couldn't stop and falls off due to his weight. He tries to hang on to a sleeper but it breaks off and he ends up falling and landing onto a barge filled with sludge.

Thomas, Lady and Burnett return, where they and the rest of the team work out the answer to the riddle. Lily mixes water from the well with golden shavings from the Magic Railroad and with a little encouragement, tosses them into the air, where they form into gold dust. Delighted, the conductors resupply their whistles, while Thomas and Lady thank each other.

Patch and Mutt go to look around, while Junior gives Lily some gold dust. Junior tells Mr. Conductor that he wants to work now, so Mr. Conductor gives him his hat and sends him to a railroad with "palm trees and sunny spells". After Junior leaves, Sir Topham Hatt calls and says that he is on his way back, so Mr. Conductor sets off to welcome him, letting Sir Topham Hatt know that everything is under control before he hangs up. Lily offers her gold dust to Burnett, who sprinkles it on her bluebird toy and whispers that they will "always remember their Shining Time together".

With Lady and the Magic Railroad back to life, Shining Time is now restored to its old glory. Thomas happily chugs home to into the sunset before the credits roll.

Characters

Characters Introduced

Locations

Cast

Voice Actors

Original Voice Actors (September 1999)[6]

First Recast Voice Actors (March 2000)[7][2]

  • John Bellis as Thomas
  • Joe Matheson as Diesel 10
  • Colin Fox as Henry
  • John ? as Gordon
  • Adrian Egan as James
  • Eddie Glen as Percy
  • Colm Feore as Toby
  • Britt Allcroft as Lady
  • Michael Angelis as Splatter and Dodge
  • Graham Harley as Bertie

Live-Action Actors

Songs

Screenshot Title Composers Original release date
Really Useful Engine Hummie Mann 14 July 2000 (UK/IRL, theatrical)
He's a Really Useful Engine, you know
All the other engines they'll tell you so...
Shining Time Hummie Mann
Sue Ennis		 14 July 2000 (UK/IRL, theatrical)
Every now and then
There appears a sign...
I Know How the Moon Must Feel Hummie Mann
Don Black		 14 July 2000 (UK/IRL, theatrical)
I know how the moon must feel
Looking down from the heavens...
The Locomotion Atomic Kitten 14 July 2000 (UK/IRL, theatrical)
Everybody's doin' a brand new dance now
(C'mon baby do the loco-motion)...
Some Things Never Leave You Hummie Mann 14 July 2000 (UK/IRL, theatrical)
I'll never forget the first time I saw you,
You took my breath away...
Summer Sunday Ben Wright 14 July 2000 (UK/IRL, theatrical)
Well it's a summer Sunday and I'm under
A cloud that shades my happiest blunder...
The Whistling Song (early draft, dropped) N/A N/A
This song was to be featured in Thomas and the Magic Railroad but was cut for unknown reasons.
Girl in Green (early draft, dropped) N/A N/A
This song was to be featured in Thomas and the Magic Railroad but was cut for unknown reasons.
He Loves She Loves (dropped) N/A N/A
This song was to be featured in Thomas and the Magic Railroad but was cut for unknown reasons.
Night Train (dropped) N/A N/A
This song was to be featured in Thomas and the Magic Railroad but was cut for unknown reasons.
The Island Song (dropped) N/A N/A
This song was to be featured in Thomas and the Magic Railroad but was cut for unknown reasons.
Thomas' Anthem (dropped) N/A N/A
This song was to be featured in Thomas and the Magic Railroad but was cut for unknown reasons.


Production

Development

In the early 1990s, Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends was at the height of its popularity following three successful series. At the same time, its live-action American spin-off Shining Time Station was also successful. As early as 1994, prior to the launch of the fourth series, Britt Allcroft had plans to make a feature film based on both of these shows and would make use of the model trains from Thomas and the live-action aesthetic of Shining Time Station.

Initial plans between Allcroft and co-creator Rick Siggelkow would have been a straight-forward Shining Time Station film; the film would have had a circus train coming to the station, with Mr. Conductor (unintentionally caused by J.B. King's latest efforts to find him) being captured by the evil ringmaster. The Shining Time gang, alongside Thomas and the other engines (together for the first time in the series' history) would have gone after him. Scenarios discussed for the film included a circus girl becoming friends with the station kids and overcoming her fear of horses to become a stunt rider, The Jukebox Band would be lost and scattered after their titular home gets knocked over,[8] J.B. finally meeting Mr. Conductor and Schemer being shot from a cannon.[9]

Plans for the feature were ultimately put on hold when Siggelkow moved to head the new children's division for BBC Worldwide Americas in September 1995.

In February 1996, Allcroft was approached by Barry London, then vice-chairman of Paramount Pictures, with an idea for a Thomas film. Allcroft signed a contract to write the script for the film with the working title of Thomas and the Magic Railroad. According to a press release, filming was due to take place at Shepperton Studios in the United Kingdom and the United States, with the theatrical release set for 1997. The same month, Wilbert Awdry gave his blessing for the film. He claimed;

“ If the film follows the stories as written in the books, all well and good. If they're treated in the same way as the videos, that is unwelcome. As far as I'm concerned, they're a washout. ”

However, Paramount shelved the plans for the film after London left the company. This led Allcroft to seek other sources of funding. Discussions about the film were held with PolyGram, which did not go on any further as the company was in the middle of a corporate restructuring and sale.

During all of this, her company would form Gullane Pictures, an American distribution arm, in 1997. With a minimum of $50 million of backing from the company, the primary mission of Gullane was "to develop, produce and distribute films and TV programming for the U.S. marketplace". Initial projects were distributing Thomas, Shining Time and fellow Allcroft production The Magic Adventures of Mumfie (through both pre-existing American contracts and the then-new Fox Family Channel) and producing an adult drama film Row Your Boat.

In the summer of 1998, during the launch of the fifth series in the UK, Allcroft saw an Isle of Man Commission advert offering tax incentives to companies who wanted to film on the Island. Allcroft visited the Island a few weeks later and decided the location was perfect for the film. In 1999, Barry London became Chairman of the newly-founded Destination Films and renewed his interest in the project, leading to Destination Films becoming the main financial backer and studio for the film in February and secured distribution rights to the film in the United States, as well as a possible sales exchange deal in the UK and Ireland, while Gullane Pictures would handle international sales.[10] Icon Film Distribution acquired British and Irish distribution rights from Destination in June 1999.[11]

Filming

Test Footage

Main Article: Thomas and the Magic Railroad (test footage)

BrittAllcroftandDavidMittonbehindthescenes

Britt Allcroft and David Mitton filming the test footage

After Britt Allcroft had proposed the idea of a full-length theatrical film, the crew were worried that the gauge 1 models would not be up to cinematic condition and the models imperfections, perfectly fine on television screens, would look problematic on the big screen. Because of this, the film crew had the idea of filming the fifth series and every previous series with larger gauge 3.5 models.

Models of Thomas and Percy were built by David Eves during 1996. The models were made from brass unlike the previously plastic models of the show. The model of Thomas would later be used in some music videos produced during the fifth series. A model of the station Cronk was built, a station previously never seen before in the show.

Three test sequences were created. The first sequence was simply called Test Sequence. In this sequence, Thomas crosses a wooden bridge over a stream and looks in his reflection. Thomas reaches a station and stops there. Then Thomas' driver steps down from his cab and leaves.

The next test sequence, titled Little Man, starts with Thomas running through the countryside. Percy passes him. After looking at his reflection in the water, Thomas meets Percy at a station where Mr. Conductor (at his normal small size), who was running Thomas, leaves the station and so does Thomas.

Big Man is the same as Little Man, except with Mr. Conductor at human size. Mr. Conductor was green-screened in both tests.

The crew was left with footage that had a runtime less than a standard episode. It was ultimately decided that it would be too costly to rebuild an entire new fleet of engines. The crew returned back to the Gauge 1 models for the fifth series of the show and Thomas and the Magic Railroad.

The 3.5" Thomas and Percy would later be repurposed as designated models for Jack and the Sodor Construction Company and close-up shots of the engines between the fifth to twelfth series of Thomas & Friends.

Film

Principal photography began on 2 August 1999 and wrapped on 15 December 1999. Filming took place at the Strasburg Rail Road in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, United States, as well as in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and on the Isle of Man. The Castletown railway station on the Isle of Man Railway formed part of Shining Time Station and the goods shed at Port St. Mary railway station became Burnett Stone's workshop. The large passenger station where Lily boards the train is the Harrisburg Transportation Center. Strasburg Rail Road's (ex Norfolk & Western) 4-8-0 475 was repainted as the Rainbow Sun.

During production, Thomas and Percy had replica brass models made. This was because their original plastic models were starting to show their age and had been repaired and repainted so many times that the crew were afraid some of these imperfections would be seen on the big screen and the models needed to be in top condition for intense filming. The new models were made out of brass and painted in matte finishes. They were equipped with CNC machined brass chassis powered by DC motors and the bufferbeam details were built from scratch. The plastic models also were repainted in a matte finish and had their original Marklin chassis replaced with new CNC brass made chassis.

Sodor was realised using models and chroma key. The models were animated using live-action remote control, as on the television series. The model sequences were shot in Toronto instead of Shepperton Studios, the "home" of the original show; however, several of the show's key staff were flown over to participate. When the filming sets from the TV series were sent from Shepperton to Toronto, Many of the set pieces and buildings were damaged beyond repair from shipping and had to be recreated from scratch. During the first week of filming, Tidmouth Sheds became warped due to the set reaching 113°F forcing the crew to rebuild it. The Magic Railroad was created using models, CGI and water-coloured matte paintings. Throughout Post-Production, the visual effects were provided by six studios: C.O.R.E. Digital Pictures, Gajdecki Visual Effects, Howard Granite Films, LairdFX, Mad Dog Digital and Toybox.

Problems and Changes

In a 2007 Sodor Island Fansite interview, Britt Allcroft commented that the finished film was drastically different from the version she had written, with several scenes, plot elements and characters being cut from the final film.[12]

One of the biggest changes to the film was the removal of P.T. Boomer, the film's original main antagonist. The official reason for his removal was test audiences apparently found him to be too frightening for children but they really found his scenes boring. Despite his excision, Boomer still appears in a few unedited moments of the final film and even appears in one of the trailers, which shows him and Diesel 10 falling off the viaduct. The official Thomas and the Magic Railroad website also had images and information regarding his character prior to being cut. Parts of his character, such as his goal to find Lady, were rewritten for Diesel 10.

Several character voices were also changed during production. Thomas was originally voiced by John Bellis, a fireman and part-time taxi driver who worked on the film as the Isle of Man transportation coordinator and facilities manager. Bellis received the role after he happened to pick up Allcroft and her crew from the airport; Allcroft believed his voice suited Thomas perfectly and so he was flown to Toronto to record his lines. Test audiences in Los Angeles disliked Bellis' voice for Thomas, believing his Liverpudlian accent made Thomas sound "too old". Bellis was replaced by Eddie Glen, who gave Thomas a more youthful voice. James, Percy, Splatter and Dodge were originally going to be voiced by Michael Angelis, then-narrator of the television show. Test audiences also considered his voice to be too old for the characters and so he was replaced by Susan Roman and Linda Ballantyne who gave the two a more youthful but ladyish accent. Splatter and Dodge were also recast with Neil Crone and Kevin Frank respectively. Patrick Breen originally voiced Toby, Henry and Bertie but he was also replaced for unknown reasons, to be replaced by Colm Feore and Kevin Frank respectively.

Diesel 10 was originally voiced by Keith Scott but his voice was later changed; Scott believes that he was replaced due to his voice sounding too scary to younger children. He was replaced by Neil Crone, who gave Diesel 10 a Russian accent. Due to complaints by test audiences, who believed the voice could be considered offensive, Crone gave Diesel 10 a stylised New Jersey accent. He and Kevin Frank both improvised a lot of comedy in the film. In a 35mm teaser trailer for Thomas and the Magic Railroad, Diesel 10 says (to Thomas), "Things are gonna change around here, puffball", while speaking in an Australian accent.[13] The trailer was narrated by Eric Idle in the theatrical version and Jim Cummings in the video version and was released in 1999.[14] Although many believe Keith Scott voiced Diesel 10 in the teaser, it is impossible to verify as true.

During filming of the confrontation scene at the smelters yard, James' model fell off the set and was significantly damaged. Even after repairs were completed, cracks could still be seen in his cab and other areas, even during the final cut.

Deleted Scenes and Original Script

All of these changes were featured in the original script of the film. They were cut out in either later scripts or the final release:

  • The Island Song and Thomas' Anthem were going to be used in the film during the opening musical sequence. Additionally, Night Train was originally going to be used in the scene of Thomas and Percy pulling their mail trains.
  • In the opening sequence, Mr. Conductor would've been with Thomas as he journeyed down the line.
  • The special takes place in 1999, hinted by Lily's age being the same as Mara Wilson's.
  • The first drafts for the film had Billy as the narrator. Later on, Lily was made the narrator, telling the story to her children twenty years later. In the future, she became a railroad engineer like Burnett and married Patch. She also had a pet dog named Jeff, who was a descendant of Mutt.
  • As clarified in the filmed draft, Lily's mother was pregnant and her father is away on work, which is why Lily goes to visit her grandfather. The 1998 draft differs in that Lily's baby brother is already born, and it's clarified that her father being delayed is due to needing to make more for the family.
  • Cranky was meant to have a non-speaking role. He would've first appeared in Henry's introduction, set at the harbour.
    • In the scene where Splatter and Dodge ask Diesel 10 why he let Mr. Conductor escape, Cranky would have dropped a crate of fruits and vegetables on them (a revision from an earlier planned scene in which Gordon ran into some Troublesome Trucks loaded with them).
    • There was a second idea which had him drop oil on Diesel 10, after he crushes the drums "like beer cans." When he was dropped during preparations for filming, this was revised to Diesel smashing into trucks shunted by James loaded with them.
    • In the final film, Diesel 10 is covered in coal from a hopper, recycling plans for an earlier scene that would've gotten Splatter and Dodge buried. Cranky's model still appears in the film, albeit as set dressing at Knapford.
  • George was to play a role as one of Diesel 10's lackeys. He's first introduced as Thomas and Bertie are racing (originally after James is sent to work, in which he was caught up in the middle of the race in the 1998 draft). He agreed to help Diesel 10 destroy all the buffers on Sodor to find the ones that led to the Magic Railroad and as a reward he would be allowed to destroy the turntable at Tidmouth Sheds and turn it into a roller rink, though he eventually turns against Diesel 10 after beginning to regret his involvement. As his model was never taken out of storage and budgetary issues prevented several characters and scenes from appearing, his role was dropped in later scripts.[15]
  • Diesel 10 was a new engine who came to help while Sir Topham Hatt was away, instead creating problems on the railway; the 1998 draft had him directly plotting to take over the island, while later drafts in 1999 (which made it into Diesel 10 Means Trouble) had him simply plotting to make life miserable for the steam engines, believing it needed more diesels.
  • Pinchy would have been concealed underneath Diesel 10's roof and not been revealed until Diesel 10's first meeting with Splatter and Dodge.
  • Diesel 10's claw originally was not named. When Neil Crone was improvising dialogue in the recording studio, he came up with Pinchy. The team loved it, so it stayed.
  • Burnett Stone was given the task of being Lady's caretaker by a previous Mr. Conductor.
  • In the earlier 1998 draft, there is a great deal more railway activity. Thomas, for example, shunts during a few different points in the script; coaches for Gordon in their first scene, the quarry trucks in the sheds sequence, then another passenger train for Henry in a later harbour sequence.
  • In the 1998 storyboards, Henry was depicted in his old shape, which could explain why he was ill throughout the film and why he needed special coal again. Had this been kept, it would've created a bigger continuity issue as Toby and Harold, who were also in the film, debuted after his rebuild.
    • Henry's coal problem remains in the final version, but this continuity error is technically resolved by referring to the special coal not simply as special coal or Henry's coal (Welsh coal), but as "Island of Sodor" Coal.
  • The railway was undergoing major repairs throughout the film, which would explain why Tidmouth Sheds was under repair in the final cut. The earlier 1998 drafts emphasize this, as Topham asks Mr. Conductor to complete the repairs.
  • In the original script, Thomas meeting Gordon and Diesel 10's arrival was to take place at Knapford Station. After Gordon gets shocked by Diesel 10 rushing past him, he was to jerk forward and leave his coaches and he went back to get them.
    • An earlier draft from 1998 omits Diesel 10's introduction, and simply has Gordon setting off and forgetting his coaches after saying that they "can take care of themselves" before returning back for them. Duck was also shown to make a quick cameo in a storyboard of this sequence.
  • Mr. Conductor would have remained in his original size of ten inches on the Island of Sodor in the pre-August 1999 drafts. The items in Sir Topham Hatt's office are described as being as large as him. Additionally, he would not have lost all of his gold dust so soon; Diesel 10's attack at the sheds has no issues with his gold dust, but his nightmare makes him realize something is wrong with the valley after getting a glimpse of Boomer before he left Shining Time earlier, prompting him to find his backup supply.
  • Mr. Conductor would have slept in a small hammock in Tidmouth Sheds instead of a bed.
  • Thomas being covered in dust by Harold was intended to carry on through the night at Tidmouth Sheds, with the other engines teasing him. Diesel 10 snuck back while the engines were sleeping and dumped ash down Thomas' funnel.
  • The scene of Mr. Conductor talking to the baseball bat and plastic ball originally did not exist; this was improvised with props left on set.
  • There is an unused brief few scenes where Thomas would temporarily have his whistle broken.
  • Another thing to note about the powder scene was that it originally took place at the quarry instead of Tidmouth Sheds; instead of sneezing powder, it was simply quarry dust.
    • Additionally, the scene occurred a bit differently; in a very early draft, the Troublesome Trucks (in general a much larger presence) would trick Thomas into taking a washdown, taking note of Harold overhead. This was changed by the May 1999 draft to have Diesel 10 prompt Splodge to "make [Thomas] look stupid", with the trucks' dialogue transferred to Splodge. By July 1999, this was changed to simply Splatter and Dodge watching Thomas get dusted, with the filmed scene simplifying it to be set at the sheds. The "quarry yard" location of the scene was kept in the Little Engines Can Do Big Things storybook.
  • When scratching James' itch, he was supposed brush James with a toothbrush instead of a push brush. The May 1999 draft revised this to a tree branch. In the pre-May 1999 draft, he also has no difficulty with the task and sends James off to work.
  • In the 1998 drafts, Henry's boiler-ache originally came into effect at the Docks shortly before he leaves with a passenger train. Thomas' whistle (blocked and broken from the aforementioned engine ash) would've resulted in teasing from Henry, Gordon and the trucks, resulting in Thomas telling the former he wouldn't tell Mr. Conductor he was feeble, much to his shock.
  • Mr. Conductor would originally take Harold around Sodor to oversee work, first spotting the viaduct's poor state during a fly-by over Gordon with the express. After spotting Diesel 10 and George's initial meeting, he would then stop at the waterfalls to find a spare supply of gold dust, in which he would finally lose his sparkle. He would then climb up to the company of a pelican to get the last of his emergency supply before getting scared by Thomas' broken whistle and losing his footing and the gold dust in the process.
    • A later draft around April 1999 had him sparkle himself to the mountain and find himself at the wrong part of it, he would lost his sparkle at the bottom of the mountain instead of the top of it, he would then be forced to climb the mountain.
  • The windmill was not the location of the clue to the source of the gold dust. Instead, it was the aforementioned waterfall that Mr. Conductor had to climb up to retrieve a sheet of paper, it was then revised to a waterfall with a light shining into a barrel, a wagon and a rainbow reflecting onto a rock-face, Mr. Conductor would have to step onto the wagon to inspect the writing before it would disappear. According to Allcroft, the waterfall was removed from the script shortly before filming began.[15]
    • Additionally, in the pre-May 1999 drafts, there was no riddle to guide the recipe; the characters wouldn't have pieced together the clues until the very end.
  • Originally, the bellflower scene took place near (and in later drafts in) the residence of a badger.
  • Lady originally did not speak. Her only ways of communicating would be through telepathy with Thomas on Muffle Mountain and her whistle. She was later given a speaking role in order to smooth over cuts to the final film.
  • In the original script, the differences between British and American terminology were acknowledged and occasionally poked fun at. The engines would continue to refer to Sir Topham Hatt as "The Fat Controller" and also corrected Mr. Conductor when he mistakenly said "Sodor Railroad" instead of "Railway".
  • There was an extended scene where Toby would hide next to Diesel 10 when he eavesdrops on Thomas and Percy.
  • Junior was originally described as being an English character. His nationality was changed after Michael E. Rodgers was cast for the role.
  • Patch was originally intended to be Irish.
  • Mr. Conductor escapes Diesel 10's claw by cutting a blue or green wire instead of the hydraulic hose he cuts in the final film. His original predicament would include him having to figure which wire to cut, one opening the claw and the other tightening it which could crush him, as opposed to the pliers falling out of his hands having to reach them under 10 seconds. In the script in which he retains his small size on Sodor, instead of being catapulted to the windmill by Diesel 10's claw, Mr. Conductor would have been dropped, caught onto Diesel 10’s wheel, lost grip and bounced off a bush before landing at the windmill.
  • There was an extra scene where Henry would return feeling a lot better and would thank Thomas for helping him. This would've occurred in the above-mentioned scene in which Cranky drops fruit on Splatter and Dodge.
  • When Toby distracts Diesel 10, he was supposed to use his whistle instead of his bell. In addition, the three diesels would get covered in scrap instead of being blocked by the roof.
  • The scene at the Coal Hopper was originally going to feature Henry, Gordon and James tease Diesel 10 at the beginning, which could explain why he was sad when Splatter and Dodge asked him why he let Mr. Conductor escape.
  • The scene where Thomas speaks to Percy about the missing coal truck was originally going to take place right before Thomas meets Junior and Lily.
  • Splatter and Dodge were not meant to reform; instead, George would have been the one who turned against them.
    • In the pre-May 1999 scripts, after being intimidated by him into shatter the Magic Buffers, George would've blocked Diesel's way before chasing after Thomas. As Diesel gives chase, Splatter and Dodge would've closed in on Mr. C., realizing they could harm him. George would have helped Junior and James defeat the two diesels by pushing a boulder onto their line (later revisions changing it to the one originally used for Diesel 10's face sculpt), trapping them on a siding.
    • In the May 1999 script, he chuffers away, telling them to destroy the magic buffers themselves. They try to do so but bump into each-other and derail. The latter of this was kept in the August 1999 draft when George was fully removed.
  • In the original script, Thomas does not stop to pick up the missing coal truck despite recognizing it and only recognizing its significance after he reaches Muffle Mountain. Lily makes the same connection and Patch and his horse are sent to retrieve the truck. The horse's hooves are were permanently etched with gold dust earlier, hence why it is able to go down the Magic Railroad.
  • There was an extended scene where Junior would taunt Diesel 10 and pretend to go surfing, serving to annoy him, to which the engine would try to throw Junior off by speeding.
  • In the original script, the chase scene with Thomas, Diesel 10 and Lady was originally going to have Lily with Burnett. However, this was cut.
  • In the original script when Lily notices the coal truck, she would fallen off of Thomas' cab, to which Thomas would go back for her.
  • In the original script, Thomas is knocked off of Muffle Mountain by an explosion caused by P.T. Boomer. In the final release, the ground under him simply crumbles away. Footage of the explosion can be seen in a Japanese trailer.
  • After Diesel 10 and P.T. Boomer fall into the barge, they would have either vanished or would have been turned into boiler sludge via Junior's magic bandanna, who arrived at the Big Dipper by Percy.
  • James and Percy were originally present in the ending at the wishing well but were later cut from the scene.
  • The ending would have seen Lily, now married to Patch, finishing the story with her children, who are on a picnic and looking through a scrapbook with pictures from Sodor. They can be seen walking together with their horse in the shot viewing Shining Time Station.
  • Britt Allcroft's character list (likely written during the early stage of production) includes Oliver, Toad, Bulgy and Caroline, as several classic series characters were meant to be appear in the film. Mavis, for example, appeared in storyboards as late as 1999.[16] Duck also made a cameo appearance in the same early storyboards. Several recurring characters from both Sodor and Shining Time ended up appearing in early drafts:
    • In the 1997 drafts, Rusty appears (described as a little yard diesel) in the original intro to Sodor with the other engines. Referred to as she/her as in the Series 5 drafts, they would've appeared overhearing Diesel 10 and George discussing his plans, warning the other engines that the two were plotting something. They would've also spied on Diesel after finding out he'd overheard Thomas and Percy's conversation during their mail run. The latter was eventually changed to Toby taking their place.
    • Horace Schemer, Midge Smoot, Ginny Johnson, Barton Winslow, and J.B. King all appear in the 1997 drafts.
      • Ginny was mentioned by Stacy as her crop of popcorn is the best all year, asking Billy to make a stop at Farmer's Dell to pick it up. This was kept as far up as the 1999 Leica Reel.
      • Schemer, alongside his usual tricks and antics, eventually gets roped into the adventure; he would've eventually ended up on Sodor with Boomer.
      • Midge and Barton would've appeared in a brief scene shortly after Lily arrived at Shining Time. Midge would be on her way to bring a prize cactus to a traveling show after getting help from Barton. The latter would bump into Schemer who was preparing his latest scheme: "fresh air in a jar".
      • This would be followed by J.B. King conversing with Stacy about delayed trains.
    • In the 1998 drafts, Mavis appeared in Percy's introduction as they hauled scrap from the scrapyard. Percy speaks about how he is glad to be out of the scrapyard as he finds it scary. Mavis assures him everything will be alright, as the sooner they finish their work, the sooner it will be better for steam. Percy horrifies Mavis by saying that they "won't put up with diesels anymore", quickly correcting himself with "except for friendly diesels like [her]". He also tells Mavis about Sir Topham Hatt going on holiday. Splatter and Dodge are revealed to be listening in and leave to tell the boss, Diesel 10. Mavis would've also been present when Diesel 10 threatens James and Junior.
      • By May 1999, this had been revised fully to have Toby in Mavis' place, though the April 1999 Leica Reel still has Mavis' appearance in the scrapyard.
  • A later draft of the script had Junior talk to the viewers at one point, saying he "may be needed in your town next" after stating he's ready to work.
  • Originally, Sir Topham Hatt was appear at the end, arriving back from his holiday shortly after Junior left. He thanks Mr. Conductor for his time and apologizes for the trouble, having a feeling Diesel 10 would be. He also tells him to tell Junior that "Hattie" was "what [he] was called when [he] was a young pup like him." This was eventually dropped by May 1999 because no actor "of the right size" could be found.

Release

Thomas and the Magic Railroad was released theatrically in the United Kingdom and Ireland on 14 July 2000 and the United States and Canada on 26 July 2000. The film premiered at the Odeon Leicester Square; for the purpose, a steam locomotive, LMS Fowler 3F no. 47298 (painted to resemble Thomas) was brought to the cinema by low-loader on 9 July 2000. National press coverage was low, as many journalists were concentrating on the launch of the Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire book, for which a special train called "Hogwarts Express" would run on 8 - 11 July. In September 2020, it was announced that the film would be re-released in theaters for one day only on 24 October 2020 for the film's 20th anniversary.

Home Media

Thomas and the Magic Railroad was released onto VHS and DVD on 19 October 2000 in the United Kingdom and Ireland by Icon Home Entertainment with distribution through Warner Home Video. The DVD was re-released in the UK in July 2007 by Icon themselves. The film was released on VHS and DVD in the United States on 31 October 2000 by Columbia TriStar Home Video, of which it sold well and remained in print for many years, being a frequent sight at Toys 'R' Us outlets. In 2007, it was re-released on DVD as a Double Feature with The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland. In 2009, it was re-released as part of a 3-DVD Boxset entitled Family Favorites Movie Collection which also features The Adventures of Milo and Otis and The Bear.

Shout! Factory had planned to release the movie on Blu-ray and DVD to celebrate the film's 20th anniversary on 9 June 2020,[17][18]but the date had been pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On 15 July 2020, a day after the original release for the movie in the UK and Ireland, Britt Allcroft announced on her Facebook page the official press release for the 20th Anniversary Blu-ray.[19] The combo pack was released on 29 September 2020. The release featured new interviews with the cast and crew (including Mara Wilson and Alec Baldwin), "The Making of Thomas and the Magic Railroad" featurette previously only available on the German DVD release and for the first time, the entire original deleted storyline featuring P.T. Boomer and narration by Lily (extracted from the film's workprint and missing final effects and ADR voice over).

Reception

Thomas and the Magic Railroad was negatively received by critics, sporting an approval rating of 21% on Rotten Tomatoes based on reviews from 68 critics, with an average rating of 4.4/10. The site's critical consensus says "kids these days demand cutting edge special effects or at least a clever plot with cute characters. This movie has neither, having lost in its Americanization what the British original did so right". Metacritic gives the film a score of 19 out of 100, based on reviews from 23 critics, indicating "overwhelming dislike".

Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale. Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun Times gave the film one star out of four and wrote "(the fact) That Thomas and the Magic Railroad made it into theaters at all is something of a mystery. This is a production with 'straight to video' written all over it. Kids who like the Thomas books might kinda like it. Especially younger kids. Real younger kids. Otherwise, no". While he admired the models and art direction, he criticised how the engines' mouths did not move when they spoke, the overly depressed performance of Peter Fonda, as well as the overall lack of consistency in the plot. Elvis Mitchell of The New York Times gave the film a 3/5 rating, saying, "Mr. Baldwin's attack -- there's no better way to put it -- is unforgettable". However, he had a positive, saying, It's very slow, though it does offer a respite from the overactive animation that kids are mostly subjected to. Kaleem Aftab of The List, stated, "For those under-tens, Thomas and the Magic Railroad will be a great way to spend a school holiday afternoon".

William Thomas of Empire gave the film a one out of five stars, he was critical of the films special effects, stating, "But, believe it or not, the true villains of the piece are, in fact, the 'special' effects. Quite how – in today's era of slo-mo and seamless digital wizardry – such a shoddy result can have been achieved is anyone's guess. With clunky bluescreen, spot-a-mile-off matte work and an absolute lack of synergy between real-life and animated action, it all conspires to provide an appropriately amateur sheen". Plugged In stated, "While the animation maintains its simple appearance, the plot is anything but simple. And that's not good news for the many tots who make up the majority of Thomas' audience. Switching back and forth between Shining Time and Sodor, interweaving two relatively complex story lines, may confuse more than it challenges. Parents may well find that their children are squirming in their seats long before Thomas rides his magic rails into the sunset. That said and the magic notwithstanding, tikes who do manage to grasp the complex story lines and can sit still for an hour and a half, will learn good lessons about friendship, courage, hard work and being kind". Neil Minow of Common Sense Media gave the film three out of five stars and writing that it "will please [Thomas fans]" but that the plot "might confuse kids".

The film was also a box office flop, grossing a total of $19.7 million compared to its $19 million budget and failing to break even. This was not only due to the film's aforementioned negative publicity but also due to competition from more commercially successful films like X-Men and Pokémon the Movie 2000. During its second week of screening in Britain, it only took in £170,000 (roughly $215,000 in the United States).

Cancelled Sequel

Before the film was released, a sequel was originally already being developed by Destination Films. However, due to the film's negative critical reception and dismal box office performance, the sequel was quietly cancelled.[20]

However, Britt Allcroft had stated that a sequel was never planned.[21]

Some fans considered Calling All Engines! to be a sequel, mainly due to its inclusion of Diesel 10 and Lady, although it is not strictly a sequel.

Allegedly, in its early stages of development, The Adventures of Thomas was planned to follow the film but a lack of solid evidence suggests that the concept was soon abandoned in favour of a new continuity brainstormed by Shane Acker. The planned film was scrapped when HiT Entertainment was purchased by Mattel on February 2012, shut down in March 2016 four years later into being revamped under Mattel Creations in 2017 and was later replaced with the upcoming Untitled Thomas & Friends Movie, which will very likely also to utilise a different continuity from Thomas and the Magic Railroad.

Awards and Nominations

  • Nomination - YoungStar Awards - Best Young Actress/Performance in a Motion Picture Comedy, 2000, to Mara Wilson
  • Nomination - Young Artists Awards - Best Performance in a Feature Film - Leading Young Actress, 2001, to Mara Wilson
  • Dishonourable Mention - Stinkers Bad Movie Awards, 2000

Trivia

  • A working title for the film was Thomas and the Rainbow Railway.
  • Two different takes of Diesel 10 for the chase scene were made with and without P.T. Boomer's figure riding on Diesel 10. The second takes (the ones without Boomer) were used in the final cut, since Boomer was cut from the film.
  • The film is now co-owned by Samuel Goldwyn Films, with some digital copies having its logo appear at the beginning.
  • According to production records, a total of 13 versions of the film exist, all with different visual and audio edits.[22] As of September 2025, "a few drafts have never seen the light of day", according to the producers of The Magic Railroad: Director's Cut.[23]
  • Despite P.T Boomer being cut from the final film, he can be easily seen in the trailer for the film where he falls down the Big Dipper with Diesel 10.[24] He also makes an appearance in the Australian trailer.[22] He appears in the first 12 of the 13 versions of the film, before being cut entirely (with the exception of several cameos) in the final film.[22]
  • According to Britt Allcroft, Bob Hoskins and Ewan McGregor both expressed interest for the role of Thomas.
  • In the trailer for the film, there are three scenes where Diesel 10 incorrectly speaks in a different voice. The first voice was a temporary one, provided by the film's editor Ron Wisman, and can be heard when Diesel 10 says "Get outta my way!". The other voice with "Losing your sparkle, eh? What perfect timing!" is by Joe Matheson. Thirdly, when Diesel 10 says "I'll get you, you blue puffball!", Neil Crone's Russian ADR voice is heard.[25]
  • The results of the film not only heightened the franchise's presence in the United States but also promoted Gullane to consider producing spin-off shows surrounding Bertie and Harold in 2001. However, both plans were immediately scrapped in favour of another planned spin-off, Jack and the Sodor Construction Company, in 2003.
  • The script was finished being written on 19 May 1999.
  • A 1996 newspaper claimed that George Carlin would be reprising his role as Mr. Conductor but due to Carlin having left the show after Shining Time Station ended that same year, Alec Baldwin recasted the role as Mr. Conductor for the former.[26]
  • According to Britt Allcroft, the film was partially inspired by the fourth series episode Thomas and the Special Letter.[27]
  • Different versions of the original script can be found online.
  • According to David Axford, David Mitton had desired to incorporate characters from the Tugs franchise into the film as a tie-in through a scene where Thomas encountered them on a seaside run by. It would have been likely the models would have been modified for the film.[28] Many of their models were shipped over from the United Kingdom but none were ultimately used in the film, due to a clash between Britt and David.[29] Many of the models were damaged or destroyed during their transportation back to the United Kingdom. The only possible mention of this scene in any versions of the original script is a scene where Thomas pulls The Mail Train past the sea before arriving at Knapford.
  • Eddie Glen originally auditioned for the role of Percy. It was not until the producers wanted him to do pickup lines for Thomas, that they chose to change his role.[30]
  • John Barry originally signed on to be the film's composer but left the project due to scheduling conflicts. He is still credited as the composer on the 1999 US teaser poster.
  • Mutt the dog was portrayed by two British golden-doodles, Bentley and Dita. When in action, trainers stood off camera and gave verbal cues to get the dogs to sit, lay down, stand and stay. When Mutt is shown running through the crowded train station, one trainer doubled as an actor while the other stood off camera and held up a treat that Dita ran towards. The trainers put Mutt into the train so he sat and rode with the actors. In several scenes we see close-up shots of Mutt’s face reacting to something. These were all taken in one day, with a trainer holding up Bentley's favourite toy.
  • In the second half of both the UK and US trailers feature the instrumentals of the 1997 song, The World Is New by American band, Save Ferris.
  • In the 'How to Stop Being Stupid' scene when Splatter and Dodge say "oh," the same sound byte is used.
  • This film marks the first occurrence of many things:
    • The first film based on Thomas & Friends.
    • The first film distributed by ABC Films.
    • The first Thomas & Friends production to feature separate voice actors for the characters in the English dub and the first to use this format worldwide. This is the only time CGI animation was used until the twelfth series episode, Thomas and the Billboard. Also, these techniques would not be done fully again until nine years later, with 2009's Hero of the Rails, the first full CGI Thomas & Friends production (excluding a 1990's German advert for Thomas Wooden Railway), all the way to the twenty-fourth series.
    • The first appearance of Thomas' shocked face without the bucktooth since the second series episode The Runaway, which continued to appear until the twelfth series.
    • The first time an engine says "Shut up!" since the second series episode Edward's Exploit. Diesel 10 says this to Pinchy in annoyance as he backs away from Tidmouth Sheds after harassing the steam engines. This is a rare occurrence since Thomas & Friends was meant to have gentler language most often as of the 1990s and later on throughout the twenty-first century.
    • The first production without the narrow gauge engines since their debut in the fourth series.
    • The first in the series to have a railway/railroad crossing sound effect.
    • The first appearance of the watermill since the third series episode Thomas, Percy and the Post Train.
    • The first appearance of James' smug face re-casted as his sleeping face.
    • The first ever produced Thomas & Friends production of the twenty-first century.
  • This film marks the only occurrence of many things:
  • This film marks the last occurrence of a few things:
    • The last production where Thomas' original wincing face mask is used. A new one would be gained for him from the seventh series until The Great Discovery.
    • Mara Wilson's last major film role before her ten year retirement from acting. She returned to the acting profession around 2016.
    • The last time in the franchise where a character says "stupid" and "shut up!", likely to reduce profanity on the show.
    • The last VHS/DVD to be released by DVD Academy in South Korea.
    • The last appearance of Mr. Conductor, Stacy Jones and Billy Twofeathers.
    • The last appearance of Shining Time Station.
    • Britt Allcroft's final ever media production. While Allcroft did have numerous plans following the film's box office failure, nothing came to fruition before she died on Christmas Day 2024.
  • This film was never shown or dubbed overseas in Spain, Romania, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Serbia, Czechia, Poland or Indonesia.
  • This is the longest Thomas & Friends production ever made, running at 85 minutes (1 hour and 25 minutes) in the final cut.
  • Phil Fehrle and Shelley-Elizabeth Skinner made cameos in the film.
  • Didi Conn is the only actress from Shining Time Station to reprise her role in the film.
  • Despite being part of the main cast, Edward is noticeably absent from the film. According to an interview with Phil Fehrle, Edward was never intended to appear, as there was not enough screen time or opportunity to utilise him in a way that added any real value to the film.
  • Twinkle Toes, the nickname that Diesel 10 uses to call Mr. Conductor and Junior, would be used by him once again with Sidney in the seventeenth series episode The Missing Christmas Decorations.
  • John Bellis, the original voice of Thomas, is credited as "transportation coordinator."
  • People that worked on the original series also worked on this film. Namely, David Mitton (as model unit creative consultant), David Eves (as model SFX supervisor), Stephen Asquith (as model supervisor) and Terence Permane (as director of photography for the models section).
  • In the trailers, Mr. Conductor is heard saying "I've run out of gold dust and because of that, I'm losing my energy as well", a line originally from the uncut version. Similarly, Diesel 10 is also heard saying "I'll get you, you blue puffball!" which was also originally from the uncut version.
  • The English and a couple foreign theatrical trailers played "The World is New" by Save Ferris, with music done by Nick Phoenix. The same was done with the Japanese theatrical trailer but it replaced some of the original music with bits of the original Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends theme.
  • The Australian VHS release has just the ABC Films logo before the the start of the film, while the Australian DVD release has the ABC Films, Destination Films and Gullane Pictures logos presented in alphabetical order before the start of the film.
  • When Junior starts surfing on his roof, Diesel 10 says "Hang on tight, Moondoggie!" This is a reference to Moondoggie from the 1957 Frederick Kohner novel Gidget, the Little Girl with Big Ideas, who is a surfer that saves Gidget from drowning and later becomes her love interest. Before this, he calls Junior "Mr. Kahuna," with 'kahuna' being a Hawaiian term that means an expert in any field.
  • The Canadian French dub of the film refers the Fat Controller as "Sir Topham Hatt," marking this the only time the Fat Controller was only referred to by his real name in a French dub of a foreign Thomas production rather than using his nickname being translated as le Gros Contrôleur in French since the French dub of the series was never dubbed in Canadian French itself.
  • In a deleted scene, the newspapers that P.T. Boomer searches through to find Burnett Stone's address are dated 22 July 1999. This means that the events of this film took place between 22 and 25 July 1999.
  • All of the engines and road vehicles have different whistle and horn sounds than usual:
    • Thomas still has his regular whistle sound albeit with a robotic tone.
    • Some of the engines share the same whistle sound (which is Thomas' whistle in the special but at different pitches); Henry and Percy both use the same whistle.
    • Toby's bell sound changes for the second time since the second series but this time, another bell sound sounds slightly different.
    • Bertie's horn is the same one as the other one used in the first to third series but in a higher pitch.
  • In the first teaser for the film, Thomas has his regular whistle sound, albeit pitched down a few tones.
  • The line that splits that Percy goes down with the mail train has some similarities to the one Oliver went down in the fifth series episode Oliver's Find.
  • According to multiple SiF interviews, several of the models were either damaged or lost in transit after being shipped from Toronto, Canada to Shepperton Studios in England. This likely included models such as Big Mickey and The Fultan Ferry, which went unused in the film but were still shipped over for the potential of being used on set.
  • It has been debated whether the film is canon to the Thomas & Friends television series or otherwise by a lot of fans:
    • The events of the film are never referenced again in the rest of the television series, despite Diesel 10 making multiple appearances and Thomas saying "little engines can do big things" in the twenty-fourth series double-length episode Thomas and the Royal Engine.
    • There were certain indications about the film being set in the then present day of the late 1990s (a laptop appeared and Boomer had newspapers that were dated 1999), which don't fit the show's time period, which could take place somewhere between the 1950s (a child Prince Charles appeared in Thomas and the Royal Engine) to the early 1960s (judging by BoCo's British Railways logo) however it could implied that the show takes place in a floating timeline most likely due to the fact of most character basis' not being built during those periods.
    • Chris Lloyd has stated in his interview with Sodor Island Fansite that Lady does not exist in the television continuity, explaining why she does not appear in any of the television series episodes.[31]
    • Diesel 10's model in the CGI series has the hoses that Mr. Conductor cut in the film taped up and repaired.
    • Locations from the film have been featured on Sam Wilkinson's 2014 map of Sodor.
    • According to the Unlikely Fandom documentary, Allcroft considered the film canon.[32]
  • The film was shot in a 4:3 fullscreen frame and was later matted into either a 1.85:1 widescreen image for theatrical release or a 1.14:1 open matte image for 35mm open matte film scan prints; the UK and Irish DVD, as well as the film on Sprout and Starz airings was rendered in full frame as a letterboxed widescreen image. The movie was left in its original 4:3 aspect ratio on DVD in North America until 2020 with Shout Factory releasing a 20th anniversary Blu-Ray + DVD combo pack containing the official 1.85:1 letterboxed version of the movie.
  • For the 16:9 widescreen release, the top and bottom of the film are cropped to fit the widescreen frame. Notably, several scenes were actually filmed in 16:9 widescreen, such as:
    • The scene of Mr. Conductor sleeping by a bush and Thomas driving past him.
    • The shot of Diesel 10 driving up behind Mr. Conductor just before The Big Dipper.
    • The scene of Thomas at the campfire when Mr. Conductor explains how he was keeping Lily entertained.
    • The second scene of Thomas and Percy at the campfire when Percy explains how they must get Lily back to Burnett Stone.
    • The scene of Burnett Stone saying "Well done, Thomas! Well done", before blowing Lady's whistle after Thomas crossed the viaduct that was about to collapse.
  • According to an interview with Dave Axford, during the filming of Diesel 10's fall off the viaduct, modelmaker Adam Slater caught the model using a catcher's mitt and the model ended up holding rather well, but Axford stated verbatim he was sure the electronics inside were toast.[33]
  • The Digital HD copy and 20th Anniversary Shout! Factory Blu-Ray release are the only official ways to own the film in 16:9 widescreen in North America.
  • The posters of Sir Topham Hatt reading "Sir Topham Needs You" featured throughout the film are a reference to the Lord Kitchener and Uncle Sam recruiting posters.
  • Despite Sir Topham Hatt's voice being unintelligible over the phone, it is still changed in the foreign language dubs.
  • Although live human actors are used for the film, Lady Hatt and Bertie's driver still appear as model humans, in a picture frame for the former and physically for the latter.
  • Aside from Bertie's driver, Sodor appears to be entirely devoid of people, including the engines' crews, guards and workmen, thus making the engines self-driven and independent. Despite this, the passengers' shadows can be seen in some of the windows of the coaches. Aside from the engines' drivers, Burnett Stone is able to drive and operate Lady. This would later happen again in Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go. The 2003 writer's bible also mentions the fact that the engines can go anywhere without the drivers' volition.[34]
  • The town beside Knapford is replaced with trees. However, many cottages and houses are seen elsewhere at Knapford and at the windmill.
  • Scrap models of Thomas, Gordon, City of Truro, Toad and one of the Scottish twins appear in the smelters yard scenes.
  • One of Flying Scotsman's tenders, painted black, can be seen as Thomas backs into the siding next to James.
  • Three props from Tugs can be seen in the film. The repainted coal hopper, the white industrial tank from the episode Trapped and a tower from Ballantine's.
  • In a deleted scene of Splatter and Dodge at the Smelter's Yard, they are both wearing different masks that did not appear in the final film.
  • In the Railway Adventures PC game and the twenty-fourth series double-length episode Thomas and the Royal Engine, Thomas says "Little engines can do big things" which is a reference to the film's tag line.
  • In the scene where Mr. Conductor is in Sir Topham Hatt's office, pictures of the engines from past series episodes such as the third series episodes No Joke for James and Tender Engines, as well as the fifth series episodes A Surprise for Percy and Thomas, Percy and Old Slow Coach, are seen.
  • Flags of the Isle of Man, Germany, Scotland, Ireland and Europe can be seen above one of the shops at Shining Time.
  • This film aired in the UK twice on BBC One - once on 1 January 2004 and again on 29 December 2008.
  • The film aired in the US on PBS Kids Sprout on 3 July and 11 July 2015 and in Canada on Family Jr. in 2017 where, like with the UK and Irish DVDs, it was fitted as a widescreen image. This is the only model production to air on the Family Jr. channel.
  • When the film aired on the Playhouse Disney channel in Australia on July 2007, the scene with Junior surfing on Diesel 10 was cut after he says, "Oh, no, my beach bag!", likely due to safety concerns in that country.
  • On Family Jr.'s airing of the film Diesel 10's line How to stop being stupid" was most likely cut from Family Jr.'s airings due to heavy-handed censorship for young children due to this the scene where Diesel 10 gets covered in coal from the Coal Hopper while Henry Gordon and James are laughing at him was also cut.
  • The film's original US VHS release came with coupons for Amtrak tickets.
  • The film's UK VHS release has the Milkyway Magic Stars Advert parts one and two.
  • In the Brazilian Portuguese dub of this film, there is a brief greeting exchanged between Thomas and Douglas during the first scene of Knapford station. This is despite Douglas making no appearances outside of this in the film and not being featured on screen.
  • In the Brazilian Portuguese dub, the instrumental version of Really Useful Engine plays during the end credits.
  • The Dutch, Slovenian, Azerbaijani and Korean versions did not dub the songs in their respective languages but they added subtitles for the lyrics.
  • The Russian version is a voiceover production that plays the Hebrew dub in the background as a dubbing track was not used.
  • The Azerbaijani and Korean versions are the voiceover productions that play the English dub in the background as a dubbing track was not used.
  • In the Greek dub, all of the songs are cut.
  • The Turkish VCD/DVD has the end credits sped up.
  • This film, King of the Railway, Tale of the Brave, Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure and Big World! Big Adventures! are the only known Thomas specials to have been dubbed in Hebrew.
  • The Japanese dub kept Leo Morimoto as the narrator, as he is in the television series, instead of Mr. Conductor.
  • The Korean VHS/DVD does not contain any of the UK or US company logos; instead, it only had DVD Acadamy's logo.
  • The Korean VHS plays the English dub with Korean subtitles.
  • Prior to the film's release, there were two attempts for promotion. One effort would have had the Mid-Hants Railway commission Thomas and James running special tours along with a 'Thomas Takeover' at London's Victoria Station, accompanied by Henry. Additionally, the Mid-Hants thought to creating more ideas by the South Eastern Railway Heritage Trust, who wanted to use 'James' on shuttles between Canterbury West and Margate during a major 'Thomas Main Line' event during 18-20 August 2000, where James would haul passengers to Margate where 'Thomas' would be taking a 'seaside holiday'. However, neither event occurred – possibly due to feasibility.[35]
  • According to David Asling, the script was changing daily when filming took place.[36]

Goofs

  • Excluding cab shots, Thomas and Percy's cab doors are missing throughout the entirety of the film.
  • When Thomas reads the sign, his eyes move from left to right, meaning he is reading the sign backwards.
  • When Diesel 10 zooms past Thomas and Gordon, Thomas shifts a bit, his eyes are misaligned and a small piece of hair flies on his face. Also, in the close-up of Diesel 10, a black pencil is seen on the right side.
  • When Thomas says "If Diesel has unfinished business...", his siderods stop moving.
  • When James says to Thomas that he is feeling blue, he has his angry face.
  • When Diesel 10 and Thomas leave the sheds, the edge of the set can be seen in the background.
  • A car disappears and reappears at the shed beside Diesel 10 when he is conversing with Thomas and James.
  • In the close-up of James arguing with Diesel 10, some red residue can be seen between his face and smoke box. This residue is most likely stick tac.
  • When Pinchy hits Diesel 10 in the face, it is visible that the claw is not attached to the top of him.
  • During the engines' conversation about Lady at Tidmouth Sheds, the bottom of Percy's smokebox saddle was white in one shot and his smokebox saddle is black. Then they both turn green for the rest of that scene and during Diesel 10's invasion at the sheds during the evening. For the rest of the film, the smokebox saddle is black but it becomes green again when Percy tells Thomas that they need to get Lily back to Burnett. This was due to the plastic and brass models both being used together in the film.
  • When Thomas leaves the sheds covered in sneezing powder, Splatter and Dodge are clean in the background, contradicting their filth in the previous scene where they are covered in powder.
  • When Mr. Conductor knocks the picture frame of Lady Hatt off of the desk, the frame is below the desk's top, but in the next shot, right before Mr. Conductor catches it, the frame is high above the desk.
  • When Diesel 10 asks "Where's that lost engine?" Gordon's face is loose.
  • After Diesel 10 leaves the sheds, the engines are clean but moments later, they are all covered in dust.
  • In the close-up of Percy in the shed his eyes are misaligned and James and his tender are derailed.
  • At one point, when Mr. Conductor talks to James, his voice slightly echoes as if he is inside the sheds, even though he is outside the sheds.
  • When Percy passes Gordon at Knapford, a black box can be seen attached to his cab.
  • As Diesel 10 leaves after overhearing Thomas and Percy, a red wire can be seen in his cab.
  • When the roof falls over Diesel 10, Splatter and Dodge, Diesel 10 tilts a bit.
  • For most of the film, Clarabel is facing the wrong way and in a scene during "Really Useful Engine", she is in front of Annie.
  • When Thomas bumps the sixth and last truck full of coal into the magic buffers, the fifth one derails.
  • When Thomas meets Percy at the water tower, a branch appears to be moving on its own.
  • When Thomas and Percy are talking at the water tower, when the camera focuses on Percy, Thomas' vacuum pipe is crooked. But when the camera focuses on Thomas, his vacuum pipe is suddenly fixed.
  • In the close up of James laughing at Diesel 10 being covered in coal, his eye slightly jolt for a second.
  • After Diesel 10 is covered in coal, Henry can be seen puffing backwards next to Gordon but in the next shot, he is near Splatter and Dodge.
  • In a close-up of Percy finding Splatter and Dodge at the magic buffers, his lamp mysteriously moves.
  • After Lily tells Thomas he is "a really useful engine", the coal truck he has disappears. Later in the next scene, it reappears.
  • As Diesel 10 and a hijacked Junior approach the smelter's, only one track is seen; however in the smelters' interior shot, two more tracks appear.
  • Going off the previous goof, Diesel 10 is first seen on the far left track; but is suddenly on the track in the middle.
  • When Junior is flung into the air, the scene shifts to the right. This goof occurs in the full screen version only.
  • James' whistle disappears in the scene of Junior falling on his cab roof but reappears later when he and Junior are teleported to the grotto.
  • When the chase begins, Diesel 10 clips a bush too close to the track.
  • After saying "Now I'll get you, Burnett Stone!", Burnett replies: "No, you won't, because the magic you refused to believe in, will get the better of you". However, Diesel 10 did believe in the magic as that was the whole reason as to why he wanted to destroy Lady. This is because the line was originally intended to be directed at P.T. Boomer but when he was cut from the film, the line was edited to omit any mention of him.
  • Despite his role being cut, P.T. Boomer still makes a few appearances in the final film. He appears as a figure riding on top of Diesel 10's roof in the chase scene in some shots, probably because there was no time to redo these shots without him nor it was possible to edit him out and he makes an appearance in the "crossroads" scene where Stacy brings Lily to Burnett Stone. Doug Lennox confirmed that the original scene would have seen Boomer confront Burnett about Lady's whereabouts and was re-dubbed by supervising sound editor Nelson Ferreira when his role was cut out.[12]
  • In the chase scene, Diesel 10 is on a different track but later right before he falls off the viaduct, he is on the same track as Thomas and Lady. However, he could have switched tracks at a junction off-screen.
  • In the chase, when Diesel 10 says "Coming, puffball!" Thomas and Lady are smiling.
  • As Thomas crosses the viaduct gap, a rope can be seen pulling him in the 4:3 fullscreen version.
  • When Lady and Thomas round the bend to the viaduct there is not much distance between the bend and the viaduct but during the close shots there appears to be a lot of track between the bend and the viaduct.
  • During the scene of Diesel 10 falling off the viaduct:
    • When the camera cuts to Diesel 10's wheels as he falls off the viaduct, his wheels are stationary.
    • When he falls off the viaduct the first time, he is facing down, but when he grabs the sleeper, he is facing up.
    • When Diesel 10 is hanging onto the viaduct, he is vertical but when he falls, he is horizontal.
    • When he falls, he is perpendicular to the barge, but when he lands, he is facing the way the barge came from. This means he would have had to rotate 90 degrees to the left.
    • As Diesel 10 is hanging onto the viaduct, when he yells "Teapot!", he is smiling.
  • During the song Really Useful Engine, the captions read "Now he's got a workshop" instead of "Now he's got a branch line". This also occurs during " 'Cause the Fat Controller, he told him so", as the captions instead read "Cause the Last Controller, he told him so".
  • After the chase scene when Lily gives gold dust to Mr. Conductor and Junior, part of the green screen effect on Mr. Conductor's left elbow can be seen in the 4:3 fullscreen version.
  • Sodor is misspelled as "Sodar" on the back cover in some early American VHS releases (including the Spanish-American VHS back cover) and in the official Apple TV description.
  • On some digital prints of the film in the United States, the first eleven seconds of the Destination Films logo are cut off and the Samuel Goldwyn Films logo plays instead.
  • In the end credits:
    • Bertie and Harold, who are non-rail vehicles, and Annie and Clarabel, who are coaches, are under the voice cast for The Trains.
    • Sir Topham Hatt goes uncredited from Kevin Frank's listing of characters.
  • On the US poster, Thomas' lamp is on the wrong side of his running board.
  • In one shot of the theatrical trailer, a rod can be seen pulling Thomas.
  • The German DVD Character Gallery misspells Bertie's name as "Berty".
  • The Korean DVD back cover says 소더 (sodeo) instead of the Island of Sodor.
  • In the Korean voice-over:
    • Gordon's line "What does that sign say?" was said by Thomas' voice actor. Percy's line "You're very brave, Toby", is said by Toby's voice actor.
    • When Thomas says "He says, the harder we work the less he'll need diesels to help," and Diesel 10 appears, James does not say his line "Uh, Thomas?"
  • On the Apple TV cover, the first "R" in "Railroad" is missing from the title.

In Other Languages

View content
Language Title
Azerbaijani Tomas və sehrli dəmir yolu
Dutch Thomas en de magische spoorbaan
French (Canada) Thomas et la voie ferrée magique
Thomas et le chemin de fer magique
German Thomas: die fantastische Lokomotive
Greek Ο μαγικός κόσμος του Τόμας
Hebrew תומס ומסילת הקסמים
Japanese きかんしゃトーマス 魔法の線路
Korean 토마스와 마법 기차
Mandarin (Taiwan) 湯瑪士和神奇鐵路
Persian توماس و راه آهن جادویی
Portuguese (Brazil) Thomas e a ferrovia mágica
Thomas e a estrada mágica
Portuguese (Portugal) Thomas e o comboio mágico
Russian Томас и волшебная железная дорога
Slovenian Lokomotivček Tomaž in čarobna železnica
Spanish (Latin America) Thomas y la vía de tren mágica (VHS)
Thomas y el tren mágico (TV)
Turkish Thomas ve Sihirli Demiryolu

DVD Packs

USA Canada US/CAN

Thomas and the Magic Railroad/The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland Double Feature
Family Favorites Movie Collection

Trailers and Featurettes

External Links

Wikipedia has an article related to:

References

  1. ↑ https://www.sanity.com.au/products/2010383/Thomas-And-The-Magic-Railroad
  2. ↑ https://www.sanity.com.au/products/2132164/Thomas-and-Friends---The-Magic-Railroad
  3. ↑ https://www.yesasia.com/global/thomas-friends-thomas-and-the-magic-rallroad-dvd-taiwan-version/1023776765-0-0-0-en/info.html
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Dey, Mason [@MasonDey1]. Twitter. 13 June 2023. "Ok so I found out the scrapbook from TATMR actually had a page with the trains on it". Accessed 2 October 2025. Archived from the original on 2 October 2025.
  5. ↑ Kevin Frank's website listing his appearances
  6. ↑ @magicrailroad25 on X
  7. ↑ cartycinema on X
  8. ↑ https://www.sodor-island.com/sts-interview-craig-marin
  9. ↑ Interview with Rick Sigglekow on SIF
  10. ↑ https://variety.com/1999/film/news/thomas-the-tank-engine-tuner-pic-toots-at-destination-1117491208/
  11. ↑ https://variety.com/1999/film/news/thomas-chugs-into-u-k-for-icon-1117503209/
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Interview with Britt Allcroft on SiF
  13. ↑ "Thomas and the Magic Railroad - 35mm Teaser Trailer (HD)" YouTube. UnknownThomasFan1. 10 December 2018. Archived from the original on 23 November 2023.
  14. ↑ "Thomas and the Magic Railroad (2000) Teaser Trailer (Jim Cummings narrated version)". YouTube. ABC Productions. 25 April 2016. Accessed 14 July 2024. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023. "Taken from the 1999 VHS of Bear in the Big Blue House"
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 carty™ [@cartycinema]. Twitter. 27 July 2025. "Here are some little tidbits about Magic Railroad from the woman herself". Accessed 20 August 2025. Archived from the original on 20 August 2025.
  16. ↑ The Magic Railroad: Director's Cut [@magicrailroad25]. Twitter. 1 October 2025. "In an earlier draft of the script, Mavis appeared at the smelter's yard with James, just before Diesel 10 arrived with Junior". Accessed 2 October 2025. Archived from the original on 2 October 2025.
  17. ↑ Thomas and the Magic Railroad (20th Anniversary Edition) on Amazon
  18. ↑ Thomas and the Magic Railroad (20th Anniversary Edition) on Shout! Factory
  19. ↑ Allcroft's Facebook posted on 15 July 2020
  20. ↑ All Aboard: A caboose-ful of partners hypes Thomas the Tank Engine's film debut on Chief Marketer
  21. ↑ https://x.com/cartycinema/status/1760699890131255590
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 The Magic Railroad: Director's Cut [@magicrailroad25]. Twitter. 28 August 2025. "Via production records, there are 13 cuts with different visual edits...alongside audio, of course". Accessed 28 August 2025. Archived from the original on 28 August 2025.
  23. ↑ The Magic Railroad: Director's Cut [@magicrailroad25]. Twitter. 1 October 2025. "There are still a few drafts that have never seen the light of day". Accessed 2 October 2025. Archived from the original on 2 October 2025.
  24. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iywA9dhRxrM
  25. ↑ carty™ [@cartycinema]. Twitter. 23 September 2025. "I would like to publicly apologize to this person, as I was wrong!". Accessed 26 October 2025. Archived from the original on 26 October 2025.
  26. ↑ [1]
  27. ↑ Allcroft's Facebook posted on 28 December 2014
  28. ↑ David Axford's message of the TUGS models on 20 February 2022
  29. ↑ David Axford's LinkedIn posted on 4 July 2013
  30. ↑ RETRO PODCAST - "Thomas and the Magic Railroad actor, Edward Glen" (Season 3, Episode 15) (2:50)
  31. ↑ Gratton, James (13 February 2012). "Chris Lloyd". Sodor Island Fansite. Accessed 28 August 2025. Archived from the original on 28 August 2025.
  32. ↑ An Unlikely Fandom [@unlikelyfandom]. Twitter. 8 March 2024. "Yes". Accessed 28 August 2025. Archived from the original on 28 August 2025.
  33. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20160413093258/http://www.sodor-island.net/themagicrailroadminisite/daveaxford.html#:~:text=Another%20memorable%20scene,saved%20for%20last.
  34. ↑ "Thomas and Friends Bible (A Work in Progress)". HIT Entertainment. March 2003. Accessed 3 October 2025. Archived from the original on 3 October 2025.
  35. ↑ Days out with Thomas | Sodor Island Fansite (archived)
  36. ↑ David_Asling?file=AslingEmail2.png
Films and Specials
Feature-Length Films and Specials Thomas and the Magic Railroad | Calling All Engines! | The Great Discovery | Cancelled 2009 Special | Hero of the Rails | Misty Island Rescue | Day of the Diesels | Blue Mountain Mystery | King of the Railway | Tale of the Brave | The Adventure Begins | Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure | The Great Race | Journey Beyond Sodor | Big World! Big Adventures! | The Magic Railroad: Director's Cut (coming soon)
Double-Length Episodes Diesel's Ghostly Christmas | All Tracks Lead to Rome | Mines of Mystery | Steam Team to the Rescue | A New Arrival | World of Tomorrow | Thomas and the Royal Engine
DVD Specials Digs & Discoveries | Marvellous Machinery
Japanese Exclusive Thomas and the U.K. Trip | Hello Thomas and James | Thomas and Connie's Wonderful American Journey | Thomas the Tank Engine Movie - All Star Parade
Documentaries The Making of Thomas the Tank Engine | The Thomas the Tank Engine Man | Run! Thomas & Friends "Steam Locomotive Is Alive" | Behind the Scenes with Pierce Brosnan | 70 Years of Friendship | Original 70th Anniversary History Time Travel | Secret Journey of Thomas the Tank Engine | The Making of The Great Race | Behind the Scenes: Thomas & Friends: Journey Beyond Sodor | Behind the Scenes Big World! Big Adventures! The Movie | Original 75th Anniversary History Time Travel | A Day on Awdry's Railway | Original 80th Anniversary History: The Rails Go on Forever | An Unlikely Fandom: The Impact of Thomas the Tank Engine (coming soon)
Miscellaneous Thomas & Friends in 4-D: Bubbling Boilers | Sir Handel
Feature-Length Specials Race for the Sodor Cup | The Mystery of Lookout Mountain | The Christmas Letter Express | Sodor Sings Together
Half-hour Specials The Great Bubbly Build
Japanese Exclusive The Biggest Friends of All
Miscellaneous The Adventures of Thomas | Untitled Marc Forster Movie (coming soon)
VHS Mainstream Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends (Cassette 1) | Further Adventures of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends (Cassette 2) | Thomas and Gordon and Other Stories | Troublesome Trucks and Other Stories | Coal and Other Stories | Thomas, Percy and the Coal and Other Stories | Percy and Harold and Other Stories | The Deputation and Other Stories | Thomas the Tank Engine | Thomas and the Breakdown Train and Other Stories | Bumper Special | The Sad Story of Henry and Other Stories | The Best of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends | Time for Trouble and Other Stories | Trust Thomas and Other Stories | Down the Mine and Other Stories (1992) | Escape and Other Stories | Thomas' Christmas Party and 17 Other Stories | Thomas Gets Bumped and 17 Other Stories | Thomas Comes to Breakfast and Other Stories | Rock 'n' Roll and Other Stories | Thomas' Train and 17 Other Stories | Thomas and Stepney and Other Stories | Your Favourite Story Collection | Story and Song Collection | My Little MiniVid | My Little Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends Video | The Biggest Ever Christmas Collection | Playtime | Chases, Races and Runaways | Biggest Party Video Ever! | The Complete First Series | Spooks and Surprises | Happy Holidays | The Complete Second Series | Rescues on the Railways | Singalong with Thomas | The Complete Third Series | Fun Time Favourites | Peep Peep Party | Thomas and the Magic Railroad | My Little Thomas and Percy Adventures | Truck Loads of Fun | The Complete Fourth Series | My Little Thomas and Bertie Adventures | Seasonal Scrapes | My Little Thomas and Toby Adventures | The Very Best of Thomas & Friends | The Complete Fifth Series | My Little Thomas and the Royal Visitor | The Fogman and Other Stories | The Chocolate Crunch and Other Stories | Brave Little Engines | Happy Little Helpers | Engines to the Rescue | All Aboard with the Steam Team | Pulling Together! | It's Great to Be an Engine! | Peep! Peep! Hurray! Three Cheers for Thomas | Bumper Party Collection! | Calling All Engines!
Samplers/
Promotional 		3 Splendid Episodes | Chad Valley Video | 5 Episode Video | Christmas Collection
Boxsets Troublesome Trucks, Coal and Other Stories | 2 Video Gift Set | My Little Thomas & Friends Volume 1
Compilations Two Complete Videos on One Tape | Children's Favourites
DVD Mainstream Thomas and the Magic Railroad | Peep Peep Party | Truck Loads of Fun | Seasonal Scrapes | The Fogman and Other Stories | The Chocolate Crunch and Other Stories | Brave Little Engines | The Very Best of Thomas & Friends | Happy Little Helpers | Engines to the Rescue | All Aboard with the Steam Team | Pulling Together! | It's Great to Be an Engine! | The Complete First Series | The Complete Second Series | The Complete Third Series | The Complete Fourth Series | The Complete Fifth Series | Peep! Peep! Hurray! Three Cheers for Thomas | Bumper Party Collection! | Calling All Engines! | Tales from the Tracks | Little Engines Big Days Out | Thomas' Trusty Friends | Together on the Tracks | On Track for Adventure | The Complete Sixth Series | Engines and Escapades | The Complete Seventh Series | The Spirit of Sodor | The Complete Eighth Series | The Great Discovery | The Complete Ninth Series | Carnival Capers | Songs from Sodor | Heave Ho! | Hero of the Rails | Splish, Splash, Splosh! | The Best of Thomas | Complete Series 10 | Complete Series 11 | Thomas and the Runaway Kite | Creaky Cranky | Misty Island Rescue | Christmas Express | Wobbly Wheels and Whistles | The Complete Series 12 | The Lion of Sodor | Pop Goes Thomas | Day of the Diesels | The Birthday Express | Thomas in Charge! | The Best of Percy | The Best of James | The Complete Series 13 | Up, Up and Away! | Rescue on the Rails | Curious Cargo | Blue Mountain Mystery | Merry Winter Wish | Sticky Situations | Go Go Thomas! | Muddy Matters | The Complete Series 14 | King of the Railway | Merry Christmas, Thomas! | Big Bang Surprise | The Thomas Way | Spills and Thrills | The Complete Series 15 | Tale of the Brave | Santa's Little Engine | Dinos and Discoveries | Trouble on the Tracks | Railway Mischief | The Complete Series 16 | The Adventure Begins | 1st Class Stories | Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure | The Christmas Engines | Signals Crossed | Start Your Engines! | Whale of a Tale and Other Sodor Adventures | The Complete Series 17 | The Great Race | Full Steam to the Rescue! | Thomas' Christmas Carol | Tales from the Rails | Extraordinary Engines | The Complete Series 18 | Team Up with Thomas | Journey Beyond Sodor | Christmas on Sodor | Danger at the Docks | On the Go with Thomas | The Complete Series 19 | Here Comes the Steam Team! | Big World! Big Adventures! | Monkey Trouble! | The Complete Series 20 | A Colourful World | Digs & Discoveries | Steam Team to the Rescue | The Royal Engine | Carnival Day! | Marvellous Machinery | The Super Engine | Animal Adventures
Treat Size Edward and Gordon | Thomas and the Breakdown Train | Thomas and Bertie | Thomas in Trouble | Thomas, Percy and the Coal | Percy Takes the Plunge | A Close Shave | Edward's Exploit
Samplers/
Promotional 		All Aboard! | Calling All Engines! Colouring and Activity Book | Thomas, Percy and the Dragon (Promotional DVD) | Thomas and the Jet Engine (Promotional DVD) | Making Tracks with Thomas & Friends / 2 Fantastic Episodes | Sticky Toffee Thomas (Book and DVD) | Thomas and the Colours and It's Good to Be Gordon | A Smooth Ride and Thomas and the Treasure | Rheneas and the Dinosaur Bones | Children's Christmas Favourites | Follow that Flour! (Book and DVD) | Best Friends & Heave Ho Thomas! | Thomas Saves the Day and James and the Express | Sticky Toffee Thomas & Busy Going Backwards | Big Strong Henry & Edward's Brass Band | You Can Do It, Toby & Three Cheers for Thomas | Thomas and Gordon and Percy's Promise | Edward, Trevor and the Really Useful Party and Thomas and the Rumours | Journey with Thomas | My Thomas Land Adventure | Fantastic Friends
Compilations HiT Children's Favourites | Milkshake! DVDs
Race for the Sodor Cup
* VHS only
Mainstream

Thomas Gets Tricked and Other Stories | James Learns a Lesson and Other Stories | Tenders and Turntables and Other Stories* | Thomas Breaks the Rules and Other Stories* | Better Late than Never and Other Stories* | Trust Thomas and Other Stories | Thomas Gets Bumped and Other Stories | Thomas, Percy and the Dragon and Other Stories | Thomas and Bertie's Great Race and Other Adventures* | Daisy and Other Thomas Stories | James Goes Buzz Buzz and Other Thomas Stories | Percy's Ghostly Trick and Other Thomas Stories | Thomas' Christmas Party and Other Favorite Stories* | Rusty to the Rescue and Other Thomas Stories | Thomas and the Special Letter and Other Stories | Thomas and His Friends Help Out | The Gallant Old Engine and Other Thomas Stories | Sing-Along and Stories | Thomas Meets the Queen and Other Stories* | Thomas and His Friends Get Along | Thomas Comes to Breakfast | A Big Day for Thomas | Cranky Bugs and Other Thomas Stories | Races, Rescues and Runaways and Other Thomas Adventures | 10 Years of Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends | Spills and Chills and Other Thomas Thrills | Make Someone Happy and Other Thomas Adventures | Thomas' Christmas Wonderland and Other Thomas Adventures | Thomas and the Magic Railroad | Thomas' Trackside Tunes and Other Thomas Adventures | Best of Percy | Best of Thomas | Best of James | Salty's Secret and Other Thomas Adventures | Percy's Chocolate Crunch and Other Thomas Adventures | Best of Gordon | James and the Red Balloon and Other Thomas Adventures | Thomas' Snowy Surprise and Other Adventures | New Friends for Thomas and Other Adventures | Steamies vs. Diesels and Other Thomas Adventures | Thomas and the Jet Engine and Other Adventures | It's Great to Be an Engine! | The Early Years | Hooray for Thomas and Other Adventures | Thomas' Sodor Celebration | Songs from the Station | Percy Saves the Day and Other Adventures | Calling All Engines! | Thomas and the Really Brave Engines and Other Adventures | Track Stars | Tales from the Tracks | On Site with Thomas and Other Adventures | Thomas' Halloween Adventures | Come Ride the Rails | Milkshake Muddle | Thomas' Trusty Friends | Carnival Capers | Thomas and the Toy Workshop | Ultimate Christmas | Thomas and the Treasure | Engines and Escapades | Mud Glorious Mud | The Great Discovery | Railway Friends | High Speed Adventures | Team Up with Thomas | Percy and the Bandstand | Hero of the Rails | Holiday Express | Splish, Splash, Splosh! | Thomas and the Runaway Kite | The Greatest Stories | Creaky Cranky | Misty Island Rescue | Merry Winter Wish | The Lion of Sodor | Wobbly Wheels and Whistles | Pop Goes Thomas | The Birthday Express | Thomas in Charge! | Day of the Diesels | Merry Christmas, Thomas! | Rescue on the Rails | Curious Cargo | Up, Up and Away | Engine Friends | Schoolhouse Delivery | Blue Mountain Mystery | A Very Thomas Christmas | Sticky Situations | Muddy Matters | Go Go Thomas! | Railway Mischief | Animals Aboard! | King of the Railway | Santa's Little Engine | The Thomas Way | Spills and Thrills | Trouble on the Tracks | Engines to the Rescue | Tale of the Brave | The Christmas Engines | Signals Crossed | Dinos and Discoveries | The Adventure Begins | Whale of a Tale and Other Sodor Adventures | Wild Water Rescue and Other Engine Adventures | Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure | Thomas' Christmas Carol | Tales on the Rails | Start Your Engines! | The Great Race | Tinsel on the Tracks | Ultimate Friendship Adventures | Extraordinary Engines | Journey Beyond Sodor | Christmas on Sodor | Big World! Big Adventures!

Samplers/
Promotional

Entertainment to Grow Up With* | Producer's Showcase* | Two Thomas Adventures* | Thomas' Sodor Stories* | Fun with Thomas | Thomas' Trainyard Adventures* | Starting This Fall on PBS* | Thomas to the Rescue | Quarry Adventures on Sodor | The Story of Thomas and the Jet Engine | Thomas Tries His Best | Thomas' Birthday Sampler | Thomas & Friends 2008 Sampler DVD | Go, Go Thomas! | Thomas' Railway Adventures! | Disappearing Diesels

Take Along Samplers Gordon Takes a Tumble | Henry and the Elephant | Percy Takes a Plunge | Thomas and the Special Letter | James and the Trouble with Trees | Spic and Span | Diesel from Thomas to the Rescue | Emily's Adventure
Compilations Thomas' Useful Stories* | Thomas' Fan Favorite Adventures* | Thomas' Magical Musical Ride* | Great Destinations! | Double Features | HiT Favorites
'Tis a Gift* | Stacy Cleans Up* | Schemer Alone!* | Sweet and Sour* | Bully for Mr. Conductor* | Becky Makes a Wish* | Billy's Party* | Mr. Conductor's Evil Twin* | Schemer's Special Club*
Time for Teamwork! | Race for the Sodor Cup | Best Friends | Special Delivery | Musical Fun! | The Mystery of Lookout Mountain | Back on Track | Brand New Track! | Off the Rails! | All Wheels on Track | It All Adds Up | The Sights of Sodor | The Christmas Letter Express

VHS 		Thomas and Gordon and Other Stories | Troublesome Trucks and Other Stories | Coal and Other Stories | Thomas, Percy and the Coal and Other Stories | Percy and Harold and Other Stories | The Deputation and Other Stories | Time for Trouble and Other Stories | Trust Thomas and Other Stories | Escape and Other Stories | Rock 'n' Roll and Other Stories | Thomas and the Special Letter and Other Stories | Thomas and Stepney and Other Stories | Story and Song Collection | Playtime | Spooks and Surprises | The Biggest Ever Christmas Collection | Happy Ever After | Happy Holidays | Thomas and the Magic Railroad | Truckloads of Fun! | Rescues on the Railways | Thomas and the Jet Engine | Twin Trouble | The Very Best of Thomas & Friends | Engines to the Rescue | All Aboard with the Steam Team | Peep! Peep! Hurray! Three Cheers for Thomas

DVD 		Thomas and the Jet Engine | Twin Trouble | Thomas and the Magic Railroad | The Very Best of Thomas & Friends | Engines to the Rescue | All Aboard with the Steam Team | Peep! Peep! Hurray! Three Cheers for Thomas | Truckloads of Fun! | Calling All Engines! | Series One | Series Two | Series Three | Series Four | Series Five | Happy Holidays | Rusty Saves the Day | Little Engines Big Days Out | Thomas' Trusty Friends | Together on the Tracks | The Great Discovery | Series Six | Carnival Capers | Series Seven | Series Eight | The Best of Thomas & Friends Volume 1 | My First Thomas with Thomas | My First Thomas with Percy | My First Thomas with James | Hero of the Rails | Engines and Escapades | Series Nine | The Best of Thomas & Friends Volume 2 | Series Ten | Heave Ho! | My First Thomas with Henry and Gordon | My First Thomas with Toby and Edward | My First Thomas with Bertie and Harold | Misty Island Rescue | Songs from Sodor | My First Thomas with the Twin Engines | My First Thomas with Diesel | My First Thomas with the Fat Controller | The Party Surprise | Series Eleven | Splish, Splash, Splosh! | Day of the Diesels | Merry Winter Wish | The Lion of Sodor | The Complete Series 12 | Wobbly Wheels and Whistles | Blue Mountain Mystery | Curious Cargo | Go Go Thomas! | Rescue on the Rails | King of the Railway | Sticky Situations | Spills and Thrills | Thomas in Charge! | Tale of the Brave | Santa's Little Engine | Dinos and Discoveries | Trouble on the Tracks | Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure | The Adventure Begins | Start Your Engines! | Railway Mischief | The Great Race | The Christmas Engines | Signals Crossed | Whale of a Tale and Other Sodor Adventures | Journey Beyond Sodor | Thomas' Christmas Carol | Extraordinary Engines | Team Up with Thomas | Big World! Big Adventures! | Christmas on Sodor | Here Comes the Steam Team! | Monkey Trouble! | Digs & Discoveries | Steam Team to the Rescue | The Royal Engine | A Colourful World | The Super Engine | Animal Adventures | Marvellous Machinery

Digital-only Releases 		ABC Kids - It's a Party! Pack | ABC Kids - Explorer Pack | ABC Kids - Valentine's Pack | ABC Kids - Spooktacular Stories | The Complete Series 21 | The Complete Series 22 | The Complete Series 23

DVD 		Race for the Sodor Cup

Digital-only Releases 		Best Friend Adventures | The Mystery of Lookout Mountain | Ghost Train | The Great Bubbly Build | All Engines Go | The Complete Series 25
Samplers/
Promotional 		All Aboard October! | All Aboard! | Thomas, Percy and the Old Slow Coach and Toby's Discovery | Thomas & Friends | Sticky Toffee Thomas (Book and DVD) | 3 Great Adventures! | Follow that Flour! (Book and DVD) | Thomas & Friends Adventures! | Thomas' Railway Adventures!
Take Along Samplers Gordon Takes a Tumble | Henry and the Elephant | Percy Takes a Plunge | Thomas and the Special Letter | James and the Trouble with Trees | Spic and Span | Diesel from Thomas to the Rescue | Emily's Adventure
Compilations ABC Kids Favourites | HiT Favourites
See Also New Zealand VHS Releases
VHS Mainstream Thomas the Tank Engine Volume 1 | Thomas the Tank Engine Volume 2 | Thomas the Tank Engine Volume 3 | Thomas the Tank Engine Volume 4 | Thomas the Tank Engine Volume 5 | Thomas the Tank Engine Volume 6 | Thomas the Tank Engine Volume 7 | Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.8 | Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.9 | Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.10 | Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.11 | Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.12 | Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.13 | Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.14 | Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.15 | Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.16 | Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.17 | New Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.1 | New Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.2 | New Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.3 | New Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.4 | New Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.5 | New Thomas the Tank Engine Vol.6 | Hello Thomas and James | Best of Thomas |Best of Percy | Best of Gordon | Best of Henry | Best of James and Edward | Sing-Along and Stories | New Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.1 | New Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.2 | New Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.3 | New Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.4 | New Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.5 | New Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.6 | Sing-Along and Stories 2 | Sing-Along and Stories 3 | Let's Sing Thomas Songs Together Vol.1 | Let's Sing Thomas Songs Together Vol.2 | Let's Sing Thomas Songs Together Vol.3 | Thomas and Connie's Wonderful American Journey | Thomas and the Magic Railroad | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 6 Vol.1 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 6 Vol.2 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 6 Vol.3 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 6 Vol.4 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 6 Vol.5 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 6 Vol.6 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 7 Vol.1 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 7 Vol.2 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 7 Vol.3 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 7 Vol.4 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 7 Vol.5 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 7 Vol.6
Rentals Edward, Gordon and Henry | Percy Runs Away | Thomas' Christmas Party | Thomas, Percy and the Coal | Percy and Harold | Ghost Train | The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.1 | The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.2 | The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.3 | The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.4 | The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.5 | The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.6 | The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.7 | The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.8
Boxset Best of Series
DVD Mainstream The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.1 | The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.2 | The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.3 | The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.4 | The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.5 | The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.6 | The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.7 | The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 1 Vol.8 | Thomas and the Magic Railroad | The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.1 | The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.2 | The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.3 | The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.4 | The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.5 | The Complete Works of Thomas the Tank Engine 2 Vol.6 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 6 Vol.1 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 6 Vol.2 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 6 Vol.3 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 6 Vol.4 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 6 Vol.5 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 6 Vol.6 | Sing-Along and Stories 1 | Sing-Along and Stories 2 | Sing-Along and Stories 3 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 7 Vol.1 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 7 Vol.2 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 7 Vol.3 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 7 Vol.4 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 7 Vol.5 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 7 Vol.6 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 8 Vol.1 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 8 Vol.2 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 8 Vol.3 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 8 Vol.4 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 8 Vol.5 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 8 Vol.6 | Original Songs 1 | Original Songs 2 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 9 Vol.1 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 9 Vol.2 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 9 Vol.3 | Calling All Engines! | Nice to Meet You, Thomas! | Anytime with Percy! | Anytime with James! | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 9 Vol.4 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 9 Vol.5 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 9 Vol.6 | Gordon and Henry the Large Engines | Toby and Edward the Little Engines | Bertie and Harold Fellow Friends | The Engine Twins | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 10 Vol.1 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 10 Vol.2 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 10 Vol.3 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 10 Vol.4 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 10 Vol.5 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 10 Vol.6 | Welcome to Sodor Island Tour! | Song and Story: Sing Fun | Song and Story: Let's Sing a Song | The Great Discovery | Thomas & Friends Christmas | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 11 Vol.1 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 11 Vol.2 | Work and Dance with Thomas!! | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 11 Vol.3 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 11 Vol.4 | Thomas the Tank Engine Character Encyclopedia | Song and Story: Let's Sing Together | Thomas and the Mountain Railway Engines | Sodor Tour: Surprise Happening | Special Gift of Hiro and Thomas | Outstanding Performances of Hiro and Thomas | Hero of the Rails | Keep It Up Thomas! | Sodor Maintenance Shop is Busy | Try to Get Along | Tell Me About A Fun Day | Playing in the Water and Fun with Thomas | Tracking of Thomas | Suspense of Thomas the Tank Engine!! | Sodor Island Is Buzzing with Activity Today!! | Thomas and a Lot of Engines! | I Will Not Lose to the Diesel | Gather Round! Come and Ride with Me! | Misty Island Rescue | Operation Mischief!! | Thomas' Medal and Other People of Sodor Island | I Dreamed Thomas Goodnight Bedtime Stories! | Welcome Aboard! Pleasant Fellow First Appearance on Sodor Island | The Best Collection | Fellow Hiro Special Care | Fun Animals on Sodor Island | Strange Story of Thomas the Tank Engine | The Challenge Quiz! | Thomas the Tank Engine Dictionary | Engines' Big Success | Thomas and the Giraffe | Thomas Is Role Model | Day of the Diesels | Reveal the Mystery of Sodor Island! | Hello! Japanese Railways: Thomas and the Fujikyu Railway | Hurry, Hurry, I'm Busy!! | Will Not Stop | Analyze Mountain Railway and Little Engines | Let's Compare Together: Find Number 1 on Sodor Island! | Thomas and the Friends of Vehicles | The Great Sodor Island Panic | Thomas and Scruff | The Exciting New Adventures of Thomas | Fun Stories Popped Out from Picture Book | A Nice Little Story of Thomas the Tank Engine | Tell Me Stories, Thomas | Thomas the Tank Engine New Character Encyclopedia | Blue Mountain Mystery | Sing! Dance! Thomas | You Can't Lose!! Famous Matches | Let's Help Each Other, We Are Friends | To Transport a Lot Today | Welcome to Splendid Sodor Island!! | Full of Courage, Go!Go!Go! | Surprise Loads with Exciting | New Friends Come to the Castle of Sodor | Thomas and Gordon | Thomas and Bertie's Race | Crash and Smash! Look Out! | No, No Troubles! | See, Listen and Play! Exciting Amusement Park! | Jobs in the Mountains and the Sea | King of the Railway | Startled in Spite of Oneself | Full of Adventure on Sodor | Look Out! Look Out! A Great Crisis | Thomas' Surprise Plan | Sodor Railway Special Vehicle Collection | Run with Thomas and Percy! Friends are Good♪ | Thomas, Percy and the Dragon | Thomas and Harold | It's Fun Because Everyone's Different! | Singing and Cheering Hooray! Hooray! Thomas!! | Thomas and the Rainbow | Thomas and the Birthday Delivery | Ōigawa Railway All Aboard!! | Tale of the Brave | Thomas and James | Thomas the Jet Engine | The Adventure Begins | Thomas and the Pirate's Treasure | Thomas and the Toy Store | Let's Go Get Together! Lucky! Party Time | Where Is It? Is It Here? A Big Discovery on the Island of Sodor Map! What? | I Love Everybody So Much! Special Milestones of Hiro | Everybody Gather the Island of Sodor Athletic Meeting | Surprise! Surprise! | Lots of Percy for Everyone! | Don't Be Defeated by Thomas & Friends!! | Do Your Best Thomas Masterpiece Collection | Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure | Thomas' Surprise! | There Are Lots of Thomas & Friends | Run! Thomas and Bertie | Run! Big Race on the Island of Sodor | Thomas and His Lovely Friends | The Great Race | Rescue on the Rails | Up, Up and Away! | Journey Beyond Sodor | 3☆2☆1! It's a Big Deal! ? | Everyone Is Ready! Sodor Island All Stars | Big World! Big Adventures! | Whole Sodor Island Adventure | Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 16 Vol.1 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 16 Vol.2 | 75th Anniversary Edition: Thank You as Always! Thomas & Friends Masterpieces | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 17 Vol.1 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 17 Vol.2 | Digs & Discoveries | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 18 Vol.1 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 18 Vol.2 | Marvellous Machinery | Thomas the Tank Engine Movie - All Star Parade
Samplers Thomas, Percy and the Dragon | Wooden Railway Series
Boxsets The Complete DVD Box 1 | I Love Thomas DVD Collection
DVD Mainstream Race for the Sodor Cup | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 25 Vol. 1 | Thomas the Tank Engine Series 25 Vol. 2 | The Mystery of Lookout Mountain
Promotional Thomas the Tank Engine Special DVD 2022 | Bonus DVD | Thomas the Tank Engine Fair Special DVD
Companies Clearwater Features | The Britt Allcroft Company | Gullane Entertainment | HiT Entertainment | Mattel Creations
Directors David Mitton | Stephen Asquith | Greg Tiernan | David Baas | Rob Silvestri | Don Spencer | David Stoten | Dianna Basso
Producers Britt Allcroft | David Mitton | Robert D. Cardona | Phil Fehrle | Simon Spencer | Nicole Stinn | Halim Jabbour | Robert Anderson | Brian Lynch | Jennifer Hill | Lynda Craigmyle | Jane Sobol | Tracy Blagdon | Ian McCue | Micaela Winter
Staff Episode writers | Directors | Producers
Composers Mike O'Donnell | Junior Campbell | Hummie Mann | Ed Welch | Robert Hartshorne | Peter Hartshorne | Chris Renshaw | Oliver Davis
Locations Clapham Junction | Shepperton Studios | Nitrogen Studios | Arc Productions | Jam Filled Toronto
Narrators UK/US Ringo Starr | Pierce Brosnan | Mark Moraghan
UK Michael Angelis | John Hasler
US George Carlin | Alec Baldwin | Michael Brandon | Joseph May
Characters Thomas & Friends characters | Thomas & Friends-only characters
Series Model 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12
CGI 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24
Specials Main Thomas and the Magic Railroad | Calling All Engines! | The Great Discovery | Hero of the Rails | Misty Island Rescue | Day of the Diesels | Blue Mountain Mystery | King of the Railway | Tale of the Brave | The Adventure Begins | Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure | The Great Race | Journey Beyond Sodor | Big World! Big Adventures!
Other Bubbling Boilers | Steam Team to the Rescue | All Tracks Lead to Rome | Mines of Mystery | Thomas and the Royal Engine | A New Arrival | World of Tomorrow
Spin-Off Series Shining Time Station | Storytime with Thomas | Jack and the Pack
Mini-Series Thomas Creator Collective | Really Useful Around the World | Great Race Friends Near and Far | Thomas' Aussie Football Adventure | Thomas' Great Big World | Thomas' Magical Birthday Wishes | Learning with Thomas | The Sodor Springtime Parade | Thomas & Friends Storytime
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