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Train Sim World 5: Thomas & Friends Visit the West Somerset Railway

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Train Sim World 5: Thomas & Friends Visit the West Somerset Railway is an add-on for the West Somerset Railway route in Train Sim World 5, a train simulation game created by Dovetail Games.

Development

In December 2024, it was announced that the Thomas & Friends Visit the West Somerset Railway add-on was being developed in collaboration with Mattel, with early screenshots showing Thomas on the West Somerset Railway route. It was also announced that Diesel, Annie, Clarabel and the Troublesome Trucks would be featured in the add-on, though their models would not be revealed until March 2025, shortly before the add-on's release. The add-on was released on 20 March 2025, coinciding with the 80th Anniversary of The Railway Series.

In May 2025 - the month of the anniversary - an expansion to the add-on was announced featuring Thomas in his LBSC green livery from The Adventure Begins as well as new scenarios continuing the story.[1]

Gameplay

Gameplay consists of two main modes: Story Mode and Free Roam mode. Story Mode features a total of ten playable chapters narrated by Mark Moraghan (narrator of the seventeenth to twenty-first series). These include eight story chapters which take place on the West Somerset Railway, England, United Kingdom, as well as driving tutorials for Thomas and Diesel. Free Roam mode gives the player the ability to drive Thomas and Diesel anywhere on the route. There is also a timetable mode in which the player can drive Thomas or Diesel on a schedule.

Plot

Thomas & Friends Visit the West Somerset Railway

The main story consists of eight chapters. In chronological order, these are:

  • Thomas' Arrival - Thomas, Annie, Clarabel and Sir Topham Hatt arrive on the West Somerset Railway and travel to Minehead to meet Mr. Peters. Unbeknownst to them, they have been followed by Diesel.
  • The Devious Diesel - The following morning, Diesel decides to make Thomas late by shunting a sleeping Annie and Clarabel into a siding and blocking the way with some Troublesome Trucks.
  • Confusion and Delay - When Thomas wakes up, he is surprised to find Annie and Clarabel have moved overnight. He has to shunt the Troublesome Trucks out of the way first, which makes him late.
  • Diesel and the Fireworks - At Williton Station, Diesel overhears the stationmaster talking about a fireworks show. He comes up with a plan to disrupt Thomas further by shunting the fireworks vans to block both running lines.
  • The Hunt for the Missing Gifts - The stationmaster at Minehead tells Thomas that the gifts for the party are missing, so Thomas looks out for them on his way along the line to Watchet.
  • A Problem to Solve - After resting at Watchet, Thomas continues to Williton, where he meets Diesel and realises who has been causing trouble around the railway. He then has to shunt the fireworks vans out of the way and onto his train so that he can get to the platform.
  • Diesel in Distress - Thomas keeps a look out for Diesel, who has run off. At Stogumber, the signalman tells Thomas that he thinks Diesel has broken down. Further down the line, he finally finds Diesel and pushes him to Crowcombe Heathfield.
  • Fireworks and Friendships - Thomas continues to Bishops Lydeard, where Sir Topham Hatt scolds Diesel for his tricks but tells him that Mr. Peters has asked him to stay to prove he can be really useful. Mr. Peters also agrees to fix Diesel's engine and both he and Sir Topham Hatt praise Thomas for his efforts. At the end of the day, Thomas and Diesel watch the fireworks show together.

80th Anniversary Expansion Pack

The 80th Anniversary Expansion Pack consists of three additional chapters, which take place following the events of the original add-on. In chronological order, these are:

  • Thomas' Special Day - On the day of Thomas' birthday, Sir Topham Hatt sends Diesel to pick up party supplies. Meanwhile, Thomas gets repainted in his old green livery in which he was originally painted when he first came to Sodor. Then, he collects Annie and Clarabel so that he can take his passengers to the party at Blue Anchor.
  • Diesel's Dilemma - Diesel arrives at Bishop Lydread to collect the Troublesome Trucks full of party supplies. The Troublesome Trucks begin to tease Diesel, but he still tries to be on his best behaviour. Eventually, Diesel loses patience and bumps the trucks too hard, causing something in one of the vans to smash. Ashamed, he runs off to find a hiding place.
  • Thomas' Birthday Surprise - When Diesel does not arrive at Blue Anchor, Thomas goes to Washford to find him and pick up his special surprise. There, he finds Diesel in a siding, feeling guilty about breaking some plates in the vans. Thomas reassures him that the plates can be replaced, and the two return to Blue Anchor with the trucks. Once the party has been set up, Sir Topham Hatt makes a speech for Thomas and the surprise is revealed to be a large birthday cake.

Characters

Thomas & Friends Visit the West Somerset Railway

Characters Introduced

  • Mr. Peters
  • West Somerset Railway Engines (mentioned)

Thomas & Friends Visit the West Somerset Railway

Thomas' Arrival

The Devious Diesel

  • Diesel
  • Thomas (does not speak)
  • Troublesome Trucks (do not speak)
  • Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
  • Troublesome Vans (cameos)
  • Sir Topham Hatt (mentioned)

Confusion and Delay

  • Thomas
  • Annie and Clarabel
  • Mr. Peters
  • Troublesome Trucks (do not speak)
  • Troublesome Vans (cameos)
  • West Somerset Railway Engines (mentioned)

Diesel and the Fireworks

  • Diesel
  • Thomas (mentioned)
  • Mr. Peters (mentioned)

The Hunt for the Missing Gifts

  • Thomas
  • Mr. Peters
  • Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
  • Troublesome Trucks (cameos)
  • Troublesome Vans (cameos)

A Problem to Solve

  • Thomas
  • Diesel
  • Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)
  • Troublesome Trucks (mentioned)
  • Sir Topham Hatt (mentioned)
  • Mr. Peters (mentioned)

Diesel in Distress

  • Thomas
  • Diesel
  • Annie and Clarabel (do not speak)

Fireworks and Friendships

  • Thomas
  • Diesel
  • Sir Topham Hatt
  • Mr. Peters
  • Annie and Clarabel (cameos)

80th Anniversary Expansion Pack

Thomas' Special Day

  • Thomas
  • Diesel
  • Annie
  • Sir Topham Hatt
  • Mr. Peters
  • Clarabel (does not speak)

Diesel's Dilemma

  • Diesel
  • Troublesome Trucks
  • Troublesome Vans
  • Sir Topham Hatt (mentioned)

Thomas' Birthday Surprise

  • Thomas
  • Diesel
  • Sir Topham Hatt
  • Troublesome Trucks (do not speak)
  • Troublesome Vans (do not speak)
  • Annie and Clarabel (cameos)
  • Mr. Peters (mentioned)

Locations

Thomas & Friends Visit the West Somerset Railway

  • The Mainland
    • Minehead
    • Dunster
    • Blue Anchor
    • Washford
    • Watchet
    • Doinford Halt
    • Williton
    • Stogumber
    • Crowcombe Heathfield
    • Bishops Lydeard
    • Norton Fitzwarren
  • Island of Sodor (mentioned)

Thomas & Friends Visit the West Somerset Railway

Thomas' Arrival

The Devious Diesel

  • The Mainland
    • Minehead

Confusion and Delay

  • The Mainland
    • Minehead

Diesel and the Fireworks

  • The Mainland
    • Williton

The Hunt for the Missing Gifts

  • The Mainland
    • Minehead
    • Dunster
    • Blue Anchor
    • Washford
    • Watchet
    • Williton (mentioned)

A Problem to Solve

  • The Mainland
    • Williton
  • Island of Sodor (mentioned)

Diesel in Distress

  • The Mainland
    • Williton
    • Stogumber
    • Crowcombe Heathfield

Fireworks and Friendships

  • The Mainland
    • Crowcombe Heathfield
    • Bishops Lydeard
  • Island of Sodor (mentioned)

80th Anniversary Expansion Pack

Thomas' Special Day

  • The Mainland
    • Minehead
    • Dunster
    • Blue Anchor
  • Island of Sodor (mentioned)

Diesel's Dilemma

  • The Mainland
    • Crowcombe Heathfield
    • Bishops Lydeard
    • Norton Fitzwarren

Thomas' Birthday Surprise

  • The Mainland
    • Blue Anchor
    • Washford
  • Island of Sodor (mentioned)

Trivia

  • Thomas is based on his twenty-third to twenty-fourth series model, albeit with some changes:
    • His handrails have a different shape and are painted blue.
    • He has an extra set of handrails on the front of his side tanks.
    • His side tank steps are smaller and of a different shape.
    • The rivets on his tank fronts, bufferbeam sides, the sides of his valences and the area surrounding his cab sides are removed.
    • He has extra rows of rivets around the sides of his tanks and bunker.
    • The rivets around his cab door have been moved inwards.
    • The rivets on his bufferbeam are arranged differently.
    • He has more rivets around his smokebox.
  • Like Thomas, Diesel features several upgrades in appearance not seen on the CG model. These include:
    • A horn is mounted above his front side right-hand window.
    • Extra access panels are added along his bonnet.
    • A pair of handrails are added in the space above his access panels.
    • He has visible lamps in the three lamp slots beneath his face, which are unused on his CG model.
  • The chapter selection screen features the original Thomas & Friends theme tune composed by Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell.
  • This is the first production of Thomas & Friends since Thomas & Friends Storytime to be narrated by Mark Moraghan.
  • When Thomas saves Diesel after he breaks down, both engines quote lines are from the third series episode Percy, James and the Fruitful Day, after Percy comes to help James when his brakes are jammed.
  • Other than laughing in the how to drive Diesel tutorial, the Troublesome Trucks have no dialogue.
  • The game's DLC marks the Troublesome Vans' first appearance in a video game.
  • This is the first time the inside of Diesel's cab is shown.
  • The game was created with Autodesk Maya (the software that was primarily used for the models in the CG television series) and Unreal Engine.
  • Excluding mobile titles, this is the second game where Thomas can be driven, the first being the PC game Railway Adventures.
  • The name of the scenario "Diesel's Dilemma" from the 80th Anniversary Expansion Pack is shared with an episode from the second series of Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go.
  • In the 80th Anniversary Expansion Pack,

Goofs

  • Clarabel's guard's compartment is erroneously depicted as another passenger compartment (albeit still with the correct end pieces).

References

  1. ↑ Dovetail Games - Thomas & Friends-80th Anniversary Expansion
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