Thomas & Friends

Originally, narrating was used as the only voice in the series until 2008. Britt Allcroft thought that it would be essential to convey the episode as a story that would be read from a book at home. Individual voice-over actors were given to both the UK and US dubs of the series, following the switch to full CGI animation in 2009. The narrators include Ringo Starr, Michael Angelis, George Carlin, Alec Baldwin, Michael Brandon, Pierce Brosnan, Mark Moraghan, John Hasler, and Joseph May. ==Characters==

Television series Films and specials ==Production==

from the 1953 BBC production Thomas & Friends is adapted from The Railway Series, a series of children's books created by Wilbert Awdry. The BBC attempted to adapt the books to television in 1953, utilising model trains by Hornby Railways. The broadcast was live and multiple issues such as derailments occurred. Daily Mail featured the failed broadcast on their front page. In 1978, film producer Britt Allcroft discovered The Railway Series during her research for a documentary film about the Bluebell Railway. She "loved this whole ­little world he had created," was fascinated by its characters, and wanted to adapt the books to television. Allcroft mortgaged her house to gain a bank loan for the series. She hired Ringo Starr upon finding his voice "perfect" for narration; his previous work as a member of The Beatles had "nothing to do with" Allcroft's decision. The series was directed by David Mitton and composed by Mike O'Donnell and Junior Campbell. A pilot episode titled "Down the Mine" was produced in 1983. In 2002, Allcroft sold the series and her production company to HIT Entertainment, Animation The original series was produced using radio-controlled models and static figures, with stop motion being used for moving human and animal characters and hand-drawn animation being introduced in series 3. ==Broadcast==

Thomas & Friends premiered on ITV on 9 October 1984 under the title Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends. thus ending a period of almost 30 years of programming related to Thomas & Friends on American public television. From 2018 to 2019, Nickelodeon held exclusive rights to the series in the United States. In 2020, the streaming rights were sold to Netflix, with traditional television rights left unresolved. It also airs on Kabillion. In spring 2024, classic episodes of the series became available on the free streaming channel PBS Retro. Early episodes from Seasons 1 through 7 are available on Amazon Prime Video. Other dubs == Mobile apps ==

Mattel partnered with several companies, including Budge Studios and Animoca Brands, to create mobile apps based on Thomas & Friends. In 2010, Callaway Digital Arts created apps based on the brand. By mid-2011, thirteen Thomas apps were available. HiT Entertainment and Mattel both released apps under their own names. During the 75th anniversary press release in 2020, Mattel mentioned an intent for more apps. ==Reception==

Critical response Common Sense Media rated the show a four out of five stars, writing, "Parents can be assured that this series has educational aspects as well as behavioural modelling. The Thomas the Tank Engine stories were conceived by a young British boy early in the 20th century, who would listen to the trains as they chuffed through the countryside. The stories he told his son – who has consequently passed them on to his own son – have been documented in books and toy train models. Since the series was introduced to television viewers in the 1980s, Thomas & Friends has seen a healthy fan base sprout worldwide." Jia Tolentino in The New Yorker acknowledged that as a girl she did not "take in anything that was actually happening", but after reviewing the show and internet posts about it as an adult, criticised what she saw as the "show's repressive, authoritarian soul." University of Alberta professor Shauna Wilton wrote "A Very Useful Engine: The Politics of Thomas and Friends". Wilton, who justified her study by arguing that socialisation of children is an important aspect, wrote that she received "a combination of outrage, disbelief, and condescending dismissal" when she announced she was going to study the politicisation of the series, although some people gave her thanks. She stated that despite the inclusion of female characters by the 2000s, in the era after major social revolutions in real life the series was "largely unchanged" from when it was "created in a context of rigid social hierarchies, male dominance in the public sphere, and a strong social culture of good behavior, respecting authority, and following the rules." In 2011, a contributor for Slate analyzed the "hidden subtexts" of British imperialism in the series, while in 2013 Alex Knapp wrote for Forbes about the "baffling economics" of the Island of Sodor. ==Future==

Film The franchise's first film, Thomas and the Magic Railroad, was released in July 2000. It featured new characters created by Allcroft, along with characters from the show that had introduced Thomas to the United States, Shining Time Station. Despite high production values and the popularity of the show, the film was criticised by British reviewers who were unfamiliar with Shining Time Station. The movie was well received by young children on both sides of the Atlantic, but made only $19.7 million at the box office, against a cost of $19 million to produce. The film was broadcast on BBC1 on 1 January 2004 and again on 29 December 2008. A second live-action animated Thomas & Friends film is in development at Mattel Films with Marc Forster serving as director. Reboots On 12 October 2020, Mattel announced the series would be rebooted with Thomas & Friends: All Engines Go and that Nelvana would co-produce and animate the series. The deal stipulated that 104 11-minute episodes and 2 60-minute specials would be produced, and that the animation would transition from CGI animation to 2D animation, with new redesigns for the characters. On 5 February 2021, it was announced that Cartoon Network and Netflix had jointly picked up the broadcast and streaming rights to the series in the United States, respectively. On 11 October 2022, Mattel announced that the series was renewed for a third and fourth season, each consisting of 26 episodes and a special. On 27 February 2024, it was announced that series 3 would debut on Netflix in the United States. All Engines Go concluded in Autumn 2025 after 4 seasons. A second reboot, first announced in May 2025, is currently set for a release in autumn 2026. Thomas' new design was revealed in January 2026. ==Notes==