Series 5

Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends is a children's television series about the engines and other characters working on the railways of the Island of Sodor, and is based on The Railway Series books written by the Rev. W. Awdry.

This article lists and details episodes from the 5th series of the show, which was first broadcast in 1998. This was narrated by Michael Angelis in the UK and Alec Baldwin in the US.

Stories
The show's staff had decided since Series 3 that most of the best stories of The Railway Series had been adapted, the rest involving too many new characters or closely resembling previous stories.[1] With Series 5, the decision was made to write a full series of original, staff-written stories. One reason for this was producer Britt Allcroft's desire to create a theatrical Thomas the Tank Engine movie and requested that director David Mitton show off his modelling skills.[2] Series 5 aired in 1998, and the movie Thomas and the Magic Railroad was released 2 years later.

Some inspiration for the stories came from a former LMR manager named David Maidment. In 1997, Maidment met with Steven Wright about the possibility of supporting the Railway Children charity, and while Wright told him the series' staff commonly received such requests, they would consider. During their meeting, Maidment relayed stories about his railway experiences working in South Wales and as the manager at Crewe station. Days later, Maidment received a call asking if he would allow some of his stories to be used as material – the stories from The Railway Series were frequently based on true events, and Allcroft and Mitton preferred this. Maidment agreed, and was also asked to review each story to make sure that the railway in the show operated realistically. As a result, Maidment received writing credit alongside Allcroft and Mitton. 10,000 pounds ($14,406 in U.S. dollars) was donated to the Railway Children for his work.

These stories are amongst those adapted: Additionally, "A Better View for Gordon" was based on a famous incident at Gare Montparnasse in 1895.[2]
 * "Baa!" – a ram invades a railway station and attacks some vandals; additionally, the idea of a "The Best Dressed Station" competition.
 * "James and the Trouble with the Trees" – rain erodes an embankment, causing a tree to slide down and stand upright on the tracks.
 * "The Double Teething Troubles" – a British Rail Class 17 diesel stalls while banking a train.
 * "Gordon and the Gremlin" – bathwater in a luxury coach splashes around the compartment.

The design for each new character would be chosen by David Eves, and given to David Mitton for approval.[1]

Filming
Mitton shot 2,700 slates for Series 5, the most of any of the series he shot for Thomas. Stock Footage Theme Music From Seasons 3-4.[2]

Broadcast
Previously Thomas had only appeared in the US as a segment on the TV show Shining Time Station, but Series 5 aired in the US as part of the half-hour Storytime with Thomas program. Each episode would include a new Series 5 episode narrated by Alec Baldwin, an episode of Britt Allcroft's Magic Adventures of Mumfie, and a Series 4 episode narrated by George Carlin, with music videos and footage of Day out with Thomas in between.

Songs

 * The Night Train
 * Accidents Happen
 * Every Cloud is Silver Lined
 * It’s Great to be an Engine
 * Donald's Duck
 * Sir Topham Hatt
 * Come for the Ride
 * Harold the Helicopter
 * Percy's Seaside Holiday Trip
 * The Snow Song

Characters

 * Thomas (Voiced by Ben Small)
 * Edward (Voiced by Keith Wickham)
 * Henry (Voiced by Keith Wickham)
 * Gordon (Voiced by Keith Wickham)
 * James (Voiced by Keith Wickham)
 * Percy (Voiced by Keith Wickham)
 * Toby (Voiced by Ben Small)
 * Duck (Voiced by Keith Wickham with an English accent)
 * Oliver (Voiced by Bob Saker)
 * Bill and Ben (Voiced by Chris Lang and Ben Small)
 * Stepney (Voiced by Eric Idle)
 * BoCo (Voiced by Keith Wickham)
 * Mavis (Voiced by Adrienne Posta)
 * Skarloey (Voiced by Keith Wickham with an English accent)
 * Rheneas (Voiced by Eric Idle)
 * Duncan (Voiced by Lewis McCleod with an Scottish accent)
 * Rusty (Voiced by Keith Wickham)
 * Annie and Clarabel (Voiced by Anna Bentinck and Morweena Banks)
 * Toad (Voiced by Keith Wickham)
 * Terence (Voiced by Bill Farmer with an Southern United States accent)
 * Bertie (Voiced by Bob Saker)
 * George (Voiced by Richard Newman with an Southern United States accent)
 * Caroline (Voiced by Adrienne Posta)
 * Harold (Voiced by Bob Saker)
 * Sir Topham Hatt (Voiced by Keith Wickham with an English Yorkshire accent)
 * Lady Hatt (Voiced by Anna Bentinck with an British Classy English accent)
 * Stephen Hatt (Voiced by George Woolford)
 * Bridget Hatt (Voiced by Lily Snowden-Fine)
 * Mrs. Kyndley (Voiced by Adrienne Posta)
 * The Firelighter (Voiced by Martin Clunes)
 * The Little Boys (Voiced by George Woolford)
 * Sir Handel (music video cameo)
 * Jem Cole (Voiced by Bill Farmer with an Southern United States accent)
 * Farmer Trotter (Voiced by Bill Farmer with an Southern United States accent)
 * Peter Sam (does not speak)
 * Henrietta (does not speak)
 * Donald and Douglas (cameo)
 * Trevor (cameo)
 * Big Mickey (cameo)
 * Jeremiah Jobling (cameo)
 * The Vicar of Wellsworth (cameo)
 * Refreshment Lady (cameo)
 * Nancy (cameo)
 * Farmer Finney (cameo)
 * The Storyteller (cameo)
 * The Butler (cameo)
 * The Crovan's Gate Policeman (cameo)
 * The Tailor (cameo)
 * The Mid Sodor Railway Manager (cameo)
 * Duke (portrait cameo)
 * Bulstrode (faceless; cameo)
 * Diesel (music video cameo)
 * Class 40 (music video cameo)
 * Tom Tipper (music video cameo)
 * Queen Elizabeth II (music video cameo)
 * The Policeman (music video cameo)
 * The Stone-dropping Boys (music video cameo)
 * The Barber (music video cameo)
 * The Careless Cleaner (music video cameo)
 * The Ffarquhar Stationmaster and his Family (music video cameo)
 * The Quarry-Master (music video cameo)
 * The Injured Sailor (music video cameo)
 * S.C. Ruffey (deleted scene cameo)

Characters introduced

 * Old Slow Coach (Voiced by Adrienne Posta with an Victorian accent)
 * Cranky (Voiced by Keith Wickham)
 * The Horrid Lorries (Voiced by Bob Saker, Keith Wickham and Lewis McCleod)
 * Old Bailey (Voiced by Bill Farmer with an Southern Untied States accent)
 * The Fire Brigade (Voiced by Bob Saker)
 * The Special Visitor (Voiced by Martin Clunes)
 * Mrs. Kyndley's Daughter (Voiced by Adrienne Posta)
 * Tiger Moth's Pilot (Voiced by Bob Saker with an English accent)
 * Derek (Voiced by Keith Wickham)
 * Arry (Voiced by Keith Wickham)
 * Dowager Hatt (Voiced by Adrienne Posta)
 * The Lighthouse Keeper (Voiced by Lewis McCleod)
 * Bert (does not speak)
 * Bertram (does not speak)
 * Rusty's Ghost Engine (does not speak)
 * Thumper (does not speak)
 * Butch (does not speak)
 * Tiger Moth (does not speak)
 * Harry Topper (mentioned)
 * Boulder (does not speak)

Japanese Voice Cast

 * Leo Morimoto as the Narrator
 * Keiko Toda as Thomas
 * Yasuhiro Takato as Edward
 * Ryō Horikawa as Henry and Mavis
 * Kenji Utsumi as Gordon
 * Katsuji Mori as James
 * Chisato Nakajima as Percy, Clarabel and Stephen Hatt
 * Yasuhiko Kawazu as Toby and Terence
 * Kōzō Shioya as Duck and Lorry 3
 * Hikaru Midorikawa as Oliver and Bertie
 * Tomoko Naka as Bill and Annie
 * Hiromi Nishida as Ben
 * Bin Shimada as Stepney
 * Naoki Kinoshita as BoCo
 * Moriya Endo as Iron 'Arry and Lorry 2
 * Tomohisa Asō as Skarloey
 * Ryōtarō Okiayu as Rheneas
 * Hideo Ishikawa as Rusty
 * Ryōichi Tanaka as Duncan
 * Yūsuke Numata as Toad
 * Fu Suzuki as Old Slow Coach, Lady Hatt and Dowager Hatt
 * Masato Hirano as George and Old Bailey
 * Hiroko Emori as Caroline
 * Yūki Satō as Harold
 * Hisao Egawa as Cranky and Derek
 * Takeshi Aono as Sir Topham Hatt
 * Hiromi Nishida as Bridget Hatt
 * Yumi Nakatani as Mrs. Kyndley
 * Tetsu Inada as Lorry 1

Trivia

 * This was the first series of several things:
 * The first series not to have any episodes based on the Railway Series stories by Wilbert and Christopher Awdry.
 * The first series to introduce original characters with no connection to the Railway Series.
 * Alec Baldwin's first series as the narrator.
 * The first series not to be narrated by George Carlin since he became a narrator.
 * The first series not to air on Shining Time Station due to the show ending. Episodes from the 5th series were instead aired on The FOX Family's Storytime with Thomas.
 * The first series to use a Proteus 2000 to compose the music.
 * The first series not dubbed in Ukrainian.
 * The first series in where Peter Sam does not speak since his introduction in the fourth series.
 * The first series in where Douglas, Daisy, Sir Handel, Duke, Smudger, S.C. Ruffey, the Narrow Gauge Coaches, Class 40, Bulgy and Bulstrode do not appear since their introductions.
 * The first series to air in Canada.
 * The first series dubbed by The Maidstone Studios.
 * The first series in which the phrase, "confusion and delay" is said.
 * Richard Ridings's first season of the voice as the character.
 * According to an interview with David Mitton before his death in 2003, this series was supposed to be a showcase of Thomas and the Magic Railroad.
 * This series features the most songs, at a total of 10.
 * This was also the final series of several things:
 * Britt Allcroft's final series as writer and producer to date.
 * David Mitton's final series as producer to date.
 * Angus Wright's last series as executive producer to date.
 * The last series to premiere in the UK on Cartoon Network to date.
 * The last series filmed completely in 4:3 full screen to date.
 * The last series shown in Germany and Spain until the 8th series.
 * The last series to have a railway consultant.
 * Michael Angelis's last season as the narrator.
 * Richard Newman's last season of the voice as the character.
 * The last series where Thomas' shocked face had a buck tooth to date.
 * The last series to date to have all the episodes released on VHS in the UK and Australia. The 2 episodes, Bye George! and Something in the Air, were featured on the ABC For Kids compilation VHS, Play Box in the latter country.
 * John L. Wright's last series as editor to date.
 * This was also the only series of several things:
 * David Maidment's only series as railway consultant and writer to date.
 * The only series to date in where Donald appears without Douglas.
 * The only series to date in where Diesel does not appear since his introduction in the second series.
 * The only series to date in where Donald does not speak since his introduction in the second series.
 * The only series to date in where Knapford Station does not appear since it's introduction in the first series.
 * The only series to date recorded in the sound effects and the music is heard in the UK and the US versions of the several episodes.
 * Michael Angelis was credited in the opening titles for the UK version. However, he is credited as the narrator in the Hindi version, even though it was re-dubbed and Alec Baldwin was credited in the opening titles for the US version.
 * Starting with this series up to the 9th series, the brake sound effect from the 1951 short, Out Of Scale would be used when the engine puts on the brakes.
 * This series was never shown in Ukraine.
 * This series was filmed in the same room that Tugs was filmed in.
 * The Japanese video game Magical Adventure utilized specially shot footage from this series.