Spoiler warning! This article contains plot details about an upcoming episode. |
Sodor's Ultimate Railway Showdown is an upcoming special based on Thomas & Friends. Featuring the voices of John Hasler and Joseph May as Thomas the Tank Engine in the UK and US respectively, it also stars the recurring voices of Kerry Shale, Keith Wickham, Rob Rackstraw, Nigel Pilkington, Christopher Ragland, Yvonne Grundy, Rachael Miller, Jules de Jongh, Teresa Gallagher, Rasmus Hardiker, Mike Grady, Dominique Moore, Matt Wilkinson, Glenn Wrage, Steven Kynman, Tim Whitnall, Hugh Bonneville and Bob Golding, with Mark Moraghan narrating the special since 2017's Journey Beyond Sodor. The special was made to celebrate the 75th anniversary of The Railway Series, and it's dedicated to the memory of Michael Angelis, the series' former UK narrator (1991-2012).
It received positive reviews from critics and fans, who lauded the voice cast and direction, but criticized the solid plot and animation.
Production
Development
The special was confirmed to be "part one" of a conclusion to previous Thomas & Friends films, including The Adventure Begins, Hero of the Rails, Blue Mountain Mystery, Tale of the Brave, Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure, The Great Race, King of the Railway, Misty Island Rescue, Day of the Diesels, Journey Beyond Sodor, and Big World! Big Adventures!. Known as the sequel to Steam Team to the Rescue, Thomas and the Royal Engine, A New Arrival and World of Tomorrow, Sodor's Ultimate Railway Showdown was to be based on Thomas and his Friends, the last book of The Railway Series, alongside an untitled sequel in post-production.
Plot
Synopsis
When an evil diesel lurks in the shadows, Thomas and the rest of the Steam Team have to come to the rescue. Trying his hardest to make sure each engine is being really useful, Sir Topham Hatt leaves Thomas in charge, while taking a holiday. Meanwhile, Diesel 10 plans to take over the Steelworks and threatens the Experimental Engines along the way. With many goods trains and coaches left in halt, engines across Sodor help Thomas in aiding the solution. Alongside the best of his friends, Thomas meets Diesel 10 in a huge confrontation.
Summary
Determined to prove his importance, Diesel 10 starts to rise up from the Vicarstown Dieselworks to go against the engines on the Mainland.
Meanwhile, with each month passing by, Thomas and his friends work busier than ever. One morning, Sir Topham Hatt announces to the Steam Team, engines of the Sodor China Clay Company, Sonny and Ruth about a holiday that he and Lady Hatt are to attend, leaving Mr. Percival and Dowager Hatt on handling the engines and diesels. While being lauded in helping everyone, Percival assigns James, Percy, Nia and Thomas to take a special to Ulfstead Castle. However, they are unaware of being spied by Den and Dart.
At the Steelworks, Diesel 10, aided by Diesel, Paxton, Sidney and Norman, meet Merlin, Hurricane, Theo, Lexi and Frankie. Taking over emptying slag, arranging trucks and making deliveries, Diesel 10 becomes in charge, as Diesel and Paxton head back to Sodor in hearing what Den and Dart received. Merlin finds a clear track and escapes on it, while Hurricane, Theo, Lexi and Frankie are back-cornered by Sidney and Norman. Finding himself face-to-face with Merlin, Beresford lets him get through in emergency.
Merlin, not knowing any other engines to help, rushes to Sodor to find his old friend Thomas. Not thinking things though, Thomas immediately rushes to the steelworks without telling his friends. As he raced across the Vicarstown bridge and over to the mainland
Characters
- Thomas
- Edward
- Henry
- Gordon
- James
- Percy
- Toby
- Duck
- Donald and Douglas
- Oliver
- Emily
- Flying Scotsman
- Bill and Ben
- Spencer
- Rosie
- Stanley
- Charlie
- Scruff
- Belle
- Porter
- Stephen
- Caitlin
- Connor
- Marion
- Timothy
- Samson
- Glynn
- Ryan
- Theo
- Lexi
- Hurricane
- Merlin
- Nia
- Rebecca
- Sonny
- Diesel
- Daisy
- Diesel 10
- Salty
- Den
- Dart
- Sidney
- Paxton
- Philip
- Frankie
- Hugo
- Rheneas
- Peter Sam
- Victor
- Luke
- Rusty
- Mike
- Rex
- Bert
- Flynn
- Stafford
- Annie and Clarabel
- Troublesome Trucks
- Judy and Jerome
- Bulgy
- Kevin
- Harold
- Captain
- Skiff
- Cranky
- Beresford
- Sir Topham Hatt
- Fergus Duncan
- Dowager Hatt
- Mr. Percival
- Sir Robert Norramby
- Ruth
- Hiro (speaks only in Latin American dub)
- Harvey (does not speak)
- Whiff (does not speak)
- Kenji (does not speak)
- Mavis (does not speak)
- 'Arry and Bert (do not speak)
- Norman (does not speak)
- Henrietta (does not speak)
- Toad (does not speak)
- Trevor (does not speak)
- Rocky (does not speak)
- Lady Hatt (does not speak)
- The Duke and Duchess of Boxford (do not speak)
- The Mayor of Sodor (does not speak)
- Millie (cameo)
- Big Mickey (cameo)
- Carly (cameo)
- Butch (cameo)
- The Thin Clergyman (cameo)
- The Fat Clergyman (cameo)
- The Grumpy Passenger (cameo)
- Stephen Hatt (cameo)
- Farmer McColl (cameo)
- Farmer Trotter (cameo)
- Bridget Hatt (cameo)
- Jem Cole (cameo)
- Tom Tipper (cameo)
- Willie (cameo)
- Captain Joe (cameo)
- Lord Callan (cameo)
- Mr. Bubbles (cameo)
- Headkeeper Jack (cameo)
Locations
- Knapford
- Vicarstown
- Tidmouth Sheds
- Wellsworth
- The Steelworks
- Sodor Steamworks
- Brendam Docks
- Vicarstown Dieselworks
- Ulfstead Castle
- The Mainland
- Skarloey Railway
- Blue Mountain Quarry
- Kirk Ronan Junction
Cast
UK, AUS and NZ
- John Hasler as Thomas and Rheneas
- Keith Wickham as Edward, Henry, Gordon, Glynn, Salty, Den, Bert, Stafford, Harold, Captain, Sir Topham Hatt, Dowager Hatt and Mr. Percival
- Rob Rackstraw as James, Toby, Donald, Flynn, Hugo, the Troublesome Trucks and Fergus Duncan
- Nigel Pilkington as Percy
- Steven Kynman as Duck, Charlie, Porter, Ryan, Dart, Paxton and Peter Sam
- Joe Mills as Douglas and Oliver
- Teresa Gallagher as Emily, Belle, Marion, Daisy, Judy, Annie and Clarabel
- Rufus Jones as the Flying Scotsman
- Rasmus Hardiker as Bill, Philip and the Troublesome Trucks
- Matt Wilkinson as Ben, Spencer, Stanley, Diesel 10, Rusty and Cranky
- Nicola Stapleton as Rosie
- Kerry Shale as Scruff, Diesel, the Troublesome Trucks and Kevin
- Bob Golding as Stephen and Sidney
- Jules de Jongh as Caitlin
- Jonathan Forbes as Connor
- Lucy Montgomery as Lexi and the Troublesome Trucks
- Tim Whitnall as Timothy, Mike and Jerome
- Robert Wilfort as Samson
- Darren Boyd as Theo
- Jim Howick as Hurricane
- Hugh Bonneville as Merlin
- Yvonne Grundy as Nia
- Rachael Miller as Rebecca
- Joe Swash as Sonny
- Sophie Colquhoun as Frankie
- David Bedella as Victor
- Michael Legge as Luke
- Tom Stourton as Rex
- Colin McFarlane as Bulgy and Beresford
- Jamie Campbell Bower as Skiff
- Mike Grady as Sir Robert Norramby
- Dominique Moore as Ruth
US and CAN
- Joseph May as Thomas
- William Hope as Edward and Toby
- Kerry Shale as Henry, Gordon, Scruff, Diesel, the Troublesome Trucks, Kevin and Mr. Percival
- Rob Rackstraw as James, Stanley, Donald, Flynn, Hugo, the Troublesome Trucks and Fergus Duncan
- Christopher Ragland as Percy
- Steven Kynman as Duck, Charlie, Porter, Ryan, Dart, Paxton and Peter Sam
- Joe Mills as Douglas and Oliver
- Jules de Jongh as Emily and Caitlin
- Rufus Jones as the Flying Scotsman
- Rasmus Hardiker as Bill, Philip and the Troublesome Trucks
- Matt Wilkinson as Ben, Diesel 10 and Rusty
- Glenn Wrage as Spencer and Cranky
- Nicola Stapleton as Rosie
- Teresa Gallagher as Belle, Marion, Daisy, Judy, Annie and Clarabel
- David Menkin as Porter
- Bob Golding as Stephen and Sidney
- Jonathan Forbes as Connor
- Lucy Montgomery as Lexi and the Troublesome Trucks
- Tim Whitnall as Timothy, Mike and Jerome
- Robert Wilfort as Samson
- Keith Wickham as Glynn, Salty, Den, Bert, Stafford, Harold, Captain, Sir Topham Hatt and Dowager Hatt
- Darren Boyd as Theo
- Jim Howick as Hurricane
- Hugh Bonneville as Merlin
- Yvonne Grundy as Nia
- Rachael Miller as Rebecca
- Joe Swash as Sonny
- Sophie Colquhoun as Frankie
- John Hasler as Rheneas
- David Bedella as Victor
- Michael Legge as Luke
- Tom Stourton as Rex
- Colin McFarlane as Bulgy and Beresford
- Jamie Campbell Bower as Skiff
- Mike Grady as Sir Robert Norramby
- Dominique Moore as Ruth
Songs
- There's a Job for Everyone
- Really Useful Engine
- Night Train
Gallery
Trivia
- This special marks the first appearances of Hugo, Lexi, Theo, Hurricane, Frankie, Mavis, Stafford, Charlie, Scruff, Whiff and Merlin since Journey Beyond Sodor, Big World! Big Adventures!, Counting on Nia, The Case of the Missing Parts and Seeing Is Believing.
- The chase scene's theme is a restored variant of the chase in Thomas and the Magic Railroad.
- In the special's "Part 2", Gordon appears streamlined as the Shooting Star from the 2016 special, The Great Race.
- The special is dedicated to the memory of former Thomas & Friends UK narrator Michael Angelis, who passed away in May 2020.
- Rearrangements of Thomas, Edward, Gordon and Percy's themes from Series 1 and 8 are heard.
- Hurricane and Frankie are fully redeemed after the Experimental Engines help them in Journey Beyond Sodor.