Thomas and the Magic Railroad

Thomas and the Magic Railroad is a 2000 British-American adventure fantasy theatrical film based on the British well-known television series Thomas and Friends, The Railway Series  by the Rev. W. Awdry, and its American spinoff Shining Time Station. The film was produced by Gullane Entertainment (a wholly owned subsidiary of Mattel) and the Isle of Man Film Commission and distributed by Destination Films (a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment)   in the US  ( Icon Productions internationally). It was released to theatres in July 2000 and written, produced and directed by Britt Allcroft. The film was also narrated by Alec Baldwin, who also played the part of Mr. Conductor.

When it was first released in the U.K. where critics were unfamiliar with the characters from Shining Time Station, the film was accused of "Americanizing" Thomas. Critical reception in the U.S. was somewhat better, but still mostly negative, in stark contrast to the praise given to the original Shining Time Station, which was an award-winning show.

Plot
The film begins with Mr. Conductor (Alec Baldwin) introducing Thomas (Originally voiced by John Bellis/voiced by Edward Glen) and Sodor. At Killaban station, Gordon (voiced by Neil Crone) complains to Thomas, who was late. Thomas retorts that Gordon was being bossy and declares that he has to find Mr. Conductor, who's looking after the North Western Railway while Sir Topham Hatt was taking a holiday. Gordon claims that Mr. Conductor isn't needed, but changes his mind after an evil and cross diesel locomotive named Diesel 10 (Originally voiced by Keith Scott/Also voiced by Neil Crone), who has a claw on top of him who he names "Pinchy", speeds by, kicking up dust and dirt, leaving Gordon physically rattling in fear, and declaring that he has incomplete work on Sodor. Mr. Conductor then introduces Shining Time, where we see happy residents, full of life.

Thomas was later talking to James (Originally voiced by Michael Angelis/voiced by Susan Roman) at Tidmouth Sheds until Diesel 10 arrives to show up and voice his plan to destroy a lost engine and thus the remaining steam engines on Sodor once and for all since he had hated them for some reason; James was confused, but Thomas was worried and leaves to find Mr. Conductor.

After seeing the map that Billy Twofeathers (Russell Means) gave him and noticing some strange lines on it, Patch (Cody McMains) heads off to Muffle Mountain to see Burnett Stone (Peter Fonda). There's something on Muffle Mountain, a secret that Burnett only shared with his childhood friend and future wife Tasha: he promised he would drive an engine and take her with him. When Patch sees the engine, Burnett reveals the engine's past - her name is Lady (voiced by Writer, Director and Show creator, Britt Allcroft), and she's been sealed inside Muffle Mountain since Diesel 10 nearly destroyed her long ago; Burnett has fixed her up, but still needs coal.

Diesel 10 tells his cronies Splatter (Originally voiced by Patrick Breen/Also voiced by Neil Crone) and Dodge (Also originally voiced by Patrick Breen/voiced by Kevin Frank) of his plan. The two bumbling diesels report that Mr. Conductor is coming to Sodor, so Diesel 10 decides to destroy him too, only to humiliate himself in from of Splatter and Dodge when his claw whacks him on the nose. Back at Shining Time, Mr. Conductor prepares to leave Shining Time. Despite difficulty with his gold dust, he soon meets Thomas on Sodor and replies that the journey from Shining Time to Sodor keeps getting bumpier and bumpier. Thomas reports on Diesel 10; Mr. Conductor decides to use his gold dust to keep Diesel 10 in order. Burnett looks at a painting of Lady and starts to have doubts in his belief of magic due to his failure to guard her. Meanwhile, far away, Burnett's granddaughter, Lily (Mara Wilson), prepares to visit him.

Thomas, James, and Gordon begin arguing about who should've taken Mr. Conductor, unaware Splatter and Dodge are spying on them. Over in the yard, Splatter and Dodge are laughing at the steam engines. Henry (Also voiced by Kevin Frank) tells the other engines about why Diesel 10 wants to find the lost engine. Splatter and Dodge continue to laugh at Thomas until Harold (Also voiced by Kevin Frank) flies by, spreading sneezing powder, set up by Diesel 10, over all three. At Knapford, Mr. Conductor reads the note that Sir Topham Hatt left him. After trying on his top hat (and returning it after he notices the portrait of the Controller appears angry) he receives a phone call from Sir Topham Hatt and receives his instructions.

That night, Diesel 10 creeps up and demolishes the side of the Tidmouth Sheds with his powerful claw. Mr. Conductor reprimands Diesel 10, but then he discovers that he had run out of gold dust. Diesel 10, delighted, tries to get Mr. Conductor to confess to the lost engine's whereabouts, but Mr. Conductor frightens Diesel 10 away with a bag of sugar and threatening to dump the sugar in his tanks to seize him up permanently. Mr. Conductor voices his concern about his gold dust, but tells the engines to go back to sleep. Later that night, Mr. Conductor has a nightmare of Shining Time in ruins and 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 directs her onto the wrong train, placing her on the train bound for Shining Time instead of Muffle Mountain. Meanwhile, Burnett Stone hears the sound of Lady's magic echoing through the mountain. Back on Sodor, Mr. Conductor was helping make James's itch go away. He notices that Mr. Conductor looks so tired and asks if it's because he's red, but Mr. Conductor happily tells James that red is bright and cheerful just like his gold dust. He then sends James of to work while he departs to deal with his own problems.

Mr. Conductor goes to the windmill in search of more gold dust, but gets lost. Meanwhile, the engines gather for a meeting; Bertie (Also voiced by Kevin Frank) passes by and tells them to smile, but all have their individual concerns. Thomas heads off to look for Mr. Conductor, apologizing to Bertie when he was unable to accept Bertie's offer for a race. Mr. Conductor finds a note left by 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 (Michael E. Rodgers), who had used up most of his gold dust too. He tells Junior to go to Shining Time Station first and get his emergency whistle, then go to Sodor, and warns him not to talk to anyone about the buffers; before he can say anything else, the line goes dead. Lily arrives at Shining Time and Mutt barks at her 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 was sleeping by a bush when he has another nightmare, and wakes up hearing Thomas calling his name. Mr. Conductor tries to reply, but Thomas can't hear him as he chuffs away. Lily meets Stacy (Didi Conn), who takes her to Burnett; that night, Burnett and Lily hear Lady's whistle coming from the mountains. Patch, who was outside with his horse, hears it too.

As Percy (Also originally voiced by Michael Angelis/voiced by Linda Ballantyne) arrives at Knapford with the mail train, he and Thomas talk about Mr. Conductor and conclude that he travels to Sodor on a magic railroad. Diesel 10 overhears them and goes to the Sodor Ironworks to tell Splatter and Dodge his plan to destroy the lost engine and the other steam engines on Sodor. Toby (voiced by Colm Feore) follows Diesel 10 and overhears his plans of destroying the steam engines, then interrupts them by ringing his bell. Diesel 10, trying to catch him, causes the shed to crash down on him, Splatter and Dodge, much to his own annoyance.

Later, after the song "Really Useful Engine", Thomas finds Henry with a bad cold and offers to get some special Island of Sodor coal to make him better, but while collecting them, fails to notice the sixth truck rolling away into some magic buffers. Bertie passes and greets Thomas and his five trucks; Thomas was confused. Thomas tells Percy about the missing truck, and 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 was wandering aimlessly when Diesel 10 appears. Mr. Conductor was captured by Diesel 10's claw and dangled over the viaduct. Diesel 10 reveals that he knows about the buffers, and threatens to drop Mr. Conductor if he doesn't reveal their whereabouts. Mr. Conductor notices that the viaduct has begun to collapse, just like in his dream, and realises that the world was beginning to fall apart without the gold dust. Mr. Conductor cuts a tube to Diesel 10's claw, catapulting him to the windmill. There, he sees the words "Stoke up the magic in the mountain and the Lady will smile, then watch the swirls that spin so well". At the Coaling Plant, Splatter and Dodge ask Diesel 10 how come he let Mr. Conductor escape, he replys that he just did it on purpose and was testing to see if he could escape. Splatter and Dodge don't believe him and Diesel 10 decides attempt to teach them "how to stop being stupid", but knocks coal all over him; James, Gordon and Henry laugh at Diesel 10.

Lily was introduced to Patch, who offers her a horse ride to Shining Time. There she meets Junior again, who takes her through the Magic Railroad to Sodor; after that, they climb up a hill. They meet Thomas, who, having been looking for Mr. Conductor, isn't happy to see Junior but agrees to help, and together they find Mr. Conductor at the windmill. Mr. Conductor tells Junior about his clue to the gold dust, and Lily was introduced to Mr. Conductor. Junior then climbs onto one of the sails, and ends up being flung onto Diesel 10's roof. Meanwhile, Patch tells Burnett that he has no idea where Lily is and that she wasn't at the station when he went back for her. Despite Lily having apparently vanished, Burnett was confident that she'll turn up again.

That night, Percy finds Splatter and Dodge at the magic buffers and races to warn Thomas. Mr. Conductor and Lily camp out with Thomas. After a conversation, they realise that Burnett may hold the key to the clue of the gold dust. Burnett reveals to Patch that Lady was magic and they realise that the railroad was vanishing. Thomas and Percy decide they must get Lily back to Muffle Mountain before Diesel 10 destroys the magic railroad. 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'll take Lily to Muffle Mountain. Thomas isn't sure but decides that he'll try and he and Lily set off. While travelling through the magic railroad, they discover the missing truck. Lily realises the connection between the truck and the clue so Thomas decides to go back for it before setting off again; they soon arrive on Muffle Mountain. Thomas replies that he feels a little dizzy and can't go any further because his wheels won't let him. Lily sets off to find Burnett, leaving Thomas stranded on the mountain, but as a gust of wind blows, Thomas' coupling comes loose from the truck, causing him to roll down the mountain and into a field where he re-enters the magic railroad through a mysterious portal at the bottom.

Lily finds Patch, who takes her to Burnett's workshop where Lily figures out that 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 back, races into the Smelters where he encounters James. Junior tries to whistle both of them out, only to discover that he was out of gold dust too. Diesel 10 tries to force the two into a melting pit, but Junior uses the last of his extra gold dust to teleport himself and James away. The two arrive near the buffers, where Mr. Conductor was there waiting. James 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 it because he loved it, but couldn't fix her in time for Tasha to take a ride on her. By now Burnett Stone has finally got Lady to steam, and along with Lily, Patch and Mutt, they set off into the magic railroad. The magic railroad, receiving energy from Lady, comes back to life, while Lady's face appears. The team encounter Thomas before appearing on Sodor, where they reunite with the two conductors.

Diesel 10 arrives and starts to give chase, but Splatter and Dodge, fed up with Diesel 10's ways, abandon him. Thomas offers to help Lady, with Burnett driving Lady. Mr. Conductor warns them about the collapsing viaduct. Just as the engines run away, the conductors realise that Lady was part of the clue to the gold dust. Diesel 10 chases Thomas and Lady, driven by Burnett throughout Sodor until they finally approach the Big Dipper; as Lady and Burnett pass, a gap appears on the viaduct. Thomas manages to jump through the gap before it worsens and they both make it safely across, but Diesel 10 can't stop in time, falls off the viaduct and lands into a sludge barge where he's carried away and taken to somewhere else unknown (He looks on the bright side by saying that it's a nice time of the year for a cruise) and knowing that he's going to be in big trouble with Sir Topham Hatt.

That evening, Thomas, Lady and Burnett return at the grotto, where they and the rest of the team work out on 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. The conductors, delighted, re-supply their whistles, while Thomas thanks Lady. 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 was on his way back, so Mr. Conductor sets off to welcome him. Lily offers her gold dust to Burnett, who sprinkles it on her bluebird toy and whispers that they'll always remember their Shining Time together. With Lady and the Magic Railroad back to life, Shining Time was restored to its former glory. Thomas happily puffs back to Tidmouth into the sunset to tell the other engines about his encounter with Lady, and the end credits roll.

Development
As early as 1994, even prior to the launch of the fourth season of the television series of Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends, Britt Allcroft planned a Thomas the Tank Engine feature film. Then in 1995, Allcroft was approached by Barry London, then Vice-Chairman of Paramount Pictures, with an idea for a Thomas film. His interest was thought to have stemmed from his daughter, then 3, being enthralled by Thomas the Tank Engine and Friends.

In February 1996, Allcroft signed a contract with Paramount Pictures to write a script with the title, Thomas and the Magic Railroad, with a release date of 1997. However when Barry London left Paramount Pictures, plans for the film were shelved by Paramount, leading Allcroft to seek other sources of funding.

Then in the Summer of 1998, Allcroft saw an Isle of Man Film Commission advert. They were offering tax incentives to companies wanting to film on the Island. Allcroft visited and felt the location perfect.

Then in 1999, Barry London became Chairman of the newly founded Destination Films. He renewed his interest in the project and Destination Films became the main financial backer and studio for the film.

Filming
The movie was filmed at the Strasburg Rail Road in Strasburg, Pennsylvania, 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. Running shots of the Rainbow Sun were filmed at the Strasburg Rail Road. 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.

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 filmed in Toronto, Canada instead of Shepperton Studios, the home of the original TV show; however, several of the show's key staff were flown over to participate.

The Magic Railroad was created using models, CGI, and water color painting.

Problems and Changes
The perceived laziness in the plot was due to a major villain in the movie named P. T. Boomer being cut from the movie. His cut was due to test audiences complaining that he was too scary. Thus any traces left by Boomer in the movie were left unexplained. In some scenes Boomer can even be spotted. Despite being cut, Boomer strangely was left unedited out of one of the trailers, showing him fall off of Diesel 10 on the collapsing viaduct (which, in the original script was nicknamed "The Big Dipper"). The official Thomas and the Magic Railroad website also had images and information regarding the character before being cut.

Many news articles before the movies released announced that an Isle of Man Cab Driver/Fireman named John Bellis was selected to be the voice of Thomas. He was cut from the cast after test audiences complained of his Liverpudlian tone making Thomas sound too old. He was replaced by Edward Glen afterwards.

One theatrical trailer depicted Diesel 10 with a thick gravelly upper class British accent. This was revealed to be provided by Australian voice actor, Keith Scott. He was replaced after test audiences feared his voice would be too scary. He was replaced by Neil Crone, who gave Diesel 10 a Russian accent, though this too was forced to be replaced after the audiences found it "offensive". So Crone recorded them in a somewhat New Jersey accent.

James and Percy were originally intended to be voiced by the British narrator, Michael Angelis. The test audiences as well found his voice unsuitable for them. Susan Roman and Linda Ballantyne replaced Angelis for James and Percy respectively.

Original scripts indicate that George and Cranky were intended to be in the film. George had a major role in the movie, doing most of Diesel 10's bidding. His model was never taken across for filming. Cranky had a small non-speaking role. He dropped his load of fruit over Dodge, Splatter, and Percy and dropped his load of oil all over Diesel 10. His model was indeed brought over but was cut during filming, indicated as his crane leg can be seen in Knapford yards as Diesel 10 leaves. It was mainly intended as set dressing.

Release
Thomas and the Magic Railroad was released theatrically on July 14, 2000  (2000-07-14) in the United Kingdom and July 26, 2000 in the United States.

Home Media
Thomas and the Magic Railroad was released onto VHS and DVD on November 17, 2000 (Thanksgiving Day).

Premiere
The film was premiered at the Odeon Leicester Square; for the purpose, a steam locomotive, no. 47298 painted to resemble Thomas, was brought to the cinema by low loader on 9 July 2000.

Box office
The film grossed $19.7 million worldwide  compared to its $19 million budget. During its second weekend of screening in Britain it only took in £170,000.

Critical reception
The film has a score of 19% on Rotten Tomatoes with the consensus: "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." However, it did receive a positive review from Associated Press and Gannett newspapers. Nell Minow of Common Sense Media also gave the film a positive review, giving it three out of five stars and writing that it "will please [Thomas fans]" but that the plot "might confuse kids". 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 criticized how the engines' mouths didn't move when they spoke, the overly depressed performance of Peter Fonda, as well as the overall lack of consistency in the plot.

Video game
A video game was released based on the film. Thomas and the Magic Railroad: Print Studio was published by Hasbro Interactive and released for PC on August 25, 2000.

Possible prequel or director's cut release
HIT revealed that its theatrical division would be piloted by a "Thomas" film. Originally targeted for late-2010 release, in September 2009 this was revised to "Spring 2011". As of January 2011, the release date had been pushed back further to 2012 and the name of the production had still not been announced. The initial draft of the script was written by Josh Klausner (screenwriter for Shrek Forever After), who has also said that the film will be set around the times of World War II, Will McRobb and Chris Viscardi also helped write the script. On June 8, 2011, Deadline announced that 9 director Shane Acker will direct the live-action adaptation of Thomas the Tank Engine, with Weta Digital designing the film's visual effects.

Characters

 * Thomas
 * Henry
 * Gordon
 * James
 * Percy
 * Toby
 * Annie and Clarabel
 * Bertie
 * Harold
 * Henrietta (cameo)
 * Cranky (cameo)
 * Butch (cameo)
 * Sir Topham Hatt (not seen; portrait cameo)
 * Lady Hatt (mentioned; portrait cameo)
 * George (cut from movie)

Characters Introduced

 * Lady
 * Diesel 10
 * Splatter and Dodge
 * Mr. Conductor
 * Junior
 * Lily
 * Stacy Jones
 * Burnett Stone
 * Billy Twofeathers
 * Patch
 * Tasha (voiceover as a child; photo cameo)
 * P. T. Boomer (cameo; full role and cut from movie)

Cast

 * Alec Baldwin as Mr. Conductor/Narrator
 * Cody McMains as Patch
 * Russell Means as Billy Twofeathers
 * Peter Fonda as Burnett Stone
 * Didi Conn as Stacy Jones
 * Mara Wilson as Lily
 * Michael E. Rodgers as Junior (Credit as Mr. C. Junior)
 * Lori Hallier as Lily's Mother
 * Jared Wall as Young Burnett
 * Laura Bower as Young Tasha
 * Doug Lennox as P. T. Boomer (Cameo, uncredited)
 * Edward Glen as Thomas
 * Neil Crone as Diesel 10, Splatter, Gordon, and The Tumbleweed (Uncredited)
 * Colm Feore as Toby
 * Linda Ballantyne as Percy
 * Kevin Frank as Dodge, Bertie, Harold, and Henry
 * Susan Roman as James
 * Shelley-Elizabeth Skinner as Annie and Clarabel
 * Britt Allcroft as Lady

Original Voice Cast

 * John Bellis as Thomas
 * Keith Scott as Diesel 10
 * Michael Angelis as James and Percy
 * Patrick Breen as Splatter and Dodge

Loctations

 * Shining Time
 * Muffle Mountain
 * The Magic Railroad
 * Tidmouth Sheds
 * Sodor Ironworks
 * Knapford
 * Henry's Tunnel
 * Bulgy's Bridge
 * The Coaling Plant
 * Killaban
 * The Watermill
 * The Big Dipper
 * The Windmill
 * Hawin Croka
 * Diesel 10's Mountain
 * The Magic Buffers
 * Sodor Wishing Well
 * Rainbow Ridge

Songs

 * Really Useful Engine
 * Shining Time
 * Some Things Never Leave You
 * I Know How the Moon Must Feel
 * Summer Sunday
 * The Locomotion
 * Old MacDiesel
 * Working on the Railway
 * Night Train (not in final cut)
 * The Island Song (original script)
 * Thomas' Anthem (original script)

Errors

 * The town usually seen beside Knapford was replaced with trees in this film.
 * Near the beginning of the film, when several of the engines are greeting each other, James says, "Hello, Thomas", but Thomas isn't present. Also, Thomas was heard saying, "Hi James" in the same scene.
 * After Diesel 10 races past Gordon and Thomas, a black pencil can be seen in the bushes on the right of the screen. Also, Thomas' eyes are wonky.
 * Sodor seems to be devoid of humans.
 * Toby sounds and looks happy when he says "And I fear that it'll destroy us all."
 * The engines don't emit any steam when they whistle.
 * After Lily calls Thomas a "really useful engine" the coal truck he was pulling disappears. It reappears in the next shot.
 * When Thomas and Diesel 10 leave Tidmouth Sheds, the end of the set can be seen.
 * When Thomas says "If Diesel has unfinished business..." his siderods stop moving.
 * For most of the film, Clarabel was facing the wrong way and in one shot during the "Really Useful Engine" song, she was in front of Annie.
 * At the end of the film, the credits show Bertie and Harold under the voice cast for the trains.
 * All of the engines have different whistles than they have in the television series and Toby has a different bell chime.
 * Henry and Percy have the same whistle sound.
 * Gordon and James also have the same whistle sound.
 * In the German version, through the whole movie Sodor was called "Soldau".
 * In the close-up of Gordon when he and Thomas are at Killaban station before Diesel 10 comes through, a chunk of Gordon's cylinder has broken off.
 * On the US VHS and DVD covers, Thomas' lamp and brake pipe are on the wrong side of his running board, and Pinchy was oversized and mounted in the wrong spot on Diesel 10's roof.
 * The windmill blades wouldn't go around, since they have no canvas on them to catch the wind.
 * All of the Sodor locomotives seem to be able to run without the need for drivers or firemen, yet Lady, a magical engine, can't do so.
 * When, Thomas, James, and Diesel 10 are at Tidmouth Sheds, a truck in a shed continuously disappears and reappears.
 * When Diesel 10 gets covered in coal, Henry was seen puffing backwards next to Gordon, in the next shot, Henry was near Splatter and Dodge.
 * Although human actors are used throughout the film, Bertie was shown with a model driver in his cab.
 * In the original Shining Time Station series, the station was red. But in this film, the station was yellow.
 * Diesel 10 was smiling when he says "Teapot!" while hanging from the viaduct.
 * When Diesel 10 says "Coming, puffball!" Thomas and Lady are smiling.
 * Diesel 10's weight should've sunk the barge when he fell on it.
 * When Bertie says "How about a race, Thomas?", his eyes are wonky.
 * When Thomas bumps the sixth truck into the magic buffers, the fifth one derails.
 * When Thomas leaves with the trucks of 'special coal', nobody couples them up to each other or him.
 * On the Canadian DVD, the footage featured on the main menu was mirrored.
 * Brakevans should've been added to Thomas and Percy's trains.
 * It would've been dangerous for the boat to go under the viaduct while collapsing.
 * When Diesel 10 destroys the shed, Gordon's face was loose.
 * On the UK and the US DVDs (and the US VHS), the subtitle lyrics for Really Useful Engine include the word "workshop" instead of "branch line". The US subtitles also say "Last Controller" instead of "Fat Controller" and "Hatt" was spelt with one "T".
 * After pinchy hits Diesel 10, the support on top of the cab was missing.
 * When Diesel 10 chases Thomas and Lady, he was on a different track. When they come to the viaduct, they were all on the same track.
 * Sodor was misspelled as "Sodar" on the back cover.
 * Thomas should've had his brakes applied while at Muffle Mountain's peak.
 * During the engines' conversation about Lady at Tidmouth Sheds, the bottom of Percy's smokebox was white in one shot, then green for the rest of that scene. For the rest of the movie, the bottom of his smokebox was black.
 * For the entire movie (aside from cab shots), Thomas and Percy's cab doors are missing.
 * Diesel 10 would be too heavy to be held up by one sleeper.
 * When Mr. Conductor says "You're gonna have to have a time out", the subtitles sometime say "You need a time out".
 * The Magic Railroad only has a single track running down it, so there was no way Thomas and Lily could pass the missing coal truck, and then "go back" for it. Thomas would've had to come up on the truck with it sitting on the track in front of him, and then push it along ahead of him with his front buffers.
 * Cranky was briefly seen outside Knapford station, but he was supposed to be working at the Docks.
 * Bulgy's Bridge has a railway line running beside the bridge.
 * Diesel 10's brake pipe disappears after he falls off the viaduct.
 * It's extremely dangerous for a railway to have buffers at the Smelter's Yard that can be easily dislodged by James slowly backing into them, especially since they lead right into a melting pit.
 * Based on their prototypes, the BR Class 42 (max 90mph) and Billington E2 (max 30mph), Diesel 10 should've had no trouble catching up to Thomas during the final chase scene.
 * When Diesel 10 leaves the shed while Thomas and Percy are at Knapford, a red wire can be seen through Diesel 10's cab window.
 * In one shot of Diesel 10 holding Mr. Conductor on the viaduct, the edge of the sky backdrop and a small part of the studio wall are visible.
 * The film was mostly centered on Shining Time Station which was the American TV show that brought Thomas to the US people. Outside of America, the public won't know about Shining Time Station.
 * During the scene where Lily meets Lady, Mr Conductor's hat randomly appears in Burnett's hands. This is because the original scene where Lily gives this to Burnett was cut.
 * In the chase scene, in a close-up of Lady just before she crosses the collapsing Viaduct, Burnett Stone isn't in her cab and Thomas isn't behind her.
 * When Diesel 10 falls, he descends perpendicular to the barge, when he was on the barge, he was at the angle the barge was heading.
 * When Diesel 10 races into the smelter's yard, James' whistle was missing, and when he and Junior arrive at the grotto, James' whistle was in place.
 * When Thomas reads the really useful board at Killaban, his eye movements show that he was reading it backwards.

Books

 * Thomas and the Magic Railroad
 * Thomas and the Magic Railroad
 * Thomas and the Magic Railroad
 * Little Engines Can Do BIG Things
 * Diesel 10 Means Trouble

Wooden Railway

 * Lady
 * Diesel 10
 * Splatter and Dodge
 * 100 piece Thomas and the Magic Railroad set
 * Muffle Mountain set
 * Thomas and the Magic Railroad Gold Dust car

ERTL

 * Lady
 * Diesel 10
 * Splatter and Dodge
 * Thomas and Mr. Conductor
 * P.T. Boomer (as Pete Boom [cancelled])

Others

 * Soundtrack
 * Board Game

Transcript

 * Mr. Conductor: [narrating] Hello. My name is Mr. Conductor, and I'm going to tell you a story about trains.
 * [Diesel 10 happily admires the Mount Rushmore-type hillside carving of his face that Pinchy had made, and then suddenly realizes that Splatter and Dodge are there]
 * Diesel 10: Oh, yeah-ah-AHEM! Okay, listen up, you two! I got a JOB for you, Splodge!
 * Splatter: Uh... actually it's "Splatter".
 * Dodge: A-and "Dodge".
 * Diesel 10: [in a hot-headed bossy tone of arrogant impatience] I hain't got TIME to say both NAMES!
 * Gordon: You, Thomas, are small. Small! Small! Small! Teeny-eeny-Weeny. But I... I'm a big blue engine who knows everything. [chuckles] 
 * Thomas: Bossy Sprockets! All that steam has gone through your funnel.
 * [the engines discuss about how to stop Diesel 10]
 * Toby: What's important is to stand up on our own wheels to Diesel.
 * Henry: Toby's right. Diesel knows that the lost engine in the legend really exists.
 * James: What Engine?
 * Percy: What Legend?
 * Henry: Of an engine whose magic makes her more powerful than Diesel will ever be, that's why he wants to find her.
 * Percy: Then we'd better find her first.
 * James: [comes out of the shed] Leave it to the big engines, Percy.
 * Thomas: Little Engines can do big things, especially when they have nice blue paint like me.
 * Splatter: Hey hey! Just watch what happens to that blue puffball...
 * Dodge: ...when Harold the "flopper-chopper" flies past here!
 * Splatter: Right!
 * Harold: Routine fly-by, chaps! Hello!
 * Splatter: The boss dumped sneezing powder everywhere.
 * Dodge: Let's start laughing now! [Splatter and Dodge laugh as Harold descends, causing Thomas, Splatter and Dodge to be covered in powder]
 * Harold: Sorry, fellas! Bit of a dust up! Love to stay and clean up. Got to go! Bye now!
 * Splatter: Uh, did you mean to look like that?
 * Dodge: Uh, no.
 * Splatter: Uh, neither did I.
 * Thomas: This must be Diesel's doing. Atchoo-choo! [Percy puffs through Knapford Station as Mr Conductor reads a letter by Sir Topham Hatt in the office.]
 * ​Mr. Conductor: Dear, Mr Conductor, where were you? My wife said she couldn't miss our little holiday. We'll telephone to make sure that you have arrived. Signed Sir Topham Hatt. [whispering] Sir Topham Hatt!  [takes off his hat and puts on the top hat that Sir Topham Hatt had left behind and picks up a mirror. The camera shows the poster of Sir Topham Hatt smiling and then it returns to Mr. Conductor looking in the mirror] Where were you? [chuckles, the expression of Sir Topham Hatt on the poster changes to cross, he takes off the top hat and puts his own hat back on suddenly as he sees this, the expression of Sir Topham Hatt on the poster changes again to look like he was telling him off, the telephone rings and the expression of Sir Topham Hatt on the poster changes once more to smiling, He dives through the desk as he was suddenly startled by this, catching the telephone, but knocking the photo of Lady Hatt off the desk. He answers the telephone.] Oh, good afternoon, sir! A real honour, sir. Like my family before me. [puts the photo of Lady Hatt back on the desk] And how is Lady Hatt? Yes? Watch out for Diesel, definitely. Keep an eye on Henry's health, certainly. Yes, sir. The three R's; reading, 'riting and 'rithmetic...I mean, I will be responsible, reliable, and really useful. We'll all get a good's night sleep, looking forward to a hard day tomorrow. Goodbye, sir. [puts down the phone and sighs. Cut to Tidmouth Sheds at night.]  
 * Mr. Conductor: [bonks the ball smartly with the bat and sends the ball sailing out of the frame, then addresses the bat reproachfully, pretending to frown but with merrily twinkling eyes] Why do you keep hitting him? You're gonna hafta have a time-out!
 * [Diesel 10 oils up beside the sheds laughing evilly]
 * Mr. Conductor: [drinking his hot chocolate] Just a little sweeter, I think.
 * Diesel 10: Alright, Pinchy, my little bucket of badness. Time to feast yourself.
 * Mr. Conductor: [drinking his hot chocolate again] Ah, now that's better. [lurches back as Pinchy pulls down the scaffolding on the shed. Diesel 10 laughs evilly. All the engines wake up exclaming]
 * Thomas: Cinders and ashes, it's Diesel!
 * Gordon: Diesel? Oh, no!
 * Diesel 10: [laughing evilly] Hello, Twinkletoes! I've got a plan, and you're not in it!
 * Mr. Conductor: You can't catch me, Diesel! [blows on his whistle, but very little gold dust comes out of it]
 * Diesel 10: [laughing evilly] Loosing your sparkle, huh? What perfect timing! Now where is that lost engine?
 * Mr. Conductor: You won't find her here!
 * Diesel 10: You're not clever enough to stop me!
 * Mr. Conductor: Oh yes, I am!
 * Diesel 10: No ,you're not! [exclaims as he sees Mr Conductor holding up the sugar] Is that?
 * Mr. Conductor: That's right it's sugar, Diesel! And if I throw this in your tank it'll sieze you up for good!
 * Diesel 10: [exclaiming] Make the most of tonight Twinkletoes, because you won't like tomorrow! Niether will that line of tin kettles! [backs away as Mr Conductor lowers the sugar. Pinchy makes a few grabbing sounds] Shut up, Pinchy.
 * [Mr. Conductor has run out of gold dust] 
 * Thomas: Mr. Conductor, but what happened to your sparkle?
 * Mr. Conductor: I don't know, Thomas. I guess I'll just have to sleep on that.
 * Thomas: On your sparkle?
 * ​Mr. Conductor: No, Thomas, on the problem of what happened to it.
 * Percy: Oh, but, Mr. Conductor. Without your sparkle or the lost engine, you can't travel to help us anymore.
 * ​Mr. Conductor: I'll solve the problem, you just go to sleep now.
 * Thomas: Easy for you to say.
 * [Bertie the bus roars past the steam engines who are having a meeting a siding. The only engine not present is Percy]
 * Bertie: Smile you steamers. It's a sunny day. Broom broom!
 * James: It's not sunny because Mr C's not at the windmill. I've looked.
 * Thomas: I think his sparkle's all gone.
 * Henry: My smokebox doesn't feel sunny. It feels stuffed up.
 * Gordon: Nasty fumes form dingy diesel. Hmm!
 * Henry: And diesel is after the lost engine.
 * Toby: And if he finds her, I fear that will destroy us all.
 * Gordon: What even an engine as big as me!
 * Toby: Yes Gordon, even you.
 * Thomas: Ahh... Choo! [shakes as he sneezes] 
 * James: Say it don't spay it, Thomas.
 * Thomas: I've still got sneezing powder up my funnel. Now I'm going to find Mr Conductor. [puffs away] 
 * Toby: And let us get back to work. That's what he would want. [referring to Mr Conductor] 
 * Bertie: How bout a race Thomas? Broom Broom!
 * Thomas: Sorry Bertie. I can't today. I have to be a really useful engine and solve some mysteries instead.
 * Bertie: I guess that means I win. Perhaps another day. Broom broom broom!
 * Mr. Conductor: [narrating] As the sound of Lady's magic echoed through the night on Muffle Mountain, [cut to night where Percy was pulling the mail coach and a breakvan passing the watermill] The engines on Sodor had their very much if her thoughts. [Percy passes the signal, then goes down the track. He and Gordon both whistle as they pass each other. Diesel 10 was in the shed laughing evilly. Percy then stops at Knapford where Thomas was waiting for him]
 * Percy: Uh, Thomas, I was thinking. How does Mr. Conductor travel here?
 * Thomas: By gold dust.
 * Percy: But if there's a lost engine, maybe there's a lost railway too. Mr. Conductor's railway.
 * Thomas: The journey gets bumpier and bumpier. That's what Mr. Conductor told me.
 * Percy: Oh, he talked about buffers in his sleep. Buffers are at the end of a railway. I think that's how he travels here, on a secret railway.
 * Thomas: Belonging to the lost engine. [Diesel 10 leaves the shed] Percy, you are clever. Oh, my wheels are suddenly feeling very wobbly. I think Diesel's around here. [Toby arrives at Knapford] 
 * Toby: I'm sorry you two, Diesel heard every word you said.
 * Splatter: What are you gonna do?
 * Dodge: Oh yeah, yeah. That's a good question.
 * Diesel 10: It's time to finally put Twinkletoes' lights out.
 * Splatter and Dodge: Oh, oh.
 * Diesel 10: This is a job for the boss! [Pinchy opens and shuts]
 * Toby: I've got to delay him. I've got to distract him. Hmm, hmm. [rings his bell]
 * Diesel 10: It's the old teapot! Smash him! [Pinchy knocks against the shed beams, knocking them down and trapping Diesel 10, Splatter, and Dodge. Pinchy then breaks through the collapsed roof] Pinchy, get back here! Pinchy, don't make me come up there! I hate it when you do this, Pinchy!
 * Toby: Good show!
 * Splatter: Uh, boss...
 * Dodge: Did you mean to let the roof fall in?
 * Splatter: Yeah, all the way in?
 * Diesel 10: I always mean what I do, you rattle traps. [groans angrily]
 * Thomas: Good morning, Henry. What's the matter?
 * Henry: [sickly] I've got boiler-ache.
 * Thomas: And I'm collecting one, two, three, four, five, six trucks of special Island of Sodor coal for you.
 * Henry: [ligtens up] Thank you, Thomas. Special coal should make me feel much better.
 * Diesel 10: [in an overbearing and sarcastic tone when he sees Mr. Conductor with dusty and disheveled clothes] Hello, Twinkle-toes! Remember me? "Fat-Hat" won't have much use for you, lookin' like THAT!
 * Splatter: Uh, so boss . ..
 * Dodge: How come you let Twinkletoes escape?
 * Spatter: Yeah?
 * Diesel 10: Oh, that. Well, I did it on... purpose, y'know. I... was... testing him to see if he could escape.
 * Splatter: Liar, liar.
 * Dodge: Pants on fire.
 * Splatter: Does he wear pants?
 * Dodge: Well, training pants.
 * Splatter: Oh, yeah.
 * Diesel 10: All right! Playtime's over, Splodge!
 * Splatter and Dodge: Uh-oh.
 * Diesel 10: Now it's time for the next lesson, huh?! I call it "How to Stop Being Stupid".  [uses Pinchy to hit the coal chute, pouring coal all over him. James, Henry and Gordon laugh] Uh, now that's gonna ruin my facial. [Splatter and Dodge groan]
 * Diesel 10: [in a gloating tone of evil triumph upon seeing Thomas and Lady sitting on the track a few hundred yards ahead] Ha-haaa! It's the blue PUFFball! And look who he's with! Splodge! Come and destroy!
 * Splatter: [fed up with D10's belligerent arrogance and his lack of respect and appreciation for them] No, you do it yourself.
 * Dodge: [equally disgusted with D10's attitude and behavior] We don't like you.
 * Splatter: Yeah, and we mean that.
 * Dodge: Emphatically.
 * Splatter: What does that mean?
 * Dodge: I have no idea.
 * Splatter: [approvingly] It's a good word.
 * Thomas: Run Lady, quickely, and I'm going to help you.
 * Diesel 10: [starts chasing Thomas, Lady, and Burnett Stone] Now I'll get you, Burnett Stone.
 * Grandpa Burnett Stone: No,you won't. Because the magic you refused to believe in will get the better of you.
 * [Thomas and Lady were approaching the collapsing viaduct]
 * Grandpa Burnett Stone: Well, Lady; This is your Shining Time, too.
 * Lady: I hope so.
 * Diesel 10: [sees the big hole on the viaduct] What? What's going on? [tries to stop]  Whoa, hold it, hold it. Hold on, hold on, Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!  [falls off the viaduct, but his claw manages to grab on a track board] Puffball! Teapot! Tin Kettttllllee!  [the board breaks, and he falls down below, landing on a passing barge] Oh. Oh well, nice time of the year for a cruise.  [chuckles, barge takes him away]
 * Dodge: Emphatically.
 * Splatter: What does that mean?
 * Dodge: I have no idea.
 * Splatter: [approvingly] It's a good word.
 * Thomas: Run Lady, quickely, and I'm going to help you.
 * Diesel 10: [starts chasing Thomas, Lady, and Burnett Stone] Now I'll get you, Burnett Stone.
 * Grandpa Burnett Stone: No,you won't. Because the magic you refused to believe in will get the better of you.
 * [Thomas and Lady were approaching the collapsing viaduct]
 * Grandpa Burnett Stone: Well, Lady; This is your Shining Time, too.
 * Lady: I hope so.
 * Diesel 10: [sees the big hole on the viaduct] What? What's going on? [tries to stop]  Whoa, hold it, hold it. Hold on, hold on, Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!  [falls off the viaduct, but his claw manages to grab on a track board] Puffball! Teapot! Tin Kettttllllee!  [the board breaks, and he falls down below, landing on a passing barge] Oh. Oh well, nice time of the year for a cruise.  [chuckles, barge takes him away]
 * Lady: I hope so.
 * Diesel 10: [sees the big hole on the viaduct] What? What's going on? [tries to stop]  Whoa, hold it, hold it. Hold on, hold on, Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!  [falls off the viaduct, but his claw manages to grab on a track board] Puffball! Teapot! Tin Kettttllllee!  [the board breaks, and he falls down below, landing on a passing barge] Oh. Oh well, nice time of the year for a cruise.  [chuckles, barge takes him away]
 * Diesel 10: [sees the big hole on the viaduct] What? What's going on? [tries to stop]  Whoa, hold it, hold it. Hold on, hold on, Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!  [falls off the viaduct, but his claw manages to grab on a track board] Puffball! Teapot! Tin Kettttllllee!  [the board breaks, and he falls down below, landing on a passing barge] Oh. Oh well, nice time of the year for a cruise.  [chuckles, barge takes him away]

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