Thomas and the Magic Railroad is a 2000 fantasy adventure film written and directed by Britt Allcroft and produced by Allcroft and Phil Fehrle. The cast includes Alec Baldwin, Peter Fonda, Mara Wilson, Didi Conn, Russell Means, Cody McMains, Michael E. Rodgers, and the voices of Eddie Glen and Neil Crone. The film is based on the British children's book series The Railway Series by Wilbert Awdry, its televised adaptation Thomas & Friends by Allcroft, and the American television series Shining Time Station by Allcroft and Rick Siggelkow.
The plot is centered on Lily Stone (Wilson), the granddaughter of the caretaker (Fonda) of an enchanted steam engine who is lacking an appropriate supply of coal, and Mr. Conductor (Baldwin) of Shining Time Station, whose provisions of magical gold dust are at a critical low. Lily and Mr. Conductor enlist the help of Thomas the Tank Engine (Glen), who confronts the ruthless, steam engine-hating Diesel 10 (Crone) along the way.
Then-vice-chairman of Paramount Pictures, Barry London, approached Allcroft with the idea of a Thomas film adaptation in 1995. Paramount shelved the film after London departed from the company; production later resumed with Isle of Man Film and Destination Films, where London had become chairman. Filming took place in 1999 in Pennsylvania, Toronto and on the Isle of Man. The film underwent extensive re-editing in response to feedback from test screenings, resulting in the recasting of several voice actors and the removal of Doug Lennox's performance as P.T. Boomer, who was initially intended as a major antagonist.
Thomas and the Magic Railroad premiered on 9 July 2000. The film received generally negative reviews from critics for its performances, plot, special effects, and lack of fidelity to the source material. It was also a box-office bomb, grossing $19.7million worldwide against a production budget of $19million. As a result of the film's poor reception, Allcroft resigned from her production company, The Britt Allcroft Company, in September 2000. HIT Entertainment acquired the company two years later, including the television rights to Thomas. As of October 2020, a second theatrical Thomas & Friends film is in development at Mattel Studios, a division of Mattel, the current owner of HiT Entertainment, with Marc Forster serving as director.
Plot
Sir Topham Hatt and his family have left the Island of Sodor on holiday, leaving Mr. Conductor from Shining Time in charge of the railway. Thomas the Tank Engine informs Gordon of Mr. Conductor's arrival at a station just as Diesel 10—a diesel locomotive with a hydraulic claw—returns to Sodor. Diesel 10 plans to rid Sodor of steam engines by destroying Lady, the lost engine who can produce magic by travelling on a magic railroad that connects Sodor to Shining Time. Lady had been hidden in a workshop on Muffle Mountain by her driver, Burnett Stone, after he failed to protect her from Diesel 10's previous attempt to destroy her. Lady is unable to steam despite trying all of the coals in Indian Valley. That night, when Diesel 10 attacks Tidmouth Sheds, Mr. Conductor realises his supply of magic gold dust, which allows him to teleport between Sodor and Shining Time, is running low.
The following day, Mr. Conductor runs out of gold dust whilst searching for its source. He calls his cousin, C. Junior, to help him with the gold dust crisis. That night, Diesel 10 spies on Percy and Thomas, who conclude that there is a secret railway between Sodor and Shining Time. Diesel 10 tells his henchmen, Splatter and Dodge, of his plans to destroy Lady. Toby overhears and distracts Diesel 10, who accidentally knocks one of the shed supports with his claw, which collapses the roof on top of them. The next morning, Thomas collects coal trucks and unknowingly pushes one through the buffers that lead to the magic railroad. Mr. Conductor is abducted by Diesel 10, who threatens to drop him off a viaduct unless he divulges the location of the buffers; Mr. Conductor cuts one of the claw's hydraulic pipes and is thrown free. He lands at the Sodor windmill, where he finds a clue to the source of the gold dust.
Burnett's granddaughter Lily meets Patch, who takes her to Shining Time where she meets Junior. Junior takes her through the magic railroad to Sodor, where they meet Thomas. Thomas takes them to the windmill, where they find Mr. Conductor. That night, Percy discovers that Splatter and Dodge have found the Sodor entrance to the magic railroad and goes to warn Thomas. While traveling through the magic railroad to take Lily home, Thomas discovers the missing coal truck. Lily goes to find Burnett, reluctantly leaving Thomas stranded. Thomas uncontrollably rolls down a cliffside and re-enters the magic railroad through another secret portal.
Burnett explains to Lily the problem of getting Lady to steam. Lily suggests using a special coal from Sodor, and Burnett uses it to successfully start Lady. Lady takes them along the magic railroad and (followed by Thomas) returns to Sodor. Diesel 10 arrives with Splatter and Dodge, who decide to stop helping him. Diesel 10 then chases Thomas and Lady and tries to cross the viaduct, but it collapses under his weight and he falls into a sludge-filled barge. Lily combines water from a wishing well and shavings from the magic railroad to make more gold dust. Mr. Conductor passes his position as conductor to Junior before they depart. Lily, Burnett, Patch, and Mutt return to Shining Time; Lady returns to the magic railroad; and Thomas travels home into the sunset.
Cast
Live-action Alec Baldwin as Mr. Conductor, the railway conductor of Shining Time Station. Baldwin succeeds Ringo Starr and George Carlin, both of whom had played the character on Shining Time Station. Peter Fonda as Burnett Stone, Lily's grandfather and Lady's caretaker and driver Jared Wall as young Burnett Mara Wilson as Lily Stone, Burnett's granddaughter Michael E. Rodgers as Mr. C. Junior, Mr. Conductor's hard-partying cousin Cody McMains as Patch, a young teenage boy who works with Burnett Stone Didi Conn as Stacy Jones, the manager of Shining Time Station Russell Means as Billy Twofeathers, the engineer of the Rainbow Sun, Shining Time Station's flagship locomotive. He was previously played by Tom Jackson on Shining Time Station. In the original version of the film, Doug Lennox portrayed Burnett Stone's rival P.T. Boomer, who served as the story's original antagonist. The character was cut from the film prior to its release.
Voice
Eddie Glen as Thomas, a blue tank engine. John Bellis provided the voice of Thomas in the original cut of the film, before being replaced prior to the film's release. Linda Ballantyne as Percy, a small green tank engine who is Thomas's best friend. Michael Angelis provided the voice of Percy in the original cut of the film, before being replaced prior to the film's release. Susan Roman as James, a red mixed-traffic tender engine. Angelis also provided the voice of James in the original cut of the film, before being replaced prior to the film's release. Colm Feore as Toby, a brown steam tram engine Britt Allcroft as Lady, a small Victorian-styled tank engine owned by Burnett Stone, who runs the Magic Railroad Shelley-Elizabeth Skinner as Annie and Clarabel, Thomas's passenger coaches Kevin Frank as Henry, a green tender engine Dodge, a bumbling diesel, one of Diesel 10's cronies, and Splatter's twin Bertie, a bus whose services run on the roads along Thomas's branch line Harold, a helicopter that works on the Island of Sodor Sir Topham Hatt, the railway controller of the Island of Sodor (uncredited) Neil Crone as Gordon, the blue tender engine who pulls the main line express Diesel 10, an evil diesel engine with a hydraulic claw he affectionately calls "Pinchy", who hates steam engines and wants to destroy them, especially the magic engine Lady. Keith Scott provided the voice of Diesel 10 in the original cut of the film, before being replaced prior to the film's release. Splatter, a bumbling diesel, one of Diesel 10's cronies, and Dodge's twin A tumbleweed with a Southern-American accent
Production
Development In the early 1990s, the character of Thomas the Tank Engine (adapted from the Wilbert Awdry's The Railway Series to the television series, Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends, by Britt Allcroft) was at the height of his popularity following three successful series. At the same time, Shining Time Station (an American series that combined episodes from the previous series with original live-action characters and scenarios, also created by Allcroft along with Rick Siggelkow) was made, and was also successful. As early as 1994, prior to the launch of Thomass fourth series, Britt Allcroft had plans to make a feature film based on both of these series, and would make use of the model trains from Thomas and the live-action aesthetic of Shining Time Station.
In 1995, Britt Allcroft was approached by Barry London, then vice-chairman of Paramount Pictures, with an idea for the Thomas film. On 20 February 1996, it was announced that production had begun, with the working title of Thomas and the Magic Railroad. London's interest is thought to have stemmed from his three-year-old daughter, who was enthralled by Thomas. According to a press release, filming was to take place at Shepperton Studios, in the United Kingdom, and in the United States, with the theatrical release date set for 1997. However, later that year, after London left the company, Paramount shelved the plans for the film. This left Allcroft to seek other sources of funding. Discussions with PolyGram about the film were held, but not for long; the company was in the middle of a corporate restructuring and sale.
In the summer of 1998, during the fifth series of Thomass production, Allcroft saw an advert for Isle of Man Film. They were offering tax incentives to companies wanting to film on the island. Allcroft visited and felt that the location was perfect. During that year, Barry London became chairman of the newly founded Destination Films (owned by Sony Pictures). He renewed his interest in the project, and Destination Films became the main financial backer and studio for the film.
Distribution In addition to being a major studio and financial backer, Destination announced in February 1999 that they would distribute the film in the United States while handling a possible sales exchange in the United Kingdom and Ireland. Gullane Pictures would handle international sales rights in all other territories. In June 1999, Icon Film Distribution acquired the British distribution rights to the film from Destination.
Casting
In early August 1999, it was announced that Alec Baldwin, Mara Wilson, and Peter Fonda had joined the cast to play Mr. Conductor, Lily Stone, and Burnett Stone, respectively. David Jacobs, the former vice president of The Britt Allcroft Company, stated that Baldwin got involved in the project because his daughter Ireland was a fan of the series. Wilson would retire from acting shortly after the film's release. John Bellis was originally attached to voice Thomas, but was replaced by Canadian actor Edward Glen. Ewan McGregor and Bob Hoskins had also expressed interest in the role. Michael Angelis, the UK narrator for the Thomas & Friends television series at the time, was originally cast to voice both James and Percy, but was later replaced by voice actresses Susan Roman and Linda Ballantyne. Keith Scott was originally set to voice Diesel 10, but was later replaced by Neil Crone in the final film.
Filming