#ttte movies | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

busting-buffers · 7 months

Text

I was watching The Unlucky Tugs' video where he ranks the TTTE movies from worst to best and decided to make my own so HERE WE GO!

Tier List maker HERE

14. MIR: I liked this movie as a kid. But I recently rewatched and boy howdy is she BAD. I didn't watch series 11 when Whiff was introduced, so having him in this movie was odd to me because I didn't know who the hell he was! The train racism in this is so overdone and never gets resolved, the logging locos are ANNOYING, and Thomas is just a dick the entire time?? -5/10

13. CAE!: This was one of those that they could have done better. The learning segments make it hard to watch when you're older, but it's for kids so who cares. But again, Train Racism. It gets resolved at the end, sure, but literally just...keeps happening. MIR in point. Also, the random involvement of D10?? And Lady?? who haven't been mentioned since TATMR??? Odd choice. 2/10

12. DotD: They basically rehashed CAE in CGI form, but none of the Train Racism is resolved. The Diesels suck, manipulate Percy, and take over the steamworks. That's it. That's the plot. 2/10

11. BW!BA!: I liked it. The songs were fun, Ace was a cool addition as a bad influence on Thomas, and Nia sure is a girl's engine. It seemed so rushed, though. Like Thomas had this grand idea, Sir Topham jokingly says yes, and like 15 minutes in Thomas is sailing off on a ship to Africa. "Where in the World is Thomas?" is a good ensemble number with cool callbacks to other movies, "Free and Easy" is just catchy as hell, and the other numbers are fun too. It was okay, but not my favorite. 4/10

10. TotB: It's just so, so average, but better than the others ranked lower. I love how James is the antagonist because he's covering up how scared he is in the end, but Percy just seems to baby-like for my taste. His fears are rational, but they really dumbed him down. I do love the introduction of Gator, and his and Percy's friendship is adorable. But it's all downplayed as Thomas didn't comfort Percy, so Percy gets a new BFF and Thomas is upset when Percy wants to leave. I get it, but I don't. 5/10

9. KotR: Ok this was a fun one. We get 1-5-6 buddy-content and it's super cute! I love this pal trio. The Earl and Stephen are such fun characters and I love how they worked them into the series later on. Stephen's characterization is so odd though, but I get it. He's upset he can't be useful like the young engines, and that's all he wants. This movie sets up for some good episodes later. 6/10

8. BMM: This one is so cute! I love the Narrow Gauge engines, and the beginning sequences are action packed and set up the movie well. But it comes back to Train Racism AGAIN. Diesel overhears about Luke and decides he wants him to be sent away, and then Diesel is in the wrong as always. I mean, he is, but we gotta stop making the diesels just bad engines. He did what he thought was right, especially not knowing the context. 6/10

7. HotR: Thomas's first CGI movie was a hit with me. Obviously it set up a rough era but I enjoyed the movie! Hiro's introduction is so fascinating, and Spencer being the antagonist is so so neat to me. This big silver showoff wants to get rid of an antique, but for what. That's why I didn't rank it higher. There's no why as to why Spencer wants to get rid of Hiro. Because he's old? Then why doesn't he hate Eddie?? His actions have no motive. 7/10

6. TaTMR: Don't come for me. I like this movie! It's whimsical and fun and a cool take on the series. It has it's flaws, obviously, like there's no set up for as to why D10 is there in the first place. But then again, this movie was rewritten I think three times? The original script would have been fun if the movie wasn't made for kids. An evil bastard who hates Burnett Stone because he was in love with Tasha, and wants to destroy the last thing Burnett can remember her by? So fascinating. I would have loved to see the original done as a more adult-ish action take on the franchise. 7/10

5. TAB: This movie is so awesome. Retelling the OG RWS and TV series stories in CGI, giving Thomas an introduction arc, and most importantly, Black Livery James (you know I had to mention it). It's such a great call-back to the original 5(?) stories and episodes, and I thought it was done very well. It holds a special place in my heart, but it's not my favorite. 8/10

4. TGR: I loved the musical take on this AGGHHH. All the musical numbers are so fanciful and catchy. I loved the plot, I love how the characters are set up. But like TUT says in his video, some of it is all marketing ploys. Like Thomas jumping the drawbridge, which I will continue to question why. But if you overlook Mattel's marketing, it's a good movie and it stands up well. 8/10

Also the next three movies are in no particular order so:

JBS: THIS. THIS WAS AN INTERESTING PLOT! James is boasting about how he's the favorite and the best, as always, so Thomas decides to put him in his place. But Thomas, unlike James, doesn't know the mainland well because he has lived on Sodor for probably 99% of his life. He was sent/arrived there in 1915, the same year he was built. He only knew Brighton! The experimental engines have great character, and I wish we got more of them in the series. Frankie and Hurricane are so, so interesting: they butter up Thomas to think he's hot shit, then BOOM! Trapped because they need another engine to work there, and can't do it unless they train-nap them. "Hottest Place in Town" is such a good song and aids to their plans, and it sets up their trickery well. The ending is not the best, but seeing Hurricane almost melt was just top notch to the whole thing. 10/10

SLotLT: This and TGD are so interesting because we see another side of Thomas. He thinks he can do no wrong, causes an accident, and ends up being punished. He does it twice, and winds up in a sort of Boy who Cried Wolf-ish situation after saving Ryan from the dynamite. Sir Topham only saw the part where it seemed Thomas was trying to get rid of Ryan, and gets angry with him again (and uses his full name? Papa was upset.) Ryan and Thomas's dynamic was so, so interesting and I wish we had more. Daisy being reintroduced was something I didn't see coming, and was a great way to tie her in to the series again. Same thing with Donald and Douglas, our beautiful Scots. Sailor John being the first human antagonist is so interesting, and this movie also has it's dark points. John was actually going to try to blow Thomas up aith dynamite! He blew up Sir Topham's office! This movie was great. 10/10

TGD: I had the DVD when I was younger and watched it every night before bed. It was so interesting. The songs are top notch: Racing to the Wharf, Jobs-a-Plenty, and Where, oh, Where is Thomas. The bridge scene is incredible and a great way to set it up. Thomas being insecure after Stanley shows up was something that never really happened, and he despised him so much he tried to essentially decomission him? Devious Thomas is my favorite. Thomas actually regretted how he treated Stanley, and they became good friends. SLotLT and TGD had similar plots in that aspect, but they did it so differently that it's not another DotD and CAE! issue. This was my childhood favorite and it still holds up. 10/10

#ttte #thomas and friends #thomas the tank engine #tier list #ttte tierlist #ttte movies #kie ramble

6 notes · View notes

mr-fischoeders-enbyboyfriend · 1 year

Text

I just wanted to share this discovery

#thomas and friends #ttte #Thomas and friends the great discovery #thomas the tank engine #cd #dvd #music cds #goodwill #ttte movies #ttte the great discovery #tiktok

2 notes · View notes

transfem-edward · 1 year

Text

If someone has like

A drive or smtn of all the ttte movies and episodes

Please please for the LOVE OF GOD send them to me

#ttte #thomas and friends #thomas the tank engine #ttte movies #thomas and friends movies

2 notes · View notes

panicky-pansexual · 26 days

Text

Doodle sheet‼️‼️

#there’s a lot going on #I’ve been using the strike trio doodle as a reaction image on discord 💀#live laugh love Lady #Gordon canon Princess Celestial fan #can you tell who I like drawing most?#black livery James my beloved #rip Rebecca you would’ve loved the SpongeBob Movie #<- inside joke #ttte Thomas #ttte Edward #ttte henry #ttte Gordon #ttte James #ttte Percy #ttte Lady #ttte rebecca #ttte gijinka

68 notes · View notes

steam-beasts · 3 months

Text

Small JBS rant/hot take;

I'm sorry but there's NO WAY Thomas wasn't traumatised from what Frankie and Hurricane did to him.

I like Frankie and Hurricane as villians or even redeemed villians, but I hate that they got away scot-free with what they did to Thomas because they were "lonely". They literally took advantage of him and took away his freedom. What's worse is that I think the steelworks employees were in on it too, so probably not even Thomas's crew could do anything.

#thomas and friends #thomas the tank engine #ttte thomas #ttte frankie #ttte hurricane #ttte journey beyond sodor #hot take #movie rant #There's NO WAY Thomas isn't traumatised from that experience

86 notes · View notes

bruhstation · 11 months

Text

bwuhba

247 notes · View notes

ohmystarrynight · 1 year

Text

I know it’s more of an Instagram trend but I really wanted to do this lmfao

How it probably went down:

“Engines going on public roads must have their wheels covered and a cow catcher in front!” -a cop probably

“But this engine doesn’t catch cows sir…”

“Well that doesn’t-“

“It catches bitches 😎”

“You’re going to fucking jail.”

Edward, who was just there to double head and was literally smack in the middle of that: ☹️

#ttte edward #ttte james #ttte #human ttte #Thomas the tank engine #Thomas and friends #Barbie #Barbie movie #ttte fanart #2 x 5 #meme #pilots art!

391 notes · View notes

hkpika07 · 7 months

Text

Shooting Star. What are you if not a falling star with something to prove.

#ttte #ttte gordon #i rewatched the great race because its my comfort movie.#and i really need to make that post on why shooting star is such the perfect name for gordon #and why thomas calling gordon falling star makes me insane #anyways i blacked out and when i came too i drew this and wrote sad gordon poetry #we're feeling wmotional about gordon tonight lads #painted red

83 notes · View notes

ryan1014n2 · 7 months

Text

Traintober Day 24: Odd Jobs

I love how Thomas is just sent to do whatever miscellaneous work needs to be done whenever his branch line is down for repair. Like in Tale of the Brave! So Timothy's here!

#timothaayyyy #I love tale of the brave I love timothy marion bill and ben #it's also (kind of) like this in blue mountain mystery and legend of the lost treasure. just put the boy somewhere for the movie #it is just a really good excuse to put thomas somewhere else on sodor so story can happen #ttte thomas #ttte timothy #oh yeah is there a way to separate the two timothys when tagging?#traintober 2023 #my doodles #my post

76 notes · View notes

mean-scarlet-deceiver · 5 months

Text

Thomas, every time he tries to get a favour out of James for the next 100 years: I saved your life, you ingrate

James, who against everyone's assumptions about him really had been very grateful... before Thomas had become insufferable about it: You did NOT save my life!!!

#omg TAB is just thomas's version of the story as he's developed it over decades of exaggeration #isn't it #james: he didn't do none of that shit!!!!!!#andrew brenner (furiously scribbling notes on what thomas is saying): yeah but it makes a good climax to a movie #ttte specials #ttte thomas #ttte james #incorrect ttte #ttte literary agent hijinks

37 notes · View notes

rushingexpress · 5 months

Text

I just remembered this and I'm trying not to laugh at like.. midnight BUT SKSNSHS

remembering in the legend of the lost treasure- I think it was after the dynamite chase scene - where sir topham hatt just fucking appears and goes:

"THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE."

– HOLLERING. this line shouldn't be so funny, why does he sound like such a pissed off parent? XD

– – – –

honourable mentions:

to the singular 'uh oh' in the scene

and also sir topham hatt grounding thomas to stay in his shed for the rest of the afternoon

#why is it so funny #ttte #thomas the tank engine #ttte thomas #ttte sir topham hatt #one of the scenes from ttte movies i just crack up #hes such a dad to these engines im crying

34 notes · View notes

master-of-the-railway · 2 months

Text

Sue me for this if you wish but I think Big World Big Adventures: The Movie wasn't actually as bad as everyone says it is and it's high time we gave it the appreciation it deserves, like it's a bit too overhated in my opinion. Maybe it's just my inability to be overly mean and aggressive abt pieces of media that line up with comfort interests but I genuinely don't get the hate towards the BWBA movie....like nothing was bad abt it in my own opinion? The songs were fire all the way through, the visuals are very pretty (the LIGHTING!!!), and I mean like Nia is there and how can you possibly hate anything that features Nia she CARRIES that movie so hard. I've seen some ppl say the movements are too much but like...it makes the engines far more expressive and I highly prefer them having a bit more movement to being entirely stiff because being stiff restricts their expressiveness even more, and tbh realism was left behind the second the cgi series made its debut (Ex: D51s were first produced in 1936 and yet Hiro was somehow the first engine on the island of Sodor) so I don't really look for realism too hard when it comes to TTTE because I mean...the trains talk and are fully sentient, and that's already grounds enough for me suspend my disbelief a TON.

Maybe it is just my Nia bias (AND YONG BAO IS THERE AT ONE POINT!!! Absolutely love him.) but I think BWBA is pretty good, it's one of my favorite TTTE movies. It's just really whack that half the fandom seems to hate or at least mildly dislike this movie, which was a huge shocker to me because I was happy stimming the ENTIRE time on my first watch. It was fun and colorful and expressive and thinking about how it introduced so many international machines to the lineup...like I physically cannot hate a movie that caters to my favorite thing EVER in shows with sentient machines (seeing the machines from other countries). I don't mind the fact that ppl dislike it at all (bc everyone's entitled to their own opinions and all that jazz) but it's more just I can't really find any negatives about it, the only character introduced in it that I dislike is the one they (assumedly) want you to dislike and even then I gotta admit his song slaps. To each their own in the end, I suppose, but the point I'm trying to make is that I think we gotta be at least a LITTLE bit nicer abt this movie. (And if anyone interacts w/ this post, please don't like. Start fights on it or anything. This post isn't mean to spark any discourse or aggression, it's just my personal thoughts that I'm sharing with the fandom because so far all of you that I've met are EXTREMELY kind and understanding and so I trust you all to be normal abt it.)

#ttte #thomas and friends #thomas & friends #Hero of The Rails is my favorite TTTE movie of all time tho :)#always will be #but yeah everytime I've seen someone talk abt this film they rarely say positive things which is just fine y'know-#-it's not like I'm mortally wounded over the fact that ppl don't like it #I just find myself unable to see what could possibly be so bad about it #but that's kind of just a me problem I suppose lmao

18 notes · View notes

13o7billionyearsinthemaking · 4 months

Note

How the Jack and the pack is doing right now IM curious👀👀👀👀

Isle of Engines Part 18

<-Previous

Continue->

#ttte #thomas and friends #thomas the tank engine #ttte humanized #ttte fanart #my art #answered #ttte kevin #ttte percy #animation #couldve made it better but i didnt want to take even longer time #ttte everyone #yeah were doing this why?#because in my mind this is essentially a Thomas movie #not everyone is here but some characters dont have side views #sorry Percy the pack is here #so as everyone you've ever met

36 notes · View notes

weirdowithaquill · 7 months

Text

Traintober 2023: Day 23 - Big World

The blue tank engine pulled into the Big Station with his coaches, spotting the Fat Controller standing on the platform. “Ah, Thomas! Thank you for sorting out those vans earlier – I can’t believe they missed those on this morning’s Kipper.” “Not a problem sir!” Thomas said, an idea bubbling in his boiler. Surely he’d be able to convince the Fat Controller that a grand trip around the world was a perfect marketing strategy! Sir Topham Hatt was always looking for new ways to bring tourists to the railway after all.

“I’ve had an idea! How would you like it, sir, if one of your engines could be the very first to go right the way around the world?”

As Thomas prodded the Fat Controller for an affirmation, he didn’t notice a certain Great Western engine at the other platform, listening in closely.

***

Thomas thought he’d made a safe getaway, right up until he heard a pointed cough from behind him. “Well, Thomas, what’re we doing now?” “Duck?!” The Great Western Pannier tank sat in the hold behind the blue tank engine, with a pointed eyebrow raised. “What’re you doing here?!”

Duck coughed pointedly. “I came to stop you. You can’t go galivanting off across the planet! You need to let Carly lift you back onto the dockside this instant!” “Um… Duck…” “What?” “The boat’s moving.”

Duck went a very interesting shade of red, and said nothing for a little while. Then…

“We’re going back as soon as we reach Dakar.”

Duck raised an eyebrow at Thomas as he was rather coldly rejected by Ace. As much as he wanted to go home… or maybe hop on that ship bound for Italy… he knew rather well that if someone didn’t chase after the idiot they called a Number One tank engine, Thomas would inevitably end up down a mine, white water rafting his way towards certain doom.

And once was enough.

“Thomas, how about we just… go to Dar-es-Salaam. We can maybe catch a boat back to Sodor from there.” “No Duck, we’re not going back now! We’re going a trip around the world – or at least, I am. You can go back to boring old Sodor and you’re little forgetful branchline.” Duck hissed crossly. “Forgetful! Says the engine that forgets his passenger trains every day and needs Stanley to pull Annie and Clarabel. At least I remember to do my work, instead of wandering off to freaking Africa!”

Thomas raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

“Oh? So why’re you here?” “Stopping you from doing something stupid. Again.” In lieu of a reply, Thomas puffed away, asking aloud whether or not it was possible to reach Dar-es-Salaam from Senegal. Duck wondered if Thomas had ever seen a map – there were no railway lines across the Sahara! And yet, the blue tank engine seemed to believe that if he just asked loudly enough, some random shunter would couple them up to a line of trucks and send them across the continent!

“Dar-es-Salaam? Are you going to Dar-es-Salaam?” Duck looked over, and saw several trucks all beam at the tank engine. “Oh no… oh no, Thomas—” “We’ve been waiting for you!” The trucks were hooked up to Thomas by a little shunter with side tanks and a stove pipe funnel. Duck watched on with interest. These trucks didn’t seem like the ones on Sodor.

“So you are the new engine?” asked the foreman, striding over from his office. “Well… I…” “We, are the new engines – sir,” Duck interjected. “But only for this run. We’re being transferred down to Dar-es-Salaam, so the railway thought it best we take the trucks with us.” “Two of you?” he asked slowly. “You are both so small though!” “Little engines can—” Duck cut off Thomas again.

“We are small, sir. But I’ve got plenty of water, and Thomas here is full of plenty of hot air.” “Hot air?!” “Oh! Like steam,” said the foreman. “It is… one of your…” “English jokes, sir,” Duck replied sweetly. Thomas went red in the face, and let out a great cloud of steam. Duck just sidled away to couple on behind.

***

The two quickly discovered just why the foreman had been so sceptical. They had been put on a slow pick-up goods, being halted at nearly every station between Dakar and Abuja to pick up and put down trucks. Thomas continued to watch in shock as five trucks became eight, then thirteen, then thirty!

Duck quietly uncoupled when the last lot were shunted onto the back of the train, and sidled up alongside.

“We’ll not make it across the rest of the continent with just the two of us.” “Yes we will!” spluttered Thomas. “I don’t even need you back there! All you’re doing is slowing me down!” Duck rolled his eyes. “Fine. I’ll find a brakevan for you, and you can continue alone.” “A brakevan? We haven’t needed one yet! The land is flat, Duck – the trucks can’t roll away!” Duck rolled his eyes. Every wise engine knows that brakevans aren’t just for runaway trains.

Nonetheless, Thomas did wait for the Great Western Pannier to find a brakevan, before heaving and groaning loudly as he tried his best to drag the heavy train away. Duck’s driver just shook his head in disbelief.

“First I let you talk me into this, then I let you talk me into not helping that struggling fool – I’m so losing my job.”

To his credit, Thomas did make it to the next shunting yard – but there, a large orange tank engine shunted ten more wagons onto the back of his train. Thomas winced as he felt them being coupled up.

“Um…” “Your face!” cackled the orange engine joyfully. “You really shouldn’t look so surprised – there are always a lot of trucks for Dar-es-Salaam, you know,” she added. Duck chuckled. “Oh, he knows,” he said with a smirk. “He’s just stubborn.” “I don’t need any help!” “See?” Thomas hissed steam at Duck, who puffed backwards to avoid it. “Well, I can help you,” offered the orange engine. Thomas glared. “No! I just said I don’t need your help - just watch me! I can do this… by myself!” The orange engine looked rather hurt. Duck sighed.

“Come on, he’ll wind up in a mess in a moment, and then he’ll change his tune. He always does.”

And Duck was – inevitably – right.

The orange engine’s name was Nia. And having saved Thomas from derailing (and then horrifying Duck by suddenly rushing backwards down a hill), she was easily accepted by the Pannier into the little group. Thomas, meanwhile, just sniffed.

“Couple up while you can,” Duck advised. “He’s a loose cannon, this one – he’ll have run off on you in a puff if could. Trust me.” Nia took the Pannier tank’s advice, and the pair helped push the heavy train up the rest of the hill – and then along the beautiful scenery of the Sahel region. Duck was enamoured with everything.

“I’ve always wanted to sail away and see the world,” he admitted to Nia quietly. “Just… to see what it’s like for myself.” “Oh, me too!” grinned Nia. “There’s one place I’ve heard of in China, called the Rainbow Mountains.” “Wow…” murmured Duck. “That would be incredible to see… Personally, I’ve always wanted to see Greece, or Italy. They say the views over the ocean are some of the best in the world.” The two smiled – perhaps, their journey wouldn’t be so bad after all…

And then Thomas spoke up.

“Will you two shut up! I’m going to be the first engine to travel around the world!” “Circumnavigate is the right word,” muttered Duck. “Well, you’ll need our help to get to Dar-es-Salaam at least,” smirked Nia. “Cause it’s 5000 miles away.”

Thomas spluttered and coughed for several minutes. “5000 miles?!” “Well, at least the trucks will help you,” hummed Nia. “Trucks? Helpful?! When pigs fly!” “The trucks back on the Great Western used to be helpful,” said Duck. “But that was because they knew the importance of being really useful.”

Thomas just rolled his eyes, and let the pair – and their ‘useful trucks’ start a sing-along.

***

Duck chuckled as he and Nia greeted Kwaku warmly. Behind them, Thomas tried to butt in and ask about Ace – but instead, Duck decided to indulge in the local greeting himself. “And how are you, Kwaku? How are your wheels, how is your boiler, how are your pistons? Have the tracks been taking you where you wish to run, and have the other engines been good to you?” Kwaku beamed.

“Now you! You understand the importance of knowing your fellow engines.” Duck chuckled. “Oh thank you. It’s similar to a greeting we had back on the Great Western – though, we just liked to ask: has all been well with you and your shedmates?” Kwaku and Nia both looked intrigued; Thomas blew his whistle loudly to get their attention.

“Excuse me! Have you seen a yellow rally car named Ace?!” “So rude!” sniffed Duck. “Interrupting a conversation like that.” Nia and Kwaku agreed. “Most disrespectful,” muttered Nia. “His designer would be ashamed,” agreed Kwaku. “Ashamed of every insult he makes against both his class and his home.” Duck sighed.

“Our railway is normally much nicer than the blue puffball makes out – he’s normally too. But recently… he’s been foisting off his duties on other engines so he can go galivanting off to my branchline to mess with the little engines.” “Little engines?” asked Nia. “They cannot be much smaller than Thomas, right?” Duck laughed; Thomas glowered.

***

Amazingly enough, Nia joined the pair on their next ship – this one bound for Rio de Janeiro. “Hopefully we’ll catch up with Ace there…” murmured Thomas. Duck grimaced. “I don’t like this Ace,” he said. “He seems like a bad influence. If such a car had come round Paddington…” “Then he’d have been the most interesting vehicle there,” snapped Thomas. Duck glared. “How dare you—” “I didn’t want to bring you, Montague. I wanted to be the first, I wanted to see the world! But you just had to come and ruin it.” Duck went silent, and both he and Nia went unhappily to sleep.

Pulling coffee from Rio de Janeiro in Brazil to San Francisco in the USA was yet another job that seemed impossible. “There can’t be a railway line through the Darien Gap!” huffed Duck. “It’s impossible! Not even the road goes through there.” And yet, they were loaded up with coal and water and shown the entrance to the Pan-American railway (which Duck had rather… mixed feelings about).

Nia, on the other hand, was excited!

“We’re going to be able to see monkeys, and panthers, and—” “Snakes.” “Thomas, seriously? Snakes? Are you just wanting to frighten poor Nia?” Thomas didn’t reply, just chortled up front.

It took all three engines several moments to heave the heavy train into motion. Most of the train was made of covered vans filled with sacks of coffee, however a couple flatbeds had been coupled up between Thomas and Duck, to hold the coffee beans that didn’t fit into the vans.

With Thomas in front, it wasn’t long until both Duck and Nia grew bored. The blue tank engine was off in his own world again, fantasising about racing Ace. “Hey, look!” exclaimed Nia excitedly. “It’s a toucan!” Duck gazed over and gasped in amazement. “I’ve never seen a toucan before!” he said. “Oh, I wish I had a camera.” “My fireman has one!” Nia replied. Her fireman leaned out of the cab to photograph the toucan; and then he was taking photos of the parrots, of the capybaras, of monkeys and even a panther that stalked by the lineside.

“How incredible!” murmured Duck. “The scenery here is just…” He and Nia both gazed up at the tall trees that swayed in the breeze above them, practically dripping with vines and vibrant flowers in almost every colour of the rainbow. There were also hundreds of insects, and it wasn’t long before all three crews were putting up fly nets.

They’d just started off again when a certain blue pain-in-Duck’s-bunker spotted his new best friend Ace, and they were speeding off suddenly without stopping for water.

***

Once again, it was Nia who saved them, when Thomas ran dry, and they almost had to dump his fire. Had their crews not used the giant leaves from some nearby shrubs to create water funnels for all three engines – which was Nia’s idea – then he may have had to have his fire dumped.

Rain fell hard in the Amazon jungle – though Duck wasn’t quite sure where they were. “Perhaps we’re nearly in Colombia?” suggested Nia. “It is getting warmer.” “We might even be on the equator right now!” exclaimed Duck excitedly. “No we’re not!” snorted Thomas. “If we were on the equator, we’d see a big dotted line!” “Thomas, you dim-witted blue puffball! That’s a marking on a map, not a real thing!” spluttered Duck.

Thomas sniffed. “Oh please! You just want to stare at the trees. We need to get moving to get Ace to his next rally!” Ah, yes. Ace. They’d found him upside down on the side of the line some miles back, and already Duck wanted to shove him back into the undergrowth.

“You tell him Thomas!” cheered Ace. “We’ve gotta go fast – there’s no time for this sightseeing. I might be out of this race, but I can still make it to North America – continent number three!” “We have coffee to deliver,” Duck reminded sternly. “Which means we’re going to San Francisco. Unless your race starts from there, you’re out of luck. It’s a miracle we’re even helping you in the first place! It’s not the Great Western—” “Oh shut up!” groaned Thomas. “Don’t you have anything else to justify your ridiculous rants, Duck? Great Western this, Great Western that – the Great Western Railway is gone!”

Duck didn’t reply – instead, he went silent, and just glared at Thomas’ bunker.

Which was of course the exact moment that the tracks began to sink into the mud and ooze beneath them.

Both Nia and Duck were all too happy to split the train and ‘race’ through Mexico and Arizona. The two took one track (and the majority of the trucks), while Thomas got Ace, the flatbeds, two vans and the brakevan.

“On your marks!” called Ace. “Get set! Go!”

And with that, the three were thundering along, Nia and Duck working in tandem to draw ahead of the blue tank engine. “This is better!” cheered Duck. “No Thomas, no Ace, no worries!” “You shouldn’t talk about your friend like that,” Nia huffed. “Friend?!” spluttered Duck with a laugh. “Please! You heard him – we’ve never been friends, Nia. Mister Number One doesn’t like me, and there’s nothing I can do about it. At least with him gone, we can finally go see those Rainbow Mountains you were talking about, instead of being dragged after the Blue Puffball.”

“Why do you call him that?” quizzed Nia. Duck laughed. “Oh, it’s a nickname a diesel with a giant claw gave him a while back,” he said offhandedly. Nia gaped at Duck in shock. “What?!” “Ah, now this is a fun story…”

And so, even though they were still racing Thomas through the Arizonan desert, Duck and Nia took the time to share stories about their home railways, as well as marvel at the sublime scenery that surrounded them, including the Grand Canyon itself.

***

Thomas didn’t come. He had ditched them to play ‘rally car’ with Ace. So, Duck and Nia didn’t wait. Instead, the pair boarded the next ship bound for China, excited to go and see the famous Rainbow Mountains in China. They were located at the Zhangye National Park in the north of the country, so the pair had plenty of time to see some of the other wonders of the ancient nation on their way, from the bustling city of Shanghai to the Grand Canal to Jiuzhai Valley National Park. It was gorgeous!

Better yet, they met Yong Bao on their way. Duck had previously met the gentle giant back when Britain had hosted the Great Railway Show, and the Chinese engine had spent some time at the Big Station helping out Henry, Murdoch and Hiro on the heavy goods trains.

“The Rainbow Mountains are beautiful this time of year,” Yong Bao grinned. “It is such an honour to be able to share them with you. Thank you both for finding the time to come all this way to see our sights.” “I’ve always wanted to see the world,” said Duck with a smile. “I remember once talking to Percy about it back on Sodor, during a regatta. He said it was impossible because engines can’t float…” “Really?” hummed Nia. “I used to stare at the sunset and wonder what the world looked like!” “Me too!”

Yong Bao chuckled.

“Well, we can go see the Rainbow Mountains together – and then is there anywhere else you want to go?” “Italy,” Nia replied. Duck’s eyes widened. “You said you wanted to go there, right?” “I… you remembered?” “Of course I did! We’re friends,” said Nia. “And you remembered that I wanted to come here.” Duck beamed. “Oh yes!” Yong Bao chuckled at the pair. “Come on, we had best get moving – you need to see the Rainbow Mountains, then head towards the Himalayas so you can start on your journey to Italy.” Yong Bao coupled the pair up to a passenger train he was pulling in that direction, and the three set off.

“I… I don’t have many friends,” Duck admitted quietly to Nia after a few minutes. “Most of the other engines think I’m a bit… too uptight.” “Being proud of your work and heritage is important,” said Nia. “You should not be ashamed of it. You just prefer to get all your jobs finished before relaxing – it is honourable.” “Agreed,” chimed in Yong Bao. “You have a friend in me, Duck.” Duck smiled a watery smile – he felt close to tears.

“Thank you. Thank you both.”

Yong Bao left them at the base of the ‘railway through the clouds’, and the two continued onwards up the highest railway in the world on their own. It wasn’t easy going. The lack of oxygen made their fires burn cooler, and each puff was a pant – but still they kept on going, spurred on by the scenery that they were seeing. They could see the Himalayas stretched out in front of them, the roof of the world covered in ice and snow.

Both engines talked in hushed voices, both so not to disturb the animals dozing by the line in certain areas – and to not trigger a landslide in others.

That was when they heard a loud, shrill whistle. Duck and Nia both looked back – there was Thomas, speeding up the side of the mountain and whistling fit to burst, calling out their names. Both of them sped up, eyes turned upwards. They were wary of triggering an avalanche.

A tunnel loomed ahead. Nia and Duck puffed in just as there was a deep, dangerous rumble above them. The two slammed on their brakes as a giant avalanche came roaring down the mountainside. The whistles cut out – then started again, only this time alarmed.

“Help! Help!” Duck’s eyes were wide. “Come on, we have to rescue him!” he exclaimed. The two raced back out the tunnel, to find snow everywhere. They charged down the line, and found Thomas off the rails near a sharp bend. He was tilting over the edge of a cliff face, his front buffers hanging over nothing.

“You secure him,” Duck said to Nia. “I’m going to find help further down the mountain.” “Got it. But hurry!” Chains were secured between Thomas and Nia, while Duck sprinted back down the mountain.

“I’m sorry,” Thomas said after a moment. “I was stupid to listen to Ace – he just seemed so cool… and it made me lose sight of who my real friends were.” “I think,” said Nia, “that you need to save your apology for Duck.”

The two sat there for several moments – and then Nia felt herself slipping. Snow was shifting under Thomas, dragging him further over the cliff edge. Nia strained against the weight of the blue tank engine – but it was a losing battle. Just as she felt her trailing wheels lift up off the rails however, Yong Bao and Duck steamed up behind her, buffering up and pushing forwards with all their might!

“Yong Bao!” cheered Nia. “Duck, you found him!” “I heard the avalanche and came right away,” Yong Bao replied. “Whoever was dumb enough to whistle so loudly in an avalanche zone put everyone in danger.”

Thomas blushed, and looked at his buffers in disgrace. “I… I’m sorry Duck,” he said eventually. “I shouldn’t have been so mean. I… I don’t know why you’ve put up with me so far.” “Well, it wouldn’t be very good if you went and rolled down a mountainside,” smirked Duck. “It’s just not the Great Western Way.”

Yong Bao smiled, listening to Duck’s roundabout forgiveness of his friend.

“Here, I will guide you the rest of the way,” he offered. “It is safer.” “Thank you,” said Duck. “We’d really appreciate that. And… maybe our drivers could exchange email addresses?” “Sounds wonderful,” grinned Yong Bao.

***

There was just one last place to go before returning to Sodor.

Duck gasped in astonishment, gazing out over the city of Venice. Thomas and Nia sat on either side of the Pannier tank, all three staring out across the lagoon to where the ancient island city lay, great buildings made of limestone rising up out of the sea.

“It’s incredible,” Duck managed to say, tears in his eyes. He’d actually fulfilled his dream. “I… I never thought I’d ever come here.” “And I never thought I’d leave Africa,” Nia added. “But I got to see the Rainbow Mountains.” “And I never thought I’d leave the yard,” Thomas finished. “But I got to see the world, and I’m glad I got to see it with you both.” “Thank you,” murmured Duck. “It… wasn’t too bad seeing the world with you either.”

They still had a long way to go to get back home to Sodor – a route filled with gorgeous scenery, incredible cities and a trip through the Channel Tunnel – but they weren’t in a hurry. Perhaps there was something to leaving for a little while to see the world, mused Duck.

And as the sun set over the water, the three friends stood on the pier and let the world pass them by, content to spend time together.

Back to Master Post

#fanfiction writer #weirdowithaquill #railway series #thomas the tank engine #railways #traintober 2023 #traintober #ttte duck #ttte thomas #ttte nia #ttte yong bao #bwba #world tour #Duck gets to see the world #BWBA AU #This thing was long - and I had to watch the BWBA movie for it

38 notes · View notes

theredengineapologist · 4 months

Note

From the ttte movies you seen, whats your fav?

✨THE GREAT RACE✨

The Great Race is THE BEST ONE! I may not have seen most of the other movies yet, but I'm very sure NOTHING is ever gonna beat this movie for me.

You're telling me they made a Thomas movie centered around what is basically a Train Pageant (tm) AND they made it a MUSICAL!!??? Hell yeah! Sign me up!

But then you actually get in to the movie and it gets even better.

EVERY SONG IS A BOP! EVERY! 👏 SINGLE! 👏ONE! 👏 THERE WAS NOT A SINGLE MISS IN THIS MOVIE! I don't know what they were on, but they were pumping out JAM after JAM!

Secondly, I think the Great Railway Show was a great way to introduce more foreign engines into the show in a way that made sense. Pity that we didn't really get to see much of them. But I also feel like we didn't really need to. I mainly just liked that we got to SEE them.

One of the things I LOVE about Brenner Era CGI Thomas is how the world of Sodor feels so much bigger. In the model series I get this sense that the Island of Sodor is this quaint little English countryside island where nothing much happens, and the engine's shenanigans are the most interesting things to happen in day-to-day life. Whereas I feel like in Brenner Era CGI Thomas, the world feels much grander. Still very much an English countryside island. But the island itself feels much bigger. The engines and the people living on it feel much busier. And in some ways I would say the cast itself feels more diverse once they gave the characters unique voices. I'm a sucker for shows that allow their characters to speak in different dialects, and giving Duck his West Country accent and the narrow gauge engines Welsch accents honestly endeared them to me more.

Anyway, main point I'm trying to get at is that the introduction of The Great Railway Show helped to expand the Thomas universe and show the rest of the world interacting with Sodor and vice-versa, even if only for a short period of time. It adds to the grandness of the world.

I also really like Thomas's arc in this movie. With how often he gets picked on for being a "little engine" over the course of the series, it's no wonder the guy's a little self conscious. If the narrator called me "short and stumpy" three times in a row I'd be pretty self-conscious too lol. But jokes aside, I did like seeing Thomas have conflict with this part of his identity. His verses in "You Can Only Be You" really made me feel for him, and I loved being able to see him finally come around at the end.

And of course, we can't talk about The Great Race without mentioning

HOW PRETTY JAMES'S DECORATIVE PAINTWORK IS!!!

LOOK AT HIM! LOOK AT MY PRETTY BOY! GAZE UPON HIS BEAUTY AND HIS SPLENDIDNESS!!!

And you know what? I'm gonna say it. James deserved to win Best Decorated Engine. Sorry not sorry RAJIV! But they don't call me the Red Engine Apologist for nothing! My pookie deserved to win!

One of these days I've got to do humanized versions of James's and Emily's looks from this movie. I can see it very clearly in my head but I also want to, um, draw other characters HAHAHAHA

Anyway, TLDR, The Great Race was an amazing movie with a killer soundtrack, great story, and a concept that appeals to ME SPECIFICALLY. I also genuinely think it would adapt very well into a stage musical (similar in visual style to the Spongebob musical). I have a clear vision in my head for what it would look like but unfortunately I don't have the money nor resources to make it a reality so it would just stay in my head. But just know that every time I watch this movie I am actively thinking about how I would hypothetically adapt this to the stage.

I''ve spent WAY too much time rambling about The Great Race but yeah, there's your answer.

Also if you're curious, here's every Thomas movie I've watched so far ranked from favorite to least favorite.

The Great Race (obviously)

Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure (Thomas had a great arc in this one, "Never Overlook a Little Engine" was fun, and visuals are spectacular. Solid movie but it can't beat the campiness of The Great Race)

The Adventure Begins (Solid movie. The other two are just more fun imo)

Tale of the Brave (It was a good movie and I probably would have appreciated it more if I watched it in High Quality. But unfortunately I can't stand Kerry Shale James and so I chose to watch a grainy upload on YouTube instead.)

Journey Beyond Sodor (I'm sorry to my one mutual (you know who you are) who said this was their favorite movie. But unfortunately, in my opinion, the songs do not slap as hard as in The Great Race)

#ttte #thomas and friends #the great race #thomas the tank engine #ttte james #ask answered #ttte episode review #ttte movie review #ttte first impressions #on today's episode of “thinking too hard about trains”...#redengineposts

22 notes · View notes