Thomas the Tank Engine Wikia
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“Welcome, you fans of steam! Welcome, fans of speed! Welcome, one and all to this year’s Great Railway Show! Only here can you witness the mightiest locomotives from all over the world competing in feats of strength, speed and skill!”
― The Host

Meet the Contenders was a series of online promotional videos that tied into The Great Race, written by Ian McCue. The videos were narrated by the Host (voiced by Rob Rackstraw) and each video (one uploaded every Wednesday at 10:00 A.M. until the release of the film in both the UK and US) showed the participants of the Great Railway Show and their stats, event and country of origin. None of the characters that were shown in the videos speak.

The shorts were included as bonus features on the DVD and Blu-Ray releases of The Great Race.

Philip of Sodor

Philip of Sodor, titled Philip of the UK on the UK channel, is the first video for Meet the Contenders. It was uploaded on the television series' official YouTube channel on 13 April 2016.

Description

First engine up, Philip! Recently arriving on the Island of Sodor, he's an engine favourite amongst his engine friends. Philip will play the role of Sodor Representative and flag carrier.

Characters

Location

Country

  • Sodor

Trivia

  • The Race Announcer mentions the events of The Little Engine Who Raced Ahead. Stock footage from said episode is also used.
  • The UK title is misleading since Philip is from Sodor.

Video

Axel of Belgium

Axel of Belgium is the second video for Meet the Contenders. It was released on 20 April 2016.

Description

Axel of Belgium is an amazing looking engine that was built for speed. The lean mean racing machine won over his army of fans with his charms and looks.

Character

  • Axel (does not speak)

Location

  • Belgium

Country

  • Belgium

Event

  • The Great Race

Trivia

  • The Main Line, unmodified, is used to represent Belgium for this video.

Goofs

  • In the final scene of the video, Axel's trailing wheels are missing and his tender merges into his cab. The tender error was later corrected in the PBS Kids and UK DVD releases, however, his trailing wheels remain missing.

Video

Yong Bao of China

Yong Bao of China is the third video for Meet the Contenders. It was released on 27 April 2016.

Description

Strong, sleek and steamy, Yong Bao of China knows how to put on a show!

Character

Event

  • Best Decorated Engine Parade

Location

Country

  • China

Trivia

Goofs

  • During the scene of Yong Bao in China, his tender running board disappears.

Video

Raul of Brazil

Raul of Brazil is the fourth video for Meet the Contenders. It was released on 4 May 2016.

Description

Introducing Raul of Brazil. A one-time champion a few years back, he is well respected throughout the railway.

Character

  • Raul (does not speak)

Event

  • Shunting Challenge

Location

Country

  • Brazil

Trivia

  • Knapford Yards was redressed with palm trees to represent Brazil for this video.

Goofs

  • Raul is incorrectly described as being based on the Sentinel 7109, which was the inspiration for Logan's number. His true basis is a series of three vertical-boilered steam locomotives, specifically no. 166.

Video

Ashima of India

Ashima of India is the fifth video for Meet the Contenders. It was released on 18 May 2016.

Description

Meet Ashima of India. A simply breathtaking engine that brings mystery and wonder.

Character

Event

  • Shunting Challenge

Location

Country

  • India

Trivia

  • The Main Line was redressed with flowers to represent India for this video.

Video

Ivan of Russia

Ivan of Russia is the sixth video for Meet the Contenders. It was released on 25 May 2016.

Description

Meet Ivan of Russia. A very strong diesel engine who once finished second in the shunting challenge.

Character

  • Ivan (does not speak)

Event

  • Shunting Challenge

Location

Country

  • Russia

Trivia

Video

Gina of Italy

Gina of Italy is the seventh video for Meet the Contenders. It was released on 1 June 2016.

Description

Don't let Gina's looks deceive you. This small and compact engine can match the boys pound for pound.

Character

  • Gina (does not speak)

Event

  • Shunting Challenge

Location

Country

  • Italy

Trivia

  • Arlesburgh Harbour was redressed to represent Italy.
  • Gina's stats say that she is a 0-2-0. In Italy, the wheel arrangement is counted by the amount of axles on an engine rather than the amount of wheels.

Video

Spencer of UK

Spencer of UK is the eighth video for Meet the Contenders. It was released on 8 June 2016.

Description

Meet Spencer. Serving as the private engine to the Duke and Duchess, Spencer is known as a regal engine that holds the land speed record for a steam locomotive.

Characters

Event

  • The Great Race

Location

Country

  • England

Trivia

  • Sir Nigel Gresley is mentioned by the Race Announcer. This is one of the few times a real life person is mentioned by name in Thomas and Friends.
  • Interestingly, despite the title saying that Spencer is from the United Kingdom, his stats say that his country is simply "Mainland".
  • The Main Line, particularly the autumn version seen in Two Wheels Good, Etienne's, and Frieda's videos is used to represent the English Main Line.
  • Spencer is said to be the one who holds the fastest speed record for a steam engine. In real life, this title is held by his brother and basis Mallard.

Goofs

  • The video's title is grammatically incorrect; it should be "Spencer of the UK."

Video

Rajiv of India

Rajiv of India is the ninth video for Meet the Contenders. It was released on 15 June 2016.

Description

All hail the emperor of India, Rajiv. Rajiv is a small tank engine but bursts with color!

Character

Event

  • Best Decorated Engine Parade

Location

Country

  • India

Trivia

  • The Fenland Track was redressed to represent India. Additionally, the Taj Mahal was used as a landscape in the video.

Goofs

  • Rajiv's animation begins to rotate before the announcer says "Rajiv of India".

Video

Percy of Sodor

Percy of Sodor is the tenth video for Meet the Contenders. It was released on 22 June 2016.

Description

Meet Percy. Picked at the last minute for the shunting challenge, Percy is an unlikely hero.

Characters

  • Percy (does not speak)
  • James (not named; does not speak)

Event

  • Shunting Challenge

Location

Country

  • Sodor

Trivia

  • The Race Announcer mentions the events of Tale of the Brave. Stock footage from said special is also used.

Video

Shooting Star Gordon of Sodor

Shooting Star Gordon of Sodor is the eleventh video for Meet the Contenders. It was released on 29 June 2016.

Description

The streamlined power house, Gordon the Shooting Star, is a lean mean moody machine that is heading to the front of the race.

Characters

Event

  • The Great Race

Location

Country

  • Sodor

Goofs

  • Gordon's basis stats say that he is based on an LNER A3 Pacific like his brother Flying Scotsman, but his true basis is actually the earlier GNR A1 Pacific locomotive.

Video

Shane of Australia

Shane of Australia is the twelfth video for Meet the Contenders. It was released on 6 July 2016, but was previously shown on an Australian news website when Shane was first publicly revealed.

Description

Meet Shane of Australia. Shane is a big, strong engine who works tirelessly to ensure he's in the best shape for the strongest engine race.

Character

Event

  • Strength Competition

Location

Country

  • Australia

Trivia

  • Bluff's Cove was redressed to represent the Australian coast for this video.
  • There are a few differences between the original and the newer video:
    • When Shane is shown in Australia, the newer video shows him pulling rolling stock.
    • The newer video has more 'sparkles' in the background.
    • His speed stat was changed and the event category was fixed to say he is in the strength competition instead of the Great Race. This would have been the original event for Shane.

Goofs

  • In the original video, Shane's stats say that he is competing in the Great Race. However, in the film, he competes in the strength competition. The Race Announcer even says that the strength competition is the event that Shane competes in. This was later fixed in the official upload on the Thomas and Friends YouTube Channel.
  • Shane's tender wheels and chain coupling are not rendered properly towards the end of the showcase video.

Video

Emily of Sodor

Emily of Sodor is the thirteenth video for Meet the Contenders. It was released on 13 July 2016.

Description

Looking better than ever, Emily has two extra large driving wheels and one of the tallest funnels on Sodor.

Character

Event

  • Best Decorated Engine Parade

Location

Country

  • Sodor

Goofs

  • Emily's wheel configuration stats incorrectly stated her as a 4-2-0 instead of a 4-2-2.

Video

Vinnie of North America

Vinnie of North America is the fourteenth video for Meet the Contenders. It was released on 20 July 2016.

Description

Meet Vinnie, the tough, rule-bending engine who will do anything to come in first place.

Character

Event

  • Strength Competition

Location

  • North America

Country

  • North America

Trivia

  • Anopha Quarry was redressed to represent North America for this video.
  • Although Vinnie represents North America, his flag for this video represents the United States of America (USA).

Goofs

  • Vinnie's basis stats is incorrectly describes him as a U-4-b instead of a U-4-a steam locomotive.
  • The flag for Vinnie's video is that of the United States, but his prototype was built and operated largely in Canada.
  • Vinnie's brake van was not rendered properly as it can be seen through the roof of it.

Video

The Flying Scotsman

The Flying Scotsman is the fifteenth video for Meet the Contenders. It was released on 27 July 2016.

Description

Meet The Flying Scotsman, the first locomotive to reach 100 mph!

Characters

Event

  • The Great Race

Location

Country

  • England

Trivia

  • This is the only video that does not have the engine's nationality in the title.
  • The Main Line, unmodified, was used to represent the East Coast Main Line for this video.
  • The video states that the Flying Scotsman was the first to reach 100 mph; however, this is not entirely true. He was the first engine to officially do so, as the City of Truro may have unofficially held that title.

Video

Carlos of Mexico

Carlos of Mexico is the sixteenth video for Meet the Contenders. It was released on 3 August 2016.

Description

Meet Carlos. He won the strength competition at the first Great Railway Show, but now he's back and competing in the best decorated parade!

Character

Event

  • Best Decorated Engine Parade

Location

  • The first Great Railway Show

Country

  • Mexico

Trivia

  • The upper terrace of the Shunting Yards, unmodified, was used to represent the very first Great Railway Show.
  • This is the only Great Railway Show video that doesn't show the engine somehow moving (shunting, chuffing along, pulling a train); instead it remains stationary.

Video

Henry of Sodor

Henry of Sodor is the seventeenth video for Meet the Contenders. It was released on 10 August 2016.

Description

Meet Henry, one of Sir Topham Hatt's first engines! He may not be the strongest, but we'll see if this engine can win the strength competition!

Character

Event

  • Strength Competition

Location

Country

  • Sodor

Trivia

Goofs

  • In Henry's basis stats, William Stanier's name is misspelled with another N, making it read "Stannier".
  • The description incorrectly spells Hatt's as "Hat's".

Video

Etienne of France

Etienne of France is the eighteenth video for Meet the Contenders. It was released on 24 August 2016.

Description

Meet The Great Race's most modern engine, Etienne of France! He may be the fastest engine, but he always plays fair!

Character

Event

  • The Great Race

Location

Country

  • France

Trivia

  • The Main Line, particularly the autumn version seen in Two Wheels Good, Spencer's, and Frieda's videos was redressed with catenary-power lines to represent the French Main Line.

Goofs

  • Etienne's basis stats incorrectly give his wheel arrangement as Co-Co instead of Bo-Bo like as if he had twelve wheels.

Video

Frieda of Germany

Frieda of Germany is the nineteenth video for Meet the Contenders. It was released on 31 August 2016.

Description

Meet Frieda. This streamlined engine is competing to win the strength competition.

Characters

Event

  • Strength Competition

Location

Country

  • Germany

Trivia

  • The Main Line, particularly the autumn version seen in Two Wheels Good and Spencer's and Etienne's videos is used to represent the German Main Line. The background actually bears resemblance to Grunewald Forest in autumn season. 

Video

Thomas of Sodor

Thomas of Sodor is the twentieth and last video to be uploaded for Meet the Contenders. It was released on 7 September 2016.

Description

Here's the engine you've all been waiting for: Thomas the Tank Engine! What race will this champion compete in?

Characters

Event

  • The Shunting Competition

Locations

Country

  • Sodor

Trivia

  • Stock footage from Helping Hiro, Sodor's Legend of the Lost Treasure, Thomas the Babysitter and Lost Property is used.
  • This is the only "Meet The Contenders" video to have different terms from the UK and US. When the announcer said "from shunting trucks" in the UK and "from shunting cars" in the US.
  • The "event" box in the video has three question marks in place of the event Thomas is competing in. This is a reference to the fact that in the special, Thomas did not enter the Shunting Competition until the last minute and had previously tried to get into every other competition first.

Goofs

  • In comparison to the other stats, the stats featured indicate that Thomas' length is shorter than Philip and Percy, despite Thomas clearly being the same length as Percy and longer than Philip.

Video

Trivia

  • There were no videos shown on 11 May and 17 August, the latter date instead showing a nine-minute sneak peek of the upcoming special.
  • Despite participating in, helping with or visiting the Great Railway Show:
    • Henry, Hiro, Stephen and The Mainland Diesels are not in the background lineup of each video.
    • James and Hiro do not receive videos of their own, especially with the former being in the background lineup. 

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